Hi - When I contacted my uni about PhDs I already had a rough proposal prepared. I then was given some good advice as to it's content and was then passed on to a supervisor. What I found though was that they were concerned as to whether (at the 6 month review) I would be able to continue even to MPhil not because my research topic wasn't good, simply because nothing is certain (you never know how your research is going to go!). I therefore chose to do an MRes which I have been assured can be upgraded to the MPhil and then at least I won't have wasted time, effort and money in that 6 month period and I can spend the year sorting out funding for the rest of the PhD - or I could apply for one already set up. If you definately don't want to do a masters I would apply for PhDs already available as there is less uncertainty about their fate - otherwise see where your uni stands as far as upgrading an MRes to a MPhil to then continue on.

Hi everyone

I graduated from a BSc and decided I wanted to continue at University but was unsure whether to do a Masters or PhD. I spoke with a lecturer who advised me to go on to a PhD and not the Masters. I have contacted the University and my potential supervisor has expressed her enthusiasm in my project idea but I have a dilemma. She wants me to do an MRes and then do the PhD. She says this is because it would be easier to get funding for the MRes but I do know that this is the first year that this Masters has run and they haven't done amazingly well with numbers. Also she is the course leader for the Masters, but another lecturer (who was also involved in setting the MRes/MSc up) advised me against doing the MRes and instead to do the PhD. I am so confused due to the conflicting views of various lecturers and really would prefer to not do the MRes if I didn't need to. Could anyone give me any advice?!