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Advice required please

M

Hi
I am a third year part time MPhil/PhD student, who has had five supervisor/director of studies changes through no fault of my own. The uni I am at may not have anyone left to direct my studies, hence may need to transfer to another uni. I was due to transfer from Mphil to PhD this month (will be delayed), but just feel totally rundown by it all. I almost feel like walking away if I could but this seems a waste of three years. I have worked with so many different people who do it one way, then the next want it another way, I have started questionning the fundamentals of my research such as methodology and the point of doing it at all. I was asked today about my methodology from a perspective supervisor (qualitative phenomenolgy) and was a complete blank canvas - thats a first!

Has anyone any advice? I would be grateful.

T

Five changes? My God Moggy, no wonder you're all at sea! Is this just due to people leaving or have they been unsuited to your topic in some way? I hope you aren't a fee paying student as that is fairly terrible.
Personally I would want to see my head of department and receive some assurances that they will appoint a suitable (and securely employed) team of at least 2 supervisors, and that they wouldn't penalise you in any way for this disruption.
I think having to alter your research directionis very tiring and it would make anyone question their work. The sooner you can decide on a definite approach and stick with it, the better your chances of seeing this through. If you've really had enough though, do you have sufficient data/writing to cobble together and Mphil thesis? Then you could always take that and start afresh elsewhere if you really want the phd.

M

Hi, I have had a two person team throughout. Their knowledge of research degrees on the whole has been good, but not my topic of research. Yes I am fee paying, and the head of department has been a supervisor but said he does not have the skills!!! (Professor).
I actually do have enough to produce an MPhil thesis (all 60000words), but is this a possible route as I currently have no supervisory team at my uni?

L

Hi Moggy, I'm not able to give you any advice on this but it is your uni's responsibility to provide you with a supervisory team, especially since you are paying the fees yourself, can you even go see someone in your student union about it?

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