Quote From littleowl:
Hi Dolly,

- If you don't have a 'pet project' in mind that you're absolutely desperate to do for a PhD, I'd really recommend going for funded studentships on funded projects if you find something that fits your skills and experience. Although it might not be your dream topic, projects often come with funding already in place for conferences and resources you might not have access to otherwise - and if you're at all interested in continuing with research, showing that you have experience of working as part of a research team looks great on CVs. I absolutely loved my PhD, even though it wasn't what I originally wanted to do, and have found the team project aspect has helped with job applications.

Hope this helps!

Quote From chickpea:
Another thing I would add, Dolly, is pay attention to all the little details when handing in your work - the presentation style that's required, the referencing, check that you've ironed out any little errors etc. I know that might just seem like common sense, but the feedback I got during my Masters had a surprising amount of focus on my actual writing, and I also know from my own marking experience that it is much easier and more pleasant to mark when students have double-checked everything themselves! (There are exceptions, of course, for students who have conditions which make written work more challenging, as long as the marker knows in advance not to subtract marks on this issue).

Quote From dotdottung:
Hi Dolly,

I think there are no quick-fix tips. Generally, good performance comes with hard work. It does depend on how much time you are willing to spend on your studies. But I think I can give you some general advice as follows:

1) Understand what assessments you are going to do and how you are going to be assessed in the program;
2) Do more than what is required in the assessments (e.g. essays and presentations).
3) Think and research deeply before you do the assessments
4) Proofread and revise carefully after you have done the assessments

It is true that getting funding is not easy. But I am sure that you will come close to your goal if you can get a distinction.

Hope it helps!

Quote From barbarossa101:
I have a PhD secured at a top 5 ranked university in the UK (I'm a home student) which is due to start during this Autumn term. However, I have had a change of heart and now want to do a Masters in a course that I am really interested in (career wise) at the same university. I realise this may be a long shot; but is it possible to make the switch by just speaking with the course tutor as I missed the deadline for this Masters? Thanks and I appreciate any helpful suggestions.

Quote From littleowl:
I did an MA in Medieval Studies, which isn't the same as English Lit although it did have a literature component. I didn't get a distinction but I was only 2 percentage points off (grrr!). Fortunately for me it didn't impact my getting a PhD scholarship, but it's certainly wise to aim for a distinction if you have hopes of doing a PhD - you are right that it is very competitive out there.

I'd second what has been said about putting the hours in - especially important for an arts course where you will probably have a lot of non-contact time, which you need to spend reading up in order to get the most out of the course. So self-motivation is key. Also, I should point out that 75% of the mark for my course came from the dissertation - I'm not sure if that will be the same with your course, but it does seem to be a standard feature of UK masters that they're very heavily-weighted towards the dissertation. So if that's also true for your course, you will need to really focus on that. Make sure you put in lots of effort and time getting that right, and follow the guidance of your supervisor on everything. And try not to get distracted by life - MA courses are very, very intensive but as they are short, you need to really focus on it if you want to do well as you only have a limited amount of time to get it right. Good luck!

Quote From chickpea:
I got a distinction in my MSc - not the same as English Lit, but in general I'd say don't skimp on anything, put the hours in and make sure you really have a knowledge of the material. When it comes to your research project, pay attention to anything your supervisor thinks should be improved on, since he or she is going to grade it. I'm a mature student too, and I think that helped as I certainly took it all more seriously than I did my undergraduate degree!