Hi everyone,
I was wondering if anyone around ever walked away from a PhD and started another one?
There are initial stages of a bullying grievance against my principal supervisor. I started them and the department is behind me.
I like my project, but if worst comes to worst I need a contingency plan.
I might at least get an MPhil out of it, but how hard is it going to be to find another (funded...) position? Am I (worst case scenario!) going to be the gal who quit forever, if I do it?
All of this crap hasn't fazed my determination of getting a PhD one way or another...
Cheers,
Tabea

Hi Tabea

For sure you'll be able to get another project if you want and no, you won't be known as the girl who quit forever... it's not your fault you were bullied ... and it's great that your college recognises this.

I say this from experience because I was forced to quit a PhD and then I was subsequently offered another fully funded position. I did not accept it (because I decided I didn't like the subject enough) but I am looking for another PhD position now. It didn't deter me either.

I can sympathise because I know what it's like to be bullied by a supervisor.

How do you go on applying for new positions? Is there a good way to explain what has happened?

Oh, btw, totally agree about my college. Have to wait how it all plays out, but so far they are great.

i have dropped out of a Phd and have since then been offered another one. what i did was, i looked at what positions were advertised around the UK. i emailed the prospective supervisors, expressing an interest in their project, attach a CV, which said i spent a year of postgraduate study in feild x at University y,. they will be curious to know what has happended. you can say it was in many respct a great learning experience but the project wasnt for you and that you are committed to research. Find someone in the department willing to give you a reference to the effect that things havent worked out but you are an able student and they support your application for another PhD. if your department supports you the way they say they do then you should have any problems

That's very reassuring. I still entertain the hope that the worst won't happen...but well...

it's not easy to get the support from your current department and university. and the reason you quit is not convincing, i dont mean it's not true that you dont have interests on the current subject.

think it over before you make decision

Go go go! I was in a similar position last year, but chose to stay after reassurances from my uni. The situation is better, but far from what I would hope. Your reasons for quitting are more than legitimate. Just make sure you are very careful in your wording when explaining your choice to leave to any prospective uni (but I'm sure you would be). When i was hunting around for other unis, i only applied to two and got offers from both. Neither felt that my experiences were detrimental to my ability. Undergrads switch degrees all the time after finding their chosen area/uni isn't right - sometimes we all make bad choices, it's how you make it better that counts. Any uni worth their charter will recognise that you have clearly have motivation to succeed if you are willing to make such a huge leap from one PhD to another.

Good luck x

Spiegboy: Sorry, I don't get that? Care to elaborate?

Topic: I haven't quit yet - I'd like not to, but I might have no other choice. As Is said contingency planning.

sorry for my ill-defined english sentence. i am currently suffering from writing up papers in english. I mean before you fixed a better choice, dont make any jerky decision. To be honest, i think each subject is the same. when you work into it, you will find the interests. if you always see your subject as a layman, you can never love it.