Hello people,

I wanted some advice. I have got phd studentship from a very good school in UK, thanks to my very good MSc, but i am not sure about my research apptitude though i like the subject thats why i applied for it. But do u think this is a possibilty that i try my best for a year and see how it goes but i am only willing to do that if i get a degree after one year. Does any one here know if you do first year of phd and then lets say you find out this is not what you want from your life can you get Mphil and leave or is it upto the advisor/supervisor to decide whether to give mphil or just kick out the student ?. Please advise

I would have thought more like 18 months for an MPhil (?).

Yes, more like 18mths to get enough data for an Mphil and then the writing up time. Of course, time scale will depend on your subject, your aptitude and luck!

BTW, your advisor/supervisor will not decide on whether your work warrants an Mphil. Like a PhD, someone submitting work for an Mphil will have to submit their thesis for viva voce examination.

"Giving research a try"

--> That does not work in reality. You need to make a clear decision and you need to have the drive and committment or you will neither get an MPhil nor a PhD.

A lot of people with MA or MSc think they can add a PhD or MPhil very easily-one or two more years of study and that's it. They don't know, however, that a PhD has idiosyncratic characteristics which are entirely different. In other words, a PhD is tough and if you don't have the innner desire to complete it you will soon decide to quit.

It's a marathon and as expressed through this analogy, only crazy people decide to embark on such an endeveaour.

I have a very good distinction Masters and the PhD is NOTHING like it - the research (both in terms of content and style) is much MUCH harder. I completely agree with Apollo - I would never advise anyone to do this who wasn't sure.

a PhD is very different. plus from experience where i work the MPhil takes around 2 years if its based upon the PhD outline (i.e swapping mid way to Mphil) and not how i would recomment you 'try' research. maybe working for a year as a research assistant may be a better way to determine whether it is for you