======= Date Modified 28 36 2009 03:36:57 =======
Hi all,

I am finishing my M.Sc. in Canada in a couple of months and found myself an admission to a British University. From the feedback of her students, the supervisor I would have seems to be very supportive, knowledgeable and keen on helping her student not to mention that her area of research is very interesting. However, she informed me that she would be in a maternity leave until January 2010 but I would be starting my studies on September 2009. According to her, she would be available one day weekly to follow the progress of her students including myself. Whilst I did not need my supervisor virtually at all during the masters, I assume that the PhD is a total different story!
therefore, I wonder if the arrangement of having her one day weekly would affect my progress?
any feedback would be appreciated.
thanks.

Once a week is plenty of supervision, especially for a first year, I think.

I meet mine every 14 days with a 3000 word submission 4 days before the supervision, and each supervision is for an hour. That's absolutely more than enough. And mine is in touch with me almost daily by email, albeit about other things (I work on her project, or my CV stuff, or my writing or general stuff like books and scholars etc).

once a week may actually be counterproductive. She shan't have time to read what you write, you wont have time to read or think stuff that's useful and to quote my sup "the project is supposed to move ahead with every supervision"

Good luck.

I don't see my supervisor every term, let alone every week.

Having your supervisor available once a week is more than enough at PhD level - however, just because she is 'available' may not necessarily mean you'll get a supervision with her once a week, but more likely once every 2 weeks or once a month....which frankly is more than most students get.

It sounds like you have a diligent supervisor.

Thanks buddies for the reply ... or maybe mates as you say in UK :-)

Seriously now, I would be working in a new area of research with a lot of experimental protocols that I am not familiar with. That is basically my concern- who would be there showing me how to do things in the lab.

There should be other postdocs in the lab who can help - you should ask your supervisor specifically who could help you.

Smilodon - Thanks for the very useful piece of advice.

I see my superevisors once a month which seems to work ok. As long as she is available by email you should be fine. I wouldn't worry about it.

To be honest you'd probally spend at least the first month of your PhD looking and trying to understand the literature getting a feel of what direction you are goign to persue (and probally bricking it feeling out of your depth! ha ha). So that takes you till probally mid october just reading so you'll only be without her for a month.....ish. In my experience your supervisor wont be the one actually showing you how to get on in the lab you'll be relying on your own initiative (what a PhD is all about, learning from ones mistakes lol) and most importantly kind post docs, they'll be more important than your supervisor if it's a well funded lab that is.