I've been accepted on an MA doing English (Manchester Uni) but I am unsure whether to take it up. I'd have to self fund it, which is fine but there is no way I could fund a PhD myself. My eventual aim is to become a lecturer doing mostly teaching but also some research. I have a 2:1 in English (I think the average is around 63ish). Would I get funding for a PhD even if I got a distinction for the masters?

Even if I got the funding, would there be a job at the end of it?

Grateful for some advice.

Hi Aloysius, your question is of the type "how long is a piece of string" I'm afraid. There is so much unknown as every situation will be different and the higher education landscape could have changed yet again in a few years.

What I would say is in that in arts subjects, funding is ridiculously competitive, even with a distinction in your masters. As for a job, again, research and lectureship posts are increasingly more and more competitive. Not saying it's impossible, just be prepared to face some very large obstacles.

if you can afford it I would say do the masters - it is better to have one than not and it is a great learning experience - I now have two masters. Even if they do not lead me to brighter and better places - which I am sure they already have tbh (I also teach undergrad and got that through the masters stuff - much more common for students to do this now that teaching budgets have been cut etc.) - learning for the sake of learning is no bad thing but I am sure that having one will put you ahead whatever you end up doing, PhD or not.