Hi All
Im new to this forum so apologies if there are many posts like this!
I finished my MA last year and I'm interested in pursuing a PhD (the project i started for my MA continued for a PhD)
I come from an practical/creative art background, however have touched upon psychology in my MA
My project is based around creative arts in health care but i really feel i need to add more to my research skills set
I have an idea of research methods i want to do but not sure if i have the level of research knowledge to successfully complete a PhD
would any recommend the Mres before the PhD?
is it a stepping stone course?
also are they course specific or can you study general research techniques in a broader sense?

Thanks for anyone who can help me with this!
All the best!

Hi estherowl, this is the place to ask questions like this. I am not sure what you are asking. Are asking about an MRes or should you do one?

MRes's can vary a lot and I would recommend you to do a lot of research into the individual courses. They can be a great stepping stone to a PhD or a waste of time. They can fill in gaps in your skill set and improve your chances of getting a PhD but there is no guarantee. If you had offers for both take the PhD in a heartbeat.

My other question is, are you committed to the project or do you mind doing something else? Because generally funding is won by the supervisor for a specific project. You can apply for your own funding for your idea but that is difficult (usually ). If you are flexible with PhD project it would be easier to get funding and you could better determine your knowledge/skills.

I hope that answered some questions

Quickly, does your intended PhD start by you initially registering for an MRes or MPhil?

You already have a Masters and should have already gained some of the skills you will need for a PhD during the project period at least.

If you do an MRes then a PhD, you might be adding an extra two to three years onto your studies when you don't really need to.


Ian