If you're not working yet I'm not sure whether you would be able to receive funding as I suggested below. Try contacting your local university hospital for advice.

Don't be too concerned - talk to your supervisors, as suggested. It's not uncommon for students to find that litle of their first year of research ends up in the final thesis.

Talk to your course tutors in Amsterdam to see what opportunities may be available to you.

An EdD is a doctorate in education. Whilst it will confer the title of Dr upon you, it is very different from a PhD. An EdD is a taught course whereas a PhD is a research degree.

In general PhD study in the UK does not involve any courses, other than some basic ones on research methods which are usually not examined.

I've just read your previous post, evidently you mean third world development, in which case I'd ignore the advice to get some work experience in a laboratory. Try one of the development agencies or charities - ask your tutors, they may have contacts and be able to help.

Development Studies is not the best department in SOAS, but it is a highly respected institute. You really need to ask around your current tutors for you undergraduate course and see what they think - they'll probably say it will be good enough. Only very exceptional students receive funded PhD positions outside of the sciences and engineering. You should try getting some work experience with one of the development agencies or charities.

Do you mean Third World Development or Developmental Biology?

At very least write up for an MPhil, but if you can stick it out the PhD will probably do you far more good.

Hi Neil

Regular visitors to the forum will have followed the ups and downs of your PhD to this point. Whether you give up or not is up to you, but you should remember that, from what I recall of some of your entries on this forum, you have had high points as well as low ones. If you really must throw the towel in, an MPhil is a very good idea and should prevent any damage to your career prospects (potential employers need never know you dropped out of a PhD, they will just think you started and finished an MPhil). Whatever you do take a couple of weeks off first to clear your head.

You could try approaching human rights charities and you should have a look at the .

Most importantly talk to your current university tutors about what options might be open to you.

We're not sure what the position of the research councils, who fund most UK PhD students, would take, but they would probably be able to accomodate you. Contact one your the tutors from your MSc course for advice.

See our Funding and PhDs Explained sections for links and information.

Do you have UK residency status?

Always best to avoid crowbarring things like that in at an interview. When they ask about your interest in the subject mention that you have read some references. They will then ask you about them (if they're bothered)