Signup date: 30 May 2008 at 11:23am
Last login: 13 Jul 2017 at 12:15pm
Post count: 1964
There may be different regulations at different universities and it may also depend on the focus of your thesis/your discipline. However, if you have any intention of working with quantitative data in the future, I would have the mindset of seeking help with the analysis, rather than handing it over to someone else entirely, as it will be harder for you to learn otherwise.
There is nothing dishonest about being genuinely interested in more than one thing at once.
The vast majority of people would be understanding about a person making multiple applications simultaneously. There is nothing to feel guilty about unless you're proposing to do something sneaky in playing people off against each other or going after jobs that you would never ever accept, but it doesn't sound like you would. So if there are multiple jobs out there that are suitable for you and interest you to some extent, apply to them all. It may lead to an awkward situation if offered more than one job, but that's better than being offered no jobs, and besides there are ways you can handle those kind of scenarios without causing big dramas for the people offering the jobs.
I would look at the various London unis' printing services - many unis have print shops that will provide this service for non students too, just make sure that your uni's requirements are clear in case they differ from local requirements e.g. https://www.studentcentral.london/services/copycats/
I'm not a computer scientist but I imagine cyber security would involve a fairly programming/algorithm heavy component. Therefore unless you have some background in maths/engineering/computer science from your BSc, you may struggle.
I would contact the course organisers of each MSc you're interested in and ask them whether your current background is appropriate, and for recommendations of what you might want to consider doing as prep. A full BSc may be unnecessary, but they may be able to point you in the direction of appropriate foundation courses.
Read from start to finish your faculty's/institution's regulations on thesis submissions to make sure everything is present and correct. Do this at least several days before submission. There can be all sorts of odd things in there e.g. you may be required to submit a loose sheet of paper with your abstract on, you may need to bind a submission form into the thesis etc.
I'd echo checking the doc after converting to pdf. Mine was fine, but when I submitted it, the uni system then inserted a cover sheet into the file that then messed up all my vertical/horizontal page breaks. If I'd have printed from that file it would have been a right mess.
Well, at least you have read through parts of it once. That's better than nothing.
At this stage:
- Don't try to finish reading the whole thing, but do have a look at anything you think the examiners will pick up on.
- Try to stay calm
- Focus on practical prep e.g. put post it note markers in your thesis at the start of chapters or by key tables/figures so you can find them quickly and don't get flustered in the viva
- Set out whatever you need for tomorrow (clothes, paperwork) so you don't have to rush in the morning.
- Get a good night's sleep
Good luck!
Have you done much investigation into the employment prospects of people with economics PhDs in development research? Are there many opportunities out there?
When you say it is difficult with 'only as Masters'... are you sure that employers are looking for 'Masters + PhD' or 'Masters + further experience'?
Sorry to be negative, but read around on this forum about the number of people who do not succeed in obtaining the academic research career they desire, despite having a PhD. There are various non academic avenues for research, but those employers may not be that fussed about whether you have a PhD.
If you are determined to self fund I would recommend doing it part time while carrying out part time work which is relevant in some way to your long term aims - it will enhance your skill-set and give you a wider range of options at the end of the process.
I would strongly caution against anyone doing a full-time self-funded PhD if their motivation is to improve their employment prospects. Is that your aim?
As a student of economics, I would encourage you to consider whether your investment (time, money) and the opportunity costs (loss of earnings, loss of chance to gain experience that employers would value more highly than a PhD) is worth it. Taking into account all of the above I estimate the total cost as upwards of £90,000 for a home student. Is that a worthwhile investment for whatever your end goal is?
TreeofLife's position may sound cynical but I wouldn't disagree.
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