It's love for me, but I'm very unusual. I'm long-term ill (progressive neurological disease), and can't work any more. So my PhD is of no financial benefit. The first time I signed up for a PhD (over a decade ago, science, full-time) it was because I wanted to be a lecturer. No incentive of money at all. I think anyone thinking of going into higher education who's after lots of money is a fool! The second time (history, part-time) it was sheer love of the topic.

I really think love has to be the stronger reason. A PhD is a terrible slog at times, and can be extremely difficult to stick to the end of. If you're just in it for the money there are easier ways. For example I'm not convinced in the current economic climate that it is the way to higher pay.

I had a lot of dreams about the viva in the run-up to submission and the big day.

And, recently, I had a dream that my PhD was rescinded :$ Nearly a year after the successful viva pass! Eek!

So the dreams don't necessarily stop :p

Are you full-time? If so still studying at 4 years is not that unusual. You need to stop comparing yourself to other people. What matters is what stage you are at.

If you keep missing deadlines then those deadlines are unrealistic. Try making more realistic ones.

What other support mechanisms do you have? Have you spoken to counsellors at your uni? Or even a chaplain? (I found that last one helpful, and I'm agnostic!). You mentioned the GP, and ruled that out, but this is a very strong reaction you're having. I think a GP could help.

Keep talking here. We're here to support you, whatever you decide to do.

But maybe stop the studies for today, take a break. Have a chocolate biscuit and a cup of tea. Or something else nice. Treat yourself. Have a break from the worry for a bit.

Basically if you want to switch to a different PhD and research councils are involved (even if you switch fields) you would be better leaving your current one ASAP. It's hardly fair to continue it any longer than necessary if you have no intention of completing.

It could affect your funding though, depending on how your first PhD was funded. If it was research council funded and you apply to a second research council PhD they may restrict how much funding they will give you the second time.

I left a full-time EPSRC-funded PhD in 1996. When I applied for part-time AHRC PhD funding in 2003 I had to declare my prior funding. But, luckily, they didn't restrict me at all. I'm ever so grateful.

When I was finishing my PhD I used DropBox all the time for backups, supported by frequent backups to a dedicated external hard drive, and emailing important files (like updated chapters) to my uni account (I was based at home).

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I'd worry about perceptions within the academic community if you do this. Firstly yes you would be taking a place that would normally otherwise go to someone still to get a PhD - even if you don't make the decision to award you the studentship, you're the one who takes the place. Second what good is a second PhD going to do for you career-wise, apart from give you an income and research position for a few years? If I was an academic looking at hiring you I'd wonder what was going through your mind when you took that on.

Sorry if this comes across harsh. I know some people do a second PhD for other reasons, often because they want to retrain in a totally different area. For example I know someone whose PhD is in Russian History, but after a conversion Masters is now a Computer Science researcher, and considering doing a Computer Science PhD to consolidate that position. I'd be ok with that. But just to keep you going for a year, no, especially if it (as sounds) is so close to your original field.

I really think you should be looking at a post-doctoral position, and if that means waiting a year, so be it. You should be able to find alternative employment in the meantime.

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At my uni it's 6 years, then a possible 1-year extension.

AHRC will allow part-timers to take 7 years before they penalise departments.

======= Date Modified 05 Feb 2011 18:55:42 =======
Go go go!

Sorry to hear about the crying though. That's not good. Is there anyone you can talk to face-to-face about how you feel, like family, or friends, or your supervisor, or a uni counsellor? It shouldn't be this awful.

And this is me speaking as someone who barely had a day go by when I didn't contemplate quitting :p

If it was me I'd withdraw from the full-time one, saying you can't work full-time, and apply to the part-time one.

This is assuming they don't offer the full-time one on a part-time basis of course, but that's probably unlikely, if they need a full-time amount of work to be done by somebody.

Of course there are full-time PhD options at the Open University as well. Those would typically be funded, so your fees and living expenses would be paid for. You would be based at Milton Keynes.

A friend of mine did a part-time PhD with the Open University. I considered doing my part-time one with them. Some years ago it used to be much cheaper to study a PhD part-time with the OU than a face-to-face university. Now the fees are about the same though, and you are very much at a distance and on your own, even if you do have supervisors you need to see occasionally.

For more information see http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/index.htm

Firstly I'd ask your second supervisor to look over your work. If they're your second supervisor then they should be doing something useful to help.

Also at this stage it's ok to trust your own instincts. I had quite a big argument (good tempered, but still!) with my supervisor about my conclusions. He was convinced right up to my viva that the examiners would want them to be significantly rewritten. But I decided to stick to my own judgement, and put my view across. And it's ok for you to do that.

The last few months are very hard though (I was part-time too, over 6 years). You probably have more doubts than at any other time of the process. Just keep going, a small step at a time. And you'll get there.

Good luck!

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Physics and Computer Science graduates have an awful lot of knowledge picked up in their Bachelors degrees. You'd need to short-cut that somehow, and that may not be easy.

For Computer Science there are 1-year conversion Masters available, designed for graduates in other subjects who want to retrain. That's what you'd want to look for, but even then you may find it hard to get a PhD place afterwards competing with graduates with a full BSc of training worth.

I don't know of conversion Masters for people wanting to move to Physics. Frankly I'd be surprised if there are any. And doing a Masters aimed at Physics graduates (as with one aimed at Comp Sci graduates) would be unsuitable for you, because you would simply not have the background knowledge.

I went in the other direction from Comp Sci (BSc, and started a full-time PhD) to history. But I took the long route. I got a BA from the Open University (though it was shorter than needed to be, because of my BSc credit transfer), then a taught Masters, before going on to my PhD. When I applied for funding for the history PhD I was able to be judged on my history BA and Masters, and my science background was irrelevant.

Good luck!