That should read 'substitute for qualifications'.

Universities will look at your whole academic record and where you got your degrees from, and what professional experience you have (which often acts as a substitute qualifications), but they'll be more interested in your most recent qualification.

Generally for a PhD you need:
a First UG degree
or
a 2.1 plus masters at high merit or distinction.

However, if you get a distinction or high merit at LLM, and particularly if you gain a distinction mark in a dissertation, you may still have a good chance of a place.

This is very generalised advice - you need to speak to individual uni's etc.

Yes, he isn't doing enough to warrant his pay packet.

There is a good article in the MEN, explaining what he's doing:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/education/s/1018182_amis_a_hit_with_students

I wonder if he'll get full professor pay?

erm...

I haven't a clue as I haven't read them yet

I would have thought that would be the college registry, but your supervisor will know.

When I said he's not 'based' in Manchester - I was referring to the fact he isn't living there.

He will teach every fortnight, on two courses, that are one and one half hours each, so 3 hours teaching every 2 weeks.

Lara, check your account.

Lara, I have electronic copies of them. If you have an anonymous email, post it on here, and I'll send you the info.

(Quit stressing!!! )

@Tom, you've never heard of BB? You're a lucky man!!

@Betty, welcome to the September Club! I must admit I used to be a BB addict too, although I haven't watched it for ages now. I caught the start on Thursday, and thought 'ARRRHHH as the contestants leave my PhD needs to be done'. At least the live feed will keep me company (or send me to sleep) during a boring summer of writing-up!

@Lara, Grey's Anatomy is far more respectable

Since Manchester became a 'Super University' they are attempting to move right up the rankings. I read somewhere that they want to be in the top 25 in the world. Attracting big names seems to be part of this mission.

As for Martin Amis being a 'Professor', his body of work over the past 30-odd years justifies this. I can understand the cynical aspect i.e., the fact he won't be based in Manchester etc. But there are lots of other Professors that don't have PhDs, and are given the title because of their body of work in industry etc.

Personally, I think it's quite a coup for Manchester, and I'm glad they got him, rather than one of the usual suspects, such as, LSE who'd call him a Professor of Social Creative Commentary (or the like)

Big Brother 9 started last night, and it runs for 13 weeks.

By the time this year's Big Brother finishes, my PhD needs to be finished too! Roughly speaking, I need to edit or write 6000 words per evicted contestant.

I, and other 'September Club members' now have our very own televisual countdown clock!!



(Of course, I never ever, ever watch BB).

Thanks for the link! I'll check it out.

Tetris, thanks for the input on life in Oz. It seems very much a similar experience to here. The few Austalian academics that I've met do seem to be considerably more chilled than their British counterparts.

It's a country I'd consider working in for a few years. Does Australia have a central website for academic jobs, similar to jobs.ac.uk?

I suppose the absence of a permanent job is a double-edged sword, as it at least allows academics to experience work in lots of different locations.

Oliva you have a great attitude (you're obviously not British). Indeedy, the UK has a terrible attitude to age.

I'm 30, and I already feel too old to start a corporate career (after spending my 20s in academia). I've actually been told by recruiters I'll have problems getting a job and will have to justify my age (all on the QT because of the Age Discrimination Act). I almost feel like I've aged myself out of the market - and yet, in the US and Canada I've notice age doesn't really matter. I really admire the fact people start law school in their 30s, 40s or 50s - that doesn't really happen here.

I once read that for science academics a PhD is a mere technicality/start of the journey to bigger and better research, while for non-science academics a PhD is often the pinacle of one's research work (I was trying to find the source for this - I think it was in a PhD research book).

While this is a big generalisation, it does explain why many science PhDs get their PhDs over and done with much earlier, while with non-science academics the PhD becomes a massive labour of love that they hope will be published by OUP or the like.