Thanks for making it all a lot clearer! At Birkbeck you can do a MPhil as the first year then a PhD after, providing you pass something I think. So I thought most other places worked like that. There are a few people where I am now who I would like to supervise my work, however approaching them is something else entirely. One of them is my dissertation tutor now, he has been so helpful and enthusiastic about my dissertation and actually said that he enjoyed reading my work which was really encouraging. But it might be a bit strange to stay at the same place for undergraduate, masters and PhD...however if it works out for me it might be the best option. There is just so much to think about at the moment and its all so uncertain, thats why I feel like I'm thinking into the future too much. I think when I see the professor about the MSc next week it will be clearer, I just hope that he makes me an offer. Natassia

Melsie - I've nearly completed a degree in Applied Psychology and Sociology, and hoping to do a MSc in Psychosocial Studies at the same university. Its quite a new discipline and still being established really, so the lecturers where I am now are really enthusiastic about teaching it and they are reasonably well-known as well (I think). Hopefully that will be an advantage as I know I would like to do a PhD in that discipline, I wouldn't want to do just psychology or sociology.

KB - that sounds like a really good experience..however the problem with where I am is that they don't do a specific PhD course, but I think they take on a few students. But the other day I heard from another lecturer that they are looking for more doctorate students, and that one of them might "take me under their wing"...what does that mean?? Would that mean that if they are interested in what I'm interested in and would like to supervise me, that they might offer to supervise me for a PhD? I don't want to sound stupid but I really don't know how this all works! Alternatively, I was planning on applying to Birkbeck next year (providing I have the MSc) and doing the MPhil Psychosocial Studies there.

Thanks for the replies, Nx

I'm graduating this year hopefully with a BA (Hons) and am hoping to get an offer for a MSc to start this September. I know I really want to do a PhD afterwards and I've wanted to do a PhD since the beginning of my final year, but only really started talking about it with tutors when I've asked for references for the postgrad applications, and only if they've asked me about it or brought the subject of PhDs into conversation. Am I too early to be thinking of things to do after the Masters, or to have a plan? I know I want to have an academic career, in teaching and research as I love my subject and want to go as far as I can with it, and I know I want to teach. However, would my tutors think I have 'notions above my station' if I talk about this, or would they think I was being ambitious? Would they think I was being naive at all? I get good grades and work hard, I have the motivation to do it but I'm so worried about what the people who are teaching me think. Those of you who are doing/have completed PhDs, when did you decide you wanted to do one, and why are you doing it? When did you decide to have an academic career?
Its difficult because none of my friends at university are doing postgraduate study next year and they think I'm mad for wanting to carry on, so I have nobody to really compare myself with if that makes sense.

Any advice/guidance appreciated, Nx

I'm really at the beginning of all things postgraduate so any advice is limited...but from what I've been told the more preparation you have for your PhD, the more committed you look to potential supervisors, therefore the more likely you are to get offered a place. From what you're studying you seem very academically able, but if the masters at Manchester would be significantly more appropriate to your PhD than what you're doing now, I would definitely go for it. Moving is a hassle, but you've been lucky enough to get funding and if it will help you with the PhD, then its a really good opportunity and could enhance your ideas for your PhD.
I haven't even started a Masters course yet so am really not in a position to say too much, but I am planning to do a taught course first then a research-based Masters to prepare myself for a PhD, even though my undergraduate degree has prepared me very well. I may not end up doing the research-based Masters, but I just want to be really confident about my proposal for a PhD.

Thanks for all the replies, again its really good to hear about lots of different experiences. I have the enthusiasm, and until now I believed I had the grades but I'm panicking about that now, although I think its quite normal to panic at the end of am undergraduate degree. I have one more submission and I'm feeling a bit more hopeful about this one and I know I'll really enjoy writing it. I got 80 for the the other assessment for this module so feeling a bit more positive!
I'm just feeling really uncertain at the moment, my confidence took a real knock after unexpectedly being rejected from my 1st choice MA course (my tutors were confident that I'd get in and were shocked when I didn't), and so now I'm feeling a bit doubtful about everything. But the motivation is still there, and a PhD is my ultimate ambition, I love the subject and want to take it as far as I can.

I had a masters interview a few weeks ago, unfortunately I didn't get an offer but I can still tell you what to expect, to a certain degree. I wore skinny black trousers and a nice blouse-type top..if anything go too smart but it doesn't really demand a suit. Just black trousers/knee length skirt and a smart top is fine.

You will probably be asked why you want to do the course and what your future aspirations are. Also, how your undergraduate degree has provided you with suitable background knowledge for the course. They will want yoe to sound motivated and confident in your ability. Also you might be asked about any specific work experience you may have had and what you would bring to the university.

Generally they're quite informal, they don't want to catch you out or anything like that. So good luck, and try not to be nervous, I think thats where I failed to be honest.

I'm really worried about it after reading some of those other replies, I think I'd have to get ESRC funding, or be really lucky and get a studentship. The problem is, I've been looking at psychology studentships just out of interest and the projects that they are for are so different to what I am studying now, and to what I'd expect to do a PhD in. I would ideally like to go to Birkbeck and do the MPhil in Psychosocial Studies followed by the PhD, but I'd obviously need ESRC funding for that, so would probably need a first. So, so worried about this, and I haven't even graduated yet...PhD study doesn't look very hopeful does it?

Thank you both for your replies. I really am trying for a first and always have done, I thought I was ok until these two assignments. But I might end up doing well in them, you really never can tell. According to my dissertation supervisor (who also wrote me a reference) my dissertation looks promising, so hopefully I'll get a good mark; I really put everything into that and enjoyed writing it. It just all feels so uncertain at the moment, despite people who have been there reassuring me. Basically, I have had all 70+ including an 80 so far this year, apart from one 68. But as I did well in the other assignment for that module my overall mark was 71. I got 67 for my second year. So I need 70 at least for my dissertation and semester 2 modules to get a first.

But maybe I'll be fine as long as I get 65+ as a final grade, but to be honest that would be personally disappointing for me. I know I'm only an undergraduate and you're all doing bigger and better things than me but I'm getting so grade-obsessed at the moment and really tetchy about everything, I don't know how I'm going to cope at MSc level! But you've both said what my tutor said, its the distinction at Masters level that seems to make the difference.

Good luck with your PhDs...I must say I'm jealous I'd love to be doing a PhD but everyone has to start somewhere. Where are you stuying Clinical Psychology..I'd imagine thats really competitive to get into.

That sounds like an absolutely amazing experience, well done and congratulations!! I'm only an undergraduate and hoping to start a MSc this year, so the whole idea of a PhD and a viva is quite unreal to me at the moment...but its something I hope to do and so it really helps to read success stories, makes it seem a bit more possible!

I'm hoping to get an offer for the MSc Psychosocial Studies at Brighton, to start this year. I am currently a final year student at Brighton studying Applied Psychology and Sociology. My grades are fairly good and if I am consistent this semester (inc. dissertation) I could get a first, my average for the marks I have so far is 71 and that counts for half my degree, I am still waiting for my dissertation and semester 2 grades. I really want to get a first, but I am worried about 2 assignments that I handed in today, I was not happy with them and found them a real challenge. I always worry about things I have handed in, but I really don't think they're worth 70%.

I had my heart set on a first but now I'd be happy with a 2.1. The MSc course would need a 2.1 so I should be able to make the grade providing that I get an offer. However, I would ultimately like to pursue an academic career and study for a PhD after the MSc, if I don't get a first is that likely to affect my chances for being accepted onto a PhD, or being eligible for funding? What is the significance of a first for a future career?

Any advice really appreciated, also I am new and although I am looking for advice at the moment I'll try and give some to others as well, but I'm very new to postgraduate life!

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I'm hoping to get an offer for the MSc Psychosocial Studies at Brighton, to start this year. I am currently a final year student at Brighton studying Applied Psychology and Sociology. My grades are fairly good and if I am consistent this semester (inc. dissertation) I could get a first, my average for the marks I have so far is 71 and that counts for half my degree, I am still waiting for my dissertation and semester 2 grades. I really want to get a first, but I am worried about 2 assignments that I handed in today, I was not happy with them and found them a real challenge. I always worry about things I have handed in, but I really don't think they're worth 70%.

I had my heart set on a first but now I'd be happy with a 2.1. The MSc course would need a 2.1 so I should be able to make the grade providing that I get an offer. However, I would ultimately like to pursue an academic career and study for a PhD after the MSc, if I don't get a first is that likely to affect my chances for being accepted onto a PhD, or being eligible for funding? What is the significance of a first for a future career?

Any advice really appreciated, also I am new and although I am looking for advice at the moment I'll try and give some to others as well, but I'm very new to postgraduate life!