Thanks everyone for your continued support. I'm still waiting. Well, the university shuts tomorrow, so I imagine if there's no news tomorrow, I'll be waiting till January.

On more a more positive note, had a good job interview today :) Only a short term researcher/ consultancy position, but will provide me with some really useful experience. I had to defend myself today on why this PhD has taken so long, which added to the annoyance with this waiting time. Grrrrr. Another job interview on Monday, but this time for a long term researcher/PostDoc position, so plenty of distractions at the moment. Just hope I can deliver a far more superior presentation than my disastrous performance in my other PostDoc job interview last month! Fingers crossed.

Thanks everyone :)

Received an apology from my supervisor, but their just telling me to wait for final decision from examiners, which is all I can do really!

Another job interview this week, which will hopefully distract me from this mess. Fingers crossed.

My supervisors are not responding to my pleas for updates. But, from my last attempts for an update from my supervisors, I immediately heard back from the postgrad office informing me that I need to wait for news from the postgrad office. My internal examiner no longer works or is based at the institution/university which is perhaps contributing to this delay. Can't find any time based regulations on examiners decision following resubmission.

I can only speculate on reasons for a delay: Failed PhD and therefore consulting with university personnel; working through a 100,000 word thesis on busy time schedules; delays in communication between the examiners themselves; delays in communication between examiners and university; time spent looking through new thesis and comparing with old overly long thesis; any annual leave affecting communication; other issues regarding payment for examination ; changes to internal examiners circumstances etc etc. I've heard nothing from my university other than to wait for a decision from the postgrad office and my examiners wanted a word count breakdown of my thesis.

I know my thesis was a great improvement over my first draft and adhered to all of their major recommendations and almost all of their smaller suggestions for improvement. At the viva and within examiners report, they were mostly positive regarding my thesis- ie encouraging me to publish thesis material in numerous journals/books, commented on ground breaking findings and important contributions to knowledge and were confused over my worries of an MPhil outcome. Therefore, I'm hoping this delay isn't an indication of sinister or bad news, but given my tendency to see things negatively along with this long delay, I'm naturally going to think something's wrong! If their agreeing corrections, I'm happy to resolve them, but I'm reaching my breaking point!

I've contacted my supervisors again asking for an update and copied it to the PhD departmental lead . If I don't hear from them soon, I'm going down there myself to demand some answers. Sorry to keep moaning on this forum!

University is closing for Christmas next week and the postgraduate office closes for Christmas lunch for most of today. Surely their not going to keep me waiting until January?! (despite news that the postgraduate office expects a result 'any day now'). Oh well, back to my job applications....

No news :( I imagine any real bad news ( Mphil or outright fail) will completely ruin Christmas plans! I'm prepared for some more minor corrections and happy enough to do them, but the not knowing and being kept in the dark like this is just torture (only the postgrad office seem to be talking to me at the moment!). All very isolating. Tough times, but hanging in there just about. Thanks for the support. Along with other distraction methods, these messages of support are really helping me cope with this wait so I really appreciate it x.

I've just sent them (my department) a detailed spreadsheet of words taken from each chapter and a final column of final word count for each chapter and a final overall total.

I used this spreadsheet to keep track of my 100,000 word limit and used a percentage decrease calculation and overall target of words to reduce to keep me motivated.

It's very very close to 100,000 words (by a few hundred words) which is perhaps why they've requested it to check....

Ok, some more news....

One of the examiners requested a final word count of my thesis and for each of my chapters.

My department are expecting a result any day now.

I was just told to stay positive and not give up, but it's just not that easy. What will be will be and all that, but I can't help but think that this week I'll receive bad news.

:'(

======= Date Modified 30 Nov 2012 10:41:40 =======
Depends on the university or advertising organisation

For part of my final extension year of my PhD, I worked as a Research Assistant/Associate at a top 5 uni.

However, recently, I was rejected from several research assistant posts (grade 6b posts) at UCL because of my PhD (following from feedback from people advertising for posts). Other research assistant posts however, place PhD as a desirable or essential criteria, so it all depends!

Over the last month, I've had job interviews for both Research Assistant and Research Associate posts. Unsuccessful for both posts, but good interview experience I guess!

I'm applying for a Research Assistant post at the moment which specifies a PhD as desirable. Fingers crossed as this position is similar to my PhD thesis topic! (up)

======= Date Modified 27 Nov 2012 11:34:14 =======
Hi Caroloro. Thanks for your message. Yes, still no news. Struggling to cope last week, but now I've just had enough of waiting. I want to put this all behind me and get on with my life.

Edit- still no news (27th Nov). Seriously contemplating quitting now. I've had enough!

======= Date Modified 17 Nov 2012 15:14:35 =======
Thanks for the feedback.

If they've decided to award an MPhil, there's nothing I can do with it. I will be absolutely devastated though and will disappoint many many people. But at the same time, an MPhil is something I guess and will enable some closure.

But as outlined previously, I think there's a few indications that an MPhil maybe unlikely.

I ensured to address all of their major corrections by reducing it all down to 100,000 words and making substantial changes to improve the thesis structure (which improves the thesis and was accepted by my supervisors). As well as addressing almost all of their smaller changes.

My thesis definitely wasn't perfect, so I'm expecting some further changes. E.g I've spotted a few typos and missed some references from my reference list! But, despite overt apathy and general disinterest in my thesis, I would be happy to resolve these to obtain a PhD.

In sum, I really thought my thesis was a great improvement over my first submitted thesis. I could read through it and follow it without getting upset for a start! If they think my thesis is worse than my first draft, or if I've failed to meet doctoral level standard, then there's nothing I can do.

It's just a question as to whether their generally happy with the changes and considering a PhD outcome (after some further smaller corrections) or whether they feel I've failed to meet the required doctoral level standard.

What will be, will be.

======= Date Modified 16 Nov 2012 17:54:21 =======
Hey,

No news on decision............

But received an email today from postgrad office stating that my examiners are summing up their reports and will let me know of their decision and confirmed result shortly and an apology for keeping me waiting.

Finally SOME official news from my department.

I don't know if 'confirmed result' means their still deciding or what 'shortly' means, but hopefully soon.

Trying not to read too much into that email- ie what summing up their reports means or implying that they've yet to make a decision?!?! or wondering if their formulating some justifications to fail my thesis (I admit the latter thought is rather negative and goes against most examiners desire to pass people, so apologies).

Oh well, will find out soon enough I guess. No point in trying to pick at the meaning of particular words in that email.

Surprisingly, I casually opened up that email, wasn't anxious at all, but rather apathetic and tired of this whole process.

======= Date Modified 13 Nov 2012 12:14:03 =======
No news. Simply told to wait for examiners decision and yet more 'hang in' there comments from supervisor and postgrad department.

Also unsuccessful following yesterdays job interview. Very disappointing as my PhD focused on the population group explored within that research post and I thought the interview went well yesterday! Oh well, over 300 people applied for that post so probably should be grateful to be shortlisted. I lost out to someone with more research experience, so that's fair enough I guess!

Wait continues.

======= Date Modified 09 Nov 2012 17:24:54 =======
Thanks Kronkodile and HazyJane. Thank you to all the kind souls with lots of positive encouraging words. Judging from the number of views on this thread, seems to be quite a few people following my journey?!?! ;-)

Well it's after 5pm and still no news.

-Main supervisor is not answering her uni emails until end of Nov.
-Other supervisor is on annual leave and he is about to retire.
-Postgraduate researcher officer who controls PhD process for PhD candidates was not in her office and other than the email she sent 2 weeks ago in response to my requests for update (was told to hang in there and she will email me as soon as she receives any news), she is not responding to any of my subsequent requests for updates, although this person has been on annual leave recently (but is back as far as I'm aware).

I've got a job interview on Monday (and possibly Wednesday if I get through the first round of interviews!) so I can't physically go to the department myself and find out what's going on. I've tried to handle this sensitively, remain calm and not annoy them, but my patience is starting to wear thin and affecting my ability to concentrate on other things.

Either way, I'm faced with another weekend of not knowing what's going on! :-(

I suppose I could take this higher and contact the person responsible for overseeing PhD candidates in our department if still not receiving any news or if people continue to ignore me! As well as try and see if I can see my other supervisor in person sometime next week.

Anyway, I'm fed up with this process now. I'm going to try and relax this evening, take a break this weekend, prepare for my job interviews next week and see some friends in London.

Let's hope for good news next week (although I said that this time last week!). (up)

======= Date Modified 09 Nov 2012 12:17:31 =======
Hello everyone!

Thanks for the comments, feedback and positive encouragement. Massive thank you to Kronkodile for posting views from 'the other side'. Very useful.

Found out today that my main supervisor is not answering emails until the end of November (this is the supervisor who has worked alongside my internal examiner), my other supervisor is unavailable today and on annual leave and the admin department are simply ignoring my requests for updates.

Do supervisors need to sign anything before informing candidates of resubmission outcome?! Do examiners send results to main supervisor first, then inform admin department?

I've got another job interview lined up for Monday and I really don't need this stress on my shoulders. :-(

This is so frustrating! I want to cry! :$

======= Date Modified 08 Nov 2012 14:29:14 =======
Still no news. :-(:$

Really doesn't look good. Preparing myself for bad news.