Er, I'm off to San Francisco (currently in NW England) for a conference. Still haven't actually written the paper though...oops

It is an unusual situation (normally it is a very dodgy area that unis do not allow but generally accept happens). The plain fact is there is nothing you can do about it if it is, as you say, allowed by your Uni: kicking up a fuss won't do you any favours at all, like the other post says, just get on with your PhD.
What are you getting told off about? If it is that your work is not good enough, then this is criticism you need (even if it is put in a non-constructive manner).

I guess the most sensible option then is internal institutional funding. Not as prestigious, and some do still use the research council rules, but it is more discretionary. if you can find a uni to accept your project that offers internal funding you stand a much better chance. What exactly are you hoping to do?

Hi

Most universities will give a country by country breakdown or requirements. As far as I understand it a 3.5/5.0 is the absolute minimum you need as that is what universities consider to be closest to a UK 2:1. The grading system is different across Africa, many states use the UK system of a 1:1, 2:1, etc, so you can't ask how they convert 'African' degrees. Also, the 3.5 requirement varies country to country - I know an example where my old Uni would accept 3.5 from a Nigerian student, but a Ugandan had to have a 3.6 minimum.

Hmmmmm, glasses/laser eye-burning robot? Glasses/laser eye-burning robot? Er, glasses ta...

Hey Mokey...
Don't know if this is possible in your circumstances, but I found a relatively senior member of staff to talk to. Both my supervisors are young and inexperienced and believe that a PhD is about reading around your subject and finding new avenues. Whilst this is all very well, it was the senior member of staff (with minimal knowledge of my field) that gave me the suggestions on how to actually *complete* a PhD - about staging posts, about how to be clear presenting an argument, how to make the thesis less complicated than you think it is...
maybe there's someone for you (it might not be who you expect)

Hi! I'm doing a significant part of urban history in my phd. What I've ended up doing is using more sociological theory to look at the city in question. I've also used studies of other cities to back up what I'm trying to say about this one...
What city are you doing and what are you actually doing it on?

Do we also have to have the obligatory "statement" jewellery (a la Pat Butcher earrings)? All that weight on your head can't be good if you're trying to read.

I want a huge body perm. The great thing about this hair is not only do you attract lots of attention (!?!) but because its so big it makes your body look smaller! No need to diet.

Durham is a fantastic uni, but doesn't have a great rep for IR. Saying that their Politics and Geography depts have an amazing research cluster called politics-state-space, with people like David Campbell who I adore. If you want to do more critical IR, like Rob Walker's critique of the state as a product of spatio-temporal relations of early modern discourse then yes, Durham would be amazing for a PhD, but for a Masters, you would probably be better elsewhere.

OOOOhhhhh, they are lovely! Trampy depends what you wear them with, avoid any hemline that is too far above the knee, otherwise could be dodgy. If they had those buckles, a pointed toe and a stiletto heel, then yes, tramptastic, but I love ted baker stuff, he always does his stuff so it has a bit of class, so wear with pride! (They'd look amazing with a pretty tea dress - add a bit of edge so you aren't over the top girly!)

Alternatively I have planned a few scenarios
1) I am a mad old lady living in a cottage in the middle of nowhere in Scotland, with lots of cats, tartan blankets, and a highland cow called Morag. I'd just read all day.
2) I am Grand High Priestess of the World: all men live underground in a giant cave/bar complex. There is a giant database of all those men who are allowed to the surface for entertainment and mating purposes. As their home is a cave/bar complex, they will have to be led to the surface by clones of lobotomised Margaret Thatchers who will sober them up.
3) I would become David Hasselhoff's official stalker until he agrees to live in my basement to be brought out at parties.

EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW Brad Pitt is ***disgusting***, Alan Rickman is far far superior. Saying that, my desert island chums will be Jeremy Paxman, Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs, and one of my students whose both very clever, cute and funny as hell. (Gotta rotate them, or they'll get tired of entertaining me!).

Oh dear, now listening to Faithless - Insomnia. Must remember I am too old to go clubbing...

Oh god, I'm still up. Worried about caffeine overdose... Literally around the clock!