Agreed. They are happy with the thesis overall, it's just a case of steering a fine line between being inclusive enough but not too diversive I guess.

Thanks for the advice though. Trying to switch institutions is a last resort really - but I appreciate that you think that might be even trickier than trying to wade through the confusion where I am. My other half is at the same place studying for a PGCE and has found the same lack of available information to be endemic even though she is a full time student. It's a shame really because the academic side has been good on the whole. But the admin side is pretty shambolic.

The training course runs twice a year and I was informed on a Friday afternoon about one starting on Monday. Don't know how much experience you have of private sector industry but annual leave on that kind of notice doesn't cut it. There was the opportunity to do it 6 months later but by then I had been told I could defer and was already trying that approach.

Other students who have submitted deferrals have had confirmation. For some reason I have not. The uni I am at seems to know little about the requirements of the other institution to which it is affiliated and although I have a supervisor there also I can't seem to get in touch with him (have only met him once in 6 years).

New supervisors are advising changes in my thesis, not so much to the approach but a multitude of references dropped in here and there which detract. Lots of them were discussed with the original supervisor and dropped because they detract. So conflicting opinions.

I'm sure there are guidelines but trying to get to them is impossible. Seems unbelievable, but true. Admissions only deal with undergrads, there is one postgrad administrator who is never there. I can't get to see anyone face to face during the day as I work 80 miles away from where I live, and can't get a straight answer over the phone or via email. The training course issue stems from the fact that the university is affiliated to another institution which requires you attend a 5 day course on research training which I can't do. After a lot of messing around I found out I could defer it following a simple form submission which I have tried 3 times now with no reply/confirmation etc.

I'm a part-time student (working fulltime with a family) and the university I'm at can't cater for it. I'm in my 6th year, with a complete thesis. But I have an outstanding 'training course' I should have gone on in year 1. Have tried several times to defer it, have sent countless emails and forms into a void. I know when I submit this is going to come back to haunt me. My supervisor left last year and I have 2 new guys who keep pushing me towards changing my approach. I get no information from them on any of the admin requirements, the admission office is useless. I have no idea what requirements I have to fulfil. (I also have some outstanding fees - admittedly this is my fault).

I don't want to ditch everything at this stage but I'm thinking I'm just going to run into so much hassle come March/April, and may end up being told I can't submit. Is it an option for me to ditch the degree and then look to fast-track the same thesis somewhere else? If it hasn't been submitted and the title changes, does the university have any claim on intellectual property?