Firstly, apologies for always posting with my own problems, I do try to help others but can't always because I haven't started a PhD yet and so can't say much.

I have just started my MSc at the same university where I did my UG degree, graduated with a First there in July. I am really pleased to be back and studying again, but I've had a bit of a confidence crisis since going back, and I'm really worried that I won't be able to step up to the mark of masters level work. I am happy with the course so far and think I will really enjoy it, but there is just so much to do in such a short space of time, although I expected that and like that sort of challenge, it creates a lot more pressure than UG level.

I would ideally like to start a PhD straight after and would like an academic career (have had that in mind since 3rd yr), but even approaching a potential supervisor seems so daunting to me and although I do have some ideas, they are still so vague and I don't know where to go next with them. I've done a bit of reading around them and they are taking some shape but I am not ready to tell anyone about them yet, or even to tell anyone that I am thinking of doing a PhD - is this 'secretive stage' normal, how do I get over it? I have some supervisors at my current university in mind and also at a few different universities but I know that time is running out, especially where funding is concerned and so I need to start applying as soon as I can.

I just feel like there are so many things I want to do but I don't know where to start, and I need to get over that. Is this a 'normal' stage to go through? If anyone can give any advice, or recommend any books/online resources I'd be really grateful. Natassia x

I think everyone goes through a stage of self doubt about whether we are good enough to do a PhD - I'm certainly having that problem! Have you looked on the postgraduate opportunities section of your university's website, and findaphd.com to see what projects are being offered for next year? You don't necessarily have to think up your own project entirely and there are plenty of interesting projects available which are guaranteed funding, so saves the stress of you inventing your own then looking for funding yourself.
If you really want to use the ideas you had, you could look for a supervisor who specialises in that area and email them with an enquiry into whether they are taking any PhD students next year. Most are pretty friendly!
Between now and Jan is definitely the time to be applying - maybe wait a month or so and gauge your MSc supervisor's reaction to saying you want to do a PhD, and also you can use them as a reference if they think highly of you :-)

What you're describing is completely normal - the masters is the hardest of all to do, so intense and such hard work, and i clearly remember wondering whether I could possibly do it. Like you I had a first and was worried that I'd completely mess up the masters - it was only after I got back my first piece of assessed coursework and it was a distinction that I relaxed a little, but even then I wasn't sure lol! I certainly didn't see how I could do a PhD although I wanted to - my supervisor knew that that was my plan and encouraged me all they way.

Don't be worried about approaching a potential supervisor with vague ideas, they are there to help and will assist you in developing your ideas into something concrete so if you feel able then speak to them - I'm pretty sure that most students go through this so please don't worry.

I've had the experience of a PhD. Ended up deferring to an MSc. The PhD was obviously much more difficult to handle than the MSc - thus I have to ask - if you're finding the MSc tough, are you sure you want to do a PhD??

Natassia, try not to worry, I've just started my MA and I'm also feeling overwhelmed about the idea of so much work in so little time. But everyone keeps reassuring me that the Masters stage is very intense but it is obviously possible to do!

In my opinion, I think you should voice your PhD ideas. I'm a little different to you as I have already got funding from ESRC to begin my PhD straight after my Masters, so I've already proposed my research and everything. But about approaching a potential supervisor, I just sent an email to a lecturer who had done lots of research in my area of interest, and it all went from there. Also, I think it's never too early to voice your PhD ideas. For example, when I registered for my MA, myself and the rest of the MA students introduced ourselves to all the MA lecturers, and all of us said we planned to do a PhD in the future, and briefly what area we were interested in.

Go for it, don't worry, take each day at a time, and tell people your PhD ideas!

Thank you all for the replies - I think part of it is that I need to get back into the routine of constantly reading and writing again and then I'll start to feel a bit better about it all and hopefully more confident. I do need to say something to tutors particularly those at my university as they could really help me. I know they're offering studentships this year so hopefully they'll have some next year as well - I'd really like to be accepted for a studentship as I want to be teaching as well. I know that PhD students get treated very well there so it seems to be an obvious choice, but I would like to speak to potential supervisors at other universities as well.

Another point though, before I applied for my MSc I spoke to my personal tutor at the time who is also PG coordinator and a leader on my MSc, I think she knew I wanted to do a PhD (I think I told her in quite a nervously vague way) and she gave me all this advice about when she did hers, what I needed to look for in a supervisor, where I might like to go and said that if I got a distinction in my MSc I would "find a PhD easy". She might have just been trying to reassure me as at the time I was really worried about getting onto the MSc course, but does this also sound like she thinks I would be able to do a PhD? I know its a bit stupid to look for hidden messages and that I need to ask supervisors about doing a PhD directly, but I'm hoping that some of the lecturers where I am now have an idea that I want to do a PhD, and will take me seriously. I'm quite shy and I do worry a lot, but until now I have been good at what I do, and I hope that will continue.

Sorry for rambling on, but you have all given me great advice and its really reassuring to see that what I'm going through is normal! Natassia x

Natassia, if you're interested in a PhD and want a tutors opinion, do ask! I was in a total quandry over it before doing mine, and I sent a very rambly email to my final year tutor from my undergrad degree saying as much. He was great and sent me a detailed reply about what a PhD involved and how I matched up to it, gave me the confidence to apply :) The same goes for approaching possible supervisors, they're usually happy to have be approached by students motivated enough to come and seek them out. I was terrified the first time one asked me "so, tell me about your research interests then" but they were very positive, and they're not expecting you to give a doctorate-level answer, that's what the PhD is there to develop.

(Of course I now blame my old tutor for the fact that I'm head-desking here at 9pm on my PhD.....but that's a different matter ;) )

Hey Natassia!

Don't stress, you're going through a completely normal panic! I was doing exactly the same at the beginning of my MSc a couple of years ago. Believe me, you will be fine. Most MSc courses take people with a 2.1 or first (and some with a 2.2), so you are definitely capable of getting your MSc and doing very well at it. I know this probably won't help you feel much better right now but two of us on our MSc course had firsts in our BScs and we both went on to get distinctions for our MScs, as did a number of people with 2.1s in their first degree. It's a tough year but keep going and you will get through it! I actually found my MSc more stressful than my PhD has been so far, just because there was so much going on and there is the stress of trying to balance coursework with exams and the dissertation and you are so busy trying to do really well in all of it. The PhD can be stressful but in different ways- it's not easy but I haven't felt as under pressure as I did in my MSc.

I would really think about approaching a potential supervisor as early on as you can. You don't have to have a proposal planned out- I literally went to my MSc supervisor just a few weeks after I was assigned to her for my MSc and said that I wanted to do a PhD in something dementia-related but I wasn't sure exactly what. She already had some ideas for projects that she wanted someone to do and between us we put together a proposal that suited both of us and applied for funding. I would advise having something a bit more specific in mind than I did(!) but it is quite possible that by now certain people in the department might have ideas for projects or know that they might have funding for next year etc, so just go for it- you have everything to gain! Don't worry, time isn't running out just yet, you have a few months to get something together, just be brave and take the first scary step and the rest will fall into place!

Good luck, try not to stress! KB

Thanks for the advice again, its given me a bit more confidence to actually say something, after all it is a stage that every PhD student has to go through. Its difficult as well because none of my friends stayed on for PG study so I don't have many people to talk about it with (who undestand the process) and that makes me feel a bit unsure about it. Hopefully I'll be fine once I get started though! Natassia x

I have the opposite problem, staff think I am good enough to do a MSc by research, I have a BSc and PgCert - I am disabled to the point where exams are a no no by members of staff and I want to get into research but my course finished the first time round so I couldn't get my hons :-s

Now I get "have you honours" erm no.....

Be glad you are able to do the MSs. I want to try and get my AMRSC to prove I can do it! As for youy Natassia, what is your MSc in?