Hi all,

I just wondered if any of you have changed departments half way through your PhD? I have my 1st year review at the end of May, and my supervisor and I chatted yesterday and basically established that I'd be better off in the History Department rather than English Literature. At the moment, my primary supervisor is in English Lit, and my secondary is in History. I think I need to swap them around. I don't want to do this particularly, but the way my research is going, it might be the best thing to do. Has any one else done this, or do you think it's pointless. I'd need to decide in advance of my 1st year review.
Thanks. M,x

Are you funded by a research council like AHRC? If so they would have to approve the change. Check their rules and regulations on this. AHRC award funding based on your supervisor/department.

My own research is firmly in a history department but when I speak to other people they always assume I'm an English student :-)

I have not done this, so cannot speak from 1st hand experience, but I know a few people who have supervisors in two departments. Changing departments officially seems like a lot of hassle to me, and maybe you dont need to "change" departments, but just change the way you work, i.e. if you feel you are better off engaging primarily with the History people, why not just do it. (Change offices/buildings etc). Okay, you still have your main sup in English dep, and you can keep it that way, but basically just keep him/her informed of what you are doing, and having the main interaction with your history sup, for as long as it is useful for your research. My experience from having two sups is that it does not matter a lot who is first/second, but the key is that they are available to help you with your work. So, upshot from my post - if you can work around it (and your sups/departments are happy with that), just leave it as is (as it might be more bureaucratic hassle than it's worth).

I did a similar thing with supervisors, after mine moved hundreds of miles away. He was going to stay as my main sup, but over time it turned out I needed more face-to-face contact during the difficult writing-up phase, and someone local stepped in. Officially my old sup was still my main sup. But I had a new additional sup who was acting as a joint (and sometimes main) supervisor.

Easier to handle all that informally, rather than go through the hassle of changing officially. Especially because I was AHRC funded, and they have to approve sup changes too!