Hello everyone, I'd really appreciate any advise on this. I was offered two places to do my PhD. I choose Uni 1 because they offered a course in my field, Anthropology. Uni 2 was great but I would have been under Sociology.

Now I'm at Uni 1 and have found out all the classes I need to take in the first year I am really worried. They basically want me to do ALL their Masters research units (including the assessments that go with them) as well as taking additional units close to my interests and of course working on my PhD proposal. So I'm looking at 6 classes per week in the first year, and I'll be doing everything the other Masters students are doing but I won't have a Masters qualification at the end of it, it will just count as the first year of my PhD. I think this is a bit wrong, what do you reckon? I'm worried I'll have no time to see family/friends, I'll be travelling each week to get to the Uni (about 4 hours each way) plus I need to earn some money, I just don't think its feasible and I'm worried I'll end up hating the course and then the PhD.

Uni 2 was very flexible, the supervisor was older and more experienced than the ones at Uni 1, and he said I could take a methods course and audit some anthropology classes, but this was up to me, he was happy with my experience (both work and academic) and was supportive in me going straight ahead to work on my PhD proposal. I thought perhaps this was a little too flexible, but now I'm thinking it would be perfect. My family are closer to Uni 2, as well as work opportunities, boyfriend etc.

I just don't want to spend loads of time doing classes I have no interest in, and have already done at Undergraduate level (basic data collection and SPSS). I'd rather spend the time focusing on research methodology I will need and some more focused classes in medical anthropology, which both Uni 1 and Uni 2 offer.

I've had problems with Uni 1 already (potential supervisors not answering emails, no answer to basic questions about class time, a slightly pompous attitude "you are in the best university, so you have to work hard etc") but no problems with Uni 2. I went to meet the supervisor at Uni 2, got all the information I needed at the outset. Uni 1 was far away so I didn't go to meet them, perhaps that was a big mistake? Furthermore, Uni 1 would be more of a financial burdern than Uni 1 with travelling each week (I have to fly).

So basically any advise on first year classes, supervisors I can rely on, proximity to friends, family and partner while doing a PhD and generally picking the PhD course which is right for me.

Thanks a lot guys, your advise will be so valuable!

Christine

It sounds like you want uni 2 - but is that offer still on the table? If they had funding to offer you a PhD it could well have gone to someone else by now.

I had to do 4 modules in my 1st year - exams/cousework as well. BUT I wrote them an email, copied my supervisor in (who had agreed) saying that I was exempt from every module because of past experience. THey too wanted me to do a research methods 'basic SPSS' course and at the time I was teaching the same thing on a different masters! They made me do 1 module in the end, and waved the other three. I would definitely try this! I also said that of course I will be attending the lectures that will help my PhD - but not having to stress out about exams etc.

Hello, thanks for your reply.....I am asking for the modules to be waved but they are not playing ball! Am getting really worried....thanks so much for your advice, I am trying to contact Uni 2 to see if that offer is still available......

Christine