Hello Forum,

I need to your help to understnad my situation? Please help?

Here's the scenario: I have attended school in USA and completed my MS Engineering. I am trying to find a school in UK to start PhD in Engineering. I received a response from university that i will be admitted in MPhil instead of PhD. My question is , I have Masters of Engineering already why I should go for another masters?
Is this the normal procedure, I tried to search on the forum but did not get the same situation like mine?
Please suggest should I go for Mphil or find another school which will take me directly in PhD. In USA ther is no MPhil required, I am confused please help!!
Looking forward you help. Thanks

It depends on what they said exactly, and you should get them to clarify for you directly

But! what usually happens is that:

You get offered the PhD, but are actually registered for an mPhil for the first year, at which point you complete what is called a transfer report (transferring from mphil to PhD), then just finish off the PhD

Its all the same thing really - just a different way of putting it - its still 3-4 years.

I think the reason for it is so you can write up at the end of year 1 and leave with at least an mPhil if you find you don't want to continue.

I know that in some fields you could use your masters to get past this - but I suspect only if it was in exactly the same field and exactly the same topic - even then they may not let you do it that way

However you should get them to clarify this before accepting any post - you don't want to end up in the wrong job!

Good Luck

S

Chill... This is normal in the UK!

It is indeed normal. I did an MPhil then changed topics radically when staying on for a PhD - so I was automatically registered as 'MPhil in the first instance'. My supervisor then forgot to upgrade me until last term - then I got the letter out of the blue - no report or panel or anything. Usually there is some kind of first year review to upgrade to PhD.