PHD topic same as MA? Help! on PostgraduateForum.com

Awang
13 years ago

======= Date Modified 04 Jun 2011 18:30:18 =======
Hi everyone..

I am basically asking a question that has already been asked by the user XJR in this post: http://www.postgraduateforum.com/threadViewer.aspx?TID=3633, but I was wondering if I could get more feedbacks this time. Sorry for asking this again :p

My question is: Would it be acceptable for someone to do a PHD research on the same topic as they did for their MA dissertation?

I came across a thread about the same issue on a different forum and read somewhere among the answers that your PHD research has to be at least 'intrinsically' different from your MA dissertation. For example, you may write on the same topic, but you have to give it a little tweak to make it different from your previous work like asking new questions, using different methods, coming up with different hypotheses etc. Would your prospective university (assuming it is not the same place where you did your MA) accept a PHD proposal that revolves around the same research question and employs the same methods of study, but that of which includes a broader theoretical framework?

Is everyone confused with the question? Coz I think I am :-(

Sorry!!

Pjlu
13 years ago

Hi Awang,

I think you can explore the same subject but the research questions would need to be different. I plan to be doing an extension of my Master's thesis for my doctorate and have already discussed this in a lengthy meeting with my proposed supervisor. However. the topic is clearly an extension of the findings of my Masters thesis. It is in the same area but I am further down the track, having made some findings in my master's that have led me to ask more pointed questions, to expand on the initial problem (broaden it out to a bigger group) and to collect a larger sample of participants and data that includes empirical as well as qualitative.

I would not have been able to design this topic without having completed my Masters and having got to this point. However, the questions really are different ones- questions that could only be set after having explored the initial set of research questions and made some findings from these.
I don't believe I could simply do the same questions and say I wanted to do some more research because it wasn't enough and use a few more theoretical perspectives. However, on the other hand, people do apply to have their Masters topic upgraded to a PhD thesis simply because they discover it is much bigger than they thought. So maybe this would be a way that you could do it. In which case you probably would rescind your Masters-which would turn into the PhD. This is my understanding of how things seem to work in the universities I have either studied at or checked out in Australia.

Does that make sense?

D

Dafydd
13 years ago

======= Date Modified 05 Jun 2011 19:47:35 =======
Awing,

The short answer in my experience would be yes you can take a masters dissertation topic into your PhD. This is what I have done.

However a PhD is very different, it is not just a bigger more in depth investigation than a masters. The process of applying for a PhD and then the early years work will help shape your questions and like many on this forum I have found that what I am working on now is not what I anticipated when I started 18 months ago.

There are big advantages in taking the masters work forwards, not least a familiarity with the literature.

Good luck with your applications.

Dafydd

E

emmaki
13 years ago

My PhD is on the same topic as my master.
Im my master's dissertation I did a -mainly- quantitative study where I found some things that could be further explained.
So, basicaly, my PhD research is a qualitative study expanding my dissertation...

A

Awang
13 years ago

Quote From pjlu:

Hi Awang,

I think you can explore the same subject but the research questions would need to be different. I plan to be doing an extension of my Master's thesis for my doctorate and have already discussed this in a lengthy meeting with my proposed supervisor. However. the topic is clearly an extension of the findings of my Masters thesis. It is in the same area but I am further down the track, having made some findings in my master's that have led me to ask more pointed questions, to expand on the initial problem (broaden it out to a bigger group) and to collect a larger sample of participants and data that includes empirical as well as qualitative.

I would not have been able to design this topic without having completed my Masters and having got to this point. However, the questions really are different ones- questions that could only be set after having explored the initial set of research questions and made some findings from these.
I don't believe I could simply do the same questions and say I wanted to do some more research because it wasn't enough and use a few more theoretical perspectives. However, on the other hand, people do apply to have their Masters topic upgraded to a PhD thesis simply because they discover it is much bigger than they thought. So maybe this would be a way that you could do it. In which case you probably would rescind your Masters-which would turn into the PhD. This is my understanding of how things seem to work in the universities I have either studied at or checked out in Australia.

Does that make sense?

Hi Pjlu.

Thank you very much for the pointers. I've talked to a few PHD students at my current department whose phd topics are also based on the outcome of their master's dissertations. I think it really helps in that they are already familiar with the literature and some key methods of research among other things.

Also thank you for highlighting the option of upgrading a master's thesis into a phd thesis. I have not heard of such system being available here in the U.K., or at least at my university. But my master's research is not a PHD material anyway :$

Best of luck with your PHD and I am sure you will do exceptionally well!! (up)

A

Awang
13 years ago

Quote From Dafydd:

======= Date Modified 05 Jun 2011 19:47:35 =======
Awing,

The short answer in my experience would be yes you can take a masters dissertation topic into your PhD. This is what I have done.

However a PhD is very different, it is not just a bigger more in depth investigation than a masters. The process of applying for a PhD and then the early years work will help shape your questions and like many on this forum I have found that what I am working on now is not what I anticipated when I started 18 months ago.

There are big advantages in taking the masters work forwards, not least a familiarity with the literature.

Good luck with your applications.

Dafydd

Hi Dafydd!

My sister is currently going through more or less the same experience. She was initially set on doing a research on a certain topic and discussed it in length with her supervisor who told her to 'keep reading' and 'exploring'. For a few months she was hovering around different sub-fields in her area and jumping from one topic to another. Recently she has decided to do research on a topic that is radically different from the one she was originally set on doing and she seems very passionate about it.

Thank you for the feedback and all the best with your PHD!!
(up)

A

Awang
13 years ago

Quote From emmaki:

My PhD is on the same topic as my master.
Im my master's dissertation I did a -mainly- quantitative study where I found some things that could be further explained.
So, basicaly, my PhD research is a qualitative study expanding my dissertation...

Hi Emmaki!

I'm really glad to know there is somebody out there who is doing their phd topic on the same topic as their masters. If you don't mind me asking - are you doing your phd at the same university where you did your masters and with the same supervisor?

Thank you!

E

emmaki
13 years ago

Quote From awang:

Quote From emmaki:

My PhD is on the same topic as my master.
Im my master's dissertation I did a -mainly- quantitative study where I found some things that could be further explained.
So, basicaly, my PhD research is a qualitative study expanding my dissertation...

Hi Emmaki!

I'm really glad to know there is somebody out there who is doing their phd topic on the same topic as their masters. If you don't mind me asking - are you doing your phd at the same university where you did your masters and with the same supervisor?

Thank you!

I am doing it at a different university with different supervisors (thankfully, as my master tutor was always telling me that postgraduate studies in UK should not be available to non British and that I was not suitable for postgraduate studies and my first master was just given to me out of pity!!!!!)

A

Awang
13 years ago

Quote From emmaki:

Quote From awang:

Quote From emmaki:

My PhD is on the same topic as my master.
Im my master's dissertation I did a -mainly- quantitative study where I found some things that could be further explained.
So, basicaly, my PhD research is a qualitative study expanding my dissertation...

Hi Emmaki!

I'm really glad to know there is somebody out there who is doing their phd topic on the same topic as their masters. If you don't mind me asking - are you doing your phd at the same university where you did your masters and with the same supervisor?

Thank you!

I am doing it at a different university with different supervisors (thankfully, as my master tutor was always telling me that postgraduate studies in UK should not be available to non British and that I was not suitable for postgraduate studies and my first master was just given to me out of pity!!!!!)

I'm very sorry to hear about your experience with your supervisor. He should not have said that. How unprofessional and tactless of him. Who knew postgraduate life could be such a drama. Luckily for me, my current supervisor is always around to lift my spirit and keep me motivated despite me driving him crazy with my indecisiveness. But I totally salute you for not falling down after getting shot down like that by your supervisor!! (up) I'm already admiring you now. I'll remember this whenever I get shot down by other people. Progress IS possible so long as you persevere.