I started my PhD last autumn, and I've been unhappy since pretty much day one. My supervisor is really lovely, although she doesn't really know my topic, she does try, but there is no support for the rest of the department. No-one else understands what I am doing, and several members of our small department are openly hostile to my work (although they have no direct involvement in my research), furthermore although my research institute offers funding for conference attendance, there are no procedures, and other students have received assistance when I haven't, even though I have been supported by my supervisor, and I have been given no explanation as to why. In March I decided to apply to other unis, and have now been offered a place, with funding, elsewhere, but I officially have to start again from day one of first year. Should I go?

Hi sleepyhead,

maybe it helps to make a list with advantages and disadvantages regarding staying and going. This provides an overview and helps to structure your thoughts. Then listen to your heart and be honest with yourself regarding what you really want. Combine the two to decide.

In my opinion making a decision, even the "wrong" one if less stressful as not making any decision at all.

Should you stay or should you go now
If you go there will be trouble
An' if you stay it will be double
So come on and let us know
Will you stay or will you go

UFO
nice

as said before, you're going to have to evaluate and decide for yourself. just wanted to say that i wouldn't worry too much about starting from day one again. if you are getting three years of funding, that will just mean overall you do your PhD in four years (as most people do) and be funded from now to the end.

or would it be in a totally different topic?

Hi sleepyhead. From the description of your circumstances above, I would say that there people out there who view your circumstances as a welcome challenge to be used as a motivational point.

You've got a great supportive supervisor (which is more than many others here could ask for), albeit she does not have the expertise to aid you in your research topic (but she does try).

No one understands what you're doing - which can be a sign that you've been bold in your academic pursuits, venturing into uncharted and undiscovered territory. That's what the Wright Brothers did, as well as Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, and a number of other theoretical and applied researchers. The fact that some of their critics were openly hostile only served to drive their research. And that frame of mind is also applicable to the lack of apparent support in terms of equitable treatment in funding for you.

They all believed in what they were doing in spite of the opposition they faced, and we as a society are all the better because they stuck to their guns, so to speak.

- In March I decided to apply to other unis, and have now been offered -a place, with funding, elsewhere, but I officially have to start again -from day one of first year. Should I go?
Hi,
When you say that you have been offered a place,that includes going through an interview? If yes, did they ask why you want to drop your current PhD?
I desperately want to change PhD topic (supervisor) but i don't know how to explain it potential supervisors.

Hi everyone thanks for your help. When I said that no-one understands what I'm doing, it's because my supervisor is the only member of staff who does my actual subject, and she is supportive, but even she doesn't really agree with my theory. Imagine for example a department only had one biologist, or one english lecturer - that's my position. The other members of staff in my dept aren't in my subject group but make it very clear that my work has no value.

Michael A, I applied to a different uni so I explained to them that my current uni did not have the depth to support my work, and that I strongly felt I could produce a better piece of research in a different environment. I haven't changed my topic though, I've just come to the realisation that however good a supervisor may be (or try to be), there needs to be a wider network... Haven't been interviewed though, I submitted an application to the new Uni, and exchanged a few emails with the new Supervisor, and then they made their decision

if its so bad and the other uni is better and am a first year, i would leave and try to finish the next PhD in three years. usually people finish in four years, but you have an upper hand in that you have done research before. my friend is finishing her phd in two years - in the humanities though, she had been researching around the area for a while before enrolling. so if your phd is the same or related, it might help cut time. i have been through supervisor problems and the only reason i haven't left is am self-funded with no other funding prospects. i have invested too much to leave. on the other hand if time if of essence then, stay and persevere and try to keep in touch with other researchers who can help. i have done a lot of that and conference attending and the suggestions i got there really helped my work. eventually when i showed my supervisor that i knew what i was talking about, she came round to my way of thinking though she's not exactly an expert.

Hi sleepyhead ;o) Having a good support network makes a huge difference to a PhD - I work in a very large department & I get more support and advice from fellow collegues than my supervisor a lot of the time. However, having a good supervisor, is a GEM (not many of them around by all reports) - is there any way you can go elsewhere but keep her as an additional supervisor? (I know people who have supervisors in several different institutes). That way you get the best of both :o)

there's a girl in my department who got a funded place for a PhD after spending two years (one year full-time, second year part-time because of no funding) at a different university where she tried to do a PhD but had no proper supervision, no money etc. She did have to start from scratch in a sense in my department - but already had some foundation for a literature review and says she is very happy she came here as now she has funding and an excellent supervisor. So maybe it is worth tryinng starting again?