======= Date Modified 05 Dec 2010 10:14:13 =======
Hi everyone

Want to share my experience. I have just failed my PhD (Dec10). In 2009 was told to go for a re-write and resubmitted. The internal SV sanctioned submission and has been very supportive.

The grounds for failure, the thesis did not have a standard of presentation required for a British Uni's PhD. Obviously I am devastated.

I have been given a choice to take MPhil and have not accepted it yet. The question I am asking is, what are the avenues available. I have put a great effort to write a 65,000 word thesis and know the stuff very well and  want to continue my research.

Do I need to register with a different Uni. or shall I continue with my research and write the papers as planned. No hubris really, I think I have some new ideas. Should I just keep my tail b/w the wobbly legs and accept the MPhil and move on.

Any advise will be appreciated(up)

Not sure I got all the relevant details from your post to give you an adequate response, but I'll give it a go. First, sorry to hear that you didn't pass. But it's not the end of the world. You can either take the MPhil & then join a new PhD program at another uni (it means another 2-3 years, but your new PhD topic could be a development of one aspect of your current research, so it won't necessarily have to be new territory & in that sense you could finish in 3 years or less).
Alternatively, you could just take the MPhil if a PhD is not a necessary step towards your career goals.
I'm not sure if at this stage (before deciding to take the MPhil or not) whether you can transfer to another uni to finish your research. It would certainly have been possible before the viva, providing you found a supervisor at another institution willing to take on your project & help you finish it. Again, the best way to find out is to contact a few potential supervisors and ask. Then again, I seem to have heard that once you fail a PhD on a specific topic you cannot re-do that same exact thesis again - so best speak to some experienced academics and explore that option if that's the route you want yo take.
From what you mentioned, I take it this is you second submission - am I right? If so, what role has your supervisor played in guiding you? How did they allow you to submit a piece of work twice that the examiners deemed unsatisfactory? Usually it is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure you submit when you're ready & the work meets the required uk PhD standards. What has been their feedback?

Hi Baltar

Thank you

The SV has been very supportive and the checked the thesis before re-submission. The examiner, does not agree with the model assumptions and claims that the thesis falls short of the required standard, on grounds of presentation.

I might have to accept the MPhil and carry my work hoping it gets recognition.

The examiner in my view did not have a very strong understanding of the subject and did not recognise the bigger picture.

Cheers