A PT PhD will not be detrimental to an academic career - my husband worked FT during his PT PhD, finished in 4.5 years and now has an excellent job at a prestigious university. I am also self-funded and PT, studying Politics/IR. It is tough and no one seems to understand what you are going through. All my FT funded friends seem to think I have it easy; I wish they'd try holding down a job and spending every evening studying.

The best thing I did (which also working for a PT friend of mine) was to reduce my working hours to work four days a week - even an extra day makes a major difference. Could you negotiate flexi time with your employer?

As for the teaching - do it. People are competitive about this sort of thing regardless of your enrolled status - you have every right to do it as well

As for conferences, tell them you can't do it. I do. My department keeps organising training and seminars in the middle of the day and I've just told them I can't go. I had the same problem when I was doing my Masters (I worked as well as doing a FT Masters) - I just didn't turn up to the lectures I couldn't go to.

BE TOUGH a your PT status and don't feel you have to make excuses

Hi there, gosh so many posts in such a small space of time! To me it sounds like you love your PhD subject - so I think the enthusiasm for your subject will keep you going through the tough times. I have an arts friend who juggled a part-time job, with teaching, with being a deputy warden in a hall, all on no funding, and she finished within 4 years - she loves her topic too & wants a career in academia. I used to do part time studies (OU) on top of a job, and it was manageable (even if I had no life other than work & study!) so I talked them into letting me go 4 days a week. But in arts I would recommend fighting for teaching work, it seems to be vital for an academic career in the arts. Conferences are useful for after PhD options (networking) but later in PhD probably more useful...

I think the part-time/full-time issue is a personal thing. For my final year of my PhD I was unfunded, and I debated either finishing sooner with debt but starting earning in my new academic career sooner, or working part-time but finishing later (with PhD stress dragging on for longer). I chose the former, but then I know I can get paid work as soon as I finish (though still not looking forward to paying back the debt, which will take longer than the year I spent it in to pay it back... bit like weight loss goes on easily, harder lost). The time you loose by doing it part time, is time you would gain in your new career if you did it full time... but no guarantee of success. Swings and roundabouts - but then many things in life are risks. No answer - but keep on with your PhD if you love doing it! Try to get more balance if your relationship is suffering (in the end that's more important). And if you do part time - stay focussed & don't do more than you need to!

Thanks SeaBird and SixKitten - your comments are really helpful. I think it will be a case of sitting down with my husband and doing some sums. I work F****ng hard so theoretically I could finish in a couple of years if I did nothing else - perhaps we can work something out.

I have just been out for a few drinks with a couple of PhDs I know - they are just finishing and neither of them had any advice - but they both said they could see how tired and stressed I was - which was in a way validation that it is no way for me to live. I feel like something has to change and I have just got to work out what that is.

gamba, btw, thanks for starting this thread! i am taking all the advice in it as if it were directed to me

it is hard to say what i am going to do, because i don't know about the ESRC yet. however, i got a teaching job next year, so i guess i will keep going. my "plan" is to manage by earning some money through teaching, going a bit into debt to make up the difference, and keep applying for funding. i would stay FT. if i don't get the fees paid by the ESRC however i will perhaps apply for a research assistant job that just came in, and put my PhD on hold for a while without leaving academia completely (still teaching, RA job). i suppose i would officially go PT thus reducing the amount of fees to be paid.

i do hope you find a way to keep going! i have my fingers crossed for your AHRC results. do you have nightmares about them? i do!