I was just curious whether anyone else out there has a PhD across two different academic units-and how they manage it.

I've based myself in one department (due to being part of a research team, my first supervisor wanting me there almost all the time and my office is based there) rather than the other department. After visiting the second department (where I don't spend much time at all due to commitments in other department) I felt like I had been dejected and rejected due to non attendance of my second department. I'm wondering whether I've done the wrong here now- and whether I should have been spending time in both departments rather than one.

I know it sounds pretty petty and pathetic- but I feel horrible now. The second department have made me feel really unwelcome :( Perhaps they feel that I've been snubbing them for the past two years, which isn't the case at all! I've just part of a research team within the first department and tend to work all the time in my office!

Oh well-perhaps another case of office politics between the two departments I wonder??

Sorry if this seems to be melodramatic! :(

I'm shared between two departments and just have to spread myself thin between them. Attending seminars/workshops and being generally seen around.

I'm across two Unis.  Main sup at one, second at the other.

Second Uni wants nothing to do with me really. No e-mail access, computer access, building access or library access.  I spend next to zero time there (2 meetings in one year) as I have no access! Was shocked at how little they were interested in me.

Now there's more PhD students shared across the two they want us to work as a team but as neither University wants to give students who are mainly supervised at the other access to their facilities it's never going to work.  Very basic bureaucratic issues which as far as I'm concerned could be dealt with in less than a day but which I know will not be sorted while I'm studying.

Crazy.

My PhD is part of a research project in the English Department but I am am registered with the Art History and Visual Studies Dept and my first supervisor is in that dept. I come from an English background so most of the people I know are from that department. I'm working on medieval sources and there are hardly any medieval people in art history but a large medieval dept in English. I feel I have nothing in common with most of the art history bods as I have no background in that discipline. So although I see my supervisor I do tend to socialise and meet day to day with English dept colleagues. I like the idea of being interdisciplinary as I don't really feel that I have a specific dept. I hang around with medievalists and we are usually out on a limb anyway!! The advantage of being linked with two departments is that I am teaching English this semester and Art History next semester. I am hoping this will be beneficial for my future career.

I'm between two institutions too. I'm officially registerd at one where I have office space and a desk, but no one is really from my subject area. I deliberately try to get involved in the other department as much as possible as it is this subject area I eventually want to work in, and for the social aspects as they have a lot of PhD students who all go out at least once a month. I still don't feel totally part of the second dept. though I've never felt rejected by it, they're quite happy for me to come to things I just don't alwayds find out about them.

Anyway who has rejected you/made you feel unwelcome? and to what do you feel unwelcome? - seminars? social events? just generally hanging around there? are they people that are important to your project/future career?

I don't think you shoudl feel you've done anything wrong by emersing yourself in deptartment one. Had you split your time between them then the chances are you wouldn't feel so comfortable in either department. If you are happy in department one, and don't really need to go to department two then I'd say s*d them!

Hope things better today anyway.