I have been doing my PhD for one year full time, and another 9 month part time in a U.K. university, in the Business School. However, after serious consideration, I don't want to stay in academia anymore so I suggest to my supervisors that I would like to leave with Mphil.
I have already finished all my course works and training modules, the only thing missing is one final thesis. Originally I thought that would be easy.
However, my supervisors would like me to write an article in my topic and post it to a good journal, meanwhile produce a good quality thesis, in order not to be questioned in my viva. The problem is, I know my supervisors are very detailed focus academia and they would make this procedure very slow. In this case, even though I do not want to become an academia, in order to finish this final thesis, I might need to work another one year. I am self-funded student, which means that it would be another 7000 pound! In addition my supervisors strongly suggest me not to start job seeking before I submit my journal article and thesis!
I am 28 now, a mother of two, I really want to start my own career. If I do what they required, it might take me until 30 to find an enter position job. My ideal job would be a business analyst in the company, and finally have my own business. How much benefit will this extra Mphil will bring me？Btw, I have already got a MA in business study in another university in the U.K.
Any comment on this matter is welcomed.

Please anybody any comment is welcomed. I am asked to make a decision in the next 5 days!

Hi,

I guess if you want to be a business analyst in a company if your MA is from a 'prestigious' university then the MPhil might not count for a lot. Likewise if you're looking to start your own business.

I'm assuming that whether you're a full-time student or not isn't going to have an impact on your visa status. Obviously I don't know your situation and I have only thought of this because you said your fees are £7k.

However, I wouldn't be rushed into any decisions. My university allows PhD students up until the end of Oct to decide if they wish to continue.

If you are not planning to work in Academia, most employees couldn't care less about whether you have two postgrad degrees. If your heart is not in it, you may as well leave. Do what your instinct tells you to do.

Only you can decide whether to follow your instincts or not. It depends how reliable they are. Have you had experiences in the past where you have followed your instincts and then regretted it?

I personally don't think an extra masters will help you in the job market, since you already have one. It might lead some employers to question why the Mphil when you already have a MA since they may suspect it was because this was supposed to be a PhD. Others will have no idea what an Mphil even it. It depends on the person, the company and the area of work.

My experience of interviews, having been both interviewer and interviewee, is that firstly your CV needs to be good and to stand out from the rest. You obviously need to have the qualifications required but aside from that, most employers seem to give jobs to the people they 'like' in an interview. It's up to you to determine what they are going to like (is it hard work, intelligence, motivation, extroversion, team work ? etc) and then present this person to them. I've never heard someone say 'let's interview this person because they have this degree from this university'. Mostly they were interviewed based on their experience and whether they sounded like a good fit based on their personal statement or cover letter.

Two years is not long to be honest and you are 28. You'll still have career opportunities at 30 as you do now. A PhD just doesn't happen and is a long slog for most of us whatever happens. People need to realise this before they start and want to be there for the right reasons. Ask yourself again why you wanted to do a PhD.

The self-funding is a big issue. Did you not investigate funding when you started? You could ask what funding options are available for the next year or even two years.

You're talking about settling for an MPhil when you've already a Masters. I've two Masters pre-dating my PhD in different areas (long story) and to me it is how you sell your skills to a potential employer. If the sales pitch is right, then the MPhil can be seen as an asset alongside your original Masters.

It's your decision whether you quit and you know yourself how you feel. Will the extra year and £7,000 take you over the line for a viable thesis? Talk again to your supervisor about your progress and where you're at.

If you really feel it's not viable to carry on or you do not feel it is right for you, then perhaps you need to quit for you and your family's sake. However, it's coming across as perhaps others are moving on with their lives and you are still stuck with the PhD. Why worry about what other people think? Do you think that at a given age you should be at a certain point of your life and the PhD is holding you up?

I came back at 30 from the real world for a PhD to do some original ground-breaking science, giving up a reasonably paid job to do it. I didn't worry about what I "should" be doing, but because it was right for me. I finished aged 34 and age just didn't matter.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

Thanks for everybody's reply.
Here is my story.
(1) Why I join the PhD program: I have to admit that when I first joined it, I did not really have a strong desire to become an academia, it was just an option to me--go for job seeking, or another degree, I took the latter. I have no idea what PhD life would be until I joined it.
(2) Why I am giving it up: During the first year of my PhD, shortly after I joined in, I got pregnant and then gave birth my daughter. I continued it on a part-time basis for another 9 months. It was very very hard, everyday I feel sooooo tired. In the last three months, I lived on pain killers and other pills and my health was highly declining. If at the end of the day, I am certain that I would like to be an academia, I will carry on no matter what, however, I do not see myself with such a strong desire, so I choose to give up, for the sake of my own health, well-being and my family.
(3) My topic: after around 6 months in the program, I already feel that my supervisor and me share with different minds in research. He is, no doubt, a very smart and responsible supervisor. However, somebody is good does not mean somebody suits you. Now, at this moment, I just feel that, my passion towards the topic has lost so much during the procedure. It would be OK for me to work on the thesis for another 3 months for get the Mhpil, but another year, I could not image what it will be like for me.

For the above reasons I post this message here for ask for opinions.

If your health and the wellbeing of your family are now major issues, then perhaps you are making the right decision.

It's clear from this last message you have no further heart for it. Looking at your 'either job or PhD' remark, it seems it was just an option rather than a passion or desire for research. Whilst I know of one person who passed after drifting into a PhD but had no passion for it, it is a lot harder to see it through if your heart was not in it from the beginning - most people of this frame of mind tend to quit fairly quickly.

Many decide academia is not for themonce well into the PhD but see the PhD through. Both my predecessors were of that frame of mind. That said, you describe an absolutely miserable situation and I thus feel perhaps the best is for you to call it a day.

If you can at least see through the next three months to gain an MPhil, at least you'll have something to show for your time.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

Thanks Ian.
The first year was not that hard, because (1) there were still course work and class, and no baby (2) I am a self-disciplined person and do not allow myself to withdraw without a series of battles...I think that is why I choose to quit only after 2 years.
Originally I thought I could go through the Mhpil for 3 months, but it does not seem to be the case now. My supervisors want me to target a high good journal as an end of it...I understand they do this because of their self-interest too, afterall they have invested all the effort and time in it.