Hi,

I would like to ask the advice of this forum on the following. I know that there are many people here with a lot of experience – please could you read the tale below and let me know what you think? I have tried to make it short!

- I am an ESRC funded FT PhD student in my third year.

- I had Supervisor A in year 1 who was trying to push me in a direction I didn’t want to go in.

- I changed to Supervisor B in year 2. I suffered writer’s block during this time, but managed to do a lot of thinking and working things out. Sup B saw me regularly, although Sup B tended to talk about their personal problems too. I had the best relationship with Sup B.

- Sup B then left to join a slightly less prestigious university after about a year of supervision.

- After some deliberation about whether I should move with Sup B to the other uni, I changed to Sup C so I could stay at the same (more prestigious) uni.

- I have been with Sup C for 6 months. In that time I have not seen Sup C at all, although feedback has been provided by email. Feedback has been sketchy and hasn’t really engaged with the argument. Sup C says that the argument is OK though. I have done a lot of work for Sup C, although that’s not down to their efforts! I basically decided that I wanted to get the damn thing done, and had already worked out the chapter content in my mind. My thesis is nearly written and I think it will be OK.

- I feel that Sup C only took me on so that I would stay at the uni for their funding.

I am now thinking that I should have gone to the other uni with Sup B. I only have 1.5 months of my ESRC studentship funding left (i.e. 1.5 months shy of three years).

I am completely isolated in my current uni. I also feel that Sup B doesn’t give a damn. I don’t fit into the department (and neither did Sup B which is why they left). I worry that Sup C isn’t supporting me and won’t see me through to completion very well. I’m completely hacked off with my current uni. There is no way I will get a job there. I am not sure what kind of job I am going to get afterwards – probably not a research job, although there may be more opportunities at the other (less prestigious) uni.

Please can you advise me – on the basis of this tale, do you think I should ask Sup B if I can go back to them?

Are there any implications about funding – I know that I might have to pay back a month or so of ESRC grant, but would it be as straightforward as that?

Thanks.

If you're that close to finishing your funding I'd normally recommend sticking it out and completing the PhD at your current uni. Switching unis can be quite a bureaucratic hassle, and not all funding councils would support a switch.

Also where you get a job afterwards should normally have little bearing on where you finish your PhD. You could move afterwards.

Basically think very carefully about moving at this stage, especially if you're doubtful about Sup B supporting you. Of course it depends on how far practically you are through the PhD. Are you near completion? If not how much longer do you think you'll need?

Thanks for your reply BilboBaggins.

When you say that not all funding councils would support a switch what would that mean? At the end of three years all ESRC money comes to an end doesn't it? - I am not sure about this.

I have some reasons for thinking that there may be more job opportunities at the other uni - but that's not a major consideration.

I have nearly finished. I have done drafts of 8 chapters of 9. Some re-writes needed for first two chaps, but the middle ones are nearly OK. I probably could finish the whole PhD in 6 months, certainly in a year.

No you're right. There may still be an admin fee charged to post-funding students, that you'd pay I think (I'm expecting my uni to charge me 90 pounds for matriculation in the writing-up year - they haven't yet!), but otherwise it's ended. I was talking more about switching a bit earlier. I considered doing this myself a few years ago, when my supervisor moved. There was no guarantee that my funding council would have approved it. In practice the destination university had regulations barring such a late switch anyway (not as late as yours: I'd have been moving about halfway through the PhD). That last bit could be an issue for you too, especially because you wouldn't be paying hefty tuition fees to them for the rest of your PhD, unless you plan on starting totally afresh (very expensive option without funding).



That's very encouraging. So you are near the end. Personally I'd try to improve my local supervision, having a frank chat with Sup C and the head of your department, rather than rely on Sup B. I've some experience of a similar situation myself, where my supervisor left for another uni. He was going to carry on as my main sup, but has become more and more distant. Luckily an excellent alternative supervisor stepped in (I appreciate that I'm incredibly lucky with this). So I'd be concerned about how much Sup B will be willing to take on, especially if there are no tuition fees coming into his university for your switching, and thus obligation on him.

BilboBaggins, yes you're right. I don't think the ESRC would support a switch at this stage - I would have to lose any funding. I hadn't thought about the lack of incentive for the new (less prestigious) uni in terms of funding. So they might not take me on now anyway. I would not be starting afresh! The very thought of this makes me break out in a cold sweat!

I probably should have a frank conversation with Sup C - but I doubt it would get my anywhere. Sup C is a minimalist, spending the least amount of time possible on supervision, caring only about money and their own time. I feel misled though - they persuaded me to stay and now I wish I hadn't. But given the situation, I feel I am powerless to do anything about it.

As the Americans say, maybe I just need to 'suck it up'...