This is the first time I have been on here because I would like to get an actual answer, as many business school web pages do not specifically say what I am looking for. I am starting a part time PhD in September at a non local university. I am happy to travel there to see my supervisor or go to the odd class but is this a problem? As a part time student, are there a lot of taught modules or time when you must be on campus? I have chosen the university because it is well established...but I need to think about how often I will need to be down there overnight etc....

At my university there are a lot of training courses which PhD students are supposed to take. Luckily they rolled them out later in my PhD, after I'd picked up the skills already, so I didn't need to attend so many, but new students would be expected to. And then there is constant pressure from the department to attend departmental seminars, though like other part-timers I only rarely attend these. There's also teaching responsibility, though this is something that full-timers (understandably) take on at my university, so I haven't had anything to do with that. Meetings with supervisors are something else, but infrequent enough throughout my PhD (even quite early on) that they weren't a practical problem.

I'm a humanities student and have to go to archives to do research, and not ones at my local university. But my main work base is at home. I don't consider myself to be based at the university for my PhD by any stretch.

Good luck!

That was really useful thnak you. I was a business student but funnily enough will be in the humanities department at the new university because the research takes on a different angle. I live about 120 miles away and can only do part time because I work in another universrty elsewhere. Most things have been agreed, but I still have a niggle in the back of my mind that I have to drive down everytime I need to, which is fine...but less fine if I need to attend lots and lots of classes.

Your post really helped, thanks.

At this university, although they imply part-time means you don't have to go to things, what they do have a week long 'induction' which is compulsory, and you can't get through the first hurdle without having done this. There are also training days run by the department that so far I've not attended as I can't get the time off, which are not exactly compulsory, but they do like you to go to them and the expectation is there. I do however go to the Saturday sessions and evening sessions that are run by the post grad school as I said we needed something like this, and so I feel kind of obliged to go to them. They do seem to forget that many people are part time because they can't do full time and think that everyone is able to attend things at the drop of a hat. Luckily I don't live too far away, so I have been able to attend some of the masters courses suggested (and run by) my supervisor, and of course thay are once a week for 6-8weeks. It might be a good idea to check how much they really expect you to be there.

Well, I am doing my PhD part-time in London and I live in anothre country. I go to my uni every three months for a week (later on probably every 5-6 months) and meet with my supervisors. I have to attend just a few research seminars which can be combined with my meetings. Ohhh and the most important, although this year I am on paid leave from my full-time teaching post, next year I will have to go back again!!!!
I guess if you want something, you find a way to do it!!!!