I am unhappy in my field of research and approached my supervisor to ask if I could transfer to a different research group at the University, which would mean getting a new supervisor. To say his reaction was bad is an understatement, he basically told me to f**k off, and said that if my prospective supervisor approached him he would give me a bad reference. I feel I have been the model student, hard working and dedicated. Can he do this? What can I do about it? Anyone else been in a similar situation?

Your current supervisor was annoyed because he will not get any credit when you pass -your new supervisor will. I wanted to change depts however my current supervisor was unhappy so my new supervisor changed his mind (didn't want to rock the boat) so I ended up staying where I was. It depends on your new supervisor, you need to contact them and press your case. Show them how much work you have completed -your new supervisor will need to know that you can work independently and are not changing because things have gone wrong. Good luck

You will need to have legimate reasons for asking for a transfer - I'm not suggesting that you haven't got valid reasons, just making the point that transfers are difficult and the University and your supervisors will not generally consider one unless you have a very good reason for requesting one. What stage of your PhD are you at? Do you have a specific problem with your supervision or are there other issues? All the best.

It's understandable that's he's upset. For one, you misled him at the application/interview stage into thinking you were happy and committed to the project. Your actual complaint about the field/research group is unclear. Certainly not a case of extenuating circumstances either. No empathy from me.

Hi Brair, how far in are you? Could you stick it out long enough to write up a masters and then do Ph.D elsewhere? Ultimately you have to do what is right for you, something you can live with. Many supervisors do not give a shit about their students, only interested in their career so watch that. Best of luck!

Supervisors often mislead students in interviews saying 'oh tes you can do this and this and this' when in reality that is not the case. The blame is not likely to lie completely with the student.