Dear Friends,

I have a profound interest to pursue a PhD in Marketing. However, I have missed all the deadlines for funded projects. At this point, I would rather apply for a self funded PhD than wait for another year. Can any of you guide me with the process?I mean, should I mail a professor at a University before preparing the Research Proposals? Or should I prepare on a topic of my interest?Can I mail a professor directly asking for guidance?

Thanks and Regards,

From my experience if you have the academic credentials and are willing to pay the fees any university should be interested in you. You can contact a professor in your field but I would advise that you have the bones of a proposal thought through before you do this. Even though you have missed funding deadlines why not check out how funding organistions wanted the proposals formulated? You should at least know key writers in your field and have some idea of your methodological approach. Check the research/postgraduate website section of whatever university you are interested in before contacting a staff member so it is clear that you have put some thought into your application. Increasingly PhDs must be completed via a Graduate Education programme which involves acquiring credits (ECTs) for various modules you complete during your PhD. No exams but assignments to complete which can be a total pain in **** even though they do get you writing from the off. I was obliged to get 60 ECTs during my PhD over three years. Thankfully I managed to get them all in in two years. Funded and self-funded students in my university have to complete GREPs. It's a pretty common system in the United States but is increasingly becomming the norm in European institutions.

Being self-funded does not necessarily put you at a disadvantage apart from the obvious lack of money (sic). Being funded entails obligations self-funded students do not have. Self-funded students are generally more 'free' to pursue their PhD in their way.

Good luck whatever you decide :-)

A

Dear Ady,

Thanks a bunch for the help. I have completed my masters and was working in the market research and intelligence department of an MNC. As for the proposal, I have already started preparing one in the area of Brand Management. But the issue which I face is with the formulation of an appropriate title and research questions. I have, from my own limited knowledge gave a title and wrote a few questions. But I have a feeling that it is incomplete and it requires an academic outlook. I shall try to get it done from various inputs. Once again, Thanks a lot for answering my queries.

Thanks and Regards,
Vishnu Menon

Research questions naturally emerge out of your literature review and even organically over time so I woudn't worry too much about getting them down 'pat' at the outset. My research questions, now during my third year, are radically different from those of my original proposal.

A