Hi, started my PhD 2 months ago and my supervisor pressuring me to work longer hours, made me cancel a holiday I had booked and giving me loads of work whilst saying 'this is extra for in your own time, not in your PhD time' I was already working longer hours than most other PhD students in my office and felt like this was still not good enough for him. Sent him an email saying that I wasn't happy to work more than 48hrs a week of official office time (time when I had to be in the office in case he felt like coming over to check up on me). His response was to stop talking to me (i.e pretending he couldn't hear me when I said hello etc), arranged a meeting with the head of school and dropped me from the PhD. He said there was a problem with my efficiency and I hadn't got enough work done, even though we were having weekly meetings where we were deciding together what I needed to do that week and every week I completed the tasks we decided. He has not said anything to me about my not doing enough work apart from all the hints that I should work longer hours, nothing to do with what I have actually achieved.

Anyway bottom line is that we have parted company and the head of school has said I can change to another supervisor in the same department and I can pretty much have my pick since I got a first in undergraduate and the funding I have is tied to me not the supervisor. Problem is the areas the other supervisors in the department work in are not as interesting to me as the project I was doing initially and also not my area of expertise. Also feeling like if I was so bad that he wanted to drop me after two months then how could I be good enough to do any PhD? Not sure whether I should just quit and get a job while I have only wasted 2 months or stick at it and try again with another supervisor? I'm so stressed right now I don't feel like I can trust my own judgement.:-(

Hi Tasha

It seems to me (and maybe i'm just lucky) that your supervisor has been completely unreasonable and incredibly immature! Not talking to you because you say you can't do more than 48 hours official office time a week??? That is just crazy - you'd burn out way too fast! Also the extra time; that is not only unreasonable but I'd suggest may damage your funding (you don't say who funds you). I was told that I was full time and therefore it would be best if I work around 35-40 hours a week, but in my own time, not tied to an office of any kind, and that it would vary, sometimes I'd do more, sometimes I'd do less, and that due to funding the ABSOLUTE maximum I can do outside of that in any kind of official capacity, whether that be working at Asda or in the dept is 10 hours a week. You have been awarded funding therefore you are 'worthy' of this, you have been given a PhD place, again, you can do this, and you have good grades to date - don't let this utter idiot blow this for you. You say you made all the deadlines - you have done your side. It sounds to me as though this supervisor is a complete control freak and slave driver - its not the norm!

I would take the funding you have to another supervisor and work on a new project that has the potential to interest you, or interests you already. Your supervisor is clearly not normal in applying so much pressure on a recently started new student, most would be delighted to have a fully funded new student, so take you qualities (and money) elsewhere to another supervisor.

Good luck.

Tasha, I agree with Stressed, your supervisor sounds like he has been completely unreasonable, and a bully! Are you not able to continue with the topic you're interested in, just with a different supervisor? Although there may not be a supervisor who is directly involved in you area, surely there are others who may be slightly involved in it and thus could supervise? I'm guessing going to a different uni isn't an option seeing as you have funding?

Please don't doubt yourself- 48 hours is a hell of a lot of working each week. Maybe revisit why you wanted to do your PhD in the first place. Remind yourself of why you wanted to do it all. Have faith in yourself. And please don't let a bully damage your confidence.

And you clearly are 'good enough' to do a PhD, your commitment and getting a First shows that. Believe in yourself!

Hi Tasha

Yes, just to back up what the others have said - choose another supervisor and stick it out. Your ex-supervisor is a bully, and I'd like to think most aren't like this!! I can't believe he expected you to be in the office so he could 'check up' on you!!! Most supervisors meet with the students, set a work plan, then leave the student to get on with it! You should be able to work whenever and where ever you like and not be dictated to by your supervisor. 48 hours a week is also more than a full-time job - great if you can do it, but shouldn't be expected and I doubt you'd funding stipulates you need to do this much. An cancelling your holiday - also not on, just outrageous behaviour. Good luck finding a new supervisor.

Thank you everyone, I feel better knowing that it was my supervisor that was being unreasonable and most PhD's aren't like that so I'm going to switch to a different supervisor and project (can't keep the same project as he is the only one in the department that works in that area) and I'm feeling good about that.