Hey everyone! My name is Putthi. I am an applicant for PhD Economics.

I have applied to a few universities. Yesterday, I received an email from the University of Manchester saying that they couldn't offer me a place because my academic background is not strong enough for PhD level of study.

But, I'm not sure what the specific problem here is. I have a first-class for my BSc Economics (UEA). For my MSc Economics (University of Bristol), I got merit for the taught modules (less than 1% from distinction) and I got a distinction for my dissertation (70%). I thought it would meet their entry requirements because it is well above the entry requirement on their online prospectus.

My question is: are there other important academic criteria that universities consider to be important (that I didn't meet)?

what are the chances of me getting an offer from other universities, if one of them already said my academic background is not strong enough? (Other universities I applied to: Glasgow, Southampton, Edinburgh and Nottingham; there are potential supervisors in Glasgow, Southampton and Nottingham who said that they are happy to supervise my PhD project)

I appreciate any answer, advice and comments that you can give me.

Thanks!!!

Dunno why Manch should fancy themselves so much. Maybe they've filled their places and prefer to appear exclusive rather than popular.

Hi, I've heard that about Manchester before but was advised that they do look into the research methods etc that you used for your MSc research, and the interview is usually a big part of the application as it determines if you'll fit in with the faculty. Hope this helps.

Looking at the phrase "background is not strong enough", I suspect the modules in your undergrad/MSc may not be related to the topic you chose at Manchester (assuming you applied for one of the advertised topics). If you proposed your own topic, it can also be interpreted that potential supervisors in that research group are not experts in the topic you had proposed. Did you contact a potential supervisor at Manchester prior to making an application? I had intentions of applying for a PhD at Manchester, all the potential supervisors I contacted told me they were not taking up new students, based on their response I didn't even make a formal application.

I have an engineering background and thus I have little information about how it's done in Humanities. In my field, the fact that I have a Mechanical engineering BSc and MSc does not mean I can be admitted as PhD student in any research group. The branches within Mechanical engineering are so diverse.

Hey guys, thanks for the reply.

I don't know. I focused a lot on microeconomics for both my BSc and MSc which is related to my PhD proposal, my MSc dissertation is also related to my PhD proposal except simpler than the PhD project of course. I didn't do so well in MSc Microeconomics, I only got a Pass for it, but I think it should be compensated by my MSc Advanced Micro, which I got a distinction. I took a module in my BSc outside the School of Economics as my free-choice module, can that be a problem?

Also, when I showed my proposal to my MSc dissertation supervisor, he said that I should do MSc Maths before the PhD because the project needs more technical skills than those I was trained for in my MSc. Do you think I should do MSc Maths? But I think it might be too difficult for me.

I tried contacting a potential supervisor in manchester, but never got a reply from him, unlike in other universities. and I asked an admission officer there and she said I don't need to, so I just applied. Also, I have a friend from my MSc, she had to resit 2 of her exams and still somehow managed to get a place to do a PhD in Manchester. I thought I might at least have a better chance.

I have contacted the university for their specific feedback, in case it helps. I'll let you know what they say once I get an answer.