Hi all,

I am currently a MPhil student in English Linguistics and Language Acquisition in Europe. I hold a BA in Translation with first class honor from Hong Kong. This is my first year in Mphil and I am doing really bad. I had very little relevant knowledge before I started this degree. The courses in theoretical approach in science are really difficult for me whereas courses such as grammars are relatively easy and I had no problems in getting A. I am planning to write my thesis on Translation (it's a sub-field in the department so I am allowed to) as I would like to do a PhD in Translation. My questions are:

1) How badly will my grades for taught courses affect my PhD application?
2) Is it true that the panel will mostly take my PhD proposal into consideration?
3) I would try my best but there's a possibility that I cannot get an A for my thesis as there is only one teacher in the department that actually knows the stuff from Translation.. I cannot even imagine how clueless the examiners are going to be. Also, as I mentioned I had little knowledge for what I am studying now (almost none and suddenly master level..), will the panel take these into consideration too?
4) Should I apply for PhD before finishing MPhil thesis or wait for another year so that I could submit my thesis as well?
5) Is it possible for me to apply PhD in Translation with my BA instead of using the MPhil I am doing now?

It doesn't matter if you are not in the same field as I, any suggestion, advice, or experience sharing will be appreciated!

1. Your MPhil grade will matter, but more the overall grade, rather than individual modules.
2. Your proposal is important, but so are your previous grades.
3. No. You need to do well in your subject area. A B is probably ok though.
4. You can apply for a PhD before you finish your MPhil
5. You don't need a masters to apply for a PhD in some fields, but it does help