I have received a conditional offer for PhD studies. The only thing missing, the two academic references. I try to contact my x-lecturers but they don't respond to my emails. Any idea?

Hi bewildered

Yes I would like to try for academic jobs. I know there are few but this isn't the only sector currently suffering. There are no jobs at all without experience (except for free). But I am pretty much motivated to get a research degree in politics. I am already working as a teacher (so fees are not a problem). So part-time and self-funding is what I am actually looking for. There is no need for me to get funding immediately from the first year. I know most of my friends have received funding during the second at some point, once they were able to demonstrate good performance in their MPhil stage.

But in regards to academic jobs I am open to travel anywhere, even abroad. I don't really care. But it is most likely that a Phd will lead to researching jobs. Anyway, I am doing it for myself above all...

I have recently been graduated with Merit in (Msc in Politics) and I want to continue towards Mphil/Phd. Nonetheless, my first degree is 2:2 but also in different area (music/arts). The think is that my BA lasted only for 1 year since I was accepted from the third (this is because I had been previously awarded with another Diploma in Arts and Education from an Irish University with 61% being my final score). Once I enrolled into my BA, I quickly lost interest and instead I begun to develop an interest in politics.

So my question is, will this 2:2 disable me to become accepted for Phd? Does this mean I have to do a second BA (or Masters?)