Its pretty amazing how something positive can be turned inside - and made to be something negative. Perhaps this reflects my hope and optimism in life. I really couldn't give a monkey's about the actual qualification in terms of status as your post implies. I care about the work I produce and how I will be able to utilise the impact data through my current job. It's funny really - because I saw the postgraduate community as being a 'community' - a place to support, encourage and debate - not to judge others by ones own standards.

Wow! that was a response!! thank you so much everyone. All excellent points raised - and since I am literally at the starting line - in fact submitting the proposal next week - I thought I would answer some of your points/questions raised!

A little bit more background to the madness!

Firstly, I am taking a substantial shift in research direction. My first PhD was in humanitarian-rellief (looking at the operational aspects of emergency relief in the Third Sector). I then moved over to work in the Third Sector - but now needing to be based in the UK and not where the next disaster takes me - I had to re-look at my career to make it compatible with home life. So following my interest in the Third Sector - I moved over into global education within the Third Sector - specifically looking at the impact of global learning on poorer socio-economic communities. So really apart from sharing the Third Sector stage - I have moved direction from logistics/stats towards education.

Lots of interesting points have been raised with regard to switching over via post-docotal research - but the truth is I want to be credible in my writing, and feel so strongly that this new research is of fundamental importance - that I need to be accountable for making sure it is based on sound theory and reasoning. I will be collecting my primary data through my job - so they sit really well together in that respect. I also adore my supervisor - a real inspiration. He doesn't treat me really like a PhD student - in that I am not required to jump through modules of research methodology! rather he is an awesome sounding board for ideas, debates and also encourages me to be proactive on the global stage.

But when we strip everything away - past the career - past the research need - past the supervisor....if I'm really honest I just love learning. I don't mind the hard work...or the madness!

Well this is a little tricky! But well done on identifying this now. Something good can still come of this pickle - have faith! If the decision is based on your research topic and interest then I would say yes absolutely do. If this is a purely based on your academic wishes (and not for example location etc.) I would suggest it is worth arranging an appointment to see them. They liked you for many reasons - those reasons will not have changed. A PhD is a long time to be sat in a rowing boat wishing you had taken a different direction - so why not see if the door is still open? It may also be worth weighing up which supervisor you would work best with too.....Wishing you a lot of luck - let us know how you get on!

So here we are....six weeks ago I decided to write a second PhD. The decision came from (1) a basic research need - I was looking for some impact data and really could not find a scooby-do; (2) I have been working in the Third Sector for a long time and started to miss academia (particularly the ability to truly explore a topic in rigorous detail); (3) I hope to undertake a shift in my career direction from my original PhD; and (4) I located an amazing Professor who I really wanted to work with.

Had a good chat to myself - weighing up whether I was completely bonkers and trying to drive myself mad (probably yes on both accounts)...and concluded that this is something I am really excited and inspired to undertake. It is also a sort of experiment with myself. I want to know how long it will take me to write another PhD - clearly I hope it will be a lot quicker than the first! (yes wishful thinking!)...the first took seven years part-time!!! I was working on a topic I struggled to feel passionate about - really I ended up there by default not first choice. I was lecturing part-time and a working in a Black Books style independent bookshop (which was awesome but took me further away from my studies)....and I procrastinated (a lot!). The conditions for this PhD are more pressured - I work full-time in the Third Sector in a post that will benefit enormously from my new research; I will be undertaking a full-time PhD; and am totally interested and committed to my research cause.

So the questions are: Will I able to write the second PhD quicker? Will my writing have improved? Will I enjoy the process? Or will I be found half eaten by cats after drinking far too much wine....a sad conclusion to my bonkers journey! Any thoughts!