======= Date Modified 15 Sep 2012 14:24:53 =======
Hi all,
I am hoping for some words of advice. I left college – after studying very little – in 1998 and worked fulltime in children’s social care until 2008 when I decided to complete a degree in social work. My main motivation for doing this was to increase my future employment opportunities. I remained employed on a part time basis - I couldn’t afford not to.  I did well and in 2011 I graduated with first class honours and received a scholarship. I can enrol upon any course of study – including a PHD - and my tuition fees will be paid for. I need to have enrolled upon a course within a three year period following graduation – this takes me to July 2014. Luckily for me I managed to secure a post as a social worker immediately after I graduated and that brings me up to where I am today. 
I would like to complete my PHD and I don’t want to lose the opportunity of funding. I enjoyed studying and my motivation for doing this is for a personal sense of fulfilment and to increase my career prospects. I worry that if I enrolled upon a master’s course that this wouldn’t make me stand out to future employers and that I would be wasting an opportunity. I don’t see myself working as a social worker in the long-term. I have just completed over a year in the job and it is utterly mind training. I want to be able to continue to stretch myself and not to end up burnt out like some of my colleagues. Potentially I would like to work within academia, social policy and or training/consultancy.      
My main problems are the following:
1)     I don’t know if I am truly capable. This might sound silly but I genuinely don’t. I did well in my degree but I’m sure that this would be much harder. Are there people out there who have gone from degree straight to PHD? 
2)     I am single and a mature student. Whatever happens I would need to continue to work while I studied to pay the mortgage etc... Is this feasible? What are the - if there are any - bursary opportunities?