UK PhD Advice: How To Pursue a PhD with a 2:2 BSc

[samir9]

Hi
I'm not new to the forums and a long time lurker.

I've currently been teaching College level Physics since graduating from my BSc in Physics 5 years ago. When an Uni, I was unsure of myself and what I wanted to do in the future, and with very little work and effort (with was all due to my immaturity as a student) I somehow managed to get a 2:2.

Now, over the last few years, and due to the high pressures of my job, I've become a lot more responsible, and want to undertake a phd. I know this may be difficult with a 2:2 BSc, but surely some admissions staff can take into consideration what I've been up to the last few years. I really don't want to do a MSc first, but this has been told to me as advice in the past.

There is a second problem - money. I'm currently on a respectable salary, how on Earth (should I ever be accepted) deal with the huge pay cut?

Any advice or ideas is much appreciated.

 

[BruceW]

well, many universities were still saying to me that I should do a masters before phd, and I got a first in my undergraduate. So I think they really do prefer if you have done a masters beforehand. It is rare even for students who got a first to go straight to phd. So I think it would be difficult to do that.

Also, you might realize after a year of doing a masters that you are not so suited to research. I think that is one of the reasons why they want people to do a masters first, to make sure that they are used to being in research.

About the masters, there are some courses (such as the one I am on), where they pay for the masters, and give a stipend, and it continues on to a phd. But as you were saying, the phd stipend is still not very good pay. (better than minimum wage though).

I think there are options for doing postgraduate part-time. But I have not looked into those options. So maybe that is one way that you could continue academically, while working to keep up your income.

 

[Geezer]

Samir, I'd like more info on Physics PhD programs in the UK, too.

My current stipend at an American university is roughly equivalent to £20,000, which I would hate to give up if I started a PhD program in the UK.