Is deferring a bad idea?

paddingghost

Hello,

Looking for some impartial advice. I have just finished the taught section of my Masters. The thesis is due in October. However, I have two jobs ( both in the area I want to get into and the area of my Masters) and I am now working about 35-40 hours a week. Im finding it hard to get work on my thesis done. Im getting quite stressed and have lost weight and sleep over it in the last few months.

I am thinking about deferring my thesis and handing it in next year. I do think this is the best idea for me, but I can't stop beating myself up about it. I feel like I am failing by taking more time to do it. Im happy with the jobs that I have and they are the area I want to get into and I was lucky to get them.

Im looking at lots of friends who graduated with Masters, in similar areas to my own, last year and all are unemployed with no job prospects on the horizon.

I am not making much money but Im in the right area and Im happy I took the jobs when they came up instead of lining up in the dole queue with a Masters come the second week of October. I thought I could do it all but I feel my health mentally and physically is suffering now.

Is it a bad idea to defer handing in my Masters thesis until next year? People are saying it is a bad idea and that it will be hard to go back... or worse... that I will never go back and get the Masters....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Any advice/opinions?

Alliandre

It's sounds to me like you've already made your mind up. I don't think it's a bad idea to defer, if it means things will work out better for you overall. Especially if you already have jobs that are relevant to your field. As you said, it would be worse to end up on the dole after completing your masters. Just make sure you do actually go back and finish it. Perhaps you could still be working on it a little. Don't put it completely out of your mind just because it's deferred.

hairybro

There is no right answer to this one. If you break your back for the next couple of months and manage to complete for October then, come October, it will all have been worth it and you will be glad that you didn't defer. The price, of course, will be coping with the stress and workload you're under at the moment for a couple more months. If you defer (assuming this is an option at your institution), you will take the immediate pressure off of yourself. The price will be no Masters degree come October and you will probably kick yourself at that time. You will also probably have no supervisory support to complete the dissertation either, having used your allocation this year. Basically, you have to weigh up the need to take the pressure off now vs. the need to complete for October.

Is deferring always bad, or a sign of weakness or failure? No, and it can happen for a number of real and genuine reasons. Running out of time, too heavy a workload because of other commitments, difficulty getting access to targeted organisations/people and gathering the required data, poor response rates, etc. - these types of thing happen all the time with research and can delay your finishing. How far along are you anyway? Would it be possible to get it completed but perhaps accept a hit on the final mark due to your not being able to devote yourself fulltime to it? (how important is that mark to you?) Or are things so far behind that you're unlikely to get it completed to a passable standard for October anyway? What does your supervisor/advisor say?

Another option might be to complete it for, say, Christmas or New Year i.e. take one more semester to complete it, but not a full year. That way you'll have your Masters officially conferred early next calendar year (when you get the piece of paper is pretty much immaterial). Another option, depending on where you're studying, could be to "cash in" on your taught modules and accept a Postgraduate Diploma instead, but I would only really recommend that if your dissertation is pretty much beyond hope (this does happen quite regularly BTW).

Anyway, you have to make the call, but remember to prioritise your health. That must come first.

Regards,
hairybro (PhD and supervisor to numerous Masters students over the years, some of who have had to defer or take extra time to complete)

paddingghost

Thanks for the advice guys! I really appreciate it!

@hairy bro. I don't think I am too badly off with regards progress on my thesis. The thesis is divided into three different projects and I am probably ready to start writing the main part (8,000) words. Problem is the delegation of supervisors was quite late in my opinion, with the majority of the class having so far not been able to meet with their supervisors (including myself), so it is a pity that they do not know enough about my progress to advise the best action to take. The problem is one part is a project which will depend on other people supplying me with information and agreeing to interviews which I feel could be difficult when I am dealing with such a tight schedule and long travel miles that will eat into my study time.

In an ideal world, deferring for a semester would be perfect. However, I am not sure if this is an option in my university but it is one that I am investigating.

I think come October I will be very sad that I am not graduating with the rest of my class. Some of them have decided not to take up the MA option and others have also decided to defer as they found employment.

With regards results, I could hand in the thesis and I would be confident that I would graduate with a 2.1. However, if I succeeded in getting an A2 in my thesis I would get a 1.1. So, that is also maybe a factor.

I do want my Masters, as I would potentially think about doing more postgraduate work in the distant (very distant) future. And I do think that I have the motivation to work on during the year so next July I do not find myself in the same position.

I never thought that I would find myself in this position. I had assumed that I would have had the summer free to work on my thesis (I was originally working at the weekend) and could work on it during the week. However, when this job came up, I felt that, as it was what I wanted to do and in the current climate that I should apply for it. I never really thought about how I would manage the thesis.

guysmiley

I am a case in point having deferred my thesis a number of times. I had taken on the masters on a part time basis as I was working full time. My initial mistake was that after finishing the exams I elected to submit the thesis at the same time as the full time students. In retrospect this was never achievable, and from then I got into the habit of deferring. I always had good reasons for deferring, being busy at work and we also had a baby during that time. But I eventually put a stop to it and put down the head and got it done. I don't really have advice as each case is unique, only to set realistic goals given your sitation. Then stick to the plan and you will be fine. There will of course be the rush at then end but the pressure will help you.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but CAN you defer? I submitted an extenuating circumstances form for the year due to bad health and having missed a lot of work due to hospital visits but was told I'd have to produce additional documentation detailing why I couldn't do my thesis on time if I wanted to defer. Basically, you need to have a really solid reason why, and working isn't a reason. I had to quit my job so I would have time to work on the thesis. I've never heard of anyone being able to defer just because they needed more time, but perhaps this is OK where you study? Is it a part time MA?

paddingghost

Cataleya Proud Whimper wrote: »

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but CAN you defer? I submitted an extenuating circumstances form for the year due to bad health and having missed a lot of work due to hospital visits but was told I'd have to produce additional documentation detailing why I couldn't do my thesis on time if I wanted to defer. Basically, you need to have a really solid reason why, and working isn't a reason. I had to quit my job so I would have time to work on the thesis. I've never heard of anyone being able to defer just because they needed more time, but perhaps this is OK where you study? Is it a part time MA?

It was no problem at my university. I did not even have to give a reason, just that I was deferring. There is a certain date that you must wish to defer by. I couldn't just decide to defer a week before the dissertation is due. It is usually 8-9 weeks before the due date of the thesis that you must express your intention to defer. Several people from the course also deffered last due to being offered jobs and will be submitting their thesis this year instead. I think it may depend on the university. I am doing a full-time taught Masters programme.

paddingghost

paddingghost wrote: »

It was no problem at my university. I did not even have to give a reason, just that I was deferring. There is a certain date that you must wish to defer by. I couldn't just decide to defer a week before the dissertation is due. It is usually 8-9 weeks before the due date of the thesis that you must express your intention to defer. Several people from the course also deffered last due to being offered jobs and will be submitting their thesis this year instead. I think it may depend on the university. I am doing a full-time taught Masters programme.

Oh, really? That's handy. Never heard of that being allowed before. Although if I had that option, I probably wouldn't get it in until 2025.