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Confused about postgrad

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  • 03-09-2010 3:00pm
    #1
    Talanta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11 ✭


    Hi Guys,

    Just looking for a bit of advice, if anyone has any similar experiences I would love to hear about them!

    Just some backround, I finished with a BSc in Chemistry there last year with a 2.2 and kind of fell into a postgrad position. I applied for a masters but my superviser really wanted to fill a PhD so I was taken on with a view of going on. I was happy about this at the time as I thought what I wanted was a PhD, and I didn't even mind that the area of research wasn't my first choice.

    Now I'm a year in and I hate it. I dread coming in everyday and I live for lunch break, I still don't have any major interest in the area I'm in and I just don't know what to do.

    I don't want to make any rash decisions as my life has had a major change in the past couple of weeks, so I'm thinking of giving myself until Christmas to see if I still feel the same. To be honest I've had teaching in the back of my mind for a long time; I've done teaching practice before and loved it, and now I think I'm finally sure that I want to do that. The problem is, if I do leave I don't know how easy it would be to get a place in a hdip program and I don't want to shoot myself in the foot.

    I'm very confused about what to do at the moment and any advice would be amazing! Thanks!


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    #2
    Alliandre
    Closed Accounts Posts: 129 ✭✭Alliandre


    Are you actually doing a masters of PhD at the moment? If you're still doing the masters, is there any way you can just finish up and then do your PhD somewhere else? Or is there some sort of "contract" that you have to continue on and do your PhD with them?


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    #3
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    Can you write up what you have as a masters and then leave?

    It's unlikely you'd get a place on the PGDE with a 2:2 degree (see last year's points here - http://www.pac.ie/pgdeinfo/PointsCalc.php?inst=pe) so if that is something you're interested in, you'd quite likely need another qualification anyway.


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    #4
    postgrad23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭postgrad23


    Tell your supervisor and they might let you write up a research masters if you have some results. They can always get someone else to continue, you wouldn't be letting them down that much.

    You won't be accepted for a PGDE/HDip with a 2.2 unless you have post grad. The entry requirements are usually a 2.1, but anyone I know with a 2.1 was refused and had to do a masters first.


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    #5
    Talanta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11 ✭Talanta


    Thanks for the replies!

    Well I don't want to make any rash decisions so I was thinking of waiting a couple of months to make sure that's what I want. I'm registered for a masters at the moment. I wouldn't just want to drop out, I'd want to have enough to finish with a masters first.

    If I do get a masters would there be a chance of getting a place?


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    #6
    mystique150
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭mystique150


    A masters would greatly improve your chances although you won't have it completed by the time the hdip applications go in this year (Christmas) so you will have to wait a year to apply anyway to have your masters awarded to your score.

    I hated my project the first year too and really considered just writing a masters and giving up. I'm now in my third year and have had a complete change of heart/mindset. Give it a chance, when the results start to come in you may really change your mind!


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