You want an academic reference...from decades ago?!

10 replies

BabblesDevine · 01/10/2023 20:39

I'm considering applying for a PhD, but I did my Masters 16 years ago. As part of the application you have to give two academic references, but does this apply when it's been this long? I mean at this stage what is an academic reference from way back in the mists of time going to tell them that my transcript won't?

Anyway, also wondering: do I need to contact my (presumably rattling and moth-eaten) ex lecturers now or can I just put their names down and wait to see if I get shortlisted? I don't really want to go hassling people when it's probably a long shot.

OP posts:

TrobadoraBeatrice · 01/10/2023 20:47

16 years isn't so long ago that lecturers who taught you then will necessarily all have retired! And it wouldn't take long to check if tutors you remember from your course are still working. If that's the case, I would put them down and also drop them a line to let them know you are applying for a PhD. If there's no-one at all who taught you back then still in academia, I'd suggest contacting the place you're applying for the PhD and see what they suggest. I certainly wouldn't assume that they wouldn't want academic references after that length of time, and if you did your Masters straight after undergraduate study then you might be asked to try a tutor from then instead.

Yetanothernewname101 · 01/10/2023 23:06

They're looking for confirmation of your grades at this point in time, probably nothing more.
I sometimes get students from way back when emailing to ask if they can put my name as an academic reference. It's never been a problem for me.

Original poster

BabblesDevine · 02/10/2023 07:23

Thank you for the reassurance, I guess I will go ahead and reach out to them, they are still working! Now my other issue is they want an example of my academic writing eg an essay. I'll go for a rummage around but I don't think I kept anything from back then 😒 I did write an article though, can I send them that or do they mean they want to see I know how to reference etc?

OP posts:

CallieTR · 02/10/2023 07:40

When I have done Higher Education, what they were looking for from my academic references was confirmation of my grades and confirmation that I was capable of study, essentially.

I had to get one from 10 years previously but no one who knew me personally was still at the university so they wrote a letter just confirming the course, my grade and the hours of study, coursework and examinations I completed in the set amount of time.

Rocknrollstar · 02/10/2023 07:46

I think you are worrying about side issues. What they will want to see is clear exposition of your research - what you want to research, why and how you are going to research it.

bridgetreilly · 02/10/2023 08:08

I would find it odd that someone applying for a PhD had so little interest in their Masters that they no longer had any of their work.

IHeartKingThistle · 02/10/2023 08:09

Yeah I had to do this when I applied for
my MA and I had a 20 year gap. Tutors were really nice about it.

dreamingbohemian · 02/10/2023 08:17

bridgetreilly · 02/10/2023 08:08

I would find it odd that someone applying for a PhD had so little interest in their Masters that they no longer had any of their work.

I don't think it's odd at all, and I'm an academic myself! 16 years is a long time ago.

OP just contact admissions and ask their advice, it will probably not be a problem but none of us can say without knowing the discipline/university.

Stroopwaffels · 02/10/2023 08:26

I have recently been through this process and it's hugely frustrating! I applied for a MSc in 2020 and they wanted academic references - I graduated for the first time in 1995. Funnily enough I didn't have details of lecturers/tutors from 25 years ago and even if I had, I was not labouring under the apprehension that they would remember me!! To complicate matters, I had been self-employed for most of that 25 years and couldn't give a standard employment reference either.

I got round it by asking one of my clients to give me a reference concentrating on the fact I managed my time well, always hit deadlines, wrote decent academic English. The other reference was a personal reference from a friend who was an academic at another institution. They were happy with that.

Are you self-funding the PhD? If you are, then they are perhaps less fussy about the references. I would speak to your intended supervisor(s) as they will have come across others in your situation before.

gotomomo · 02/10/2023 08:44

I think your main barrier is proving you still have the capability for academic rigour, eg have you done any related research or work since your degree?

Your tutor and supervisor will be able to give you a basic reference from reports, more if they remember you - if they are no longer in post you can get a standard reference with information like dates and grades

Flip