really lame phd app question

[madwomanintheattic]

so, if i'm writing a research proposal for 2010 start, do i need to have arranged access for areas of fieldwork?

i have had preliminary discussions with area of interest, but no formal access agreement - is this good enough to apply, and what happens if my entire proposal is based on this access, i get accepted, and then access is denied?

Better if you can secure (in writing) Right of Access in Principle; but not essential if there are many other potential field sites.

thanks, broken. that seems fairly sensible - a more formal 'in principle' agreement. only one site really, without a fair amount of redesign, and quite a tricksy area to formalise access... in that it might be a lengthy process. sounds like a plan though.

in my experience, being able to state on the propoal that you have secured access in principle with the relevant people will assist your proposal no end. That said, I think of the 12 qupta studentships in my current year (just started this Oct), only two of us had arranged access, most others are planning on 'winging it'. You can actually substantially change what you are studying with most funding institutions and keep the funding providing you are doing it with the persmission and support of your supervisors.

Definitely speak to as many potential supervisors as possible and find one or two who you think would bring most to the research AND to yourself. Those people with pre-arranged supervisors did better in applications than those who hadn't already met their allocated by the department supervisors. In my experience having two supervisors who were adamant that they were backing my research and really wanted to see it done helped my application no end.

Good Luck

thanks hockeypuck - that's really useful. just another few hundred supervisors to screen! (and gatekeepers to schmooze)

i'm finding it really beneficial to essentially control my proposal and then search for a supervisor - i was offered the chance in a particular area last year, but had to turn it down. at the time i was gutted, but this feels as though i am genuinely following my own particular area of interest, and not tailoring research to fit into a particular agenda... whether it proves as popular from a funding stance remains to be seen, but hopefully i can be persuasive enough!

good luck with that madwoman. For what it's worth, I was told by several of my professors that I would never attract funding studying something as 'out there' and 'frivolous' as I did, including the head of department who has a vote on the committee. I did get the funding because I was passionate about it and worked hard to make it mine, but still fit within the research aims of the school (which is quite important for quota studentships).

Your passion for it will definitely shine through - you can still tell a few months in which of the 12 of us who are funded are genuinely passionate about our research subjects - it helps with the hard work too!

thank you - it's great to be able to hear that other people have experienced similar bumps along the road... and eventually made it to the other side of the application process with funding in place!