is it possible to transfer my phd to a new university?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by mariat, May 18, 2010.

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  1. mariat

    mariat New Member

    Hello to everyone,
    I have been working on my phd in linguistics for 4 years however due to serious problems with my supervisor I am considering transferring to another university (possibly with distance learning). Do you know if it is possible to continue my research in another university in the UK or USA without having to start from the beginning?
    Thanks a lot
     
  2. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    I am no expert in this subject; but mostly you can only transfer the number credits to satisfy the Master level. For example, Northcentral University's Ph.D = 81 credits without a Master degree; Ph.D = 51 credits with a master degree. A typical Ph.D degree at Capella University requires 120 quarter hours, 40 quarter hours can be transferred from a Master degree. Therefore, it requires 80 quarter hours to be awarded a Ph.D degree at Capella University.

    Hope others have the answer that you're looking for.
     
  3. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    Also, unless things have changed, RA schools are generally pretty reluctant to allow transfers of credit at the doctoral level (and to some extent at the masters level as well.) It often requires starting over entirely, in part because masters and doctoral level work is generally expected to be new work and involve original research.

    But your mileage may vary, and of course schools will often bend rules if there's a good reason and you're a strong candidate... so while I wouldn't expect it to be easy, it may be possible if you find the right institution.
     
  4. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    UK doctorates are by dissertation only.
     
  5. mariat

    mariat New Member

    Thanks for your responses so far. I need to clarify that I am at the final part of my phd research, as I have planned and conducted the experiment, analysed the data, completed the statistical analyses, the tables, graphs etc and I have also completed more than half of the writing-up of the thesis. As far as I know, my current university does not allocate credits for the phd programme, so I am not sure if and how my work will be recognised if I transfer to another university.
     
  6. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    Course work is required for some UK doctorates - here is an example:

    The EngD programme contains a taught programme in business and enterprise management (8 modules, 120 credits or 1200 hours of study) which is taken in years 1 and 2 and is assessed.
    Source: Graduate Education - Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (The University of Manchester)

    For the OP I suggest looking at Middlesex University D.Prof. options
    http://www.mdx.ac.uk/Assets/research_deg.pdf
     
  7. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Dude, four years isn't very long to work on a PhD, even though a PhD would normally not take more than three years full time.

    However, if your supervisor is a narcissist (who seeks worshipers) or the topic is particularly difficult, it might take longer than three years full time.

    Part-time work (whatever that is since you are thinking about it every moment you are awake) will necessarily stretch the total doctoral work beyond three years.

    What you need to do is document behavior that is seeking to extend your time in the program and continue to collect tuition dollars; many doctoral professors are surprised to learn that this is fraud and fraud is punishable by fines and / or imprisonment; you see, excessive blocking progress in the performance of a service is easy to characterize as intent to defraud; yes, the smartest people in the world don't understand rudimentary business law... :)

    Oh, sorry, you're pretty much screwed on transferring your doctoral work so far... the process really isn't about research but pleasing your committee and any other meddling non-specialists who get in the way. Think about how to please your supervisor, as long as your health holds up; if you become hypertensive or start getting migraines, seek medical attention, walk away, and consider writing a book with your work so far. Again, don't let it ruin your health!
     
  8. telefax

    telefax Member

    Mariat (or is it Maria T.?),

    I do have to admit that anything that includes ‘Dude’ and ‘you’re screwed’ is rhetoric that’s pretty hard to resist, but don’t let someone mislead you with a series of false choices.

    The implication that a competent student should finish their PhD in 3 years maximum unless they have a narcissistic supervisor is false. As has been discussed at this forum before, lots of PhD programs routinely take more than three years, and some are deliberately structured that way (2 yrs coursework, 1 year comps, 2 years dissertation).

    You’re also not limited to the options of doing whatever you must to please a committee and hangers-on or documenting their behavior for a lawsuit. I’d encourage you not to give up just yet trying to work things out at your current university. There also may be more at stake than just time: my understanding is that funded students who switch to another school can typically count on not being funded the second time around. Please don’t be offended if you’ve exhausted these possibilities already, but is it possible to seek the aid of the university ombudsman? Is the department chair open to allowing students to change supervisors? Is there another faculty member capable of supervising your research? (I’m not demanding you answer all these here, just food for thought.)

    If that fails, all is not necessarily lost. Chip’s and Tekman’s cautions against assuming transfer of doctoral credits are well founded, but there are indeed exceptions. I know of one PhD student at a university I’d consider top ten in their field in the USA, who quit after being told to retool his dissertation proposal. The university was furious, not realizing that he had been told by his employer that if he didn’t finish in one year, they’d take back their tuition assistance (he was taking a while). The student took his research work to another regionally accredited but much less well regarded school, and amazingly completed their program (which also included coursework/comps/dissertation) in one year.

    Best wishes on your program - I hope the supervisor issue is somehow resolved in your favor.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 18, 2010
  9. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    The problems you are going to face (at least with a US university) is:

    1. You will probably have to take a few classes, and pay for a good amount of research hours.
    2. You will have to take your quals all over again at the other university.
    3. Your new committee will have to approve your dissertation proposal.

    Best case scenario, the will accept what you have done so far with minimal changes. Problem is, you won't know this until you already invested a lot of time and money with the new program.

    How much money does a person with a PhD in linguistics make nowadays?

    I would say your cheapest and best option would be University of South Africa. Unisa Cart - Info
     
  10. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Amusing. You've incorrectly summarized what I said and then reframed it... :) Most PhD programs are designed as 3 year full time endeavors, unless there are narcissistic forces at work or the topic is particularly difficult. Variations from that model are often (but not always) stated up front. Nobody said 3 years was a maximum. I realize that you are just trying to encourage this student. However, you didn't accurately reflect what I said and then concluded that it was false. Moreover, I specifically told the student to try to please his / her supervisor. If you want to help this student, I encourage you to speak plainly and accurately...
     

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