Tom Head Hits Roadblock in Ph.D. Process

I corresponded with several Australian U's. I actually talked on the phone with two. I could never get it spelled out that visits would be waived. Only that they could be waived. Might be waived. In some cases are waived. Generally the people I talked to wanted at least an initial visit to campus to start things, and then a visit to defend at the end.
I think it may come down to the individual faculty member you work with. Your advisor/mentor could be a huge supporter and help you to use the rules to your advantage. Or the advisor/mentor could be a stickler for detail and doing things the "only way". Perhaps the graduate committee makes some of the decisions? Unfortunately, you have to assume that people you have never met in person, will look out for the best interests of a "yank".
I am following your progress with baited breath. I would like to go down this road too. I actually wouldn't mind an occasional vacation to Australia! But, I could not go every month or every year. Both my jobs and my money would not allow it.
I do like the suggestion that maybe you could spend a month in Aust. and satisfy two years face-to-face requirements. Goddard college used to allow this for undergrad. If you had Jr. standing you could go to summer school for two weeks in June and meet the Jr. year requirement (in the 51st and 52nd weeks of the Jr year ), and then attend two weeks in July to meet the Sr.year requirement (in the 1st and 2nd weeks of the Sr. year).
Good luck to you!

 

This just in: The requirement may be negotiable after all, and I'll have until the end of March to find out.

I don't remember who it was that wrote "When uncertain / or in doubt / run in circles, / scream, and shout", but whoever it was, I need to stop following his advice.


Cheers,

------------------
Tom Head
www.tomhead.net

co-author, Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press)
co-author, Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill)

 

Good news, Tom.

And by all means, go ahead and "run in circles, scream, and shout." It does us all good to vent periodically!

Russell

 

I first saw it in Heinlein's Cat who walked through walls.

jon

 

Thanks! That's probably where I saw it, too, as it's my favorite Heinlein novel to date (I haven't read Time Enough for Love, which is--I've been told--even better; Stranger in a Strange Land didn't do much for me, but then I was a little young when I read it).

Speaking of sci-fi: Got an Apple Studio Display and needed to boost it a little. I decided I'd get three mass market paperbacks of roughly equal thickness and stick one under each leg. What did I end up using? Why, the Foundation trilogy, of course.


Cheers,

------------------
Tom Head
www.tomhead.net

co-author, Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press)
co-author, Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill)