Switching department of my PhD (keeping same supervisor)

[fweddybearslost]

My PhD has 9 months left supervised (funded) and a year after that to write up in the thesis (unfunded but I am currently looking at other options for that and may be able to get around 6 months of it funded). My PhD got off to a very weird start to be honest. First of all it started during Covid, so I returned home for 2 years and the PhD had no momentum so I basically did nothing for 2.5 years- it would have been impossible for me to say whether it was hard or whether I was stuck on anything because I had not got that far into anything. Also after a year I switched topics as it was this, or quitting the PhD (applied for something I thought I may find interesting, but did not) and so I have an external supervisor in another country who is in more of subject Y.

The trouble is, while the switch meant I enjoy my PhD a lot more than I would have otherwise, because I am funded through my internal supervisor, we still have to tick some boxes and cover X subject stuff that I am not interested in And as such I do struggle with motivation sometimes, whereas if it was more all Y stuff I really wouldn’t. The other thing is, I was kind of given a false narrative that I would be able to switch completely but than every 9 months or so with the progress reviews in our department (formality to say whether someone is allowed to proceed or not on their programme), we almost failed one 18 months ago so we went down a way more X path, and we did well this time but I get concerned I don’t enjoy it. I would try to push and question when I look more into the Y stuff, but it was just always pushed aside and other projects chosen. I did question whether I should ask about changing departments after this meeting 18 months ago, but with the bad start of my PhD, it kind of became a matter of well if I stick to this I make sure I get a PhD.

We have some projects on the go now which will lead to papers, and plan to work on them until May. Apparently after May I will have time to work on the Y stuff (like I have waited for all this time lol), so with that in mind it does not sound too bad and maybe it sounds better to just stick with it. However, I do worry that that time will not come, or they’ll find some other X project, or if it does come, it comes later. (But I do plan to use some of the year I have to write up to research some Y stuff anyway, Also, switching department may be good for any future possible connections as potentially I would apply for post-docs after this and I certainly wouldn’t enjoy one in an X department, and also there are probably a lot of seminars of interest in Y department, whereas in X I don’t think a single one has ever appealed to me, so again just general potential networking.

So I just want to ask, is it too late to ask for a change of department- I also have an internal supervisor secondary in the dept. Of X, who has not been involved since since we switched topics, so for over 2 years, but he is still formally the secondary supervisor as was mentioned in my recent progress review meeting, and therefore they advised I find another secondary supervisor anyway. I have also been informed that my thesis will be marked by staff in the department of Y and not X anyway.

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Vanadium 50]

That was really. really long. It's hard to see how most of it is relevant.

My understanding is that you were accepted into Department X, have not completed the requirements for X, are doing work on the boundary of X and Y want want to get a degree in Y instead. Is this right?

If so, you have to ask - it depends on the university, both departments, your advisor and maybe some other people as well. If this works, you should expect to need to fulfill all of the requirements for Y, not just the ones that seem important to you.

 

[fweddybearslost]

That was really. really long. It's hard to see how most of it is relevant.

My understanding is that you were accepted into Department X, have not completed the requirements for X, are doing work on the boundary of X and Y want want to get a degree in Y instead. Is this right?

If so, you have to ask - it depends on the university, both departments, your advisor and maybe some other people as well. If this works, you should expect to need to fulfill all of the requirements for Y, not just the ones that seem important to you.

not quite, no. i am a bit hungover today. i will re-read it and re-write it in a bit.

 

[fweddybearslost]

updated

 

[CrysPhys]

None of us here can answer this. It really depends on the specifics of your situation. E.g.,

* Are there any other formal requirements (that you have not fulfilled) in getting your degree in Dept Y?

* Is your current supervisor authorized to supervise a degree in Dept Y?

* You have been funded by Dept X. Will they be OK with you transferring to Dept Y?

* Will Dept X (in particular, your current supervisor) and Dept Y agree to this? You need to ask them.


.....

 

[Choppy]

Switching departments at this stag might be a non-starter. Switching departments can be a complex thing... the other department has to agree to take you on, in doing so you would be taking up a position otherwise available to other applicants, sorting out the funding support will be tricky, particularly if budgets have already been decided on. Plus there are questions of getting through the comprehensive/candidacy exam (having passed in one department may not be recognized had passing in another, and there are time limits to these).

My understanding is that you have 9 months of funding left. In that case it's time to buckle down and get your current PhD project done to the best of your ability, whether you enjoy it or not. Then look at switching fields for post-doctoral work if that's in the cards.

 

[gwnorth]

My understanding is that you have 9 months of funding left. In that case it's time to buckle down and get your current PhD project done to the best of your ability, whether you enjoy it or not. Then look at switching fields for post-doctoral work if that's in the cards.

This.

The reality is that the specific research that's produced as part of your PhD is mostly irrelevant anyway (at least to you, not so much your supervisor). The true value to doing a PhD is learning how to become an independent researcher and acquiring specific technical and soft skills. The topic of the research that you work on to gain those skills is less relevant. While it can be easier to work on topics that are of interest to you, that can be a bit of a luxury, and you'll need to get used to working in areas that aren't necessarily what you want to work on because that's what you're being funded to do. The vision of scientists being free to work on whatever topic strikes their fancy is a romanticized fairy tale. Even so, once you've complete your PhD you can focus more on pursuing the specific topics of research that you're interested in (provided you can get funding to do so). Given how close you are to completing your degree your best approach would be to just buckle down and get it done.

 

[Vanadium 50]

When I was a wee lad I was told, "A thesis doesn't have to be interesting. It doesn't even have to be good. It doesn't even have to be right. It does, however, have to be signed."

 

[berkeman]

Unfortunately, there was a problem with the OP's account, and they are no longer with us. Thanks all for your very helpful replies, as always.