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[petally]

I'm ABD at a top university in the US in Social Sciences and I hope to finish sometime next year. I'm originally from the UK but haven't lived there for ages. I'm really yearning to move back (I think it's because my daughter's starting to get an American accent, lol), and reading on this forum about all the good things about higher education in the UK has just made it more tempting. I've been applying for various fellowships (the Oxbridge JRFs and some research associate positions on specific projects at some other places) but haven't had anything positive yet even though a couple of the positions seemed perfect for me and I matched the 'person specification' almost to a tee. I have a couple of publications in some second tier journals and some non-dissertation related working papers that will be submitted somewhere eventually.

Will it be held against me that I'm ABD? My problem is that once I get my PhD, I'm no longer a student so don't have health insurance any more, got ot leave the country within 60 days or something. So can't submit until I know what I'm doing. Does the average British PhD graduate with publications/book contracts? Does it matter than I'm a bit older (early thirties)? What would be the appropriate level for me to apply to?

Any advice (specific or general) will be much appreciated. Help me get back to the land of cheese 'n' onion crisps, gloomy weather and proper tea!!

Thanks!

[helpful]

Does it matter than I'm a bit older (early thirties)?

First of all, what field are you in? That would help our UK friends respond.

Secondly, early thirties being 'a bit older' . I don't think so! You are still young....and anyone with a Phd in their 20s is too young (lol).

[petally]

Does it matter than I'm a bit older (early thirties)?

First of all, what field are you in? That would help our UK friends respond.

Secondly, early thirties being 'a bit older' . I don't think so! You are still young....and anyone with a Phd in their 20s is too young (lol).

I quite agree :) ! It was a friend of mine here, though, that told me that the UK academic market is ageist and anyone older than 35 (or getting near to it) for an entry level position is at a disadvantage.

My field is Sociology. However, I don't think I really fit the research profiles of many of the UK sociology departments so I'm also looking at public health departments and social policy (my research lies a lot in social epidemiology and sociology of health)

[svenc]

If you promise beer and pizza, I'll help you move anywhere!

[scotia]

If you apply to my department (social sciences, Russell Group univeristy) not having the degree will work against you. We will not take anyone who does not have PhD in hand, having had bad experiences with people who have claimed they would be finished by X and who then took a year or two more than X once in a full-time post. One clue is in the person specification. If it says that the applicant must hold a PhD then you will be immediately screened out. For fellowships we tend to have the money now and need someone who can start within 2 - 3 months maximum - and we need someone who will be totally devoted to the job and not distracted and trying to finish a dissertation.

Your age, on the other hand, would not be a problem.

[petally]

Thank you Scotia. I think that's a good point and a valid one. Certainly, what would perhaps take three months as a full-time student could easily take years when working full-time. However, the positions I applied to (aside from the JRFs) preferred a PhD but did not require one.

When you say PhD in hand, if I have submitted a manuscript, have a letter from my adviser saying it's likely to be accepted without major revisions but have not yet completed all the formalities, would that be considered acceptable?

[scotia]

Thank you Scotia. I think that's a good point and a valid one. Certainly, what would perhaps take three months as a full-time student could easily take years when working full-time. However, the positions I applied to (aside from the JRFs) preferred a PhD but did not require one.

When you say PhD in hand, if I have submitted a manuscript, have a letter from my adviser saying it's likely to be accepted without major revisions but have not yet completed all the formalities, would that be considered acceptable?

For us, probably not, but as I say we have had particularly bad experiences recently. For places that have less reason to be cynical such a letter may work. However, in the UK it would not be uncommon for corrections and even possibly further work to follow a social sciences PhD viva so being completely finished is much preferred.

The difficulty with not having your PhD when 'PhD preferred' is stated is that it hugely reduces your chances of even being short-listed if other applicants have completed. There is never any harm in applying, but being completely finished would almost certainly improve your chances. The other thing to bear in mind in these cash constrained days is that people may be reluctant to pay your airfare from the US (see UKbound's (sp?) thread earlier this week), particularly if you are falling down on one of the criteria.

[august_leo]

When I interviewed for my job last year I was ABD (final year grad student). They gave me my job and I defended on time so it was fine. I am not in sociology, but maybe some departments are different?

[drspouse]

I work in Psychology but in a field that slightly overlaps with yours in that I do quite a bit of health-related research. A lot of social science Psychologists actually go straight into a lectureship but the more medical/cognitive ones will, like you, aim for a postdoc first.  I'm wondering if you've considered:

1) Finding a mentor in the UK who will work with you on a fellowship application/research grant (though you'll be looking at a long lead time)
2) Applying for a one-year lectureship at a slightly less research-oriented place, where they'll mind less if you haven't got your PhD quite yet, and then using that time just to apply for better jobs, as you'll then have submitted.
or even
3) Applying for 1 or 2 year post-docs in the US so you can submit right now and work on some more publications

I would also suggest writing up everything and anything now, while you are waiting to submit, as anywhere health-oriented/research-based is probably going to expect some publications, and if you did take a 1-year teaching-heavy position you wouldn't have time to write stuff up then.

[petally]

Thanks everyone. This has been very helpful. I think my best course of action is to stick things out here until I get my PhD, or at least submit my manuscript. I do have an additional year of funding that I can use if I need to, so no pressure to finish up in that way. In the meantime, I'll carry  on applying to positions as and when they arise - at least the UK positions seems to crop up throughout the year.