Transferring Phd Programs

[meangreen]

Hi All, I don't know if this is the right forum to put this in.

But I was wondering if anyone had any experience transferring between PhD programs, especially in the humanities?

Long story short, my Phd Advisor just passed away very suddenly this semester as I was preparing to take my qualifying exams. 

I thought about transferring immediately but decided to try and make it work in my current department.

It turned out to be an unmitigated disaster. My new advisor, though they tried their best to help, was not familiar with my topic and could not vouch for my research and work, nor could they advise me. As a result, I ended up failing my quals just a few weeks after my old advisor passed, and I ended up in hot water with my department's chair and Dgs.

In any event, I feel like I did make a conscious effort to move forward after my advisor's passing, and I think I have clear evidence now that I don't have any one to work with in my current department.

So does anyone have any advice on transferring PhD programs in the Humanities, what situations warrant it, and the general nuts and bolts behind it?

I appreciate the help, and if you think I might get more traction on this topic in another forum, let me know as well!

[juilletmercredi]

I do not have direct experience with transferring. I had a colleague in my PhD cohort who transferred to our program after finishing three years in a different program. He had to start over - literally, start over. He finished with me in my cohort after six years.

Your advisor passing away, and no one else in the department to adequately advise you, is probably a situation that warrants transferring. But there may be other options that you can quickly consider.

You said that you got a new advisor that helped you, but they were unfamiliar with your topic. Is there another advisor in your department who is at least a little more familiar with your area and/or your work?

If not, is it possible that someone in the department can serve as your nominal advisor for paperwork purposes, but you could have an outside person with expertise in your area serve as your actual advisor? This usually only works if you have an established relationship with an outside/external researcher, though.

If none of those is possible or feasible, then transferring may be your best bet. Many PhD programs may make you repeat some coursework, though. You do need at least one person (and preferably, two people) from your current department who can vouch for you, though.

[meangreen]

Thanks for the response!

Edited April 21, 2019 by meangreen

[meangreen]

On 4/16/2019 at 9:00 PM, juilletmercredi said:

I do not have direct experience with transferring. I had a colleague in my PhD cohort who transferred to our program after finishing three years in a different program. He had to start over - literally, start over. He finished with me in my cohort after six years.

Your advisor passing away, and no one else in the department to adequately advise you, is probably a situation that warrants transferring. But there may be other options that you can quickly consider.

You said that you got a new advisor that helped you, but they were unfamiliar with your topic. Is there another advisor in your department who is at least a little more familiar with your area and/or your work?

If not, is it possible that someone in the department can serve as your nominal advisor for paperwork purposes, but you could have an outside person with expertise in your area serve as your actual advisor? This usually only works if you have an established relationship with an outside/external researcher, though.

If none of those is possible or feasible, then transferring may be your best bet. Many PhD programs may make you repeat some coursework, though. You do need at least one person (and preferably, two people) from your current department who can vouch for you, though.

I did try it with the nominal advisor for paperwork purposes, and my department recommended someone external for me to work with. But the person they recommended lives in France, is retired, is not taking any new students, and refuses to answer emails.  And there is no one else in the department that is familiar with my area of work. 

I do believe that transferring is my best bet. I believe that since we are so late in the academic year (Spring 2019) now, I've been told that I won't be able to transfer to another school in time for Fall 2019. Can anyone confirm that this is true? Because if that is true, it looks like I must take the next academic year off. 

[Warelin]

6 hours ago, meangreen said:

Can anyone confirm that this is true? Because if that is true, it looks like I must take the next academic year off. 

The majority of cohorts for this upcoming cycle have already been decided. There may be some spots that are still pending but waitlists have likely gone out for all those spots as well. I think it's important to remember that "transferring" to a program means something different in this context. You'll still have to formally apply for a spot. Since you are currently in a Ph.D. program, it's likely that they'll have higher expectations that you'll have to meet rather than someone who has just finished their Bachelor's. It's also likely that you'll need support from your current department to explain why you're seeking to switch to a different university. Despite all of this, it is still possible that your application may be unsuccessful. If unsuccessful,  are you sure you'd be willing to go through 2 or more additional cycles of applications?