integrated PhD programs?

hi guys i'm new...going into my last year of my undergrad and seriously wanting to do the graduate studies in sociolinguistics in the UK. one of my professors had approached me and told me that i ought to look into going straight for my PhD after I graduate. 

so what are your opinions on integrated PhD programs and coming into them from an American BA? 

right now i have a lot of decisions up in the air as i go into my last year so any light to shed on this new found mystery to me would be sooo helpful.  Thanks!

I had looked into and applied for one of the integrated PhD programs (at Exeter). I thought it was a brilliant pathway. In the end, I chose a traditional PhD program at another university, still going straight from my BA degree. This only worked because I already had a topic for my dissertation ready to go.

Hope that helps a bit.
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I thought seriously about doing this - seems like a very practical means of doing things, especially perhaps in the UK where a Masters only takes a year.... But in the end a respected teacher told me that a PhD wasn't going to do me much good unless I wanted to teach or do research professionally - and I don't. So I went the quicker and cheaper route of just doing a MSc part-time so I could also get some work experience.

Dlaffert, I'm SO impressed that you had a dissertation topic that early. I have to start writing mine very, very soon, and still don't have a clue how I'm going to narrow down a very broad area of interest into a managable topic!!!

Dlaffert, I'm SO impressed that you had a dissertation topic that early. I have to start writing mine very, very soon, and still don't have a clue how I'm going to narrow down a very broad area of interest into a managable topic!!!

Don't be too impressed. I was very lucky. I stumbled on it more through chance than anything. It started as a research project in one of my senior writing courses (Advanced Persuasive Writing). The project then evolved more and more into a proposal to King's College London to convince them it needed to be studied, studied in London and I was the one to do it. The topic, not even in my field at the time (Medieval Linguistics) involved the origins of the volunteer organization of which I had been a member for years and years. It was work with that organization that took me to England for the first time in 1996.

As far as narrowing down to a manageable topic, I don't envy you. When I applied to schools in the UK, I tried to do that within my own subject. I couldn't seem to do it. I can tell you how a friend of mine did it: She started talking about her subject to a group of us, meandering from one area of interest to another, from one interesting concept to another. At some point, she noticed we all looked alarmed/bored/or seriously concerned. Someone told her to take a breath and slow down... She had hit the topic area that consumed her so much that it carried her away without her realizing! That single concept became her dissertation.

What are you studying?

I'm studying psychology - child development specifically.

I'm interested in eating disorders which has evolved into a more specific interest in compulsive eating which makes sense in the current climate of concern over obesity. Where I'm going to go from there I have NO clue, but I'm particularly interested in the lack of acknowledgement of the psychological aspects of obesity. I'm hoping that I'll be in the same situation as your friend - the topic is staring me in the face but I haven't acknowledged it yet!!!

I'm studying psychology
        - child development specifically
                   -eating disorders
                         -compulsive eating
                                  - psychological aspects of obesity.
                                            -the current climate of concern

You've done well already! Now, start asking yourself questions:
What is the current climate of concern and what is your position on it? (Thesis one)
Is it an adequate concern? detrimental? Why and how, what is your evidence for your position? What would you do to change it? How would you test these changes?

Does that help at all? If not, start exploring in the area that I got it wrong for that will be the area that is important to you...
Keep me posted on your progress

Oh, wow! Thank you! That helps tremendously - you've given me a good jumping off place - I think I was feeling vaguely paralyzed over the whole thing. Give me a few days to do some thinking and googling and I'll let you know how I get on! 

I think I was feeling vaguely paralyzed over the whole thing.

Yipppeeee! Yes, keep me posted. When you get stuck, find a group who know absolutely nothing about your topic and get them to brainstorm with you through the part that is unclear. Don't tell anyone but it is the secret key to my successful argument papers <wink>
Good luck!
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