New territory: Problems of adjusting to the first year of a social science PhD

Since 1982 there have been considerable structural changes in the funding and organisation of the social science PhD, yet what knowledge there is concerning the actual PhD process is scant. In an attempt to remedy this state of affairs, this paper examines in some depth the problems which first year social science PhD students encounter when adapting to their new status. The second half of the paper focuses upon a number of factors which influence successful adaptation.