Doctoral Essentials

In addition to your induction, plan to attend the DRDP workshops identified as ‘essential‘:  these cover core skills for your development as a researcher, preparation for key stages of the doctoral process and your Annual Performance Review (APR) alongside important information relating to the requirements of your PhD and good practice in key areas such as ethics and the use of AI. The DRDP offers an enticing range of workshops and development opportunities that will enrich your experience of doctoral study, immerse you within a supportive research culture and ultimately equip you with skills and knowledge that will serve you during your studies and beyond.

First Year Essential Workshops

Kickstart your PhD: a guide to thriving in your first-year

Embarking on your doctorate is an exciting time filled with new challenges and opportunities. While the path ahead may seem daunting, it’s important to remember you are not alone. This day-long workshop is designed to help you navigate this transition, equipping you with essential tools and connections that will support you throughout your doctoral journey.

The Ethical Researcher

All research involves important but sometimes complex engagements with other people – colleagues, supervisors, participants, interviewees, and so on. Primarily for new doctoral researchers, The Ethical Researcher covers the ways research demands ethical and responsible behaviours. It covers the university’s ethical approval processes, researcher safety, responsibility toward research participants and the secure handling of data. Discussion focuses on a series of scenarios and case studies and is always lively!

Starting Out as a Researcher

These workshops, delivered by your DRDP School Coordinators, will cover questions of research skills and methods, time planning, ethics and communication strategies from your discipline perspective. This workshop includes a school induction and will be an important opportunity to meet the rest of your cohort and other researchers in your school. This workshop is repeated for January starters.

Navigate the I.T. ‘Bermuda Triangle’ – Inkpath, VRE and eVision

University systems can be confusing at the best of times, let alone when your required to navigate multiple systems which each support a different aspect of your doctoral journey. This briefing session will provide doctoral researchers with an introduction to three key university systems which support their doctoral journey – Inkpath, VRE and eVision. We will also have a brief look at utilising calendars within Outlook to manage training and workshop bookings. There will also be plenty of opportunity to ask questions.

Preparing for Annual Progress Reviews (APRs)

Your progress through your degree will be assessed each year (or every other year if you are part-time) through the Annual Progress Review. Preparing for this can be daunting, so this workshop is designed to take the mystery out of the process. Each workshop will explain how the APRs work in specific disciplinary areas and give you the information you need to approach your next APR with confidence.

Further Essential School Workshops – To Attend During Your Doctoral Studies

There are a range of school workshops designed to support you as you move forward through your research studies.

Ethics

This workshop will consider ethics at a discpline-level and the process for ethics applications.

Communicating and Disseminating your Research

Expectations around the communication of research vary from discipline to discipline. This workshop considers the particular strategies and methods for clear and successful communication of research findings appropriate to specific disciplinary areas. These will cover, for example, the delivery of conference papers, the use of social media, and public engagement. 

Working with Others

This workshop will give you the opportunity to think about how best to work with others through your doctoral studies and beyond.

Getting Ready For Your Final Viva

Getting towards the end of your doctorate is an exciting time, but it can also be daunting. This workshop will give you all the information you need in order to stay calm. It focuses on two aspects of completion: the writing process and the submission process.

Finalising Your Thesis: Preparing for Submission

This session helps you to prepare for the culmination of your doctoral studies – the viva voce exam. You will learn about the process in the months leading up to the viva, from the appointment of your examiners to how to submit your thesis, how to prepare for the viva voce and what to expect.

Beyond Submission: Navigating Life After the PhD

This workshop supports PhD researchers who have submitted their thesis and are preparing for what comes next.