Graduate Virtual Research Environment

Post PhD - What Next? A follow-up study of PhD postgraduates of the School of Biological Sciences Chris MacDonald & David Barker/The Enterprise Centre University of Manchester, 2000.

NW Employers' Needs and Expectations of Postgraduates: Dissemination Report Fiona Cushlow & Hayley Morris, 2000 DFEE/HEQE.

Employers' Views of Postgraduate Physicists Institute of Employment Studies/Engineering and Physical Sciences Research, 2001.

National Survey of Postgraduate Funding and Priorities National Postgraduate Committee 2002.

Survey of employer attitudes to postgraduate researchers

Employability and career progression for full-time, UK resident Masters students, Interim Report Helen Bowman, Helen Colley, Phil Hodkinson, Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Leeds

A national review of emerging practice on the use of Personal Development Planning for postgraduate researchers

The Organisational and Staff Development Unit, together with contributions made by managers throughout the University, has developed a set of Management Competencies to help managers assess the performance of team members and provide constructive feedback. They are designed to be used in conjunction with the University's Appraisal System. They can also be used to help individuals identify their own strengths and development needs.

A competency interview (also referred to as a situational, behavioural or competency based interview) is a style of interviewing often used to evaluate a candidate's competence, particularly when it is hard to select on the basis of technical merit: for example, for a particular graduate scheme or graduate job where relevant experience is less important or not required. However, increasingly, companies are using competency based interviews as part of the selection process for experienced recruitment, as it can give valuable insights into an individual's preferred style of working and help predict behaviours in future situations.

News, tips, and strategies from the Independant

Professional presentation design blog, if you are stuck with bullet points on Powerpoint slides this may give you ideas to liven things up a bit!

Students used to get as long as they needed to complete their PhDs. But now universities are imposing submission targets. Is this the end for the next generation of original thinkers?

A forum hosted by the widely respected journal nature for PhD students.

"PhD: What is it? An analysis of how different stakeholders perceive the doctoral degree. Match or mismatch?" (Near the bottom of this page)

What do we expect from a PhD in Human Computer Interaction? This brief paper summarises a range of possible responses to this question. The final section goes on to argue that alternative means of assessment must be considered if we are to apply the multi-disciplinary criteria that many people use to define a PhD in HCI.

We want now to examine some very well established ways of not getting a PhD. While most examples in this chapter are drawn from business studies, in our experience, these tried and tested ways of failing apply to all fields and have to be pondered continually by research students. You have to be clear what your position is on each of the seven ways of failing that we shall discuss if you are not to fall foul of the traps they offer. And as we shall see, just to have them pointed out to you is not enough to avoid them. Most offer real blandishments that have to be determinedly resisted.

The first PowerPoint slide Professor Chris Park shows his second year PhD students at Lancaster University asks: "How do I know my work is of PhD quality?" The bald answer on the next one says: "You won't - until your work is examined."

Looking for funding opportunities to continue your research? ResearchResearch lists current calls.

"Are you an undergraduate student looking for a Masters course or PhD? Perhaps you've already started your postgraduate studies? PostgraduateForum.com aims to bring together students, post-docs and lecturers to discuss any issues relating to postgraduate study. Simply click on a forum below to get started!"