PhD Essentials: Crucial scholarly skills for a good start on your PhD

Starting in a PhD program can be as intimidating as it is exciting. While some students come directly from a masters’ degree, others have accumulated practical experience before returning to academia. In both cases, and regardless of specific disciplines, students must shift from being a consumer of knowledge to being the ones who produce it. In this process, they need to become well versed in their literature, proficient in their methods and masters of their data, all at the same time. What is more, underlying all of these are the essential scholarly skills doctoral students need to develop, in order to successfully carry on research that makes a contribution to their field. While doctoral schools support PhD students in this endeavor, the university library can offer additional resources and guidance in developing the kinds of soft skills that cut across fields.  

The objective of this course is to introduce PhD students to fundamental aspects of academic life and equip them with essential skills for a successful research career. The course also seeks to provide an arena in which PhD students from different fields can meet and develop fruitful peer relationships that support them throughout their PhD journeys.