TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Introduction of a Structured PhD in UCD: Did it Work? Dr Emer Cunningham UCD Graduate Studies UKCGE 2nd International Conference on Developments in Doctoral Education and Training, Oxford, Monday 30 th March 2015

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 What is the UCD Structured PhD? A unique Doctoral Studies Panel for each PhD student- information held on the student record A compulsory progression step from stage 1 to stage 2 of the PhD Programme at ~15 months competence and capacity to complete Integrated Research and Professional Development Planning Opportunity to take research skills and discipline-specific credit- bearing modules ( compulsory in some Schools) Opportunity to take Transferable Skills Training

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD STRUCTURED PhD Year 3 Year 1 Year 2 Year 4 Thesis Submission Research and Professional Development Plan Taught Elements Research Project (original contribution to scholarship) Transfer Assessment Principal Supervisor(s) and Doctoral Studies Panel Research and Transferable Skills

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Structured PhD introduced in 2016 with the aim of optimized the UCD doctoral student’s experience of research training and skills acquisition. After 6 years of operation, UCD Graduate Studies initiated a systematic investigation in 2012 of how the elements of the structured PhD were operating across 7 colleges and 36 Schools in the university.

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 University Programmes Board College of Human Sciences Graduate School Politics and International Relations Economics Psychology Applied Social Science Philosophy Education Sociology Geography, Planning and Environmental policy College of Science Graduate School Biology and Environmental Engineering Bimolecular and Biomedical Science Geological Sciences Chemistry and Chemical Biology Computer Science and Informatics Mathematical Sciences Physics College of Health Sciences Medicine and Medical Science Nursing and Midwifery Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science College of Agriculture, Food Science and Vet Agriculture and food Science Veterinary Medicine College of Engineering and Architecture Graduate School Architecture Biosystems Engineering Chemical and Bioprocessing Engineering Civil, Structural; and Environmental Engineering Electrical and Electronic and Communications Engineering Mechanical and Materials Engineering College of Arts and Celtic Studies Graduate School Archaeology Art History and Cultural Policy Classics English, Drama and Film History and Archives Irish, Celtics Studies Languages and Literatures Music College of Business and Law Graduate School School of Law School of Business Graduate Studies office

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Review The review was carried out over 4 months and involved the : PhD student profile data and performance indicator data from the Office of the Director of Institutional Research Informal interviews with Graduate School Coordinators in each UCD School METHODOLOGY

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 PHD PROFILE

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 PERFORMANCE INDICATOR DATA

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Review Who: Graduate Coordinator Time: 60 minutes Data presented to schools: PhD profile and performance indicators Format: Structured questions re staff and student engagement with elements of the Structured PhD INTERVIEW FORMAT

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels Transfer Assessment: Methods and degree of Implementation Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan Student engagement with research skills and advanced disciplinary modules Uptake of transferable skills training Feasibility of adopting a minimum credit requirement within UCD Schools. AIMS OF INTERNAL REVIEW

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels Transfer Assessment: Methods and Implementation Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan Student engagement with Research Skills and advanced disciplinary modules Uptake of transferable skills training Feasibility of adopting a minimum credit requirement within UCD Schools. AIMS OF INTERNAL REVIEW

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Findings Almost complete compliance with the supervision regulations but found areas where implementation needed work Resulting Actions Renewed emphasis on Admission process; student must be assigned DPS upon admission Renewed emphasis on Student Induction Research supervisor support and development programme was put in place Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels Transfer Assessment: Methods and Implementation Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan Student engagement with Research Skills and advanced disciplinary modules Uptake of transferable skills training Feasibility of adopting a minimum credit requirement within UCD Schools. AIMS OF INTERNAL REVIEW

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Findings 1. Considered by staff and students to be the most positive aspect of the Structured PhD 2. Schools have between 10 and 120 PhD students so different approaches have been adopted e.g. Transfer Assessment Panel unique to each student One Transfer Assessment Panel for many 3. Common Elements i.e. Supervisor submission, written statement of progress from the student. 4. Other elements e.g. presentation, chapter of thesis, technical tasks, mini viva. Transfer Assessment: Methods and Implementation

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Review Time to Transfer Assessment Year is based on Admittance YearFull-time Doctorates only Admittance Year Status Full-time Doctorate Students admitted Days to Transfer 270,965218,417181,631159,79688,42427,342 Students who have Transfer date Average # Days to Transfer Average Years Average Weeks Transfer Date: Is the date on which students transferred from Stage 1 of their Doctorate Studies to Stage 2.

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 No of Days to Transfer Assessment UCD Structured PhD Review No. Days to Transfer Assessment Year of Intake Time to Transfer Assessment

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Resulting Actions Renewed emphasis on induction Research supervisor Support and Development Programme established Transfer Assessment

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels Transfer Assessment: Methods and Implementation Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan Student engagement with Research Skills and advanced disciplinary modules Uptake of transferable skills training Feasibility of adopting a minimum credit requirement within UCD Schools. AIMS OF INTERNAL REVIEW

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Findings Potted implementation Not valued by supervisors Full compliance when linked to the Transfer Assessment Resulting Actions Need for promotion of National Skills Statement Investigation into online resource e.g. Simative, or in-house development Renewed emphasis on induction Research supervisor support and development programme was put in place RPDP module in development in collaboration with Careers Dev Centre Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Aims Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels Transfer Assessment: Methods and Implementation Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan Student engagement with Research Skills and advanced disciplinary modules Uptake of transferable skills training Feasibility of adopting a minimum credit requirement within UCD Schools. INTERNAL REVIEW 2012

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Review MODULE DATA Module Activity (All Years) Module Activity 2008/092009/102010/112011/122012/132013/14 Students with Taught Modules No. of Taught Modules Taken 1,3091,4671,4841,8181,8191,840 No. of Taught Modules Taken (Audit Only) Total Credit Taken6,5536,8616,6658,4808,56310,088 Average Credit taken per student

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Review % PHD STUDENTS TAKING TAUGHT MODULES % PhD Students taking taught modules

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels Transfer Assessment: Methods and Implementation Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan Student engagement with Research Skills and advanced disciplinary modules Uptake of transferable skills training Feasibility of adopting a minimum credit requirement within UCD Schools. AIMS OF INTERNAL REVIEW

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Findings Lack of awareness of the National PhD Skills Statement and philosophy therein Lack of awareness of College and University provision of workshops/courses Transferable skills training not valued, “distracting students from research” Resulting Actions Transferable Skills now captured on Student Transcript Induction/ promotion of Skills Statement UCD targeted communication systems & Social Media Workshops in half-day formats Uptake of Transferable skills training

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Operation of Doctoral Studies Panels Transfer Assessment: Methods and Implementation Use of the Research and Professional Development Plan Student engagement with Research Skills and advanced disciplinary modules Uptake of transferable skills training Feasibility of adopting a minimum credit requirement within UCD Schools. AIMS OF INTERNAL REVIEW

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Findings 30 credits min already operating in 2/7colleges & 30 credit min in some Schools More uptake of taught than expected in some domains Opportunity to discuss bottom up approach. Resulting Actions September 2015: UCD academic regulations to prescribe a 30 credit minimum for all PhD students Feasibility of Adopting a Minimum Credit Requirement within UCD Schools

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD Review IN general the Structured PhD is positively perceived by staff and students Doctoral Studies Panels implemented with a few exceptions Stage 1 to stage 2 Transfer Assessment was seen by students and academic members of staff as the most positive component of the UCD structured PhD. The data visualisation dashboard was considered of real value for the Schools There is a need to promote the National PhD Skills Statement to encourage the take up of transferable and discipline-specific skills training by PhD students Research and Professional Development Plan needs revamping to improve engagement CONCLUSIONS

TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 TITLE TITLE 2 Bullet 1 Bullet 2 UCD Structured PhD