… or Whats it all about? Professor Chris Park Director of the Graduate School How to get a PhD without really trying … or Welcome, the class of 2012

Do you need a doctorate? Brian May [Queen] Astrophysics Imperial College 33 year gap Larry Page [Google] Computer Science Stanford Never finished Albert Einstein [Nobel Prize, Scientist] Never started

Why are you doing a doctorate? Motivation% Interest in the subject34.2% Improving career prospects for academic or research career 31.9% It felt like a natural step for me13.5% Improving career prospects outside of academic or research career 8.3% I was encouraged by a former academic tutor/supervisor 4.6% Funding was available3.2

What is a doctorate? A successful candidate for the degree of Ph.D. must show convincing evidence of the capacity to pursue scholarly research or scholarship in his or her field of study on a scale which can be completed during three years of full-time research. The results of this research must then be embodied in a thesis which makes an original contribution to knowledge and the completed thesis must contain material of a standard appropriate for scholarly publication. Lancaster University Regulations

3 year project full time, not Nobel prize –Normally up to 80,000 words –Format – thesis or by publication Emphasis on – process(developing you as a researcher) – product(producing a high quality thesis) Journey not just destination –Personal (and career) development –Work-life balance –Satisfaction and sense of achievement Your doctoral journey

A typical week for a doctoral student

Supervision Supervisory team –Principal supervisor –Usually at least 2 other academics Supervisory meetings –How often? –How long? Record of decisions –Your responsibility –Online Progress File: MyPGR

Progression and upgrade Annual progress monitoring – Criteria 1.Attend induction/briefing session 2.Carry out DNA, review and revise annually 3.Take appropriate research training activities 4.Complete a research proposal/plan 5.Agree projected completion timetable with supervisor –Process You and your supervisor fill in sections, exchange, agree? Upgrade/confirmation: Probationary PhD to PhD – Criteria: same – Process: evidence-based, panel, presentation and interview/discussion

Submission and completion Registration period –3 years for full-time students –Maximum – 4 years full-time When to submit? –Your decision, guided by supervisor Taking time out? –Intercalate, suspend registration –Criteria –Process Need extra time? –Criteria –Process

Good luck … the class of 2012