Category: Your Academic Journey

Explore the world of doctoral research and academia with insights, tips, and guidance for prospective and current PhD students. Navigate the challenges and rewards of the doctoral journey.

Experiences

The H in PhD Stands for Hope: Remaining Hopeful in a PhD Journey

The PhD journey can make us lose hope, feeling trapped in the melancholy that often befriends the doctoral journey. But this empowering and uplifting article, written from a South African perspective, explores the idea of hope being an important friend to PhD candidates, helping us reach the finish line to graduation. Alongside the author’s personal journey with mental health, the article emphasises the importance of prioritising wellbeing, changing strategy when things aren’t working, and always remaining hopeful for the future.

Office 216

Stops And Starts: The Growing Pains Of The PhD

What I Wish I Knew Before I Started My PhD

Dual Discipline: Doing A PhD With A Chronic Illness

Oral Defense Of A Foodie Candidate

How Being Rejected from Harvard Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me

How I Wrote My PhD Thesis In One Year

Resolutions, Repentance And Reflections Of My PhD

Job Hunting Beyond Academia: Getting Your ‘Story Straight’

My PhD Journey As An International Student

Featured Academic

Sarah Beth Gable

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Experiences

Open To Change: How I Went From Writing About Medieval Witchcraft To The Virgin Mary

Discover how Vanessa Corcoran, a historian with a focus on medieval witchcraft, pivoted her dissertation topic to the Virgin Mary after immersing herself in coursework on medieval religious history. Learn how her decision was received by her professors, the challenges she encountered, and what inspired her to make the shift.

Experiences

The H in PhD Stands for Hope: Remaining Hopeful in a PhD Journey

Alternative Careers

PhD in Later Life: It’s Never Too Late To Be a Student

This article explores the experience of doing a part-time distance PhD in later life. The author’s age was an advantage, allowing them to focus on their thesis without distractions or major hiccups. The article reflects on how to make for a smooth doctorate – emphasising the importance of strong interest in your topic, supervisors who are easy to work with, and a bit of luck!

Experiences

Motherhood and Doctoral Studies: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

Navigating motherhood and academia can be overwhelming, especially when they happen simultaneously. I discuss my experiences, struggles, and successes as an emerging researcher and new mother, and suggestions for universities to further support these populations moving forward.

Getting started

How I Developed My Dissertation Proposal in Two Years

How do you get from the first day of your PhD program to a functional dissertation proposal in two years? In this article, a now-Associate Professor discusses how they used every class to funnel down their PhD proposal while reading widely. *Results may vary.

Experiences

Six Ways To Prepare For Your Upcoming PhD

Dr Chris Thompson offers six ways to prepare for a PhD. Alongside finding rest, students should reach out to current PhD students or experienced academics to absorb their wisdom, research their new surroundings, and connect with future colleagues to create a network before starting.

COVID-19

Tips For Keeping Your Wellbeing In Check Whilst Doing A PhD

In this article, Keira White reflects on her challenges of pursuing a PhD during the Covid-19 pandemic and shares her top tips on maintaining wellbeing during this difficult period.

Autism

Supporting Your Wellbeing as an Autistic Postgraduate Researcher

Nurturing your wellbeing is a crucial part of the PhD. This article is packed with wisdom and insights on supporting (and advocating for) your own wellbeing during the PhD journey, from an autistic perspective. It emphasises the need to remind yourself of the wider picture and embrace the ups and downs of the PhD journey.

Your Academic Journey

Applications and Funding

Career and Networking

Thesis and Dissertation

Category: Your Academic Journey

The H in PhD Stands for Hope: Remaining Hopeful in a PhD Journey

Most recent

Office 216

Stops And Starts: The Growing Pains Of The PhD

What I Wish I Knew Before I Started My PhD

Dual Discipline: Doing A PhD With A Chronic Illness

Oral Defense Of A Foodie Candidate

How Being Rejected from Harvard Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me

How I Wrote My PhD Thesis In One Year

Resolutions, Repentance And Reflections Of My PhD

Job Hunting Beyond Academia: Getting Your ‘Story Straight’

My PhD Journey As An International Student

Sarah Beth Gable

Open To Change: How I Went From Writing About Medieval Witchcraft To The Virgin Mary

The H in PhD Stands for Hope: Remaining Hopeful in a PhD Journey

PhD in Later Life: It’s Never Too Late To Be a Student

Motherhood and Doctoral Studies: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

How I Developed My Dissertation Proposal in Two Years

Six Ways To Prepare For Your Upcoming PhD

Tips For Keeping Your Wellbeing In Check Whilst Doing A PhD

Supporting Your Wellbeing as an Autistic Postgraduate Researcher

Most recent

Sarah Beth Gable

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