coaching for phd students

Make This Your Last Round of Dissertation Revision.

Learn How to Get Your Dissertation Accepted .

Discover the 5-Step Process in this Free Webinar .

Coaching and Editing Services for Doctoral Students

Dissertation coaching.

Whether you need help deciding on your topic, crafting your proposal, collecting and analyzing your data, or preparing for your defense, our coaching services can help you overcome challenges and finish sooner. We customize our coaching to your needs, and use proven methods of accountability and support to help you reach the finish line.

Dissertation Editing

We know what your committee wants to see and edit with that in mind. We don’t just correct for spelling, grammar, and APA style. We also do a deep dive into the content of your paper, leaving comments to help ensure your paper is in proper alignment and matches your university’s specific requirements. All within strict ethical guidelines.

Academic Career Coaching

Coaching for postdoctoral graduates. We will help you publish articles from your dissertation, create a viable research trajectory, and land an academic position in which you’ll thrive. We have also helped many students get jobs outside academia, consulting or using their skills within a corporation or institution.

What Our Clients Say

With your support, i became a doctor..

With your support, I became a PhD. I highly recommend you to any student. Thank you!

I was able to successfully complete, defend, and graduate this year.

Thank you for your help and support in my dissertation. I was able to successfully complete, defend, and graduate this year. I also was able to submit a journal article, which has been accepted and published.

Meet Our Coaches

Work with the best. Achieve the best results.

Steve Tippins, PhD

Founder and Chief Coach

Mentoring doctoral students has shown him the missing link in educating PhD students: preparing them for the working world. He founded Beyond PhD Coaching to give students the leg-up they need to find their niche in academia. Learn more…

Dr. Courtney Watson

Coach & Dissertation Editor

Skilled at coaching clients through the phases of dissertation development, Dr. Courtney Watson also offers thoughtful and thorough academic job market preparation and higher education career advice. Learn more…

Branford McAllister, PhD

Coach & Statistics Expert

With technical and management experience in the military and private sector, Brandford McAllister is an expert in advanced quantitative analysis techniques. He is passionately committed to mentoring students in post-secondary educational programs. Learn more…

Dr. David Banner

David Banner is a widely published author on the subject of transformational leadership, but mentoring PhD students gives him the most joy and satisfaction. He offers his services to help people complete their PhDs, find good academic jobs, get published in peer-reviewed journals, and find their place in the academic environment. Learn more…

Dr. Marissa Ericson

Psychology and Quantitative Specialist Dissertation Mentor

While her early research focused on the electrocortical, neuropsychological, and psychophysiological etiology of several psychopathologies, Dr. Ericson now focuses on well-being, positive psychological outcomes, resilience, and mindfulness-meditation interventions. Learn more…

Your family is relying on you to get your doctorate.

You can rely on us to get you to graduation., watch the free webinar, learn how to make this your last round of dissertation revision., learn how to get your dissertation accepted., hot off the press.

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Surviving Post Dissertation Stress Disorder

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Phd by publication, get in touch.

Contact us to discuss your project, or request a free consultation with one of our coaches.

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PhD Coaching: A Personal Trainer For Your PhD

Get tailored phd support, build confidence and resilience, one session or ongoing support, the solution to poor supervision, do you need more focused phd supervision, we can help..

Do you wish you had more focused, targeted PhD supervision? Someone to brainstorm with, run ideas by and get advice from? Someone to keep you accountable?

You’re not alone.  We can help. 

With your very own PhD personal trainer, you’ll get the support and guidance you need. You’ll enjoy a  truly bespoke service, so whether you need an accountability partner, a writing coach, someone to check chapter outlines, or someone to offer intense supervision, we’ll help.

We’ll do whatever it takes to help you write more, worry less and graduate sooner.

Testimonial: 

“i feel like you truly operate to genuinely help students be successful in their research. my coach was thorough in their work and not only showed me the corrections but taught me to see the errors myself. their descriptions and clarifications taught me what to look for, helping me learn to become a better scholar. they made me realise how much more interesting and fun my project could have been had i had more guidance from the beginning. my only regret is that i did not reach out to you sooner.”, ben – john hopkins university, read more reviews ., offering the guidance and support you need to navigate your phd.

Bespoke support for your PhD

The challenges you face are unique. That’s why we start with a free phone consultation, so you can tell us what’s holding you back and we can explain how we’ll help. Together, we’ll design a programme that matches your needs. Arrange your free, no-obligation phone consultation now.

A dedicated PhD expert on your side

We’re the experts in planning, structuring and writing PhDs and we’ve all been where you are. That means you’ll be getting the right support from people who understand the pressure you’re under and know exactly what’s required. 

The support you've been dreaming of

The programme we’ll design with you will address all of the challenges you face. If necessary, we’ll provide feedback on written work, provide video or phone based coaching, offer check-in accountability sessions or offer email support. Every programme is different, but each one is designed to maximise your results.  

Structured discussions that'll boost your progress

Most of our support will come through video or phone-based coaching, during which we’ll offer you the kind of support a great supervisor should offer. We’ll challenge you, make you think, teach you and provide you with all the resources you need to overcome your PhD hurdles. 

A flexible programme geared towards success

Everything we do is directed at teaching you the skills you need to progress more quickly and confidently through your PhD. It’s entirely on your terms, and built around your needs.

We can offer once-off support, or arrange an ongoing relationship. 

Support for every stage of the PhD journey   

Our PhD personal training is bespoke, so you get support for the issues you face. During your free, no-obligation phone consultation you’ll get the chance to talk through your problems and we can design a programme to suit you.

Our typical programmes include many of the following:

Help developing chapter outlines

Feedback on draft chapters, advice on how to structure chapters, coaching on stress and anxiety, coaching to improve your writing, accountability partnerships, checking post-viva corrections, help create research proposals, meet professor jane creaton – your phd coach.

Professor Jane Creaton

Think of me as a personal trainer for your PhD marathon. I’m here to guide you, coach you, keep you accountable and help you cross the finish line. I’ll challenge you, motivate you and make sure you’re going in the right direction.

I am Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at the University of Portsmouth, and have researched and published on professional doctorates and the mental health and wellbeing of postgraduate researcher students. I was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2019 for my work on doctoral education, and have worked with hundreds of doctoral students through workshops, writing retreats and one-to-one coaching and mentoring sessions.

My experience tells me that, with my encouragement, you’ll grow in confidence as you reach each milestone on the path to completing your PhD.

The service I offer is flexible and personalised. That means two things. First, there are no minimum contracts and there are no set hours per week. You can have as many sessions as you want, and for as long and often as you like. You’re also free to end the sessions whenever you want to – you’re not locked in.

Second, the service addresses your pain points and your current struggles. Each PhD student has different needs, so I’ll listen carefully to what yours are and then provide the guidance to overcome them. You may have read many general self-help books, but I’m offering personal, customised support.

The initial step is an introductory Zoom call, which often lasts about 30 minutes. However, the first 15 minutes are complimentary, so if we talk for 30 minutes, you’ll only pay for 15. During that call, I’ll explain my background and approach to coaching. You’ll have a chance to let me know what your expectations and hopes are and what challenges you’re facing, and we can make a plan for future sessions. The length and frequency of meetings will be up to you, with your budget in mind. Some clients like shorter but more frequent calls, whereas others prefer longer working sessions. We can discuss options, but you choose. Scroll down to share some info and book onto a call. 

Testimonials

“i originally reached out to the phd proofreaders team after learning i would need to retake my comprehensive exam course. i knew the second time around i needed more support and someone who paid close attention to detail. after coming across the phd proofreaders during my search, i submitted a formal inquiry and received almost an immediate response. max reached out to me and inquired about my needs. he assigned me to someone he believed would best meet my needs. i am extremely grateful for max’s discernment that day as he paired me with an amazing writing coach…i look forward to a continued relationship with the phd proofreaders as they have given me the honesty, kindness, support, and tools to succeed thank you so much for supporting me during this journey”, “the phd proofreaders have saved my life….the last few weeks i have been under so much pressure with phd deadlines and elizabeth was there for me every step of the way. the zoom calls were fun and the feedback on my writing was just what i needed to motivate and inspire me. thank you for your kindness, your patience, for believing in me and for giving me the confidence to get my work done.”.

Your first 15 minutes are free. After that, we charge two rates:

 Organise your free intro session today…

To get started, please fill out the form below. This is your chance to let us know more about you, your PhD, and your pain points. All of your information is treated confidentially and you’re not committing to anything at this stage. Once you’ve submitted the form, we’ll be in touch to book your free intro session.

Your name Your email What country are you in? Your time zone Where are you in your PhD journey?

What is your field of study?

Please summarise your topic in a few sentences

How would you rate yourself as a doctoral candidate? 1 (lost and stuck) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (accomplished & successful) How would you rate the quality of your supervision? 1 (unsupportive & unavailable) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (very supportive & always available) What are the pain points that are causing you to struggle with your thesis, and with the doctoral journey in general?

Why are you looking into coaching, and what is your end goal?

What upcoming dates and deadlines need to be considered?

Mindful and self-determined through your PhD

Do you want to complete  your PhD with more ease and joy?

Do you want to take big steps towards your goals and still be able to spend enough time on yourself, your health and the people who are important to you?

Do you want to leave self-doubt, stress, frustration, excessive demands and procrastination behind you and find joy in scientific work again?

I am Monika.

If you're reading this, you're probably feeling the same way I felt during my PhD: insecure, overwhelmed, and constantly stressed. But I can tell you that there is another way - with more ease, joy and, yes, also breaks! So at the end of my PhD, I made a promise to myself: I want to help other PhD students to navigate their way in a mindful and self-determined manner.

That's what led me to train as a Holistic Life Coach and Mind-Body Practitioner at the MindBodyFood Institute in Australia. Through this training and my personal experience, I bring in-depth knowledge and tools to support you holistically - from the first step people take to start their PhD to your thesis defense and beyond.

My services

1-to-1 Online PhD-Coaching for PhD students

Online workshops & online lectures at your university

1-to-1 Holistic Life Coaching for students, post-docs & co

I accompany you holistically on your journey to the successful completion of your PhD. Holistically? That means that YOU and your academic, professional and personal needs and challenges are at the centre of our focus. We combine a variety of methods and techniques from the fields of personality development, positive psychology and neuroscience. The aim is to support you in all aspects – from strengthening your mental health to promoting physical relaxation.

Find out more about me, my story and my mission in the podcast episode of Higher Vibrations in Higher Education, in which I had the honour of being a guest. A great opportunity to get to know me and my work better.

My coaching experience with Monika was very positive. At every session I was able to gain valuable insights and concrete tips that were helpful for me. I particularly liked that Monika was very flexible in addressing my concerns. I felt very comfortable and understood. This enabled me to open up and understand why I procrastinate and what triggers my writer's block. I now have concrete ways of dealing with it that suit my personality.

Anonymous,  Economics,

I had a powerful coaching experience with Monika who guided me to important answers through her indications, recommendations and helpful advice.  During the coaching sessions, I felt important, respected and worth the time. The biggest benefit I have gained from the coaching sessions is the feeling that I am okay and valuable even though I make mistakes and am not always satisfied with my own decisions and actions. I have learned to accept all the parts of myself, including the parts I didn’t accept before.

Anonymous,  Architecture,

The coaching with Monika helped me to be more realistic about my performance and to be more thoughtful and forgiving with myself. It encouraged me to break thought cycles and replace them with positive and profitable thoughts. During the sessions I felt understood, comfortable and actively listened to.

Cornelia, Adult Education,

>> Everyone needs that support — even if at first you don't think you do. Look around. See who's on your side and in your corner. You don't have to go it alone. <<

Louis Zamperini

Dr. Monika Staab

Navarinou Street 4, House No. 3

7060 Livadhia, Larnaca

+ 357 9514 6410

c ont [email protected]

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Effective PhD Supervision – Chapter Four – Coaching: Charting your own Path

• by: Ahmed A. Wadee, Moyra Keane, Ton Dietz & Driekie Hay

The PhD researcher is immersed in a ‘writing-centred pedagogy ’ that requires critique and encouragement from experienced researchers. While writing is central to the research process, so is thinking, imagining and relating. The learning and teaching strategies needed in supervision are varied and complex – even ‘chaotic’ ! These supervision interactions ideally stretch and support the PhD researcher, whilst enriching and expanding the world of the supervisor. Painted with such broad brush strokes the enterprise promises colour and boldness – but it also requires finesse, detailed attention and precision of focus.

An interesting parallel to the qualities needed in the research journey are those needed by accomplished scientists. Fensham, in interviews with leading scientists in China, distinguishes the characteristics needed to succeed in both independent research and in science. These include (in order of priority): creativity, personal interest in the topic, perseverance, desire to inquire, ability to communicate, social concern and team spirit. It is particularly these qualities, on the one hand, that mentoring and coaching focus on. Supervision, on the other hand, takes greater responsibility for the formal managing of the degree process, quality checking and teaching. Whilst workshops and programmes for PhD students usually provide formal training in the academic content towards thesis production, mentoring and coaching fosters qualities essential in a scientist, researcher and intellectual. A holistic approach takes into account the complexity of a large research project.

The diagram below shows the contrasting features of supervision, coaching and mentoring. Note that the student is placed at the centre – appropriate to a student-centred pedagogy.

Note: Neither mentoring nor coaching (nor indeed supervision) touches on therapy; neither deals with pathology, psychological analysis, nor with trauma counselling. It is of course, essential to be able to refer students to appropriate professionals should serious problems arise.

Figure 4.1 Linking and Comparing Supervision, Mentoring and Coaching

If I need a ‘how-to’ book – should I be doing a PhD?

By definition a PhD thesis is a unique and original piece of work. PhD students are guided, obviously, but must eventually chart their own path. After some time the emerging experts need to find their own voice, make their own decisions, be prepared to take risks, extend the conventions and eventually outgrow their supervisors. At this point of independence the map for a student becomes vague or the GPS that has been so trusty can only intone ‘recalculating, recalculating’. There is a limit to the use of a road map in work that charts new landscapes. This is a developing paradox that students and supervisors face; and the same is true for ‘Advice books’.

Furthermore, the implication of a ‘how-to’ approach is that there is ‘a step-by-step’ way to advance; yet a thesis does not proceed in a linear path (Kamler and Thomson, 2008). It can be more like a labyrinth. The illusion in seeing a bound and finished product is that there is somehow a neat and clear progression from the abstract, introduction, purpose, context, research questions, methodology, data, findings and conclusions. We know there are some (often frustrating) administration processes, ethics clearances, literature reviews, proposal revisions, data collection and ‘write-up’ : but not neatly in that order. This is not usually, how it works. The research project exists within a context of equipment, finances, appointments, supervisors, weather, travel, politics, change and surprises. Just as research itself takes place within a context, the PhD researcher is in a particular context of life, work, family, colleagues, interests, distractions and constraints. There is also all the invisible processes of thinking, planning, assuming, rethinking, prewriting, journaling, mind-mapping, discussing, despairing, changing direction, learning and changing as a person.

It is probably axiomatic that a supervisor and a mentor play a vital role in the process of producing a thesis and a specialist academic. However, the process is often stressful and, in spite of the guidance from supervisors, many students do not make it. The higher education participation rate for South Africa is a low 15%. Although the rate for other sub-Saharan countries is 5%, Latin America has a substantially better rate at 31%. The average participation rate for North America and Western Europe is 70%. With our low numbers entering postgraduate studies, we need to do all we can to nurture our postgraduate students who have often struggled to reach their level of education and often represent the survivors of a tough system. In South Africa we have 27 PhDs per million of the population compared to 42 in Brazil, and 240 in Australia. Reports indicate that up to 50% of PhD students in the UK and the USA drop out 4 , and in South Africa that number is even higher. PhD students who take a long time to complete put a strain on a system that lacks supervision expertise.

There is some emerging evidence that coaching can be effective for supervisors, students and for both together (i.e., the relationship). 10

Possible reasons for the effectiveness of coaching are that a coach addresses the whole situation and the whole person. As Kamler and Thomson 1 observe:

‘… the simultaneous fears and reassurances experienced by doctoral researchers are constructed within wider cultural and institutional processes, not simply in advisory relationships’. (p.512)

In a co-active coaching relationship there is equality between the student researcher (in this case) and the coach. The thesis writing provides an opportunity for self-reflection and personal – not just academic – growth. The coach encourages this broader development. The student may open up to a ‘neutral’ listener who can provide a new perspective on what may be happening. The coach champions the goals of the student, keeps these goals accountable to the goal’s own norms along the way and keeps the goals moving.

In one PhD programme where coaching was included the following features of coaching emerged as critical:

– Providing a neutral environment and an unbiased listener

– Allowing the voicing of taboo subjects (e.g., work relationships/insecurities)

– Acknowledging the student’s aims and ambitions – as well as vulnerability

– Goal setting (for motivation and tracking)

– Strengthening of desirable personal attributes

– Tracking progress and promoting accountability

– Refining self-awareness and reflection.

Outcomes of this PhD coaching programme included developing courage to confront, self-examination, awareness of personal goals, assertiveness and the resolution of boundary issues by taking increased personal responsibility.

The role of the coach is to provide a space conducive for reflection, connection, creativity and action. The dimensions a coach pays attention to are similar to those of a creative organisation (Prather and Gundry, 1995, in Palmer, 2002: 16.). These are:

– Challenge and involvement

– Freedom

– Idea time

– Idea support

– Conflict

– Debates

– Humour and playfulness

– Trust and openness

– Risk taking.

Some of these dimensions are present in coaching and mentoring; some of the outcomes of the PhD programme mentioned above may be achieved in a supervisor and mentor relationship. So what is coaching then?

4.1  What is Coaching?

It has been the task of science to discover that things are very different from what they seem.

Coaching is about discovering and walking different paths. It is a process, formally set up to help student researchers clarify their life purpose, values and goals, and to help them attain these goals in a creative and conscious way. Coaching is not about diagnosis or pathology. Coaching assumes the student researcher to be capable and creative. A coach asks: ‘What’s happening now? ’ and ‘What next? ’ – rather than: ‘Why? ’ A coach works with pressing external issues and personal or team goals. A coaching session is forward-looking and promotes action, aims at helping the student researcher to reach his/her potential and overcome obstacles, looks at the student’s life as a whole rather than the thesis process only, and seeks to deepen awareness of patterns and provides a reflective space. Coaching provides a meta-level of assistance at developing skills of organisation, innovation and reflection. An introductory coaching conversation may sound like this:

Conversation:

Coach: Coaching is not like supervision or mentoring; you need to come up with your own answers.

Student: (Looks perplexed!)

Coach: I will guide you with direct questions and help you clarify your goals. I will also push you to action and hold you accountable.

Student: I don’t know…

Coach: Well, what will coming up with your own answers give you?

4.1.2    Coaching in the context of PhD supervision

The coaching orientation here is directed towards a novice coach, supervisor or mentor wishing to coach a PhD student. Of course, a supervisor could also benefit greatly by having his or her own professional coach. Coaching first gained popularity in executive training and can be adapted for many situations.

Now, just as a supervisor needs specialist expertise, so does a coach; perhaps even more so than does a mentor. An ideal option is for a supervisor or PhD student to have a qualified coach. Such a model is being trialled to a limited extent at some universities. SANPAD is piloting the introduction of coaching for supervisors and students in parallel with mentoring (see Chapter 5).

Although a coach requires specialist training, and the coaching situation is usually a formal arrangement, there are principles of coaching that may be brought in to both supervision and mentoring, or which a student may use alone. This chapter contains an outline of some of these principles and includes exercises. The case studies of Su, Pieter and Thandi illustrate some coaching conversations with PhD students. Also included is a section, Coaching Pathways , to provide a sample overview of what a number of PhD Coaching sessions might look like.

4.2 Aspects of Coaching

4.2.1    Being a coach

Good research should contribute to your development as a mindful person, and your development as an aware and reflective individual should be embodied in your research.

A coach brings deliberate attitudes or meta-perspectives to coaching. Much of the time we show up in a situation, relationship or event in whatever state our internal climate has already dictated. Occasionally we mask these moods by ‘putting on a brave face’, or by playing a professional role, but we seldom consciously think of the quality we would like to contribute or bring to a meeting or function. It can make a surprising impact to go into a presentation or coaching session intending to bring a particular quality such as clarity, joy, humour or calm. This is not an artificial or manufactured mask but an authentic expression of one’s being. The suggestion here is ‘Try it’.

Of course, presenters and leaders often do this instinctively. In a late afternoon session of a long day a facilitator may intentionally try to brighten the atmosphere or create more energy.

The skills of coaching include: listening, intuition, awareness, reflecting back (rephrasing, rewording or mirroring a situation), staying focussed, discovering and reminding the PhD researcher of his values, acknowledging the PhD researcher’s qualities, and linking the current direction to his life-purpose. Unlike a supervisor or mentor, a coach’s own experience or story is irrelevant . A coach needs to restrain herself from telling stories from her own life, from offering advice, or from directing the action of the student researcher. This could be clearly quite a challenge and is not our usual way of interacting. However, in this lies the power of coaching and the empowerment of the student. Yet, coaching is not mechanistic. While the coach is not likely to offer advice, she may offer intuitive insights – or even guesses about the situation!

4.2.2    Designing the coaching relationship

‘ How should we do this? ’ ‘ What do you need from me? ’ ‘ What can I count on from you? ’ ‘ How will this relationship work best? ’ ‘ Let’s discuss and negotiate our needs and wishes, given all the practical constraints here. ’

More so than supervision or mentoring, a cornerstone of coaching is confidentiality of discussions. It is also a negotiated and designed relationship. A coach may ask for example: ‘ How do you want me to be when you procrastinate? ’ or ‘ What do you need from this coaching relationship? ’

Su unequivocally told me: ‘ Nag me! Nag as much as possible: I need that .’ Pieter on the other hand said: ‘ I need you to be understanding – I have enough people yelling at me .’ It would probably be unusual for a supervisor to ask a student ‘ How would you like me to supervise you? ’ Yet Thandi, in our second coaching session, said: ‘ Actually I need you to be straight with me: please point out my blind spots. I can take it. ’ She also added: ‘ I need definite structure. I would like to set up all our meetings for six months, and have you keep me to strict timelines. I need help with organisation. ’ As a coach, I need the student researcher to keep appointments, to be real, and to give feedback about how the sessions are going. Coaching sessions address the meta-level of the process as well as the fine details of lining up the trucks. We spend time talking about how we want this relationship to work. We also set up logistics and timeframes.

4.2.3    Paying attention to the creation of a vision

‘- ah, to imagine is to experience the world as it isn’t and has never been, but as it might be. ’

Being able to create a vision is a uniquely human capacity. According to Gilbert, however, there is confusion around this. People tend to believe that they have control over uncontrollable events and yet sometimes back away from intervening where they do have control over outcomes, or at least a reasonable chance of influencing events. Gilbert sites various studies that show how gamblers are more convinced of their chances of winning if they can chose their own lottery numbers. I do that too – even while I recognise my foolishness! Yet when I put in a funding grant application, I imagine the chances of success have little to do with me. In his chapter entitled ‘The Joy of Next’, Gilbert claims: ‘ The greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine objects and episodes that do not exist in the realm of the real… ’ and ‘…the human brain is an “anticipation machine ”.’ Of course it is obvious how handy this skill is in designing research, but it is also to be exploited in encouraging research students’ to see themselves as expert academics and devise steps to get there. However, coaching is not mechanistic; a coach looks out for opportunities to change direction, to transition, and looks for outcomes, but is not attached to particular destinations if circumstances change.

An important part of assisting a student researcher to create a vision is that the vision is unique and personal and ties in with the individual’s values. For one student the research process may need to be conceived of as exciting and adventurous, and include making a difference to political transformation. For another, it might embody values of order, safety and thoroughness. By bringing in personal values and exploring what these might mean in the process, in supervision, in writing and in the establishing of an academic identity, the student’s energy and motivation are enhanced. Tools for facilitating this are included in the following sections.

4.2.4    Perspective: We can choose how we see things

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

Any direction you choose .

Of course, we would rather have a sea-view suite than a room in the basement. We would rather our studies were a walk in the park, a piece of cake, a blast! – rather than an up-hill struggle, a battle, a never-ending story or a wandering in the wilderness. By changing our metaphors and our cup half-full or half-empty tendencies we can change our degree of enthusiasm to keep on task. Well, if it was as easy as this, we would all always be energetic and motivated. We know that it is not. A coach can help to offer different ways of seeing a situation and help the student researcher to get in touch with what resonates with an inner agenda or personal life goal. Questions a coach might well ask are:

‘What is the landscape of your life right now?’ ‘In what ways does your research feature on this landscape?’

This results in exploring in a focussed yet open-ended way so as to establish a clearer picture of what is going on.

Another perspective conversation might go like this:

Coach: ‘If your PhD research were a landscape, what would it be?’

Student: ‘An airport: O.R. Thambo airport!’

Coach: ‘Tell me about that.’

Student: ‘It’s a place I know well – but I still get lost there. As I approach, I am filled with anxiety. There are parts that I know and then all the activity, changes, overload of information.’

Coach: ‘It sounds like an overwhelming place. Does it also hold some excitement?’

Student: ‘Yes. It means I am going somewhere. It is a vibey place!’

Coach: ‘In what ways are you “going somewhere” in your research?’

Student: ‘Hmmm …Well, no-one’s done what I’m doing. I don’t know where it will end up. That’s exciting’

The conversation might well follow this metaphor for a while, exploring characteristics and how this relates to research study. The end of the session almost always should lead either to a commitment to action on the part of the student researcher or, otherwise, to an inquiry.

4.2.5    Moving forward

– Action: Definite steps are set – often by the student. The coach will ask for feedback/ confirmation that the task is done (an email, SMS or report back at the next session).

– Homework reflections: these are inquiry questions designed by the coach to promote self-awareness in the student, for example,

– What is keeping me going?

– What am I saying ‘yes’ to?

– What does it mean to excel?

– Where am I stuck?

– What kind of an academic am I?

Having considered these as a reflection exercise, the student would report on what came up and how this is significant for moving the work forward.

4.2.6    Centredness and focus

Admitting that we do not know and maintaining perpetually the attitude that we do not know the direction necessarily to go permit(s) a possibility of alteration, of thinking, of new contributions and new discoveries, for the problem of developing a way to do what we want ultimately, even when we do not know what we want.

Growth, change, innovation and creativity are dependent on seeing clearly and getting out of a rut. The ability to do this is greatly enhanced by being able to amplify attention to the task in hand: to be in the moment. This a central practice for both coach and the student. By keeping focussed, we have a better chance of seeing what is really going on and what needs to happen next. It is obvious how powerful a practice this is for knowledge creation and research.

This practice in a coaching relationship is often uncomfortable: we seldom really listen to others or to ourselves. We more usually engage in habitual, even ritualised conversations. A coach may sit in silence for a while to allow space for what is difficult to say. Coaching is at its heart a mindfulness practice. A coach tries to be totally present with openness and non-judgement. The difficulty here is letting go of advice, projection and stories. This relates back to a core coaching premise that student researchers are capable of coming up with their own solutions.

4.2.7    Intuition

Sometimes we know without understanding the knowing. Sometimes this knowing is more reliable than that obtained from rigorously analysed data.

Malcolm Gladwell writes a fascinating account of the ‘Statue that didn’t look right’ in Blink. When, in 1983, the J. Paul Getty Museum in California was offered a kouros statue apparently dating from the 6 th century BC, scientists spent 14 months verifying its authenticity through electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe and X-ray fluorescence. One scientist even published a paper in Scientific American on the extraordinary find. The museum agreed to pay $10 M for the statue. In the meantime, various artists who viewed the work exclaimed within seconds that it did not look right; it looked ‘fresh’ , and they certainly would not buy it. It turned out that their intuition was correct: the kouros was a fake! This helps to illustrate the power of different ways of knowing that we do not always use – especially in our professional work. A coach is encouraged to get in touch with intuition and use it to shed light on what is happening with the person being coached.

A coach may offer: ‘It seems that there is something else happening here apart from the time constraints you mention.’ Sometimes the ‘hunch’ may be quite specific. When designing a relationship with the student researcher, the coach explains the use of intuition – and asks permission to blurt out possible insights. These need to then be checked and, if they are off the mark, they are simply dropped. This exploratory openness is part of the coaching dynamic that allows for: tentative answers, making mistakes, taking risks, thinking out of the box, and for the student to also take over control and redirect discussions.

4.2.8    Reflective meta-perspective: ‘telling it like it is’

‘It looks to me like this thesis is not a priority for you.’

A coach needs to articulate what is happening, or at least offer a reflection of how things appear – without judging. Making such a statement as the one above might be difficult for a supervisor. There is the hierarchical relationship and quality judgement – but for a coach there is an agreement of being a friend who can be frank and help explore the un-named agendas, saboteurs, cover-ups and unconscious tendencies! As mentioned under ‘intuition’, this is done respectfully, with the student offering counter observations, declining to discuss, or expressing willingness to explore what is going on.

This may also be considered as giving feedback. In supervision, feedback is usually about the text or research process. In coaching, the feedback is holistic. It is often reflective: ‘I noticed you started drooping in your chair when you mentioned the up-coming seminar. It seems there is a heaviness about that.’ Such feedback opens up the opportunity to discuss something that might have been glossed over or that the student may not even have been aware of.

4.2.9    Relationships

‘We all live our lives in a sea of connections.’

Individual coaching has the limitation of not directly including others in the PhD process, even though they are inextricably connected to the PhD researcher and thus to the process. It is therefore sometimes helpful to consider coaching a ‘relationship’ or team. Coaching can be useful for a research team, for a supervisor and student together, or for a research student and his or her partner. This relationship coaching is not therapy; it helps to find a way of co-creating a path and a way of working that is constructive and fulfilling for the team. In the process we acknowledge that we create ourselves and our futures through interconnections. The same principles – of making actions conscious and choosing how we want to be – are core to relationship coaching.

A coach can explore questions with two or more people together:

‘What is important here?’

‘What’s getting in the way?’

‘How do we want to be with each other when things get tough?’

‘What can we count on from each other?’

‘What will make this partnership flourish?’

Seeing the situation from the other perspective: the concept here and the accompanying exercise are based on the assumption that the PhD thesis is an ‘entity’ in itself. We habitually view the world from our perspective only; we are encouraged here to see our research from both the point of view of the student, from the point of view of the supervisor and the ‘view’ of the thesis itself.

Figure 4.2.9    The Thesis Exercise: ‘Third entity exercise’ 12

A coaching example of this is given in the section ‘Coaching Pathways’.

4.2.10  Giving Feedback

By receiving insightful assessment on our qualities, ways of interacting, values, or path of action, we understand how we are perceived by others. Such feedback also helps us to reflect, adjust and grow. In coaching, feedback is expected from both coach and student researcher. Feedback needs to be specific and needs to provide suggestions as to how the coaching or action could be more effective. For example, a coach may ask: ‘In what ways is the coaching helping you? How could it be more effective?’ A student being coached may ask: ‘What do you see that I am not aware of? ’ It is clear from this last question that the student needs to be aware of the ‘rules-of-the-game’ of coaching. It is part of the coach’s task to train the student in the goals and principles of coaching.

Positive feedback is part of the fabric of a coaching relationship. Acknowledging the qualities and achievements of the coachee helps build confidence, self-esteem, self awareness and motivation. Perhaps because ‘critical thinking’ is so valued in academia, we tend to become easily critical and can forget to acknowledge the positive. It is not unusual for a student or academic to go for years without anyone giving them confirmation that they are ‘insightful, bright, dedicated, determined…’ and so forth. Considering how much criticism a PhD researcher is subjected to, there is often a gradual eroding of a student’s confidence. A coach is encouraged to give the student acknowledgement every coaching session. If only one aspect of coaching for PhD supervision were to be taken up, acknowledging the student researcher would be the most constructive and effective!

4.3 Coaching Pathways

In this section a possible outline of a series of eight coaching sessions will be presented. Obviously, many of the coaching skills may be integrated subtly or explicitly into any supervisory meeting, they can also be used as appropriate in varying order in coaching sessions. The session layout is not quite a ‘literal’ guide to the process. It is clear that follow-up from previous sessions is necessary – and this may take the coaching in completely different directions. The ‘menu’-type layout presented here is meant to give an overview of how coaching may work over time. The assumption here is that these processes are less familiar than supervisory sessions where PhD researcher and supervisor are discussing research progress. The outline is, however, condensed and is provided for supervisors who have participated in mentoring and coaching training. This chapter is premised on the assumption that the supervisor or student researcher has some familiarity with co-active coaching processes. In Session 8 of the Pathways, there are some suggestions for using creative writing for coaching. This aspect has the advantage of also serving as a self-coaching tool.

4.3.1    Session 1: Building a relationship

– Introduction

Explain briefly the principles of coaching; how it differs from supervision, mentoring and therapy. Discuss the ethics of confidentiality. (See ‘Introduction to Coaching Form’ in Templates)

–  Find out about the student

Note that ‘story lines’ are always kept to a minimum in coaching (unlike therapy).

–  Design the coach-student partnership: set up agreements

Discuss (quite frankly) what kind of relationship this will be and what will make it work. Set up logistics for meeting times, accountability and number of sessions.

– Discuss the aims of coaching

A new student requires training on how to be coached. This is often a new way of relating. A coach seeks permission to challenge, push, inquire and make it clear that all this is negotiable in a relationship that seeks to be equal and democratic. Coaches keep their own experience out of the picture (This is hard to do!) and they expect a student researcher to come up with their own solutions. Like most rules, of course, this one is also broken: at times the coach may ask: ‘Will you have the next two chapters completed by next week?’

4.3.2   Session 2: Values

– What are the student’s values? Ask the PhD researcher about a Critical Incident when he or she felt in control or striding forwards, etc. Sharing such experiences amplifies the event and serves as a model to reveal qualities and values. Note down the values you, as a coach, see in the situation and ask the students what values they see. Spend time discussing and clarifying these values. Helpful questions to elicit values include:

– What is present when you are at your best?

– How would you like to be in the world?

– What is your unique contribution?

– What is the role of our own gremlins? Discuss how we sabotage ourselves.

– What are the negative inner commentaries regarding the PhD research?

– What gets in the way?

The Yogic sages say that all the pain of a human life is caused by words, as is all joy. We create words to define our experience and those words bring attendant emotions that jerk us around like dogs on a leash. We get seduced by our own mantras (I’m a failure … I’m lonely … ) …

Saboteur myths

– Suffering is inevitable

– Worry is warranted

– It’s not good enough

– Anxiety has value

– More is better

– Guilt is deserved

– I will do bad work and look like an idiot

– I can’t

– It’s all too much

– There’s no time

– It’s not fair

– Not again

– I’ll start next week

– I’ve got too much to do

– They don’t give me space/time/conducive conditions…

A homework inquiry for the student may be:

‘What am I withholding?’

‘What do I resent?’

‘What do I regret?’

Ask the student to draw their gremlin(s) and give it/them a name.

– Acknowledge the student

4.3.3 Session 3: Where are you now?

–         Discover the level of achievement in aspects of study and life: Discovery Wheel.

The student researcher rates his/her perceived level of achievement/satisfaction with the aspects presented in the wheel.

The coach probes what the scores (out of ten) mean for the student.

Choose an aspect of the wheel to work on.

Ask direct/powerful questions, such as, ‘What would a 10/10 mean for you in your career? ’

Give an inquiry or task for homework, or ask the student to come up with a follow-up activity.

Figure 4.3.3    PhD Discovery Wheel (A completed wheel may look like this:)

‘What surprises you about this?’

‘What would a ten look like for you as far as writing goes?’

‘Who can help you?’

Ask the student to come up with suggestions for action to move forward in one of the aspects. Set tasks and accountability.

4.3.3 Session 4: Practicing Focus

–  Clear anything that might be in the way of a session. Spend only two minutes on this. For example: ‘What do we need to get out the way for you to arrive on time?’ (Student grumbles about being stuck in traffic or marking, etc.)

–  Check homework accountability.

–  Choose a small current aspect to work on: ‘What about this is important to you? ’

–  Build intrinsic motivation: ‘What thrills you?’ ‘What is compelling about this? ’

–  Establish accountability: ‘What will you do next?’ ‘When will you do it? ’ and ‘How will I know? ’

4.3.4 Session 5: Perspective

Keeping a balance in one’s life is not easy most of the time – never mind amongst the pressures of PhD research.

–    Start from where we are: where’s here? How does it feel? Connect with the body. Settle and take time to be present. ‘What’s happening now?’

What perspective does the student researcher have on a particular aspect of the PhD or the whole process? Name or use a metaphor for this attitude/perspective. An example would be: ‘As far as the literature review is concerned I feel like I am lost in a maze.’

(It is helpful to move around for this exercise.)

Then, physically move to a different perspective: ‘What is the “seeing as far as the horizon” perspective like?’ – ask this while looking out the window, standing next to the student. Check out this perspective. ‘What does this feel like?’

Find another perspective: for example, move to staring at the book-case. ‘What does the book-case perspective feel like?’ Ask the student researcher to choose the perspective that feels best. Physically move to that perspective. Get a feeling for it. Move on to designing a way forward and setting up tasks.

4.3.5 Session 6: Fulfilment

Discover the Dream

–   What is compelling about the research?

–   What is compelling about being an academic?

What would your future self say?

A vision exercise of picturing yourself as a PhD doctor. Take time to talk through this vision.

–    ‘Who have you become?’

–   ‘Where are you in this situation?’

–   ‘What advice does your future self give you?’

–   ‘What is the next step?’

Set tasks and accountability.

4.3.7    Session 7: Relationship/team coaching

Ask the student researcher to describe a relationship with the supervisor and with the thesis.

(Refer to the triad diagram, Figure 4.2.9)

Ask the student researcher to move to another chair and describe how things look from the supervisor’s perspective. Then ask the student to move to a third position, that of the thesis, and describe how things look from the perspective of the thesis itself. (This sounds very strange but can be surprisingly effective!)

‘ What is trying to happen here?’

Find actions that support new insights that arise from this.

4.3.6 Session 8: Coaching through creative writing

We have already considered the role of creativity (which deserves considerable attention in research as a high level of cognitive skill). It is worth noting some of the obstacles to creativity before engaging in this coaching through writing . Gundry (1995) lists four stumbling blocks which are no doubt familiar to us:

–   Judging ideas too quickly

–   Stopping at the first good idea

–   Failing to ‘get the bandits off the train’

–   Obeying rules that don’t exist.

One of the ways over these obstacles is to free-write. Set this as an exercise.

4.3.8.1 Self-reflection free-writing

Free-writing is a way to get over writer’s block, to discover one’s own voice, clarify thought and to simply keep the writing and thinking processes going. The only rule in free-writing is: not to stop writing ! Invite a student to complete a sentence such as this: (set a time for writing, e.g., 4 minutes.)

The thing about being a PhD researcher is ……………………….……………………….…………

What uncommon questions cross your mind? Write a list of these.

………………….…………………….……………………….……….……………………….……………………………….…………..

…………………….………………………….……………………………….………………………..……………….…………………..

………………….……………………….…………….……….……………………….………………………………….………………..

In research we need not only to note what is there, but what is not there; what people are not saying; what questions are not being asked.

We note forms. We often miss the spaces between.

Write about the formless in your thinking:

…………………………………………………………….……………………….……………………………………………………

String theory; particles; excited electrons: we can hardly talk in any discipline, including science without the use of metaphor.

Use a metaphor to free-write about your research project. (Do not think about this – simply free-write!)

–         My PhD is like a …….….………………………….….……………………

4.4 Conclusions

This section was intended for those who have some coaching experience. It has attempted to show how coaching skills and principles may be integrated into supervision. If even some of these ideas are tried out, the supervision-student relationship is likely to be enriched and enlivened.

Next Chapter – Chapter Five: http://www.rozenbergquarterly.com/?p=1928

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Academic Coaches work with graduate and professional students to tackle common challenges for a more rewarding and productive graduate experience.

Grad Coaching

Main navigation, what is grad coaching.

Graduate programs, whether masters, Ph.D., or professional will challenge you in ways that are very different from the undergraduate experience. Common challenges include:

• Communicating with your advisor
• Managing research, teaching, and coursework
• Addressing imposter syndrome
• Preparing for qualifying exams
• Tackling a complex research project
• Reading efficiently and meaningfully
• Clarifying direction in research and academia
• Planning writing projects - dissertations, theses, manuscripts, and grant proposals
• Maintaining motivation and preventing burn-out

Your Academic Coach will engage you in an understanding conversation that elicits your own insights and builds on your strengths. We will also offer effective suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to meet regularly with a coach, we can help you build your new insights and strategies into habitual ways of thinking and approaching your work, resulting in a more rewarding and productive graduate experience.

Academic Coaching for Graduate Students

Academic Life Coaching is a supportive relationship for graduate students to enhance their development as scholars. Coaching is a self-directed endeavor focused on your goals, your development, and your ways of doing things. You will not be told what your goals should be or how to achieve them. Rather, your Coach will partner with you to help you get creative, plan action steps, and make habitual change. Coaching is available free of charge for graduate students at WPI.

The most common topics include themes of procrastination, imposter phenomenon, time management, work/life balance, wellness, life aspirations, career exploration, milestone completion, research habits, and professional relationships/networking. Most topics that are relevant to your functioning as a graduate student are fair to bring up in coaching.

Absolutely! These kinds of complex decisions are excellent topics to focus on. Coaches do not have a vested interest in convincing you one way or another in these decisions.

Yes, with reasonable exceptions:

• Your Coach may obscure your identity and discuss your case with other staff, such as a supervisor or peer, for the sake of the coaches development.
• Your coach may exercise their best judgement to identify you in discussing your case with other staff when there is a legitimate educational reason to do so.
• Your coach will not discuss your situation with your faculty members without first asking your permission, excluding extraordinary circumstances.
• Coaches are employees of the University and thus are obliged to report knowledge of harm or discrimination relating to protected class, for example in cases of sexual misconduct, to the Title IX office or the Dean of Students office.

Coaches focus on your development with a particular focus on your life goals and aspirations. Coaches are rarely experts in the topic of focus and instead rely on you as the expert of your own life. Mentorship is similar in many respects but assumes that the mentor holds expertise in the area of focus. For example, a Mentor might be a professional who is further along in the career path that you are pursuing. It can be beneficial to have both coach and mentor figures.

Therapists and Counselors have expertise in mental healthcare. Coaches do not. While coaching is focused on your development as a whole person, it is not a substitute for working with a clinician when you need clinical support. For some people, coaching can be a complement to clinical work by supporting the maintenance of routine wellness habits. For other people it can be counter-productive or even harmful, analogous to poking an unhealed wound. It is best to discuss boundaries with your coach if you have concerns.

Logistics of Academic Coaching

• You will start with an initial meeting to discuss your goals and envision your future. We will go over how coaching works in more detail in that conversation (bring your questions).
• In subsequent meetings, we will revisit your goals and explore how they are showing up in your life recently. Coaching ought to be a neutral space to explore how you are making progress and how you are getting stuck without judgement.
• Coaching sessions typically conclude with a discussion about your intended action steps. These are co-constructed between coach and student and emphasize habitual changes to everyday routines, though one-time actions are also appropriate. We will revisit these actions in future sessions to aid your self-accountability.
• Coaching is an iterative process. It tends to work best when you meet with your coach on a consistent basis over the course of a semester, typically every 1 to 4 weeks. This allows us to notice patterns together so you can better understand your habits and make changes to them. 
• You can pause and restart coaching whenever you need to throughout your time at WPI.

Get Started Today.

Meet the coaches.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x6532

Once you begin your journey, your Student Success Manager will remain with you throughout the duration of your program and work closely with you to ensure you are provided with all the information and tools needed for your program. Lori works with the following programs: Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Robotics Engineering.In addition, Lori is an Academic Life Coach for masters and PhD students in all programs helping them to set goals, plan action steps, and make habitual changes.

What our students have to say

I’m having a great time and benefiting tremendously. To have someone else in my corner, who is a stable fixture in my life is so important. Sometimes I’m not sure what we’re going to talk about in session, but I always end up leaving with a good message and action items as necessary. I also am glad that I can share basically anything, even if what I share is outside our scope, I can still say it and be heard and not judged.

Honestly, every student needs this. Every student on this campus. Every student should have access to… something consistent they can have throughout their tenure.

Thank you for offering this service. It has honestly been too valuable to put into words here.

The discussion about PhD roadmap was very useful for me to understand the requirement and have better understanding of the process.

I left each academic coaching session with action item[s] to help me in my work and mindset.

Very friendly and cared about my progress and growth and gave constructive feedback.

Brendan is always supportive, and coaching has been a really positive experience for me and made me more aware of my feelings and actions.

It was a more holistic approach to address balance with academic work and life...I also believe it fills a gap in the type of student services provided.

In my experience, coaching challenged me to rethink behavior patterns, offered me a space to be completely vulnerable and expose things I’m not good at and that I wish to improve.

A big thank you to you for helping me get here, guiding me throughout the previous semester, and always trusting and encouraging me through the process. It wouldn’t have been possible without you!

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What happens during a one-on-one coaching appointment?

During the first visit, whether in-person or virtual, you and your coach will simply talk and get to know each other. Your coach will probably ask you a lot of questions as he or she tries to get a better understanding of your interests and aspirations. Together, you’ll make a plan, discuss next steps, and decide together when and how often you should meet to reach your career goals.

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Both! Whether you’d like to visit the Walter Center for your appointment or work with your coach via Zoom (or a mix of both), you and your coach can discuss the option that’s best for you.

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Three Minute Thesis

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a research communication competition founded by the University of Queensland in 2008. The competition challenges master’s and doctoral students to present a compelling oration on their thesis or dissertation research and its significance to a general audience in just three minutes. IU Bloomington, which hosts its annual 3MT competition each spring, joins over 900 universities worldwide that host local 3MT events.

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7 resources to help phd students succeed on their doctoral journey.

It takes a village and a variety of skills to succeed in the doctoral world. Here are a few of the many resources Wharton Doctoral Programs offers to help.

Like most of our doctoral students, perhaps you’re preparing to go into academia after completing your PhD. Being a professor and researcher today often involves opportunities to share your research with a larger audience than a classroom of students. The doctoral journey is meant to prepare you with the wide array of skills you’ll need to be effective whether you’re in front of the classroom or a conference stage.

That includes the polish to present and speak publicly with ease, the writing and communication skills to craft your dissertation and journal articles, the analytical know-how to research thoroughly and gather meaningful data, and the ability to teach — colleagues, pupils, or the general public, whatever the case may be. And, if you have family, you’ll need support in getting them through this journey with you.

Wharton Doctoral Programs offers a wide range of resources to help you thrive in the PhD program and prepare you for life beyond it. Here are a few of the top Wharton resources our students have highlighted as most beneficial:

1. 5 Slides 5 Minutes

Researchers often have the opportunity to share their work with a larger audience through social media and mass media outlets — but it requires nuanced communication skills. How do you take complex findings and communicate them to a general audience concisely without oversimplifying the message?

That’s the focus of 5 Slides 5 Minutes. Launched in 2014, this low-stakes, high-potential event enables PhD students to present an abstract to students, faculty, and staff to practice engaging non-experts in their research topic. Students receive an invitation to participate via email from the Doctoral Programs Office.

After students present, they can work with Wharton Communications Program to review their presentation and get tips on how to improve their communication skills. Wharton’s renowned faculty also share valuable insights with students about these presentations.

“We focus on individuals. We help them convey their research content most effectively given their style and personality,” said Lisa Warshaw, Director of the Wharton Communications Program.

2. Dissertation Boot Camp

The name might sound intimidating, but some students think of Dissertation Boot Camp as a two-week writers’ retreat. Hosted twice a year by the Graduate Student Center, it’s designed for students who have dissertation status but haven’t presented their proposal yet.

The camp offers an environment and support for intense, focused writing time as well as a review on the steps, deadlines, and University policies. Limited to 20 students, the small group gives writers a chance to make connections with others who are going through the dissertation process and provides participants with the structure and motivation to overcome typical roadblocks along the way.

3. Wharton Communications Program

The Wharton Communication Program helps Wharton PhD students become more effective communicators and thus better presenters, public speakers, and writers — all critical skills in academia. All doctoral students are provided with access to on-site, one-on-one writing coaching during the academic year.

Wharton PhD students are required to attend two workshops: First-Year Communications Workshop in the fall and First-Year Writing Workshop in the spring. The skills-based approach adopted in the workshops helps students develop their personal style and strengthen their confidence as communicators.

Through multiple practice opportunities, video recording of speeches, and rigorous feedback, the program provides students with a thorough foundation in communication theory and for doctoral students, focuses on research presentations and job talks.

4. Teacher Development Program Workshop

Offered in conjunction with the Center for Teaching and Learning , the Teacher Development Program is a four-session course. It gives doctoral students a foundation in core teaching practices to support their teaching at Penn.

By helping with presentation skills and academic job placement, the workshop prepares students to become faculty in the future. Ian Petrie , Senior Associate Director, Center for Teaching and Learning described the workshop as “a collective, collaborative program.” Each week features “microteaching” demonstrations, where participants conduct a brief lesson and get feedback from their peers and the directors.

The intent is that faculty and graduate students will engage and learn from each other to master fundamental teaching methods. “Every PhD student can leave the program having gained some new tools for teaching,” Petrie said. This exchange happens when doctoral students observe “talented colleagues from other departments to get a glimpse of how they teach.”

Students also have the opportunity to enroll in the CTL Teaching Certificate program to hone teaching skills and grasp a commitment to developing as teachers.

“I’d like everyone to come out of the experience feeling more confident about their skills as an instructor or presenter,” Petrie said. “Anything I can do to support doctoral students in achieving their goals is extremely gratifying.”

5. Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)

With more than 50,000 corporate, academic, and government users, Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is the global gold standard in data management, research analytics, and thought leadership. Researchers at more than 450 institutions in 36 countries across the globe depend upon this award-winning research platform and business intelligence tool — and researchers are doing the work to grow it right here on Wharton’s campus.

“The fact that the people who create the data, research analytics, and tools are here is super important,” said Prof. Cathy Schrand, Vice Dean of Wharton Doctoral Programs. “I’ve had early access to WRDS before it even became available to other subscribers. Top universities all over the world that have subscriptions to WRDS may only have access to certain elements of it, but we have access to all of it and it’s here on site which does provide an advantage.” The platform allows researchers to access more than 350 terabytes of data in one location that spans across multiple disciplines, including accounting, banking, economics, ESG (environmental, social, and governance), finance, health care, insurance, marketing, and statistics. “WRDS is by far the most important source of datasets for academic researchers. As a Wharton PhD student, you automatically get unrestricted access to every one of these databases,” said Itamar Drechsler, associate professor of finance at Wharton and NYU’s Stern School of Business, who has experience on both sides of the classroom – he earned his PhD from Wharton in 2009.

6. Wharton Behavioral Lab

A shared resource for all Wharton faculty, the Wharton Behavioral Laboratory (WBL) provides a variety of services that support data collection for behavioral research on business-related topics. The primary goal is to enhance the research productivity of Wharton faculty by minimizing the operational costs, both time and money, of conducting research. With two locations — one in Steinberg Hall Dietrich Hall and another in Jon Huntsman Hall, doctoral students can gather original data through lab experiments and panels, instead of using secondary data created by others. Each year, the lab collects about 23,000 subject hours of data. Research from WBL can consistently be found in national and international publications such as the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, and the Journal of Business Ethics .

7. Support for Families

For some PhD students, attending Wharton means relocating their families to a new city. To help students and their families ease the transition to PhD life, the Wharton Doctoral Program Office hosts the Maternity/Paternity Workshop , an annual event that talks about the resources available to PhD students with families.

Here are a couple of the key resources they highlight in the workshop:

• The Doctoral Programs Office allows eligible students to apply for up to one year of additional school-level funding beyond their allotted funded year. Furthermore, students are eligible for up to eight weeks of time-off for childbirth and adoption and have the option of taking unpaid Family Leave of Absence.
• At Penn, the Family Resource Center provides additional resources and facilities, such as a children’s playroom and two private lactation rooms, which cater to the needs of students with families. The Center also has two grant programs for PhD students to help offset the cost of childcare and family expenses, and health insurance for dependents.
• Wharton Doctoral Partners & Families is a student-run online resource created to communicate the resources at Penn and Philadelphia to partners and families. Its mission is to empower members to transition and settle into their new lives.

Posted: November 6, 2018

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Doctoral Programs

Start your doctoral journey.

Whether you’re just starting your research on PhD programs or you’re ready to apply, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to become a successful PhD candidate.

Deciding to get a PhD

You might be surprised to find out what you can do with a PhD in business.

Is an Academic Career for You ? What Makes a Successful PhD Student

Preparing for the Doctoral Path

The skills, relationships, and knowledge you need to prepare yourself for a career in academics.

How the PhD Program Works How to Become a Successful PhD Applicant

Choosing the right program

What’s the difference between PhD programs? Find out how to choose one that fits your goals.

What to Consider When Choosing a Doctoral Program

Starting an application

Tips for a successful application process.

Application Requirements Preparing Your PhD Application

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UCL Human Resources

Peer-coaching for PhD students and early career researchers

What is a peer-coaching group?

A peer-coaching group is a group of peers who support each other, by using coaching skills, to find action plans to tackle work-related issues and goals, reducing overall stress.  The coaching approach is based on the idea that each person has the ability and all the resources to achieve their goals and to find the best solution for their issues. A peer-coaching group does not provide support only, but it represents a place where to learn and improve the way you supervise and support people, as well as a place where to share and discuss. 

Is peer coaching for you?

If you want to find out more, including practical applications of coaching and mentoring, check out our FESR 2022 session The art of asking the right question: peer-coaching for researchers , available on UCL MS Stream channel:

• Link to access the stream
• Session slides (UCL SharePoint download)

Benefits of setting up a peer-coaching group

• Develop and enhance your soft skills that are required in many job applications, as well as in several fellowship and grant applications. 
• Develop active listening for understanding and supervising your students or future lab members. This will compensate the lack of training in managing people for ECR and young PIs. 
• Develop coaching skills, which are usually included in training programmes for ECR and young PIs (including Active Listening, GROW model, SMART).
• Learn different ways of achieving their goals through listening and sharing, expanding the number of options and strategies they can use. 
• Share experiences will help people realise they are not the only one experiencing specific issues, reducing feeling isolated and lonely, and promoting asking and seeking for help.
• Keep a sense of community, reducing isolation. The regularity of the meeting helped people keep track of their schedule and time. 
• Support researchers in dealing with work-related issues. 
• Reduce researchers’ stressors. 
• Help members to clarify/identify goals and achievements they want to pursue. 
• Set achievable and realistic goals directed to tackle the person’s issues. 

Who is it for?

• Coaching groups can be set up by people with a shared background or at a similar career stage (PhD students, postdocs, lab managers, technicians, etc). 
• The inclusion criteria can be flexibly decided by people in the group depending on what makes the group feel more comfortable and useful (i.e. include PhD students and postdocs but not Principal Investigators and Professors). 
• All group members will receive training on  two coaching skills to support peers: 
• Active Listening 
• GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) Model 
• The use of different coaching models can be implemented with or chosen over the GROW model depending on what the group thinks might be more appropriate. 
• Each member of the group is both a coachee (receiving support) and a coach (providing support), depending on people needs. 
• The output of the coaching is to draw a realistic action plan to specifically reach your goal / deal with your issue. 
• In some sessions, time will be spent to strengthen the coaching skills of all group members through professional support, online material and certificated training. 
•  As an option, specific sessions can be used to discuss work-related topics (minorities in academia, research culture, COVID-related stress, mental health in academia, etc.)

How to set up your peer-coaching group

• Identify one or more people who would like to take the lead of the group. It is essential to identify few people in charge of the group management, so meetings and activities are well organised. 
• Gather other peers to increase the number of people in the group: 
• A peer-coaching group can be form by two members only and it doesn’t have a maximum limit. 
• Although you can recruit as many people as you want, we encourage not to exceed 10-15 people at the beginning, so it will be easier to manage the group, create a safer space and being more focused on people issues. 

Core training, as well as additional coaching resources are available on the Peer Coaching SharePoint website (requires Office 365 login)

Set a list of rules all members will have to follow. 

• Identify the topic you will be comfortable to speak about (work-related issues) 
• Recognise the importance of creating a safe place 
• Highlight the limitations of the group (coaching is not counselling, so it is not meant to treat or provide support for mental health issues) 
• Set a confidentiality agreement 
• Decide the target of the group (which peers would you feel comfortable to chat with?) 
• Agree on the commitment required to be part of the group (avoid people joining for one session only) 

Set the regularity and the length of coaching sessions, and identify the best time and space to run the coaching. 

• With the COVID outbreak, it is more likely to set remote sessions by using Zoom or Teams as platforms. 
• It is important to be flexible when identifying the best time for the group to meet as it might be difficult to find a common time among all the group members. 
• As peer-coaching groups represent a tool to improve researchers’ wellbeing, it is worth speak with the head of your institute/department to understand if they are interested in supporting the group and reserving a specific time for it, free from other meetings. 

Consider the structure of your meetings. Below is an example of a typical coaching session, as well as some ideas of what you can do if there are no issues to discuss.

Typical session

1.    Two minutes of meditation or breathing exercises to isolate yourselves from what you were doing before  2.    Check-in: maximum of 1 or 2 minutes for each group member to tell everyone how they felt in the past days (usually the time between consecutive coaching sessions)  3.    Feedbacks from past session: 

• Did you achieve your goals? 
• Was the coaching useful? 
• How much progress you did? 

4.    Coaching Session (30-45 minutes): 

• There are different schemes which can be followed as reported in the figure. 

5.    Feedback on the session: 

• Was it useful? 
• Comments from the observers 
• What can be improved? 

6.    Set next coaching session. 

What if people don’t have any issue to chat about during a coaching session? 

Fortunately, it might happen people won’t have specific issues to chat about during some coaching sessions. Therefore, it is extremely important to have few people in charge of organising backup plans so the time could be used for different purposes. Based on our experience, here we report some of the alternatives we have considered: 

Additional training on coaching skills through videos or professional support. 

• Watch a video on Active Listening and/or GROW model and comment it together. Go through all the questions to recognise all the steps. 
• Watch a video of a single or group coaching session and comment the approach highlighting different ways of coaching. 
• Follow podcasts/videos on new coaching methods 

Discussion about mental health in academia. The peer-coaching group represents the perfect place where to discuss about mental health and science. There are different surveys and articles on the topic which might be useful to comment together 

• Use Wellcome Trust surveys and/or Wellcome Trust Cafè kit to guide and promote discussions on different topics 
•  Highlight how the research culture affects researchers’ mental health through data from surveys and compare it with your experience by sharing examples. 

Discussion about minorities in academia. Based on our experience we have observed our group attracted people from underrepresented groups in academia. We used this aspect to discuss about the research environment and how it affects career progression for minorities in research. 

Discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on researchers. 

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Stanford GSB Executive Education, in collaboration with coaching provider BetterUp , connects you with an executive coach to unlock your full potential. You’ll have a strategic sounding board, thought partner, motivator, and listener in your corner to increase your accountability, provide guidance, and offer real-time feedback.

The coaching experience is entirely customized for you and your goals. Once you’ve established a baseline for critical skills, mindsets, and behaviors, your coach will leverage the latest evidence-based research in learning theory and behavioral science to help you continuously practice and grow.

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Next Great Step helps college students and recent graduates get hired for the job that they deserve. Our simple, structured, step-by-step approach and expert coaches successfully guide early career seekers to land the first internship, job, and beyond.

To succeed in the job market, you need a competitive edge., does this sound familiar, my grad sends out a lot of resumes and is still waiting for a response., my daughter has no idea how to turn her college major into a job she wants., my son got the first interview but he didn’t make it to the next round., my college student needs an internship but they have no work experience yet., my grad is still living at home and i'm ready for him to be financially independent., 80% of next great step® clients land their desired job because we provide:, clarity on career direction.

Make entering the job market easier for your grad with techniques that teach them how to discover opportunities while targeting the right companies and the right people.

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We empower college students and recent graduates to understand their value, communicate with confidence, ace their interview, and chase down their dream job or internship.

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Our expert methodologies are proven to help students land the job. They will have an effective resume, professional LinkedIn profile, and expert interview preparation via live video coaching.

Next Great Step is the solution for your post-college career concerns

The mission for college students and graduates is more than just finding that first job or internship. The goal is for young adults to use the knowledge and skills they acquired in college and leverage their value into a career.

The Next Great Step Fast-Start Group Coaching and Private Coaching programs enable young adults to step into the world of work with clarity on what opportunities to pursue, and how to use a step-by-step process to enable success.

Our programs teach college students and graduates how to present their value to employers, and get the job or internship they seek. Our expert career consulting team works via live-online video, and utilizes proprietary and proven job search learning tools to support current students and recent grad s , their parents , and even colleges & universities .

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Coaching graduate students

Today’s blog post over at my University Affairs blog includes my thoughts on key themes when working with graduate students.

Here’s the first (of six) points I make:

1. Taking control. Graduate students often don’t feel in control of their lives. Part of my work as a coach is to help clients take and feel they are in charge by making changes to habits, mindset, and embracing who they really are. This isn’t something that comes from me, but follows from the client taking steps in the right direction.

Read the full post here . Let me know what you think!

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3 responses to “Coaching graduate students”

Your article should be included in the welcome package for new graduate students. I’m quite serious. 🙂

The “being vs doing” trap really caught my attention. Fixating on identity, especially dysfunctional and disempowering identities (“starvy artist” or “unemployed philosopher”) can be harmful. By definition, student status is best valued as a stage or chapter of life rather than a fixed identity trait.

It’s such a simple concept, and yet! So easy to get caught in it and have no idea you are. That was my experience. We are not what we do!

Great post, loved reading it. My favorite one was number 6 Being vs. doing. Hope to see more from you.

Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences

• Support and well-being

Coaching for PhD students

The Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences offers coaching to PhD students enrolled at The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

Attending coaching sessions has proved beneficial for PhD students, who are faced with different challenges. Conversations that serve as a guide to help PhD students deal with their challenges can make PhD students thrive better and free energy to focus on the PhD studies.

Coaching sessions for PhD students typically deal with these topics:

• Your expectations and ambitions
• Planning and time management
• Relation to the PhD supervisor(s)
• Work/life balance
• Writing process
• Dealing with stress

You can get up to five coaching sessions and will be matched with an external certified coach with extensive experience in coaching PhD students. The coaching will be confidential.

You will identify the issue or problem that you wish to discuss with the coach – and the coach will facilitate conversations in order to help you navigate better at present as well as setting goals for the future.

The coaching sessions take place over 3-5 months.

Signing up In order to sign up, please fill out and submit the form . When you have submitted the form, the company UNWIND will contact you in order to match you with a coach. You can apply for coaching on an ongoing basis, but due to limited capacity, there may be waiting time before your sessions can begin.

Online or face-to-face meetings The meetings can either be online or take place face-to-face at a venue in Central Copenhagen.

If you need psychological counselling Please be aware that coaching is not psychological counselling. If you need psychological counselling, you can read more about the opportunities on this page .

Further information If you have any further questions related to coaching for PhD students, please contact  [email protected] .

Who are the coaches?

Click here to read more about the coaches in the programme.

What career coaches can do for PhD holders

• One comment

Career coaches seem to be rising in popularity these days. Once hired primarily by mid- and late-career professionals in the corporate world, coaches and career consultants these days are sometimes specializing in working with graduate students and academics. Their services were news to me when I was in the early stages of my post-PhD transition. Today, I am one of these service providers. We do the kind of coaching that supervisors are usually unable to offer, especially when it comes to exploring career options beyond the professoriate or searching for non-academic jobs.

Potential clients have a range of services available to them, from one-on-one coaching to structured group programs, from pure coaching to mentoring to advising services, as well as job-seeker tutorials and resumé editing. Most coaches work virtually, meeting clients by phone, Skype or other web-conferencing software, and many of them have clients around the world.

For this article, I reached out to a few of my colleagues to learn more about what they offer. If you’re considering hiring a professional to support your post-PhD transition, explore your options and identify which services you want and can afford. The colleagues I spoke with agree that students, recent graduates and postdoctoral fellows should also take advantage of any free university career services available to them. These educators and counsellors can provide information, administer career assessment tools and offer job search training and advice.

The career and life coach I personally worked with, Hillary Hutchinson, coaches clients to decide for themselves the career path they want to follow. “Some people finish degrees and no longer want to continue in academia. Those that do [want to stay] find the market discouragingly tight,” she says. “Either way, I help them explore the wide variety of possibilities available to those with higher degrees and to build their confidence in pursuing their dreams to reality.”

Some coaches like to be more focused with their advice. Catherine Maybrey offers critiques and tutorials of resumés, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles. She coaches PhDs to be proactive and to understand the value of their transferable skills to non-academic employers. “Some clients simply need someone to be accountable to with their job search and career exploration activities,” she says, “while others might need a more guided approach, with homework and regular checkpoints.”

Maren Wood runs a “boot camp” program for PhDs in career transition. “We [academics] have a lot of skills and a deep work history but we usually lack relevant work experience,” says Dr. Wood, who helps doctoral degree holders to understand their transferable skills. “Ask a recent PhD about what they do and they’ll tell you, ‘I study medieval literature in France.’ From the perspective of an employer, that’s not very helpful. They want to know what tasks you accomplish and the skills you use, so they can measure how you’d fit within their organization.”

Recent graduates tend to seek out career coaches when they’re actively job searching. But it’s never too early to hire a coach. Fatimah Williams Castro, founder of Beyond the Tenure Track , recommends PhD students come to her in the first years of a doctorate. That way, she can help them identify opportunities to build professional experience and develop skills while still in graduate school. “When students begin this process late in their graduate school careers,” she says, “they inevitably miss out on externships, internships and other programs that are geared directly to enhancing graduate students’ professional skills and, ultimately, their career pathways.”

A recent postdoctoral fellow, Marianne Peso worked with a career coach while she was sorting through the emotional aspects of a probable transition from academia. “Our meetings created space for me to think about what I could and should do with my life. I felt guilty about taking this time before, and that negatively impacted many aspects of my life,” she says. Most importantly, she got “the support I needed to make better decisions for myself in an environment free from the expectations that other people have for me.”

Instead of trying to pigeonhole her into a known career, Dr. Peso and her coach identified her skills and values and investigated how she could find a job to fit these criteria. “I needed this desperately as I was coming from a world where there was only one accepted model of success, a model that was suffocating me,” she says, referring to the expectation that she would seek a tenure-track faculty position. Her coach helped her deal with the emotional aspects of transitioning to a new career.

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Everyone knows that, in sports, coaches are essential to bring out the very best in athletes, keep them on the right track, and move them to even higher levels of achievement. A job coach can do the same thing for PhD graduates as they make the transition from academia to the “real” world. Every graduate student would benefit from even a single 1-hour session with a good job coach, and well before they reach out their hand for their diploma at convocation and suddenly wonder what they should do with it.

Coaching for PhD students

Coaching aims at improving your performance by reducing the interferences you have and boosting your potentials .

Our long-term goal will be to equip you with the right mindset and the tools to make the changes sustainable.

Catapulting you higher up and further ahead

About your PhD coach

Dr. Buffone holds a Master in Aerospace Engineering from Università di Roma La Sapienza (2000), and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from The University of Edinburgh (2004). After the PhD, he moved to industry and, for nearly eight years, he spanned sectors as diverse as microelectronic cooling, aeroengines, and escalators, working in applied research…

The book is an essential part of Coaching the PhD. It is inspirational and motivational. You can dive in any part of the book without having to read what comes before.

What do I offer?

Harnessing the power within

Motivational, Inspirational, and Engaging coaching

Striving for a Lifelong Learning approach

Becoming Aware before taking any Responsibility

Coaching packages

These three packages are designed for different types of needs. Read the full description before you choose the package that suits you more. In case you are still unsure, lay out your doubts in the application form.

Light package for guidance

for 3 months

Who it is suited for:

• students who need limited guidance
• for achieving shot-term goals

What is included:

• Mainly asynchronous written communication
• 
1 Video call per month
• Bi-weekly review of progress with detailed feedback

Join the PhD Academy package

• students who benefit from peer interaction
• those students that have plenty of time
• Written group communication
• Weekly group call on topics proposed by participants
• A detailed report per month on the toughest PhD challenges
• Access to 2 new full videos per month
• 
Access to all videos and documents previously released

Personalized full immersion package

for 6 sessions

• students who want to achieve short term targets
• students who are willing to engage in self-development
• Get a copy of the associated book
• Written communication
• Regular reviews with detailed feedback
• 
Access to all videos and documents of the Academy
• Join the weekly webinar of the Academy

My approach

Learn where you want to get

Understand where you are at

Propose a series of steps that will take you there

Keep a highly focused approach

Record your progress

Set clear and achievable goals before the end of each session

What coaching is:

Empowering the coachee

Gaining a holistic viewpoint

Learning how to search inside for answers

Becoming more aware and taking responsibility

Reducing the size of your Inner Critic and shield from Outer Critics

Assisting in the coachee’s development

You are the focus of all attention. A skillful coach is able to show you the way by listening to both your spoken and unspoken words. An attentive coach can guide you navigating through any fog. A master coach would let you sail on your own calm and rough waters of any depth.

This stepwise approach is the ultimate aim of coaching.

You are resourceful. You are capable. You are whole. Your coach digs into this almost infinitive resource that is already inside of you. By bringing it out, the coach takes you outside of your point of view with somehow limited sight. By letting you grow in all aspects of your life (psychological, physical, and social), and showing how to ‘detach’ emotionally from the problem, you will gain that eagle sight which will allow you to broaden much more your horizon.

The ultimate goal here is for you to become in charge.

As an adult, you have already a wealth of knowledge and experience. Your coach will show you how to shift your search for answers from outside to inside of you. Most of the times, the answer is already inside of you. Unawarely, you have already reached a conclusion. However, your conscious mind keeps you stuck on the issue you are facing. Your coach will help you pivoting between your conscious and unconscious in order to bring out the answers you are looking for.

This is an almost paradigm shift in thinking.

When interacting with others, we tend to take on our shoulders far more that we can chew. It is fine to be of help for others. It is right to strive tending a helping hand to our loved ones. However, we are not paid for being firefighters. Yet, for most of our days we simply act like firefighters. Your coach will help you understand how you can weed out those unnecessary tasks. You will also learn to spot people who abuse of your kindness and how to deal with them

This is probably by far the single most important part to improve your overall performance. At work and in private settings too.

You are not your worst enemy. Your Inner Critic is analytical, very rational, and can be extremely cautious. Your Inner Critic is a perfectionist and will always highlight your weaknesses. To make things worse, you can also have Outer Critics. They might reinforce the voice of your Inner Critic. Your coach will show you how to dramatically shrink your Inner Critic and keep a bay your most difficult Outer Critics.

With time, this fine balancing act will allow you thriving by befriending yourself.

Your coach has a moral duty to help you in helping yourself. Coaching is not about mentoring or counselling. The coach primary goal is like a builder who gets called on a site and, after having heard what to build, he would look around the site to gather what is available and build with those.

Over time, you will learn how to become this skillful and wise builder.

What coaching is NOT:

Counselling

Continuous mentoring

Any sort of perpetual life support

While it is important to understand if you have a different approach to learning, your coach cannot be a counsellor. There are coaches with psychological training, and these can indeed help also with any psychological related issue you might have. However, usually coaches do NOT have a degree in psychology or related fields. In case you do need a coach with psychological background, you should ask your coach to show you his/her degree and professional habilitation.

A coach not expert in counselling can do more harm than good.

Your coach should wear, from time to time, the mentor’s hat. This is especially true when you are supposed to learn new things. But the learning must be yours. And your coach cannot wear that mentoring hat forever. After all, your PhD supervisor/s are supposed to be mentors already. Your supervisor/s should ‘push you’ along. Instead, your coach will light your path.

Your coach will transform you into someone who learns how to learn.

Your coach will not keep you on life support. You can go back to your coach after a while in order to overcome a bigger obstacle. However, coaching is supposed to be short term. The more you become familiar with coaching the more you can coach yourself. You will only need more coaching for stepping up a big notch.

If you are seeking coaching for overcoming difficulties of the same level, your coach has failed in his intent.

Testimonials

As non-native English, I had a somewhat limited vocabulary. You not only encouraged me with practical suggestion on my first scientific paper, but also guided me in reorganizing critically descriptive parts that were a real issue in the cooperation with my supervisor.

There was a time in which I felt to have crossed a boundary and that you would have never helped me again. Well, I was hugely surprised at how you managed to overcome all of that, and we swiftly moved to finish the manuscript.

Being a mature student, I had some important issues in programming my PhD, based on numerical modelling. I learned how to be more assertive, use my time more effectively, and set some priorities from the first year of my project.

Latest from Blog

Start Your PhD Coaching Today

Complete the application form and I will get back to you with details of my availability and the next steps.

Thank you for applying!

I will get back to you shortly. In the meantime, check out my blog or read more about me .

Ready to get started?

Fill this application form ONLY if you intend to join one of the coaching packages

(All the entries in this form will be treated as strictly confidential and will be destroyed if you do not accept to join)

PhD Unplugged

The coaching podcast for PhD students

Welcome to PhD Unplugged

Juggling all the different tasks in your phd can be tough. how to start when work is piling up how to perform well when there is so much pressure how to relax when work is always on your mind how to make plans when the future is uncertain in 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐔𝐧𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝, we bring together phd students and professional coaches. every podcast episode, we will talk about common struggles and how to overcome them., listen to us on.

Writing is a crucial part of everyone’s PhD journey. Yet, for most of us it does not come easy and can be a source of frustration. In this episode, PhD student Willemijn Helmich talks to academic writing coach Jeanine de Bruin about the challenge of writing a dissertation next to a full-time job, how to integrate writing into a busy working schedule and how to make it a more meaningful and fun activity.

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Coaching for PhD students

As a PhD student you might benefit from a conversation with a professional PhD coach. You have the opportunity to discuss matters with the PhD coach that go beyond the professional part of your PhD study. You are able to discuss issues which you might not feel comfortable discussing with your principal supervisor. You are also able to rely on the PhD coach for advice on issues of a more personal character affecting your study. The PhD coach is bound to observe professional secrecy.

If you recognize your own situation in the following statements, you might benefit from a constructive dialogue with the coach in order to continue your studies in a more productive manner: 

• I am completely stuck in my work and I see no way out of the situation
• I get stressed because I cannot prioritize my work
• I cannot find enough time to read what I need to and I am blocked in my writing process
• I do not communicate well with my professor and I get nervous before our meetings
• I start to question the purpose of my PhD project
• I am having trouble presenting and disseminating my subject of study
• I am having trouble getting the peace to work
• Other issues?

If you want to book a coaching session, please contact the TEK PhD Coach at this  e-mail .

The PhD School at The Faculty of Engineering University of Southern Denmark

• Campusvej 55
• Odense M - DK-5230
• Phone: +45 6550 7433
• Send E-mail

Last Updated 14.08.2023

Online Coaching for Doctoral Students

Are you a doctoral student at the University of Bonn and in a difficult phase of your PhD project? Do you need help and suggestions to overcome it? Then you have come to the right place!

Upcoming dates:

• August 27, 2024 (waiting list)
• September 27, 2024 (waiting list)
• October 24, 2024
• One day a month you can book one of a total of four 90-minute slots in which you can discuss your concerns online with our coaches.
• The coaching is offered in both German and English.
• Our offer targets doctoral students in all phases of their doctorate and is free of charge.
• It is a one-time coaching offer and not an accompanying coaching.
• The doctoral coaching sessions are carried out exclusively by coaches with expertise in academia who can relate to the specific concerns and issues doctoral students face.
• All processes are subject to a confidentiality agreement.

What is coaching?

Coaching is a goal- and process-oriented dialogical process. The clients are seen as experts for their concerns and their individual background, so no ready-made solutions are presented. Rather, clients are supported in developing and implementing their own individual solutions during the coaching session. This happens, for example, through a change of perspective, the recognition of patterns, a deeper understanding of the problem in dialogic exchange or the awareness of one's own resources.

Possible coaching topics

• Overcoming difficulties in writing the doctoral thesis
• Constructive handling of conflicts
• Self-management in everyday doctoral studies
• Clarification and strengthening of one's own role as a doctoral student
• Stress management, burn-out prophylaxis
• Preparation for challenging situations
• Dealing with biographical transitions: Study/doctorate and preparation for the time after the doctorate
• Dealing with self-doubts and insecurities
• Doubts about the doctorate

I need further advice. What can I do?

An overview of the psychological and social counseling offers at the University of Bonn as well as further information can be found here:

Dates for 2024/2025

• 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
• 10:30 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.
• 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Registration deadline: August 20, 2024

• 9.00 a.m. - 10.30 a.m.
• 10.45 a.m. - 12.15 p.m.
• 2.00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m.

Registration deadline: September 20, 2024

• 11.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
• 4.00 p.m. - 5.30 p.m..

Registration deadline: October 17, 2024

Registration deadline: November 22, 2024

Registration deadline: January 20, 2025

Registration

Register now for your online coaching appointment!

Our coaches

Dr. taiya mikisch.

Advisory focus and profile

Advisory Focus:

• Mindfulness and resilience as key features for navigating the academic field
• Mindfulness techniques as tools for stress management and self-care during the doctoral phase: assessing one’s individual capacities realistically, establishing body awareness, supporting health-promoting behaviour, dealing well with acute stress
• Establishing resource-orientation
• Defining values and purpose of one’s work to help navigate professional decisions and prioritize tasks well
• Dealing with imposter-experiences, finding a healthy attitude towards mistakes and failures
• Easing perfectionism and self criticism through mindful self-compassion
• Freelance resilience- and mindfulness trainer in the academic field
• Doctorate in dance studies
• Long term experience in the academic field
• Supporting doctoral students from different universities and research institutions
• Qualifications in the facilitation methods Theory U and Social Presencing Theater by Otto Scharmer and Arawana Hayashi
• Trainer of MBST 1.0, a mindfulness program developed for students by Achtsam.Digital/Achtsame Hochschulen

Prof. Dr. Martin Zierold

Advisory focus:

• What comes after graduation: career paths inside and outside the university
• Professional goals: developing perspectives, formulating personal goals and needs
• Clarify conflicts in supervision and elsewhere
• Self-care and self-control: dealing with crises & dilemmas
• Self-management and self-organization: from time management to time sovereignty
• Shaping change and bringing it to success
• Communication and leadership, working in teams 
• Professor for cultural management at the HfMT (Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg) with focus on organizational development & strategy
• Practical experience in culture, media, foundations and science management
• PhD in communication science
• Certified coach (systemic coaching and change management, ineko institute at the University of Cologne)
• Freelance coach, trainer and consultant since 2010

Dr. Majana Beckmann

• Reconciling doctorate and family
• Manage task diversity and structure yourself
• Overcome writer's block and procrastination phases
• Deal with low motivation, crises and self-doubt
• As an introverted scientist, use your strengths consciously
• Keep your nerves in the final phase
• Approach the disputation confidently and well prepared
• Systemic consultant, emTrace®-Coach, coach for doctoral students
• PhD in linguistics. Studies of General Linguistics, English and Romance Languages in Osnabrück and Southampton
• Several years of experience in academic teaching, in media and university didactic consulting as well as in adult education
• Self-employed coach and trainer with a focus on doctoral studies since 2018
• Owner of KLARwärts; coaching for doctoral students ( https://www.klarwaerts-coaching.de ) and zartherzig; coaching for highly sensitive women ( https://www.zartherzig-coaching.de )

Patrik Kutzer

[email protected]

+49 228 73-60221

Get to know our numerous orientation and support offerings.

Learn about the numerous funding opportunities and grants for doctoral students.

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Find out what's new and see upcoming events.

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Contact us  to discuss your interests and previous education, and how they can match up to your chosen Fielding doctoral program.

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Dean of Faculty Kathy Geller, Ph.D. As a former Drexel University faculty member, I have a tremendous fondness for the southeastern PA region and its family of colleges and universities. This is why I’m excited to share with former Cabrini students Fielding’s academic pathway for you to finish your PhD degree. — Dr. Kathy Geller, Dean of Faculty

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Your roadmap to PhD success: freshman year advice for aspiring researchers

By JOHN CINTRON | August 19, 2024

COURTESY OF JOHN CINTRON

Cintron sitting at his workspace on the 9th floor lab, part of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute.

First off, welcome to the Nest! As a freshman, you’re probably not even sure what you want to pursue yet or you might simply be feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities you can take with your life and career path. As someone who’s tried it all — Pre-Med, Economics, Consulting, Marketing, Filmmaking, Engineering and much more — I can safely say that acquiring a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is the end goal that I intend to achieve.

To apply for a doctorate program, you need to maintain excellent grades and demonstrate your ability to manage a rigorous course load with other extracurricular and leadership activities. However, joining a lab (wet: manipulating liquids, biological matter and chemicals or dry: computational, physics and engineering) and beginning to work on actual research at university is arguably the most important thing you can do as a pre-PhD, pre-MD-PhD or even pre-med freshman. This will not be your average Chemistry lab experience as it will allow you opportunities to partake in independent research.

Independent research has been my greatest academic passion for as long as I can remember, from winning high school science fairs to participating in various forms of undergraduate research. As an undergraduate, I am motivated to pursue independent research in order to gain as much exposure and training as possible before beginning a Ph.D. program. I am interested in working in a research lab at Hopkins, not only because of how renowned the institution is for research, but also to make the most of my college education. 

Here’s what you need to do to get into a research lab as a freshman. Be ready to scour the internet; look around at all of the research labs Hopkins offers. Find what you think suits your current interests. Look into ForagerOne , an online platform designed specifically to connect undergraduate students with Faculty conducting research. You can look into department websites as well for faculty research profiles.You already made it here, which was the hardest part! Hopkins, being the nation’s oldest and best-funded research university, allows you access to labs that conduct cutting-edge research in their respective fields, so there is no shortage of opportunities.

​​Once you find a lab that resonates with you, reach out to the principal investigator (PI) of that lab by using your Hopkins email. Cold emails truly work best, as long as you keep it concise and make it known that you’re willing to commit to the research. You’ll end up meeting the PI or a post-doctoral researcher in the lab, which is where you can each lay out your expectations to one another (in terms of research, time commitment, recommendations, etc.) and see if the lab is a good fit for you. You’re going to want to start this process sooner rather than later!

Even if you end up realizing you don’t have a passion for or enjoy the lab you’re in as a freshman, that’s perfectly normal; you simply need experience. Many students switch labs for sophomore year and beyond!

Additionally, a research experience at Hopkins can be helpful to secure your dream summer research experience. My research experiences at Hopkins allowed me to realize my passion for working in the lab, even in the midst of my busy class schedule. I realized being a part of a summer research experience would allow me to put a 100% focus on my research and cultivate my interests further. 

You will not only be able to gain practical skills from your lab, but you can also ask for a letter of recommendation from your supervisor. Most REU programs value your letter of recommendation the most, so you need to make good impressions as a student researcher in your lab as early as possible, since applications have due dates around January/February.

This past summer, I was given the amazing opportunity to conduct research in the field of Neuroimmunology at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard as a participant in the Broad Summer Research Program. I gained so many useful skills from this REU, including improving my scientific writing, quickly learning extensive information about my specific field of research, creating an engaging research poster and delivering effective scientific presentations. 

REUs allow you to use your summer to conduct meaningful research and expand your network. The wide array of skills I gained from participating in an REU will allow me to more thoroughly engage and contribute ideas in my research lab back at Hopkins!

Again, good luck as you begin your academic journey, and welcome to the Nest!

John Cintron is a sophomore from Fort Myers, Fla. majoring in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He is a News Writer for The News-Letter.

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The fundamentals of academic writing (Online Course for PhD students)

By james hayton, phd.

8-week online course, starts 12th August 2024

• Detailed video tutorials and exercises
• Writing Feedback
• Weekly live Q&A sessions
• Members-only forum for community support
• Ongoing support after the course ends (including access to future iterations of the course)

€750 | US$800 | £630* Or access with PhD academy membership

*The final price may vary depending on the sales tax rate in your country or state

If you've already purchased the course, log in below to access!

I wish I'd been able to take this course much earlier in my PhD—it would have saved me so much time and stress!

Does any of this sound familiar?

You have so much information in your head that you don’t know where to start or how to fit it all together

You’ve written countless pages, but nothing is finished and nothing seems good enough

You’re stuck in a cycle of endless drafts

You’re discovering new material faster than you can get it on the page

You’ve just become disengaged from writing and can’t bring yourself to face it any more

You are not alone…

Academic writing is one of the biggest sources of stress for PhD students worldwide. But despite this, there’s very little in the way of training in this essential skill.

Much of the advice that does exist will tell you;

“Don’t think, just keep getting words down on the page. And if you get stuck, just write about something else. This gives you something to work with and edit later.”

This might help you overcome some resistance to writing and it can help you feel productive in the short-term, but in the longer term it causes more problems than it solves;

If you don’t think and just write whatever first comes to mind, you can never go beyond the obvious.

Details and accuracy matter in academic writing: If you don’t think then you might build an argument on a flawed premise

It results in a mess that’s very hard to edit (and the more you write this way, the harder it becomes)

It doesn’t tell you anything about how to write well and going as fast as you can is a terrible way to learn any skill

It trains the habit of avoiding the problems that arise (so you never learn how to solve them)

It places the difficult thinking work at the end, when you have the least time and the most pressure

An alternative approach to academic writing…

I see academic writing as a problem-solving process. When you want to communicate an idea, there are countless different ways to do it; different ways to arrange words and ideas to get your argument across. The skill lies in making deliberate, confident choices from these different options.

This can feel overwhelming at first, but with some guiding principles and practice it gets much easier!

To practice effectively, we need to slow down . Instead of writing as fast as we can, we need to give ourselves a little time to figure out solutions to the problems that arise.

This actually helps us to write faster in the long-term, because we learn how to make decisions and solve problems in the moment instead of leaving it all for later. This, in turn, makes it possible to actually complete sections of writing as you go, which helps to maintain motivation and confidence.

Why is writing so difficult, and what can we do about it?

Course structure.

Throughout this course you will;

• Learn a different way of thinking about writing
• Practice specific exercises to improve your writing skills
• Write text you can use in your thesis or publications
• Get feedback on your writing to raise it to the next level
• Learn how to approach each chapter with confidence

Module 1: How to practice good writing on a small scale

Module 2: linking ideas and building a narrative, module 3: introductions, module 4: working with academic literature, module 5: how to write a literature review, module 6: methods and methodology, module 7: results and discussion, module 8: conclusions, weekly schedule.

Mondays: Weekly forum updates: Share your successes and struggles in the forum

Wednesday Q&A: Join our weekly live zoom calls and ask me anything!

Feedback Fridays: Get regular feedback on sections of your writing and the course writing exercises

Frequently asked questions

I'm still at an eary stage of my phd, will the course help me.

I think writing is an essential skill and it's good to start practicing early. Some of the course materials might not be useful to you yet, but you can always come back to those modules later.

You'll also be able to take part in future iterations of the course at no extra cost.

When are the live sessions and what do they cover?

The live sessions are an opportunity to ask questions and talk about anything related to academic writing or your PhD in general (because often your ability to write my be affected by other aspects of your research).

The live sessions are every Wednesday at 9 am and 4 pm CET (Central European Time). If you can't make the live sessions then you can submit a question in advance and listen to the recording.

If I miss the live sessions, can I watch them later?

Yes! You can submit a question in advance and watch the recording later.

How long do I have access after the course ends?

Writing is a difficult skill that takes practice, so you might want to go through the course more than once.

After the course ends, you keep access to all the tutorials and live session recordings and you’ll be able to join future versions of the course (including the live sessions and writing feedback sessions) at no extra cost .

How does the writing feedback work?

Unlike many PhD supervisors, I don't like to wait until you have a complete draft before giving feedback. It's much more effective to give feedback early and often while it's still a work in progress so we can identify what you need to work on.

Each week throughout the course, we'll have Feedback Fridays: submit a short section of something you're working on and I'll record a video with feedback on your work.

Please be aware that these feedback videos will be visible to other students on the course, but never shared elsewhere.

Do you offer proofreading or English language tuition?

No. It's better to contact a specialist proofreader or language tutor if you need one.

I focus on writing skills; primarily how to structure your ideas in a way that someone else can follow. Once you can do that, it's easy for a proofreader to take care of any typos or grammatical errors.

Can I pay in installments?

Payment in instalments is available for students based in USA, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom . This is a limitation of the payment/ course hosting platform.

Select your currency, click on sign up and then select Klarna, affirm or AfterPay as a payment option

Can I pay in my local currency?

Yes! If your currency isn't shown as an option, use the contact form below and request a payment link in your local currency.

How to join the course

Please select your preferred currency from the list below and click on the sign up button . This will redirect you to a checkout page to complete your registration and access the course.

Payment in installments is currently only available for students in: USA, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom . To pay in installments, click on the signup button below and then select Klarna, Affirm or AfterPay as a payment option at checkout.

Select your currency

The final price may vary depending on the sales tax rate in your country/ state

Any questions?

Useful links, about james hayton, phd, latest phd tips, phd coaching.

AI-free zone

All the text on this site (and every word of every video script) is written by me, personally, because I enjoy writing. I enjoy the challenges of thinking deeply and finding the right words to express my ideas. I do not advocate for the use of AI in academic research and writing, except for very limited use cases.

See: Why you shouldn't rely on AI for PhD research and writing

• The Graduate School >
• Beyond the Classroom >
• Graduate Professional Development >
• Graduate Professional Development for Doctoral Students >

Pathway to the PhD Micro-credential

Early PhDs can uncover the essential knowledge and skills needed to succeed in graduate school and beyond through the Pathway to the PhD—Preparing for Success micro-credential. Utilizing the book  A Field Guide to Grad School Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum  by Jessica McCrory Calarco, this micro-credential will target doctoral students over one semester.

What will you learn?

Uncover the hidden curriculum of graduate school that you are just expected to know or learn on your own. In this micro-credential, you will learn how to:

• Choose an advisor and build your own team. 
• Get funding for your work.
• Stay on track throughout your PhD. 
• Publish and promote your work. 
• Navigate the job market.
• Participate in and attend conferences.

Upon completion of the micro-credential, you will gain the knowledge and skills that are essential for navigating every step of your PhD journey.

Who is eligible to participate?

This micro-credential is currently offered to University at Buffalo Presidential, Schomburg and Graduate School Fellows. 

Requirements

Upon registering for the micro-credential, participants will gain access to the micro-credential within the Brightspace learning management system. There are a total of eleven modules, which should be completed in sequential order.

Each module includes a video, assessment and an enhance your experience section. The enhance your experience section is optional but is highly recommended for you to get the most out of the micro-credential. Participants must watch the video and complete the corresponding assignment in order to move forward to the next module. To successfully earn the micro-credential, all eleven modules must be completed.

Module 1: Welcome to UB.

Module 2: Understanding Your Department and Jargon at UB.

Module 3:  Building Your Network.

Module 4:  Staying on Track and Tracking Progress.

Module 5:  Understanding and Finding Funding.

Module 6:  Writing at the Graduate Level and Publishing.

Module 7:  Teaching in Graduate School.

Module 8:  Promoting and Talking About Your Research.

Module 9:  Participating in and Attending Conferences.

Module 10:  Navigating the Job Market.

Module 11:  The Balancing Act of Graduate School.

For more information and to register, please email Elizabeth Colucci at [email protected] . 

Visit the Office of Micro-Credentials website to learn more about micro-credentials and digital badges.

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• Carpe Careers

Rethinking Professional Development for Grad Students

Laura Kuizin describes how to create opportunities that go beyond the classroom and prepare students for the dynamic workforce they’ll soon enter.

By  Laura Kuizin

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As director of the master of applied professional studies (M.A.P.S.) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , I’ve seen firsthand how transformative a well-designed professional development program can be for graduate students. My 15 years in higher education have driven home a simple truth: Preparing graduate students for success goes well beyond academic performance. It demands a personalized and integrated approach—one that arms students with the skills, insights and networks necessary for them to excel in a variety of career paths.

When I began my career in higher education, the focus was almost entirely on preparing students for academic careers. But times have changed. Today, an increasing number of graduate students are exploring diverse career paths, both within and outside academia. This shift requires us to rethink our approach to professional development.

I remember a conversation with a talented mathematics student who had just been accepted into a Ph.D. program. She was excited but also anxious about how her skills might transfer to a nonacademic career if that became her path. She wasn’t alone in her concerns; many students I met with echoed similar sentiments across the College of Sciences and Mathematics. It became clear that our professional development offerings needed to adapt to these evolving needs.

In this piece, I’d like to share some of the strategies we’ve found most effective in creating professional development opportunities that extend beyond the classroom and help prepare students for the dynamic workforce they’re about to enter.

Unlocking potential. The starting point for any impactful professional development program is understanding where each student stands. We need to help them identify their strengths, areas for growth and the skills they may not even realize they have. In the M.A.P.S. program, students complete a variety of skills, values and strengths assessments during their first semester. These comprehensive skills assessments have been invaluable in tailoring individualized development plans.

I was surprised to discover how many students are unaware of or undervalue their existing skills. For example, one student athlete with a background in retail didn’t recognize the value of her teamwork and customer service experience in other fields. Uncovering these hidden strengths not only boosted her confidence but also provided a clear direction for her professional growth.

Moving from classroom to career. Exploring diverse career paths is essential for grad students, and it’s important not to stop at the obvious choices. Creativity in career exploration can lead to surprising and rewarding outcomes. Alumni panels, informational interviews and job shadowing are just a few ways to broaden students’ perspectives.

One of our recent M.A.P.S. graduates, for example, teamed up with another M.A.P.S. alum to launch an LLC offering basketball training camps for youth in underserved communities around the world. I spoke with him last week as they were preparing to offer a three-day camp to over 150 youth in Hong Kong. They combined their academic knowledge with their passion for sports and community service, demonstrating that a fulfilling career can be crafted by thinking outside the box.

Learning by doing. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience when it comes to applying classroom knowledge in the real world. Internships, consulting projects, volunteering and community engagement initiatives allow students to apply their skills in real-world settings. These experiences not only build practical skills but often open doors to unexpected career paths. Through short-term projects, in particular, students can engage with various industries, often leading them to opportunities they hadn’t initially considered.

Building bridges. Effective mentorship is crucial for any professional development program. By connecting students with both academic and industry professionals, we provide them with the guidance and networks that are crucial for their career advancement.

The most successful mentorships I’ve witnessed are those where both mentor and mentee bring distinct perspectives to the table. For example, one of our M.A.P.S. students with a nursing background partnered with a dean from the school of nursing and a Ph.D. candidate in computer science. Their collaboration resulted in an innovative program aimed at addressing the nurse-educator shortage—an excellent example of how interdisciplinary mentorship and collaboration can lead to groundbreaking solutions.

Communicating with confidence. The ability to effectively communicate is vital in any career, and we emphasize its importance through workshops and courses on both academic and nonacademic writing, presentation skills and digital communication. Practical, interactive sessions such as mock interviews and elevator-pitch competitions help students build the confidence they need to excel in professional settings.

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Leading the way. Leadership and teamwork are essential skills for future success. We offer a variety of opportunities for students to develop such abilities through group projects, student-led initiatives and leadership roles within graduate student organizations.

At the university where I previously worked, we developed a STEM ambassador program to which students applied and interviewed for leadership roles. This program, which was eventually led entirely by students, became a powerful tool for developing leadership, event management and teamwork skills.

Making ethical and responsible decisions. Incorporating ethics and professional responsibility into our professional development programs is essential. These elements ensure that students are prepared to navigate the many complex situations they will encounter and thorny decisions they will have to make throughout their careers.

Keeping pace with technology. In today’s digital world, tech savviness is nonnegotiable, so we should offer graduate students training in relevant technology and digital tools. That could include artificial intelligence workshops, data analysis software and project management tools. In the M.A.P.S. program, introducing data visualization tools has led to significant improvements in the creativity and quality of students’ assignments and capstone projects.

Sparking innovation. Encouraging students to explore entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship is another key component of professional development. Provide resources and training for students interested in entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship. This can include workshops on business plan development, start-up funding and innovation processes. Exposure to programs such as Innovate Carolina can spark creativity and lead to successful start-up ventures for our graduates.

Balancing life and work. Graduate students are juggling numerous demands, and helping them manage these effectively is crucial. Incorporating wellness and work-life balance into our professional development offerings helps students develop sustainable career practices. We’ve seen the benefits of mindfulness and stress management workshops, which equip students with skills that will serve them well beyond graduation.

Tips for Continuous Improvement and Success

Creating an impactful professional development program is an ongoing effort. Here are a few strategies that have worked well for us:

• Collaborate across departments. Partner with career services, alumni relations and various academic departments to build a comprehensive program.
• Leverage alumni networks. Engage alumni to provide insights, mentorship and job opportunities for current students.
• Stay current with industry trends. Regularly update your program to reflect the latest industry needs and trends.
• Gather and act on feedback. Continuously seek feedback from students, alumni and employers to refine and improve your offerings.
• Make it inclusive. Ensure that your program addresses the diverse needs of your student population, including international students and those from underrepresented groups.

Creating successful professional development programs for graduate students is both a challenge and an opportunity. It requires an ongoing commitment to integrated education, a willingness to innovate and a deep understanding of the diverse paths our students may take.

To ensure that our professional development efforts are most effective and to continue to improve them, we’ve established clear metrics for success. Key indicators include postgraduation employment rates, job satisfaction, student participation and feedback from employers.

One of my proudest moments was receiving an email from a former student who credited her professional development experiences with giving her the skills and confidence to successfully pivot her career from academia to industry. Such stories are a testament to the long-term benefits of our work.

In fact, as the M.A.P.S. program continues to evolve, I’m continually inspired by the creativity, resilience and success of our students and alumni. By providing students with robust professional development opportunities, we’re not just preparing them for their first job after graduation—we’re equipping them with the skills, mindset and networks to thrive throughout their careers.

I encourage all graduate program professionals to view professional development not as an add-on but as an integral part of graduate education. The investment we make in these programs and experiences pays off not only in the success of our students but also in the positive impact they will have in their chosen fields and society at large.

What innovative approaches to professional development have you implemented in your programs? How are you preparing your graduate students for the ever-changing workforce? Let’s keep this important conversation going and work together to create truly impactful professional development opportunities for our graduate students.

Laura Kuizin is director of the master of applied professional studies in the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a member of the Graduate Career Consortium, an organization providing an international voice for graduate-level career and professional development leaders.

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• PhD Funding in the USA – A Guide for 2024

PhD Funding in the USA

Written by Ben Taylor

Many of the world’s top research universities are based in the USA, so it’s no surprise that it’s an extremely popular destination for PhD students.

Although the USA has a reputation for being an expensive place to study, there are also some fantastic opportunities for PhD funding (including many fully-funded PhD programmes for international students).

This page will give you an introduction to the cost of a typical doctorate in the USA, as well as a guide to some of the most generous forms of PhD funding available at American universities.

On this page

American phd funding – what you need to know first.

As we’ve already mentioned, the USA has an expensive reputation – but you shouldn’t let that put you off.

There’s a reason why such a large number of American universities can be found among the top-ranked in the world: many institutions have huge budgets and endowments, allowing them to offer generous fully-funded PhD scholarships to graduate students (regardless of nationality).

These are a few key points to bear in mind when beginning your search for PhD funding in the USA:

• Public universities in the United States differentiate between in-state and out-of-state when it comes to fees, so you won’t necessarily be charged more than an out-of-state domestic student if you’re an international student
• Private universities don’t distinguish between domestic and international students
• It’s common for universities to offer ‘full-ride’ PhD scholarships to talented grad students
• The Fulbright Commission administers several funding schemes for international students to complete their research in the USA
• Federal student loans are available to US nationals

The cost of a PhD in the USA

With a huge range of universities offering PhD programmes in the USA it’s no surprise that American PhD fees vary a lot. They also tend to be exaggerated or otherwise misreported based on very high figures for prestigious Ivy League universities. These aren’t typical.

Actual fees vary between public and private institutions and sometimes depend on a students’ residency status:

• Public institutions charge an average of $12,394 per year for in-state students on graduate programmes. Be aware that fees for out-of-state students (including international students) are higher than this.
• Private institutions charge an average of $26,621 per year for all students on graduate programmes.

These figures are based on data published by the US National Center for Education Statistics . As a general rule, public institutions will be cheaper than private institutions, but will charge a higher out-of-state fee to international students. This can mean that the actual difference in fees is smaller than it seems above. Private institutions, on the other hand, may have more funding available.

The best way to get a sense of the tuition fees you will actually pay for a US PhD is to look up a few programmes in your subject and compare their prices. Just make sure you’re comparing the same thing: some universities will list fees per year, whereas others may list fees per semester or per credit.

In-state vs out-of-state

US universities don’t distinguish between international students and domestic fees in the same way as the UK. But public universities do differentiate between students from inside or outside their state. This is because ‘in-state’ students have their education partly subsidised by their state government. As an international student you’ll pay the same fee as a US student from ‘out-of-state’.

Living costs

The sheer size of the USA makes it almost impossible to offer accurate figures for student living costs across all 50 states. So we haven’t. You should definitely include this in your research and preparation though. Some parts of the USA are much more affordable than others. Your university’s international office may be able to help provide a sense of typical graduate student expenses for rent, groceries and travel.

See our guide to living in the USA during a PhD for more advice.

Other expenses

American universities will usually charge additional fees for processing graduate school applications. You’ll also need to budget for admissions tests, language tests and your visa.

Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarships

The US-UK Fulbright Commission is an organisation dedicated to fostering research connections between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Every year they offer postgraduate scholarships to talented British students to help them study at an American university (and vice versa).

A Fulbright Postgraduate Award offers the following benefits:

• A contribution towards your tuition fees (this could cover the first year of fees or fully-fund the entire degree, depending on the award and institution)
• Health insurance cover
• Visa sponsorship

Fulbright Scholars will also gain valuable networking opportunities through a global alumni organisation, as well as support during their studies from the Institute of International Education (IIE).

There are a range of Fulbright Postgraduate Awards available, with some providing a fully-funded PhD degree and others only offering a one-year tuition fee waiver. You can check out the Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarships on their website.

Eligibility for Fulbright Postgraduate Awards

The main eligibility requirement for a US-UK Fulbright Award is, unsurprisingly, that you must be a British citizen. However, if you’re a foreign national settled in the UK you may also be able to apply.

You’ll also need an undergraduate result of at least a 2.1 (although a 2.2 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis).

As the primary goal of the US-UK Fulbright Commission is to foster new connections between the countries, the ideal candidate won’t have spent more than six months in the United States already.

Applying for a Fulbright Postgraduate Award

The application process for a Fulbright Award usually opens in August, with a deadline in early November.

You’ll need to make an online application with the following documents/details:

• Academic transcripts
• Passport photo
• Personal statement
• Research objectives

You’ll also need to complete a separate application to the university you want to do your PhD at.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview in the following February.

Other Fulbright PhD scholarships

The above information focuses on the US-UK Fulbright Commission, which is part of a much larger network of organisations devoted to helping talented international students attend American universities.

Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Fellowships , for example, offer Indian students the chance to complete a funded research placement (six to nine months) in the USA.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program provides Nigerian doctoral students with the opportunity to conduct PhD research in the United States.

Fulbright Germany’s Doktorand:innenprogramm (PhD student programme) is a similar scheme to help German researchers complete work in the USA.

You can view Fulbright programmes by country on the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs website.

University PhD scholarships

It’s actually very common for US universities to provide fully-funded PhD programmes for international students, and relatively rare for successful candidates on graduate programmes to be entirely self-funding. The ‘sticker price’ for a US PhD may seem high, but it’s probably not the price you’ll end up paying.

Funding will take various forms. ‘Full-ride’ PhD scholarships will cover fees, living costs and other expenses. Other common options include partial fee discounts or full fee waivers.

In general, private universities will have more funding than public universities (though they will also have higher fees). You can search some of the PhD funding available using an official tool provided by Education USA . These results aren’t exhaustive though: make sure you also check with the university you are considering.

We’ve done some of the leg-work for you and produced a list of international PhD scholarships available at some of the top American universities, which you can check out below.

Assistantships

As well as awarding direct funding, it’s common for US universities to offer assistantship positions to their graduate students. These are effectively a form of employment with the university : you will fulfil a selection of responsibilities in exchange for a stipend or a fee waiver.

Common types of assistantship include:

• Graduate teaching assistantships – These involve teaching and mentoring undergraduate students on courses related to your subject. Responsibilities may include leading discussion groups, supervising essays and helping with course admin. Graduate students doing this kind of work are sometimes referred to as ‘TAs’ (teaching assistants) or ‘adjunct faculty’. Find out more about graduate teaching assistantships .
• Research assistantships – These involve helping faculty with their research. Responsibilities may include collecting and recording routine data, monitoring experiments or helping set up equipment.
• Administrative assistantships – These involve clerical, administrative and secretarial work for the university or graduate programme. Responsibilities may include data entry and management, assisting with meetings and other activities or helping with other routine office tasks.
• Fellowships – These don’t involve additional work but may be conditional on maintaining a certain standard for your academic work or pursuing particular directions with your research.

Graduate teaching assistantships and research assistantships are the most common types of assistantship, but it’s worth checking to see what different universities offer.

Federal grants and aid

National science foundation (nsf) graduate research fellowship program (grfp).

The National Science Foundation’s GRFP is a long-established federal grant scheme for talented STEM graduate students in the USA, providing the opportunity of a fully-funded PhD. Past fellows include over 40 Nobel laureates.

The GRFP offers the following financial benefits over a three-year period:

• $37,000 annual stipend
• Tuition fee allowance of $12,000 (paid directly to the university)

Applicants for the NSF GRFP must be:

• American citizens, permanent residents or nationals
• Graduate students beginning a research-based Masters or PhD degree in a STEM subject
• Embarking on Masters or PhD study for the first time

As you might expect, competition for these prestigious fellowships is high, with around 12,000 applications for 2,000 places.

There are four main elements to an NSF GRFP application:

• Graduate research plan statement
• Two or three reference letters

The deadline for submitting these documents is usually mid to late October, with the results announced at the beginning of April.

You can find out more on the NSF GRFP website .

Federal Student Aid for US students

If you’re a US citizen, you may be able to receive financial aid from the government to help fund your studies. Generally, international students are not eligible to apply except in very specific circumstances .

You’ll also need to have financial need, but there is no income cut-off to qualify for financial aid. Rather, there are several factors considered when assessing your application.

Unlike undergraduate students, Masters and PhD applicants are considered independent for financial aid purposes, meaning only your own income and assets are taken into account, as opposed to your parents’.

The types of federal aid available for postgraduate students include:

#1 Federal loans

Loans available for Masters students include Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS Loans .

For Direct Unsubsidized Loans , your university determines how much money you’re eligible to receive, up to an upper limit that depends on your personal circumstances. Find out more about Direct Unsubsidized Loan limits. Interest rates are currently set at 7.05% for the 2023-24 year.

Direct PLUS Loans don’t award a set amount. Instead, you can borrow up to the full cost of your Masters programme, minus any other forms of financial support you are receiving for it. Interest rates are set at 8.05% for the 2023-24 year.

To apply, you’ll need to be studying a course at 50% intensity or more (part-time programmes are eligible for direct plus loans, provided you study on a ‘half-time’ basis or greater). You’ll also need a good credit history to apply a Direct PLUS loan. You won’t normally be able to receive a Direct PLUS Loan if you have a record of credit default or overdue debt for existing loans. In some cases, a parent or other US citizen may endorse your application as a guarantor.

As a Masters student you won’t repay your loan until six months after you cease to be enrolled on your course. Note that this repayment period will normally still come into effect if you exit your graduate programme early.

Actual repayment plans vary, but you can view a set of guides from the US Department of Education .

#2 Work-study

Federal work study provides part-time jobs for US students who have financial need, to help them cover their living costs and tuition fees.

Roles can be on or off campus, and where possible related to your field of study. Off-campus jobs are generally for nonprofit organisations or public agencies, and must be performed in the public interest.

Postgraduate students may be paid by the hour or by salary, depending on the type of role performed. How many hours you’re allowed to work will be determined by your university’s financial aid office.

Federal work-study is generally not available for international students, but there are other ways to earn money alongside your studies. We cover this in our guide to working in the USA as a student .

Applying for financial aid

To apply for financial aid, you’ll need to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Filling in the FAFSA involves creating an online account and receiving a unique FSA ID.

You should have access to the following documents and information when filling in the FAFSA:

• Your social security number
• Your driving license number (if you have one)
• Your Alien Registration Number (of you are not a US citizen)
• Tax documents or tax returns for yourself and your spouse (if married)
• Records of any untaxed income, savings, cash or investments

The FAFSA form for becomes available for course starting the following year on 1 October annually. So if you’re planning to study a Masters or PhD starting in Autumn 2024, you’ll be able to fill in the FAFSA from 1 October 2023 .

The FAFSA deadline for 2023-24 is 30 June 2024 .

Search for a PhD in the USA

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