Graduate Research School
Research Training Programme
Research Training Programme
Undertaking a research degree is of itself a form of on-the-job research training: you will develop a wide range of skills, many transferable, as you progress through your MPhil or PhD. It has been recognised, however, that this “natural” process needs to be supplemented by a more explicit and formalised training programme for research students. The Roberts Report of April 2002, ‘SET for Success: the supply of people with science, technology, engineering and mathematic skills’ commissioned by the government, recommended that research degrees “should include the provision of at least two weeks' dedicated training a year, principally in transferable skills".Worcester’s Research Training Programme develops and enhances the fundamental skills and knowledge needed throughout your research programme and beyond. The programme enable students to continue to develop research skills and to ensure that skills acquired in undertaking an MPhil or PhD can be transferred to the labour market. Following the guidelines of the research councils as set out in the Joint Research Councils Skills Statement, the Programme covers the skills and competencies that postgraduate research students should have acquired by the time they have completed a research degree, if they are to be accepted as professionally trained researchers in their subject. Once acquired these skills will assist you in whatever career you engage in and hence their development should be seen as a high priority.
The Research Training Programme consists of the following elements some of which are mandatory, while others are optional (click on the link for more information):
Subject Specific Research Methods Module
Accreditation for Prior Learning
PG Certificate in Research Methods
Training and Development Workshops for Research Students
PG Work in Progress Seminar Series
The Research Student Conference
Research Training External Links
How the Research Training Programme maps on to the Joint Skills Statement.