Short presentation on pointers for future The Open University (UK) students that want to follow a PhD track.

1. Life as a PhD student
at OU
Inge de Waard

2. Background: diversity
• University => PhD: quicker take up career, less experience
• University => job => PhD: more experience, delayed career
start, identity crisis

3. Why PhD?
• Professional career: academic, corporate, project lead …
• Personal development: insight in research and methods
• My reason: more experience in academic methods,
institutions, getting the PhD-experience, job opportunity

4. OU opportunity's for PhD’s
• Learn with peers (exchange and support)
• Post-grad activities
• Seminars (early career information, funding skills)
• Reading sessions (academic literature/discussion)
• Workshops (research methods, critical reading)
• Networking
• Campus social life

5. The supervisors
My experience (2 supervisors):
• Year 1:
• weekly supervisions: clear actions, feedback => result: get
probation report / pilot study started (ethics clearance)
• Presentation opportunities (1000 £ / year)
• Year 2:
• bi-weekly supervisions: support and guidance setting up main
study (data collection & analysis), methods
Different supervisors, different experiences: mutual
understanding, give-&-take (research papers, visibility, academic
rigor)

6. Year 1 => probation report / pilot
4 things thatmake PhD life easier
• propose research that inspires you (intrinsic motivation and
the lone-research journey),
• build a PhD structure in the cloud (build on chapters that will
be part of actual thesis),
• keep shared notes of supervision meetings (easy for progress
reports and keep track of comments that are useful once the
writing up stage starts),
• OU seminars/workshops/knowledge/library to enhance your
(chosen) knowledge.

7. Download application forms
For all applications
• http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-
apply
For PhD applications
• http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-
apply/mphil-and-phd-application-process

8. Visibility& contact
8
E-mail: ingedewaard (at) gmail.com
Blog: ignatiawebs.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Ignatia
Publications:
http://www.ingedewaard.net/pubconsulpres.htm
Presentations: http://www.slideshare.net/ignatia
linkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ingedewaard