Training and development

Undertaking a research degree is about producing an excellent piece of research – but it is also about acquiring and developing new skills. Being a successful researcher requires you to think strategically and carefully about your research and career objectives and the areas that you need to develop.

Throughout your time at the University of Leicester, you will have access to a wide variety of opportunities for training and development through the Doctoral College’s ‘needs-based’ approach to skills and career development.

The key areas addressed in our programme include:

• Research effectiveness: workshops and support focused on how you manage yourself as a researcher throughout your PhD
• Engagement and impact: develop your communication skills and learn how to make your research more impactful by attending our workshops and sessions dedicated to public engagement, communication skills, and research impact
• Methods and tools: resources and training on different types of techniques, methods, and tools you will use to help you with your project
• Personal effectiveness: maximise your effectiveness as a researcher by developing knowledge and skills on a range of subjects including, assertiveness, resilience, leadership and more
• Career management: from working on your CV to helping you understand your skill sets when applying for jobs, we have a strong offering of careers support
• Academic writing: activities and sessions designed to offer you guidance on the writing activities you will be involved in through the research degree cycle. These range from discussions on structuring your thesis to regularly scheduled Thesis Boot Camps for support and encouragement when you are nearing submission
• Advanced training: courses run by expert academics and practitioners covering a variety of topics such as; 
  • NVivo, 
  • methods & Hypothesis testing, 
  • study design, 
  • exploratory analysis & sampling distributions, 
  • linear regression, 
  • GIS for humanities 
  • semi-structured interviews for researchers, 
  • introductions to ethnography, 
  • using focus groups for research, 
  • designing and using questionnaires in your research. 

We also encourage experiential learning by creating a supportive research environment where you can practice your skills by delivering talks, participating in competitions, and other community events.