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Doing a PhD

Courses

As well as one-to-one supervision (usually with two supervisors), PhD students also undertake the following training:

• First Year PhD Colloquium (Sociology Department, compulsory module)

In their first year of study, students participate in the 1st Year PhD Colloquium, an informal small group workshop with fellow students led by a member of academic staff. Here you will discuss the process of doing PhD level research and work on developing relevant skills.

• PhD Craft Skills Colloquium (Sociology Department, recommended module)

• In the following years, students attend a regular, informal workshop led by an academic member of staff which focuses on developing key skills: proposal writing, publishing, working with data, preparing for a viva, applying for jobs.

• Faculty of Arts and Social Science Research Training Programme (FASS, full range of optional modules)
• Students are encouraged to take modules from the FASS Research Training Programme in the early years of their degree. Some of these are offered by members of the Sociology Department (e.g. Philosophy of the Social Sciences, and Analysing Qualitative Data), but others are led by colleagues in other departments. Courses range in length from half day workshops to one term courses and focus on either theory or methods. Students should negotiate with their supervisors a relevant course of study across the early years of their enrolment. This is a great change to get up to speed on particular theoretical approaches or research methods you need for your PhD.

• Auditing MA level courses (Sociology Department, optional modules)
• All PhD students are invited to attend MA modules in the Department and most do this across their candidature. This means attending classes and participating in class activities, but not doing the written assessment. This is an opportunity to study a relevant area in depth and in a structured way, to work with your supervisor, or another member of staff, usually in a small group (less than 20 students).

Departmental Research Events

PhD students are encouraged to participate fully in Departmental research events, including Departmental seminars, and seminars, workshops and conferences run by research centres and clusters. You should also keep your eyes out for similar events in other departments – there are probably 3 or 4 events every week that could be of interest!

Students are also involved in running student-led workshops and seminars on a regular basis. The Science and Technology Studies Postgraduate Conference (held in January each year) is one excellent example. Here students present their work, and receive feedback from members of the Centre for Science Studies as well as their peers.

Sociology Summer Conference

All students are expected to present their work at our annual Summer Conference. This is an opportunity to present your work to peers from Lancaster and other universities (people come from all over the UK and internationally) and to receive feedback from members of staff who run themed panels. Members of staff also present and engage in events aimed at exploring relevant theories and ideas. It’s usually a lot of fun (see webpage for documentation of previous year’s events). The conference is run by a group of students and a member of staff, so each year volunteers are sought.

Facilities

The department will normally provide shared office space (2-3 graduate students to a room) and access to the university computing system (email, internet, standard software). There is a post room with printing and photocopying machines as well as pigeon holes for post. You will have full access to the excellent university library including its electronic resources. The department has an open 'club spaces' for socialising and informal meetings, with tables, chairs, sofas and excellent kitchen facilities.

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