Postgraduate Prospectus

www.essex.ac.uk | Employability
Employers do value those skills which
studying for a postgraduate degree will
help you develop.
All our new GTAs attend an induction and
training course, and are supervised by
permanent academic staff.
A position as a GTA offers you the chance
to experience teaching in higher education
in a supportive and structured environment.
GTAs can gain credits for their work by
taking module one of the Postgraduate
Certificate in their Higher Education
Practice (PG CHEP).
Opportunities for
PhD students
To complement the research training
you receive in your department, school or
centre, we offer a comprehensive range
of development opportunities to support
your research and enable you to develop
transferable skills that are highly valued
by employers.
Our Essex PhD training programme
This is a variety of courses and workshops
designed to:
n enhance your skills and support your
research study;
n further your career development; and
n enable you to make contact with peers
across our University.
Our programme starts with a
one-day induction course. This includes
understanding the process of studying
for your PhD, planning and project
management, and making the most of your
supervisor. Our courses and workshops
throughout the year cover: applying for a
postdoctoral post; creative problem solving;
effective use of voice; networking and
influencing; presentation skills; presenting
a conference paper; stress management;
surviving the viva; time management; and
writing for publication.
Delivered by Essex staff and external
trainers, our courses include contributions
from our PhD students who are further
ahead with their research or have recently
completed, so you learn from experts
and from your peers. All our courses are
participative and include exercises which
allow you to practice and develop skills.
Our programme includes an annual
GRADschool, a three-day course for your
second or third years. This enables you to
take time from your research and consider
what you would like to do when you
complete your PhD.
Emma Milne, Bishop’s
Stortford, Hertfordshire –
BA History and Sociology
’10, MA History
I did my undergraduate
degree at Essex and found
my Department of History
to be very student-focused,
supportive and encouraging,
meaning I was keen to stay here for
my postgraduate studies.
I wish to work in the public sector,
for example, in the Civil Service,
so decided to use the University’s
Careers Centre to get advice on how
best to get such a job and to find out
about what areas I should focus on in
order to improve my employability.
I have used the Careers Centre for
one-to-one session with a career
adviser, to get feedback on my CV and
advice on interview techniques. I also
attended a course, organised by the
Careers Centre, about working in the
Civil Service. I have found such
careers workshops very useful. In
particular, they have helped me to
focus my research and hone my skills,
as well as showing me how best to
‘sell’ myself to perspective
employers.
Student
profile
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 39