Making the transition to postgraduate study

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Making the transition to postgraduate
study Professor John OHalloran
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Postgraduate Study at UCC

• Huge range of programmes in Four Colleges
• Highly diverse postgraduate population
• - Continuing and returning students
• - Part-time and full-time students
• - International students
• Over 3000 postgraduate students at UCC
• Major focus on postgraduate education at UCC and
  nationally
• Ongoing developments at UCC for postgraduates

Postgraduate research library Opened September
2007
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What is today about?

• Welcome to UCC
• Familiarise with facilities, staff and support
  available
• Challenges of moving to a new University
• - surroundings (any or all of country, city and
  campus)
• - procedures
• - courses
• - staff
• - class
• Help available for settling in!
• - Graduate Studies Office
• - Student services (Library, offices,
  counselling etc.)
• - Students Union
• Time-frame for getting settled is short
  academic year is short, need to hit the ground
  running

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Adjusting to postgraduate study
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So, what the hell am I doing here?

• Why do postgraduate study?

Two general classes of benefits

• Specific academic experience
• Become more knowledgeable about your field or a
  new field
• Learn specific research skills etc.

• B. Non-academic experience
• Learn skills which you would not do at
  undergraduate level, to create a skills base
  which is recognised as suitable or essential for
  certain career opportunities

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The new vision of postgraduate study
Hard skills and knowledge plus soft skills

• What do you know?
• What can you do?
• What have you learned that you can use in other
  circumstances (transferable skills)?

Two key skills for postgraduate students

• Time and project management
• Academic writing and communication

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Planning to plan

• Time is a commodity you do not have enough of!
• Always be asking How can I best use my time?
• Plan ahead
• Learn basic ideas of project management
• Plan out your course duration and learn your key
  deadlines and milestones
• Get organised fast!
• Know that things go wrong (especially research)
• Be careful with computers
• Keep sane get a work-life balance

Chance favours the prepared mind Louis Pasteur
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Why and how do I write?

• Expected writing standards much higher at
  postgraduate level
• Writing assignments, essays, projects, thesis
• Write early, often and well (probably means
  practice) you will get better!
• Get feedback and work to learn
• The key characteristics of modern professional
  academic writing are clarity and originality

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If you have a thesis project what is your
research about?

• Have you a clearly defined research question?
• Have you read the background literature?
• Have you an objective that is achievable and
  clear?
• Why is your research important?
• How can it be tackled? make a plan
• As you go through your research, constantly ask
  yourself
• - why am I doing this?
• - is what I am doing relevant to my objectives?
• - what does this finding mean?
• - how does this fit into my thesis problem?

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• Examine every decision you are making as you go
  about your research
• am I doing things the right and the best way?
• - do I have everything I need and is it working?
• - am I making unjustified assumptions?
• - can I defend my decisions at a later stage?

Every thesis at postgraduate level is a serious
piece of work which you need to take ownership of
and responsibility for
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What do I have to do to finish my degree?

• Complete your coursework and, if appropriate,
  submit a thesis for examination (two stage exam
  process), but check your Programme regulations
• Know from the start what is expected at the end
• Talk to those who have been through the process!

Is there life afterwards?

• Yes whole world of possibilities
• What makes you different?
• Why would someone employ you?
• The soft skills may be what they are looking for!
• Maximise benefits of your study for your future
  career
• Forget limitations broaden your horizons

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What happens next?

• Get settled and familiarise with environment
• Get to grips with timetables, course layout etc.
  (check Calendar on the web)
• Get and use UCC e-mail address
• Learn about course expectations and examination
  requirements
• If you have a research project, learn what is
  expected ASAP
• Make use of expertise in Departments, Colleges
  and central offices (e.g., Graduate Studies
  Office) never be afraid to ask

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What happens next?

• Find out about courses and workshops which may
  help
• Do not get isolated build support networks
  (e.g., study groups etc.)
• Get work (academic and outside UCC)-life balance
  right (all work and no play)
• Think about the future (e.g., talk to Careers
  Service)
• Welcome, good luck and enjoy UCC!

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Graduate Studies Office
Quad
Graduate Studies Office and Deans Office, 2nd
Floor West Wing, Tower End
Library
Contacts
Alan Kelly, Dean of Graduate Studies, dgs_at_ucc.ie,
ext. 2810 Michelle Nelson, Head, Graduate Studies
Office, m.nelson_at_ucc.ie, ext. 3076