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University of Oxford
School of Geography and the Environment

 School of Geography and the Environment

International Graduate School

Provision for Graduate Research Students

What arrangements will be put in place for supervising the graduate's work?

You will have a named supervisor or supervisors as indicated on your offer letter. Some students may be admitted with a main supervisor and a secondary supervisor or two joint supervisors however, those who are admitted with only one supervisor, will be allocated a secondary supervisor at the end of their first year. Your supervisor will have overall responsibility for the direction of your work on behalf of the department. Typically, you should expect to have individual meetings with your supervisor for one hour not less than two to three times each term, but the frequency may vary according to the time of year and the stage you are at in your research programme.

What induction arrangements will be made?

There is a compulsory departmental induction at the beginning of 0th Week in Michaelmas Term (the week before the start of your first term) and all students are expected to attend. This is where you will receive an induction pack of essential information and guidance on the doctoral programme, the department and Oxford University. You will attend meetings on the general rules of the department, the doctoral programme and how to use the department / University computer systems and the University libraries. The induction will also include a social event where new students will have the opportunity to meet each other and to meet existing research students and members of staff and possibly your supervisor. You will need to make contact with your supervisor during this week to arrange a meeting to discuss your studies. Other arrangements will be made for students starting at other times during the year. Information on the induction together with a timetable will be sent to you in the early summer before you come to Oxford.

What workspace will be provided?

Workspace will be available to you until the end of your third year. Priority is given to those in their first and third years. Students extending their studies beyond their third year will not normally be offered workspace. Workspaces do not include computers, though each space has provision for laptops. The School does provide a dedicated computer room for research students.

What IT Support / library facilities / experimental facilities will be available?

The department has a wide range of computing facilities available for use by postgraduates with specialist IT support staff. The IT staff will run several sessions during the induction to give students an opportunity to collect their account details and set up accounts with IT support on hand. IT support is available from the IT Office between 8.30am and 10.00am daily. There is an excellent IT Support page on the departmental Intranet which gives a comprehensive guide to solving computer problems and you can always send an email if you require more specific help.

You will have access to University Libraries and a specialist Geography Librarian is available within the Radcliffe Science Library. You will also have the use of the centrally provided electronic resources. Full details on library provision will be given to you at your induction and can be found on the University of Oxford Libraries website.

The School has a suite of laboratories - an undergraduate teaching laboratory and four research laboratories. In the luminescence laboratory research focuses upon the theory and applications of dating sediments by optically stimulated luminescence. In the geomorphology laboratory work is related to the characterisation and history of sediments, stone and water. In the long-term ecology laboratory researchers study environmental change through pollen and other organic residue in sediments. There is also a computer-based climate-modelling research facility. Full training on the use of these facilities will be given to you when you arrive at the School.

The School maintains its own meteorological station - the Radcliffe Meteorological Station - which has the longest continuous historical record in the UK.

Which research seminars will be available?

You will have access to the departmental seminars which are held each week during term and to those organised from time-to-time by the various research clusters. Information regarding these events can be found in the News and Events section of our website and will be sent via email to you. You will also have the opportunity to access seminars organised by other departments in areas relevant to your research.

What access to research funds will be available?

Third year research students will be able to apply to the Conference Fund (maximum per student £200) for assistance to present a paper at an academic conference appropriate to their research field and approved by their principle supervisor. From time-to-time other competitive funding may become available, full details of which will be advertised on our website.

What formal graduate skills training will be provided?

Research students in the International Graduate School have access to an extensive programme of research student skills training that combines generic training provision and advanced skills development packages tailored to individual students supported by provision of training programmes in the School; the Social Sciences Division; the wider University and specialist courses elsewhere.

The School's D.Phil. Training Programme

The School offers a set of research workshops, seminars and instructional courses that are mandatory for all new research students. To take account of the varied interests of research students, the departmental offerings centre around a core course sequence. The core course comprises the weekly-taught seminar and the regular staff-student research seminar.

  1. Research Context and Tools. Covers research environment and questions of research ethics, intellectual property and research cultures;
  2. Philosophy of the Social Sciences and Key Approaches in Human Geography. Introduces key debates about the changing nature of knowledge in the Social Sciences, Geography and Environmental Studies;
  3. Key Research Skills for Graduate Students. Covers key skills from research presentations, ethics clearance procedures, through thesis writing, and directs students to wider training support available in the University e.g. Divisional and IAUL programmes.

In addition to the above training, those of you undertaking physical geography based research will be able to attend the 'Research Skills for Natural Scientists' course, which is offered in Michaelmas Term. If you require additional numerical (statistical) training this can be provided through the MSc programmes but you will need to contact your supervisor with regard to arranging this. Discussion groups based around critical analysis of published papers are given for all physical geographers in Hilary Term. You will also have research group meetings and seminars during each term.

All first year students should attend the DPhil Training Programmes which are held each week during their first three terms and those which are held during their third year. Full information will be sent to you each term and put on the web site. Any specific training that is not covered by the departmental research training seminars may be arranged in consultation with your supervisor. Research students may also attend some taught MSc modules if relevant to their research with the advanced permission of the MSc course Director.

Social Sciences Divisional Training

The Social Sciences Division organises a 'Social Sciences Doctoral Training' (SSDT) programme covering a range of relevant generic skills which research students are encouraged to attend. Details of the programme are emailed to students via their departments. Please see the Social Sciences Doctoral Training (SSDT) information on the Social Sciences Division website.

University of Oxford Training

Information about training and other courses offered across the University is available through the University SkillsPortal. This site provides information about transferable skills development for research students and research staff at the University, and includes a searchable database of skills training opportunities, links to articles on subjects such as project management, teaching and career planning, and message boards for asking questions and discussing issues with other researchers.

Training by research councils and other research organisations may sometimes be provided for appropriate students - please consult your supervisor for further information.

What opportunities will be available for developing and practising teaching skills (for second and third year graduates)?

The University has established a Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), which will support the development of research students who wish to follow and academic career, including training in teaching skills. Please see the Oxford Learning Institute for further details.

Dr Lorraine Wild holds a one-day seminar on teaching undergraduates each Michaelmas Term and you will be informed about this by email.

There may also be opportunities to undertake tutorial teaching in colleges which can be arranged through your supervisor.

What arrangements for accommodation, meals and social facilities, will be made, on a year round basis?

The School of Geography and the Environment

Seminars held in the School bring research students together with academic and other research staff in the School to hear about on-going research, and to provide an opportunity for networking and socialising. The five major research clusters, with significant crosscutting interests, have active postgraduate and postdoctoral communities together with non-academic collaborations.

The School also hosts several informal gatherings each year, notably, at the beginning of Michaelmas Term when new students can meet with existing research students and academic members of staff. The department also hosts a party at the end of each Michaelmas Term.

Colleges

Many colleges will be able to provide you with a least one-year's accommodation. Generally speaking your college will provide meals throughout the year, but provision will vary from college to college, especially during vacations, and you will need to familiarise yourself with your college's detailed arrangements. In addition there are usually self-catering facilities available in graduate accommodation. You will be a member of the Middle Common Room (MCR), or equivalent, of your college, which is the main social centre for graduates. The MCR provides a common room and usually organises a programme of social events throughout the year. The college will also provide a bar, some computing facilities and a library, and may often have dedicated funds for research (conference and field grants). It also represents the interests of its members to the college through an elected Committee or through elected representatives to College Committees. Again, details will vary from college to college. Graduates are also welcome to participate in all other social and sporting activities of the college. Please see individual college websites for further details about all aspects of college provision.

University

Graduate Research Students may become members of the University Club in Mansfield Road, and participate in the range of sporting and cultural activities provided by the University. Please see the University Club website for further information.

What arrangements are in place for pastoral and welfare support?

School of Geography and the Environment

Any problems or need for support should be discussed first with your supervisor. If you do not wish to discuss a problem with your supervisor you should seek advice and support from the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). If the DGS is your supervisor you should seek help and advice from the Head of School. The Postgraduate Admissions Officer will also be able to offer advice on where to get appropriate support.

College

There is an extensive framework of support for graduates within each college. Your college will allocate to you a College Advisor from among its Senior Members, usually in a cognate subject, who will arrange to see you from time to time and who you may contact for additional advice and support on academic and other matters. In college you may also approach the Tutor for Graduates and / or the Senior Tutor for advice. The Tutor for Graduates is a fellow of the college with particular responsibility for the interests and welfare of graduate students. In some colleges, the Senior Tutor will also have the role of Tutor for Graduates. Each college will also have other named individuals who can offer individual advice.

University

The University also has a professionally staffed confidential Student Counselling Service, which offers assistance with personal, emotional, social and academic problems, and a Careers Service.

What arrangements are in place for gaining the views of research students?

The interests of research students are represented at many departmental committees by elected representatives and through the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) for postgraduate students which is held at least once a term and is the formal mechanism through which research students of the School can liaise with the School and air their views / grievances. It is an extremely important resource and can be used to real effect.

The JCC provides a channel through which graduate students' views and concerns can be brought to the attention of the Departmental Committee. Each taught MSc course also holds termly meetings with students to air views and concerns. Individual student feedback is sought regularly through such means as taught course evaluation forms and the views of research students are also sought by means of a centrally administered questionnaire.