Stages of candidature

Candidature can be one of the most rewarding, but also stressful time of our lives. We have identified seven key stages of candidature and how we can best support students at these various stages:

1. Recruitment: we discuss the recruitment of students and establishing a supervisory panel.

2. Clarifying expectations: we discuss why it is important for mutual understanding of expectations between student and supervisor, providing helpful strategies and tools to achieve this.

3. Research topic & proposal: we outline the possible ways of helping students conceptualise their ideas.

4. Learning needs analysis: provides info on support tools and guidance available for students to assess their various training needs.

5. Communicating research: we confirm the importance of helping students develop skills to communicate the results of their work, and how supervisors can assist students to become a successfully published academic author and presenter.

6. Feedback on work: provides examples of the types of feedback you might give your students and how to deliver this effectively. We also consider why and in what ways feedback is so important to student progress and success.

7. The dissertation - provides advice for ensuring your student begins writing. We also consider questions about meeting the formal requirements of the thesis submission.