Orientation day for doctoral candidates (1cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Objective

After successful completion of this course, the doctoral researcher will be able to:
- interpret how to get started successfully with the research project in her/his particular situation
- perceive key characteristics, expectations and stakeholders in the system of carrying out doctoral studies at the University of Lapland.

Execution methods

The doctoral researcher participates actively in the discussion, including a brief pre-task on Moodle. After the orientation day the doctoral researcher updates her/his doctoral study plan and gets an approval for the plan from the supervisor, autonomously informing the course organiser about the approval. Reading literature referred to is voluntary yet recommended, but it will be beneficial for the doctoral researcher before the orientation day and also later.

Accomplishment methods

Active participation in the orientation, (voluntary) reading of literature, updated doctoral study plan (in English: ulapland.fi/dsp, in Finnish: ulapland.fi/jops) approved by the doctoral researcher’s supervisor.

Content

The orientation day is designed to provide an overview of the core issues of becoming a doctoral researcher. Doctoral researchers from all fields can benefit from the orientation as it encourages the participants to think about realistic ways of conducting and making progress in doctoral studies, to perceive what belonging to the research community at the University of Lapland means, and to become connected with key stakeholders.

Materials

Literature (voluntary): Dunleavy, Patrick. 2003. Authoring a PhD. How to plan, draft, write and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation. London: Palgrave. Kiriakos, Carol; Svinhufvud, Kimmo. 2015. Tohtoritakuu: Kirjoittamisen opas jatko-opiskelijalle ja tutkijalle. Helsinki: Art House. Phillips, Estelle M.; Pugh, Derek S. 2015. How To Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and their Supervisors. Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open University Press. Stubb, Jenni. 2012. Becoming a scholar: The dynamic interaction between the doctoral student and the scholarly community (Doctoral dissertation). University of Helsinki. Vekkaila (née Tuomainen), Jenna. 2014. Doctoral student engagement – The dynamic interplay between students and scholarly communities. (Doctoral dissertation). University of Helsinki.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Pass/fail

Qualifications

The doctoral researcher must be enrolled in a doctoral programme (thematic or field-specific). The orientation is open to all new and newish doctoral researchers at the University of Lapland.