How to Become A PhD

Date: 28 January 2021

Location: online

Credits: 1 ECT

ARCHON is organizing a workshop meant especially for RMA students: How to become a PhD student. This day will be organized with the aim to offer RMA students information about what you can expect from a PhD position and how to get one. Topics such as different kinds of PhD-positions, how to apply for PhD-positions and how to write an application will be discussed. We will also discuss what you can expect from a PhD-position and what’s necessary to make it. The workshop will be given by Prof. Jan Paul Crielaard and dr. Philip Verhagen.

Mock interview

The workshop will also contain a ‘mock interview session’ in which students are invited to present their own research proposal. If you want to present your own proposal we ask you to write an abstract of 300-500 words in which you address the following points:

• what are you going to investigate?
• why is this important?
• how are you going to do this?
• what results do you expect?
• who is going to benefit from it?

The deadline to hand in your abstract is 20 January 2021. One week before the workshop takes place, your abstract will be circulated among the group of ‘interviewers’ who will prepare some critical questions. On the day of the workshop you will pitch your proposal in 5 minutes (with a maximum of 5 slides). After each pitch we take 15 minutes for questions, followed by  feedback and tips from the ARCHON-team for improvement. If you want to pitch your proposal during the mock interview, you can let us know through the registration form below. NOTE: we have reached the maximum amount of participants for the mock interview. 

The program:

10:00 – 10:30 Introduction

10:30 – 10:50 Exercise: why should you become a PhD student?

10:50 – 11:20 General information about PhD programs

11:20 – 11:50 Route 1: getting a PhD by applying to a vacancy (what should be on your resume?)

11:50 – 12:30 Lunch break

12:30 – 13:00  Route 2: getting a PhD by writing your own proposal (focus on PhDs in the Humanities program: what should you keep in mind while writing for an NWO-committee?)

13:00 – 14:00 Experiences from PhD students

14:00 – 14:15 Coffee & tea break

14:15 – 16:15: Exercise: mock interviews with feedback (6 students get interviewed, and the other students prepare questions in advance).

16:15 – 16:45: Discussion

16:45 Virtual drinks

Credits:

1 EC for participation and a reflection report.

2 EC for participation, a reflection report + research proposal for the mock interview.

Registration: The registration has closed. Please avoid canceling last minute.