Professional development for doctoral researchers

The King’s Doctoral College development programme is designed to equip you with the skills to boost your career prospects in academia, industry and beyond.

Our activities are arranged into eight key themes to help you identify your individual development priorities.

Each theme is supported by an extensive programme of live workshops and webinars delivered by our expert trainers, and online, on-demand content – all available for free to doctoral researchers across the University.  

1. Doctoral essentials: understand and navigate your doctoral journey

• This development theme equips you with foundational knowledge and key skills to help you to navigate your doctoral research journey at King’s.
• We’ll help you understand the fundamentals, leaving you feeling confident to tackle common challenges when they arise.

2. Navigating your career: explore your options and develop your employability

• Thinking about your career with purpose during your doctorate can help you explore opportunities, build your professional network, and position yourself for success after you finish.

• Learn how to leverage the expertise you develop during your doctorate, discover diverse career options, and be well-prepared for launching a successful career in academia, industry, and beyond.

3. Thriving in your research: cultivate healthy, efficient and effective professional practices

• The doctoral journey can be demanding. Having the right tools to help you manage your work and look after yourself can make a big difference.
• Develop healthy and empowering professional practices to help you stay motivated, overcome obstacles, and achieve significant progress in your doctoral research.

4. Culture, ethics and community: build collaborative, inclusive and ethical research cultures

• Every researcher should strive to conduct themselves and their research to the highest level of excellence and integrity. This theme emphasises the importance of conducting responsible research while fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment.
• Learn how to you can conduct your research to the highest ethical standards, ensure integrity in your work, and contribute positively to a diverse academic community.

5. Research methods and data Skills: develop knowledge to collect, manage, and analyse your data

• Proficiency in research methods and data analysis is crucial for conducting rigorous studies and producing high-quality, reliable results.
• Explore a range of qualitative or quantitative methodologies, data analysis techniques and tools essential for rigorous and impactful research.

6. Speaking and presenting: communicate your research confidently to different audiences

• Effective communication skills enable you to present your research with clarity and confidence, enhancing your impact in both academic and other professional settings.
• Get practical advice on public speaking, presenting research findings, and engaging with diverse audiences.

7. Academic reading and writing: engage with the literature and produce your own research

• Critical reading and writing are essential skills to develop as a doctoral student as they will enable you to effectively engage with literature, articulate ideas, and publish scholarly work.
• Learn how to engage with literature effectively, articulate your ideas clearly, structure your papers coherently, and contribute to the academic discourse in your field.

8. Publishing and generating impact: demonstrate your contribution within and beyond academia

• Disseminating your aims and findings by engaging with key contributors and stakeholders will help you to create meaningful societal change and impact through your doctoral research.
• Discover how to translate your research into practice, influence policy, and ensure your work reaches the audiences who can benefit most.

Many doctoral researchers take the opportunity to gain experience of undergraduate teaching and lab demonstrating during their time at King’s. We have a comprehensive range of support available for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs).

Professional Development for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA)

King’s Academy is dedicated to supporting staff in teaching and all aspects of education. Our GTA Development Programme includes a range of courses and resources to prepare Graduate Teaching Assistants for their roles and help them become skilful and reflective teachers. This includes:

• The GTA One Stop Shop, a dedicated site hub of information, resources, and links, including guidance on planning teaching, dealing with common problems and pastoral care.
• A programme of workshops for GTAs of all levels. Support for GTAs with at least one year’s teaching experience to apply for recognition by the Higher Education Academy (HEA).

The Brilliant Club

We partner with the Brilliant Club, an external, not-for-profit organisation specialising in training doctoral students to gain teaching skills whilst supporting pupils from under-represented backgrounds to progress to highly-selective universities.

The Scholars Programme is a competitive development programme that equips researchers to deliver university-style tutorials based on their own research. Researchers are paid for each placement they undertake.