Doctoral Supervision
Doctoral supervisor training programme
Initial doctoral supervisor training
This suite of 3 sessions is designed to introduce new doctoral supervisors to the practices and processes of doctoral supervision.
- Session 1: Supporting PGR development and monitoring progress
- Session 2: Responding to student needs and having challenging conversations
- Session 3: Giving feedback
PGR pastoral tutor training
The PGR pastoral tutor has pastoral responsibility for the student and provides an additional layer of support to the supervision team. To support new PGR pastoral tutors, our training programme offers a two-hour workshop Introduction to PGR pastoral tutoring.
PGR examinations training
For those involved in examining doctoral degrees, we offer a suite of online resources on navigating the examinations process on our Supervision Hub on the Education Toolkit.
CPD
We offer a rolling suite of CPD courses, determined by the university’s Doctoral Supervision Steering Group in response to local needs and sector issues.
Examples of CPD sessions
- Helping PGRs prepare for their upgrade
- Working with diversity and difference
- Introduction to education welfare
- Supporting part-time students
In January 2024 we launched a new programme of Doctoral Supervision training. This new programme was developed with the University’s Doctoral Supervision Steering Group, alongside engagement with current scholarship and best practice in the sector. The programme consists of:
- Initial supervisor training
- PGR pastoral tutoring training
If you have any questions about our Doctoral Supervision training programme, please contact the Educator Development team on eduexe@exeter.ac.uk
Initial Doctoral Supervisor Training
This suite of 3 sessions is designed to introduce new doctoral supervisors to the practices and processes of doctoral supervision. It extends our previous training in two three two-hour sessions that cover:
- Supporting PGR development and monitoring progress
- Responding to student needs and having challenging conversations
- Giving feedback
Please note this course is mandatory for all new doctoral supervisors, with only the first being mandatory for doctoral supervisors new to Exeter.
PGR Pastoral Tutor training
The PGR pastoral tutor has pastoral responsibility for the student, and provides an additional layer of support to the supervision team. To support new PGR pastoral tutors, our training programme offers a two-hour workshop Introduction to PGR pastoral tutoring.
The session is offered three times per year. You only need to attend one session. Use the link below to book your place:
An introduction to pastoral tutoring for PGRs
PGR examinations
For those involved in examining doctoral degrees, we offer a suite of online resources on Navigating the examinations process on our Supervision hub on the Education Toolkit.
Continuing professional development (CPD)
All staff who supervise doctoral students are required to engage in CPD at least once every two years. CPD is offered within your department, led by the Department Directors of Postgraduate Research and their deputies.
The EduExe Toolkit offers resources to support CPD in doctoral supervision, including:
- Supporting part-time PGRs
- Supporting PGRs with the Upgrade
- Decolonising doctoral supervision
