About the Graduate School

Welcome to the Graduate School

As an early career researcher at the University of Westminster you are part of the University’s research community and the Graduate School (GS) which provides you with specialist support to facilitate your successful academic progression and hosts a range of activities to enhance your doctoral research experience.

We aim to provide a distinctive, high-quality and vibrant environment for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers across all colleges. We support comprehensive early career researcher development and promote a strong culture of theoretical, practice-based and professional-doctoral research.

We deliver the Doctoral Researcher Development ProgrammeGo to the DRDP website and contribute to and support the ongoing personal and professional development of our researchers. We engage with external developments in the field of researcher development and take advantage of funding opportunities to provide unique additional support.

We support the continuing professional development of our supervisory teams, providing day-to-day advice and guidance, regular forums for discussion and symposia with external experts in the field of research supervision.

We champion the wellbeing of our early career researchers, providing specialist, practical, workshops which include resilience techniques and strategies, and positive experiences of writing.

We provide a voice to our doctoral research community through formal representation on the Graduate School Board, informal, regular meetings with GS members, workshop evaluations and consultations. We support the university’s PhD Society which is an independent group led by doctoral researchers. We also take part in the national Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES).

If you have recently been offered a place on one of our doctoral research programmes, and have not yet enrolled, we look forward to welcoming you to our community and our university. 

For general information on how to prepare for your studies and links to the University's student services and resources, visit the University's new students pages.

Research areas

Doctoral Researcher Development Programme

As a doctoral researcher, once you have attended enrolment and induction events, you will commence your programme of research study and will participate in the University’s Doctoral Researcher Development Programme (DRDP). This is a programme of tailor-made workshops, individual sessions and Personal Development Plan (PDP) activities which will underpin your academic studies and support you in your efforts to reach a timely and successful completion.

The DRDP also provides significant opportunities for you to consider and manage your personal and professional development. The programme is based upon Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework.

The DRDP begins shortly after University and School arrivals events.

To see the full programme of workshops and booking instructions please visit the DRDP website.