SGSSS runs two flagship mentoring programmes that are designed to support PhD students to explore the skills, knowledge and experience that will support your future careers within or out with academia.
Mentoring is a learning relationship that includes elements of listening, advising, planning, challenging, supporting and sharing experience. In the SGSSS programmes mentoring can be understood as: “A confidential active learning process whereby an experienced, empathic person (the mentor) facilitates the development of another individual (the mentee).”
Mentees are proactive partners in this relationship and they drive the learning: they set objectives for their own learning, lead the agenda for the one-to-one sessions and decide how best to use their time. Mentors are volunteering developmental partners that complement key figures in postgraduate support (e.g., supervisors, advisors, academic mentors) and existing support structures and points of contact.
Applications for our 2024/25 mentoring schemes will open soon.
The Scottish Graduate School of Social Science runs a professional internship scheme for PhD students at Scotland’s universities in their second and third years of study. PhD internships enable organisations to access the talent of an early career social science researcher to deliver a specific piece of work whilst developing a range of transferable skills for our researchers. Internships can be undertaken full-time (for up to 3 months) or part-time (for up to 6 months). We run a biannual Open Call Competition, or you can get in touch with the SGSSS any time to discuss setting up an internship with a partner organisation of your choice.
Formally Final Year Conference the Beyond the PhD Conference takes place during summer and is designed for students in the final year of their ESRC funding. Previous events included workshops on non-academic careers, completing a viva, and Postdoctoral Fellowships.
Eligible students will be invited to attend the Beyond the PhD Conference in 2025.
SGSSS provides specifically targeted development opportunities for social science PhD students.
Participants of our COP26-related Shaping the Future event undertook workshops on public speaking, presenting and poster design. Similar opportunities will be available according to the needs of the event.
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