Skip to main content Skip to navigation

More than a PhD

Alt text: More than a PhD. Wednesdays, January-February 2025

Come along to our 'More than a PhD' series to learn more about the funded opportunities available to you as a Midlands Graduate School student, and hear directly from students who have engaged in them.

These opportunities are a great way to enhance your profile as a PhD student and gain new experiences!

Throughout January and February 2025 we'll be covering Overseas Institutional Visits, Placements, Academic Placements, Overseas Fieldwork, and Doctoral Event Grants. Imogen and Chris will outline the funding available and any guidelines to be aware of, before handing over to students who have taken up these opportunities to discuss their experiences. Each session will finish with a Q&A.

Learn more about what each session will include below and register here.


More than a PhD: Overseas Institutional Visits

2-3pm, 15 January 2025, online via Teams

Interested in spending some time at a university abroad? An OIV could be for you!

Come along to this session to learn about the funding available, how to plan for your trip, and the sorts of activities you could be involved with.

Hear from:


More than a PhD: Placements

2-3pm, 22 January 2025, online via Teams

A placement is the perfect opportunity to utilise your research skills in an industry environment.

Come along to this session to learn about the funding available, how to identify and set up a placement opportunity, and the different formats a placement can take.

Hear from:

  • Nora Leech (Nottingham, Political Science) who completed a 3 month placement with The Brilliant Club in 2024
  • Tanya Gleadow (Loughborough, Education) who completed a 3 month placement with the Department for Education Disadvantage Team in 2024

More than a PhD: Academic Placements

2-3pm, 29 January 2025, online via Teams

An academic placement enables you to gain experience of a different university, and participate in a range of activities. This could be crucial if you're thinking about going into academia post PhD, or even just to experience a different environment.

Come along to this session to learn about the funding available, how to identify and set up an academic placement, and the different activities you could get involved with.

Hear from:

  • Finn Lees (Warwick, Sociology) who completed an 8 week academic placement with the University of Sheffield
  • James Whitfield (Warwick, Sociology) who completed an academic placement with the University of Oxford

More than a PhD: Overseas Fieldwork

2-3pm, 5 February 2025, online via Teams

Do you need to complete overseas fieldwork as part of your PhD research?

Come along to this session to learn about the process of setting up fieldwork, how to prepare, and what a typical day during fieldwork looks like.

Hear from:

  • Harry Rodgers (Leicester, Human Geography) who is currently on fieldwork in Madrid
  • Catherine John (Nottingham, Health and Wellbeing) who conducted fieldwork in India

More than a PhD: Doctoral Event Grants

1.30-2.30pm, 12 February 2025, online via Teams

Are you interested in running an event connected to your research or other development needs?

Come along to this session to learn about the funding available, how to narrow down your idea, and the process of organising an event.

Hear from: