Postgraduate Research Induction 2026/27
Welcome to Postgraduate Research in SELCS
Welcome, or welcome back, to postgraduate research in the School of Education, Learning and Communication Sciences. Some of you are joining us for the first time, and some have been with us for a while already; some have moved a long way to be here, and others are fitting research around work and family. Whatever your circumstances, we are glad to have you as part of our research community.
SELCS brings together the Centres for Education Studies, Applied Linguistics, Teacher Education and Lifelong Learning. That is an unusually broad research environment, spanning schools and classrooms, language and communication, teacher development and adult and lifelong learning. Our postgraduate researchers work on questions that matter in all of those areas, and often across them. You will find people here whose interests connect with yours in ways you might not expect.
Doctoral research is demanding, and at times it can feel solitary. It is considerably better when it isn't. The induction programme, our research methods sessions and the wider PGR community exist to make sure you are working alongside other people rather than in isolation, so please use them, particularly in the first term when the habits get set and the community (re)forms.
These pages set out what to expect in your first few weeks: the induction programme, key contacts, and the support available to you across the School and the University. Please have a look through before you arrive. It usually takes a little while to settle in, and that is entirely normal. If you find you are struggling with something, or you are simply not sure who to ask, let your supervisor or your Centre's PGR lead know, or get in touch with me directly and I will be happy to help.
Doctoral research is a rare thing to get to do: a few years spent thinking hard about a question you care about, and the chance to develop and share original insights about your topic. It is not always straightforward, but it is deeply worthwhile. I hope you enjoy it, and I wish you every success with your research and your time with us.
Dr Tom Perry, Director of Postgraduate Research, SELCS
