Establishing and Sustaining a Professional Career

Overview

The course provides practical advice to develop an academic career in the social sciences. In particular, the course focuses on some of the key aspects of professional career development, including CV writing, choosing international conferences and networking, publishing in international journals, applying for research funding, and gearing up to job market interviews. 

The major aim of the course is to increase students' awareness of the requirements to excel in the current academic job market. However, the practical take of the course is also of interest to those who are interested in pursuing a professional career outside of academia 

 

Course format

The course is organized in seven meetings that focus on the major aspects of professional development career. Each thematic session will include instructor and participants’ active participation especially for testing job interviews and getting published. In particular, participants will be required to review a piece of research, prepare a CV, and respond to a job announcement. More information on the activities required during the course will be provided during the first meeting

 

Requirements:

All readings are recommended and not required.

During the course students will be required to prepare the following material. More information on the content and timing of the submission of the documents listed below will be provided during the first meeting:

•       CV;
•       List of journals in the area of interest;
•       Review report (of an article that will be circulated by the instructor); 
•       Application to a job announcement.

Schedule

 

Session n. 1

3 November 2 pm – 4 pm

Establishing and sustaining a sustainable career: why

The session will introduce the professional ‘expectations’ associated with a PhD course. During the session, information on the course contents and requirements will be provided 

 

Suggested readings:

Almasri, Nasir, Blair Read, and Clara Vandeweerdt (2022) "Mental Health and the PhD: Insights and Implications for Political Science." PS: Political Science & Politics 55 (2), 347-353.

Strange, Susan (1995), ISA Presidential address.

 

Session n. 2

4 November 10am- 1pm

Putting one’s house in order: CV and teaching, and research statements

This session will focus on the preparation of CV, teaching and research statements. We will also focus on the use of social media to promote one’s research.

 

Session n. 3

10 November 10am – 1pm

Publishing in international journals

This session will focus on the process of publishing in international journals, from conference attendance to article submission.

 

Suggested readings and videos:

1.      Demystifying the review process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj2z2Bv3oL4

1.      Neil D. Fligstein (2019), Publishing in Modern Times, Sociologica. V.13 N.1

 

Session 4

21 November 2pm – 5 pm

Publishing your dissertation/book

This session will focus on the process of transforming the PhD in a publishable book.

 

Suggested video:

Dominic Byatt, How to Publish Like an Academic Rock Star

https://www.geg.ox.ac.uk/publication/video-how-publish-academic-rock-star

 

Session n. 5

1 December 10 am – 1 pm

Applying for research funds

This session will focus on the practical modalities of how to identify and apply for research funding

 

Suggested readings:

Iain Hay, Matthew Flinders (2017), How to become an academic super hero

Chapters 12-15 and Chapter 21

 

Session 6.

12 December 2 pm- 5 pm

The job interview

During this session, students will have the opportunity to be interviewed for a postdoc position

 

Session n. 7

13 December 10 am – 1 pm

Life outside academia: a job or a research experience in the policy world

This session will focus on the opportunities for PhD outside academia.