MPhil and PhD training

The university and the department offer a wide range of opportunities to MPhil and PhD students for training in research and transferable skills. All students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities.

Current training schedule: Summer 2012 (PDF , 501kb)

Samples of a previous training schedules:


Teaching opportunities

The University of York has a reputation for excellence in research and teaching. Research students who contribute to the teaching at the university play an important role, adding vibrancy and richness to the portfolio of research and enhancing the learning experience of the students they support. The History of Art department values this contribution and offers research students currently in their first or second year (or part-time equivalent) the opportunity to gain experience of teaching on Stage 1 of its undergraduate programmes.

Applications for teaching roles in the 2013/14 academic year are now invited. Please see the pdfs below for full details of the opportunities on offer, as well as instructions on how to apply.

Application deadline: 12 noon, Friday 16 November 2012.


Departmental training provision

The graduate training provided or supported by the department addresses discipline-specific research skills, the research environment, and professional development. MPhil/PhD students will be notified of the department's training opportunities during each academic year. Such opportunities are likely to include: a regular series of workshops with academic staff and advanced doctoral candidates on research, dissertation writing, and teaching in history of art; question and answer sessions with professionals in careers related to history of art; and opportunities to attend, organise, and/or present papers at research seminars and conferences.

University training provision

A large proportion of MPhil/PhDs go on to work in fields other than academia. In recognition of that fact, the Researcher Development Team (RDT) provides training to develop general and transferable skills that are useful not only for aspiring academics but also for those who pursue a different career. The RDT focuses on the following core areas:

  • Knowledge and Intellectual Capabilities
    research methods, critical thinking, innovation
  • Personal Effectiveness
    career management, personal skills, networking
  • Research Governance and Organisation
    strategy, ethics, copyright, income
  • Engagement, Influence and Impact
    enterprise, publication, media, collaboration, commercialisation of research

It offers numerous workshops ranging from hour-long sessions to half-day and full-day courses on a wide range of topics within these categories and on general postgraduate teaching skills, including: Starting Your PhD, Time Management, Creativity and Problem Solving, Writing Your Thesis, How to Make the Most of Conferences, Building an Academic Career, Effective Lecturing, Assessing Student Work. Full details can be found via the RDT's website and the Skills Forge.

Who to contact

For postgraduates