Information for new doctoral students

We have an exciting schedule of welcome events for all new doctoral students joining us in April 2024 – here is a list of our upcoming events which you can book via the link provided.

Welcome Coffee Chat: What’s Coming up in the Doctoral College, Spring 2024

Friday 5 April, 11:00am - 12:00pm, Microsoft Teams.

Our welcome programme of coffee chats are an informal opportunity to network online with other doctoral students and meet with the Doctoral Student Development team and special guests.   

This week, we will be launching your welcome programme with a chat about everything that is coming up in the Doctoral College this spring. You’ll be hosted by members of the Doctoral Student Experience team and we’ll let you know about all the upcoming welcome events and online resources, as well as some other great opportunities, like getting involved with the Conference on Wednesday 24 April and watching Three Minute Thesis presentations by other members of the doctoral student community. We look forward to meeting you! 

Welcome Coffee Chat: Discover Your Library

Wednesday 10 April, 2:00pm - 3:00pm, Microsoft Teams. 

This week, we are pleased to be introducing you to members of your Manchester Met Library team. Come along to find out about the Library’s resources, accessing their collections through their website, researcher support and development sessions in their open programme. Whatever your question, we’ll be delighted to help. 

Welcome Coffee Chat: Support for International Doctoral Students

Tuesday 16 April, 3:00pm - 4:00pm, Microsoft Teams. 

This week, we are delighted to be joined by Marcus Bridle from the Language Centre and Nicola Ross from the International Office to focus on all areas of support for international doctoral students. Whether you are a brand new starter at Manchester Met or a more established student with questions about what support is available, come along and we’ll be delighted to share some tips and links to resources, and to hear about your experience so far. 

Analysing Your Training Needs Workshop 

Friday 26 April, 1:00pm - 4:00pm, Microsoft Teams.

This workshop takes you through the process of analysing your training needs. You’ll establish your current skill level, identify any gaps in your knowledge and how you can address these. You’ll be introduced to the Researcher Development Framework (RDF), a renowned professional development tool for researchers. Whether you are just starting out and completing your first training needs analysis, or further in your doctoral journey and want to refresh your knowledge of the RDF, this interactive session is for you. 

Welcome Coffee Chat: Thinking About Your Development and Support from Academic and Study Skills

Tuesday 30 April, 10:00am - 11:00am, Microsoft Teams.

This week, we are pleased to be introducing you to members of your Manchester Met Academic & Study Skills team. Come along to find out about their fantastic range of online and Moodle resources, their workshop sessions and longer courses on themes like writing skills and criticality. Members of the Doctoral Student Experience team will be in the session too and can signpost to other development opportunities to suit you. 

Visit your faculty page for more information on resources, key contacts and details on the mandatory faculty induction programme.

Arts and Humanities

Business and Law

Health and Education

Science and Engineering

There is more information about your ID card, including how to get one on the ID cards information webpage.

SkillsForge

You’ll keep records with your supervisory team throughout your research journey using Skillsforge. 

Moodle

Our Moodle site is a one-stop shop for information for doctoral students.

Visit Moodle and sign in with your Manchester Met username and password to access the information. The PGR Hub will be visible on your dashboard within 72 hours of completing your online enrolment.

EthOS

All staff and students must obtain ethical approval for projects, using our EthOS system. For more information, visit the ethics and governance page.

Information Systems and Digital Services

The Information Systems and Digital Services team (ISDS) provides IT support and resources to students. They offer 24/7 support and help accessing our IT platforms.

You can download and access a number of software packages to assist with your research. From Microsoft Office to the Adobe Suite, NVivo to SPSS, and Teams to stay in touch. You can find everything you need on our software download centre.

For help with anything on this page, contact IT services. There is further support available on working online on Moodle.

Systems List

For a full list of systems you may encounter, visit the postgraduate research systems list.

Our development brochure

Each year, we curate a programme of development sessions, events and opportunities for Doctoral Students across the University. You can find out more about training and development opportunities in Moodle.

Events at Manchester Metropolitan University

We host three major events as part of our development calendar:

• Three Minute Thesis, which challenges you to present your research in just three minutes, as part of a national competition.
• Our Annual Conference, which is planned and organised by a group of students every year, and is a fantastic opportunity to present your work in a friendly and supportive environment.
• Images of Research, a competition for staff and students, inviting you to present the impact of your research in just one image and short abstract.

You can find all these and more on our events page.

Your Doctoral Services team are here to support you with all aspects of your degree.

Doctoral Student Digest from Doctoral Services

You’ll be hearing from us regularly through our weekly Doctoral Student Digest. In these we’ll let you know about headline news from around the campus, upcoming events and opportunities for you to get involved in, and your news and blog posts too. Check your university email inbox regularly to find out what’s new.

Do you have something exciting you’d like to shout about, or have included in our weekly digest? Contact dscommunications@mmu.ac.uk.

Doctoral Student Hub

The Doctoral Student Hub provides a wide range of information relating to your research degree and is the first point of call for any questions you may have. You will find information on getting started, Turnitin, our regulations, training and development as well as wellbeing support.

Contacting Us

If you need to speak to someone, you can find a full list of contacts on this webpage.

Our social media channels

There are lots of ways to keep in touch with your fellow research students and Doctoral Services. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, where we regularly share news from our community, upcoming events and opportunities. 

Writing Groups

We hold writing retreats for students to meet with one another and set aside dedicated time to write.

Events

A full list of events can be found on Moodle. You can also book on to any session from there via Eventbrite. 

Events are regularly publicised in the weekly student digest. For any questions about our events, email doctoralstudentexperience@mmu.ac.uk. 

The doctoral research blog is hosted by Doctoral Services, but written by you. Share your research, experiences, opinions, and advice to current and future research students.

To pitch a blog post, contact doctoralstudentexperience@mmu.ac.uk.

Recent posts include:

• ‘What Does Eco-Poetry Look Like When You Can’t Get Out of Bed?’ by Anna Percy
• ‘Design and Development of Novel Nutritional Supplements to Restore Motor Nerve and Skeletal Muscle Function in Neuromuscular Disorders’ by Razan Alomosh
• ‘The Wrong Kind of Mad? The Lived Experiences of Women with Co-occurring Mental Health, Drug or Alcohol Conditions’ by Liz McCoy
• ‘Reflecting on the Doctoral College Launch’ by Doctoral Services 

Library staff are always on hand to help whether you visit the Library in person or contact them online. Visit the library website for further information about using the Library and view our Welcome screencast to find out more about Library and Cultural Services and how we support your learning, research and professional development.

Library Search is your starting point for accessing the huge number of print and electronic resources available to you as a researcher at Manchester Met. Check out the subject guides to identify a range of resources relevant to specific disciplines and to contact your Academic Liaison Librarian. 

Library Support for Researchers is our essential guide to information that will be useful to you throughout the research lifecycle.

We have a huge range of support services ready to help you with all aspects of university life.

Counselling, Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

Offering support through one-to-one appointments, group workshops, self-help articles, podcasts and more. The service provides confidential, professional help and advice for any issues impacting on your university experience. More information about their services can be found on the Counselling, Mental Health and Wellbeing website.

Chaplaincy

Whether you follow a faith or not, our university chaplaincy can provide guidance on issues like faith and spirituality or a listening ear if life ever feels challenging.

Disability Service

If you have a disability, a long-term health condition or a specific learning difficulty like dyslexia, our disability service makes sure you aren’t disadvantaged in your studies. Register with the service as early as possible to get help with coordinating the support you need.

Inclusion Service

If your life away from being a student is complex, you may be able to get extra help. If you’re a carer, a care leaver, estranged from your family, or pregnant the Inclusion Service can provide specialist support and advice.

Sport and fitness

We have a wide range of sport and fitness opportunities for students, including free fitness activities through our Active Campus programme and discounted gym memberships.

Find out more about your Students Union by watching this video and visiting their website.