DPhil Students

Whether you are just starting out on your DPhil or you are writing your thesis and starting to think “what next?” the Careers Service can support you as you work out your next steps.  The information on this page can help you plan your future both inside and out of academia.  It is never too early, or too late, to start planning your career!

What careers are open to me?

  • Academic route
    Since there is often a great deal of uncertainty in the early stages of an academic career it is worth finding out at an early stage what is required so that you can make effective decisions and increase your chances of achieving your chosen career path.  You may wish to take a look at our academia career briefing for more information and resources on how to pursue an academic career.  The Apprise website is also an excellent resource for those who are studying for a doctorate at Oxford, aiming to help you to understand the process of your DPhil and reflect on your academic practice. An Academic Career, a similar resource from the University of Manchester, might also be of use. For reviewing the skills needed for progression in an academic career, the Researcher Development Framework has been developed by researchers for researchers as a tool for career development.

Come along to Applying to Academic Positions in North America, Monday 14th May, Careers Service, 14.00-16.00

  • Non-academic route - what else can I do?
    If you are not sure if the academic career path is for you or you just want to review your options then Your PhD….what next? (on the Prospects website) provides a good starting point for DPhil students.  If you need help working out what might suit you or just want to go back to basics have a look at Career Planning or the careers section of the Vitae website to kickstart your thinking.  Our Career Briefings 2011/12 include information about entry points, the experience needed, job search strategy for that sector and links to a host of other resources across all sectors. 

What do DPhils do?

If you are interested in what other students have gone on to do beyond the doctorate then the links below provide some ideas of the range of possibilities.

Careers Service support for DPhil students

If you want to spend some useful time reflecting on your career and learning a range of career management, job search and selection skills then look out for our workshops on Career Planning and CVs Applications and Cover Letters for DPhil students on the Term Planner or the events section of CareerConnect.  These workshops are run every term.

The Careers Service also offers divisional level careers events run in conjunction with the divisional skills training teams supporting both academic and non-academic careers.  See the SkillsPortal or your divisional skills training web pages for more detail of upcoming events and online courses:

You can, of course, come along to one of our many skills presentations or workshops or see a Careers Adviser.

Trinity Term 2012

Events specifically for DPhil students this term are listed below. Those which are fully booked have been removed from this list. Log into CareerConnect to see how to book each event. For a list of events for all students, see our What's On section.

Applying to Academic Positions in North America Workshop – Monday 14 May 2012, 14.00-16.00

This information session will be delivered by Gregg Blachford who is a Careers Adviser here at Oxford on exchange from the Careers Service at McGill University in Montreal.   

Networking Skills for Researchers (for DPhil Students and Research Staff) Wednesday 16 May 2012, 16.00-18.00

This event will enable participants to begin to identify how they may develop their own professional networks and use them effectively. The event will cover the what, why, where and how of developing networks, the practicalities of building your own networks as well as an opportunity to ask questions and to practice. An academic will also speak at this event, sharing their experiences of networking.    

Interview Skills Workshop for DPhil Students, Monday 21 May 2012, 9.30-12.00

This intensive workshop is specifically for doctoral students, and will focus on understanding interview processes, effective preparation for interviews and tackling difficult interview questions. The workshop will utilise a mix of individual and informal small group exercises and is relevant for those who are considering an academic or non-academic career or are undecided.    

Non-academic Careers for Researchers in Media and Communications Panel – Tuesday 22 May 2012, 16.00-18.00

Two Oxford alumni talk about their career transitions from research into non-academic roles in the media and communications sector, with time for questions and networking.    

Academic Applications and Interview Skills Workshop for Researchers (Science/Engineering) – Wednesday 23 May 2012, 14.00-17.00

Interactive workshop on application and interview skills for academic jobs in Science and Engineering. Brush up on the practicalities of developing an academic CV, writing a cover letter and preparing for, and performing in, an academic interview.    

Academic Applications and Interview Skills Workshop for Researchers (Humanities/Social Science) – Wednesday 30 May 2012, 9.30-12.30

Interactive workshop on application and interview skills for academic jobs in Social Science and Humanities. Brush up on the practicalities of developing an academic CV, writing a cover letter and preparing for, and performing in, an academic interview.    

Career Planning Workshop for DPhil Students – Tuesday 29 May 2012, 9.30-12.30

This intensive workshop is specifically for doctoral students, and will focus on enabling you to clarify your career ideas through a mix of individual and informal small group exercises. The workshop will cover reviewing your career, factors in career decision making, identifying transferable skills, career motivations and interests and identifying career options. The workshop is relevant for those who are considering an academic or non-academic career or are undecided.    

CVs, Applications and Cover Letters Workshop for DPhil Students – Wednesday 06 June 2012, 14.30-17.00

This intensive workshop is specifically for doctoral students, and will focus on job search techniques as well as how to produce effective CVs, applications and cover letters. The workshop will utilise a mix of individual and informal small group exercises and is relevant for those who are considering an academic or non-academic career or are undecided.    

Interview Skills Workshop for DPhil Students – Wednesday 13 June 2012, 14.30-17.00

This intensive workshop is specifically for doctoral students, and will focus on understanding interview processes, effective preparation for interviews and tackling difficult interview questions. The workshop will utilise a mix of individual and informal small group exercises and is relevant for those who are considering an academic or non-academic career or are undecided.    

Non-academic Careers for Researchers in Higher Education Panel – Thursday 14 June 2012, 16.00-18.00

Two Oxford alumni talk about their career transitions from research into non-academic roles in the Higher Education sector, with time for questions and networking.

    Other useful resources

    The Vitae website champions the personal, professional and career development of researchers. Its website hosts lots of useful resources on developing as an academic researcher, finding post docs and funding, and much more. 

    For an extensive list of Careers Service resources for researchers as well as other helpful websites providing careers related advice, information and job opportunities for researchers then download our handy Careers Resources for Researchers 2011/12 (PDF).

    Page last edited: 10 May 2012

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