The VU-GSSS PhD program is designed to support PhD candidates linked to the departments of the VU School of Social Sciences (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities) in their project progress and individual development. The courses are designed to enhance the academic knowledge and skill development of PhD candidates, not only to enable successful completion of their PhD project, but also to prepare them for an academic or other career thereafter. The program is tailored to serve the needs of PhD candidates at different stages of their project, regardless of their topic or methodological approach.
Training plan and requirements
To stimulate careful planning at the start of each PhD trajectory, PhD candidates and their supervisors are required to submit a trajectory plan using the within the first months of their project within Hora Finita (so-called registration). An individual training plan for the trajectory is part of this.
A minimum of 30 European Credits (EC) of PhD training is required for all PhDs at the VU, as specified in the VU Doctorate Regulations. This requirement applies to all PhDs who started after 1 April 2015.
The training plan may vary per individual candidate depending on discipline, prior training, personal interest, and the requirements of the candidate's research project. Generally, the training plan should be designed such that PhD candidates develop their knowledge, expertise, and skills in three areas:
- Content & theory
- Methods & techniques
- Academic & transferable skills
The 30 EC should be distributed equally across the three areas. The PhD candidates are advised to concentrate their course work in the first two years of their PhD project and thus limit the course work in the final year(s). PhDs should obtain 10 EC in the first year of their trajectory.
The following courses/EC are mandatory:
- GSSS induction program
- Research Integrity and Responsible Scholarship (first year)
- Writing a Data Management Plan (before Go/No Go)
- Attend and/or present your research at a relevant academic conference
For more details on the requirements and recommendations for the PhD training plan, see the .
Induction program
A mandatory induction program is organized by the GSSS at the beginning of every academic year for first-year PhDs. The program consists of an informative session and a Time and Project Management workshop. New/incoming PhDs are invited by email.
VU-GSSS courses
The VU-GSSS offers a wide range of courses every academic year, find an overview in the . Individual PhD candidates, or small groups of up to five participants, can also organize tutorials on topics of interest (more info in the linked manual). The training program is designed such that PhD candidates can fulfill their 30 EC internally. For an overview of our upcoming courses, please see the PhD courses website or the overview here.
External courses
Depending on individual needs and wishes, PhD candidates can also follow courses outside the VU-GSSS program, given that the courses are at least research master or PhD candidate level. These may be courses and workshops offered at other VU faculties, in (inter)national research schools, or VU Interfaculty Research Institutes. The VU-GSSS has a course-sharing agreement with , , and (UvA), meaning that VU-GSSS PhDs can participate in their courses free of charge.
EC calculator
For self-organized tutorials and seminars, or external courses, our may be useful.
Training for teachers
The VU Center for Teaching & Learning offers training to obtain the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ/BKO) several times every year. In addition to the course, teaching PhDs are also welcome to join their PhD Teaching community, where PhDs can join so-called ''Spark sessions'' every month on topics such as education innovation, supervision, and interdisciplinary teaching. Find the schedule for these sessions here.