RNUAL is the platform for all activities open to M.Phil/PhD students and is organised on a cross-college basis at the University. Research degree students may attend any of the events included here and in any college/year. However, some courses specify terms and conditions for attendance. Please observe these.

All research degree students are required as part of their first year programme to attend the three intensive blocks of RNUAL which take place in October, February and June. First year students will be asked to give a 20 minute paper presenting an aspect of their research work in June 2009. Second year students will also be asked to make a presentation of their research in February 2009 which are linked to confirmation stage interviews.

With the exception of the RNUAL Blocks 1-3, which all first year students are expected to attend, all other courses listed here are optional. Most can be attended at any stage in the course of study, some are directed at particular stages in the process. Students should contact the named lecturer or contact to obtain access to a particular aspect of the programme.

Any changes to the programmes or additional information about other courses open to research students will be added to the RNUAL blackboard site. Students are advised to consult this on a regular basis to obtain up-to-date information and to access other relevant research study tools. The user name and password for blackboard are the same as that used to access student university email accounts. Students will also receive postings of any major changes or additional opportunities via email through the research students email list, [research-students@lists.arts.ac.uk], which uses student's University email addresses only. Students are advised to redirect their University email to a home email address if they intend to use only a single personal email account and remain informed of activities and opportunities available to them as research degree students.

In 2005-2006, the University introduced Personal Development Planning (PDP) as part of its research degree programme. Details of the PDP's aims and objectives are given in the University Student Handbook. At induction and in their annual report meetings, students will be asked by their supervisors to consider their training needs. Students are advised to consult with their supervisors and take part in a training needs analysis to determine a programme of attendance for the many courses and options offered in this handbook, only some of which may be useful or appropriate to their chosen field of research.  Training needs will vary over the course of a research degree and students are asked to think carefully about the number of courses they take as this may interfere with making progress in their research work.

Katy Deepwell

Head of Research Training