PhD Training
Graduate School and Research Institute of Child Development and Education
The core component of PhD training at the RICDE is conducting original research to advance research knowledge and skills. Candidates therefore spend around 75% of their time on their PhD research project. Additional components include education to advance their academic and broader professional development (around 15% of their time) and teaching (around 10% of their time).
PhD education as part of higher education
In line with the Bologna Process, the PhD phase is considered the third phase of higher education, following the Bachelor and Master phase. This third phase is much less standardized than the first and second phase and comes with greater responsibility for the candidates themselves to design their learning process.
Candidates design their own learning process by setting personal learning goals and self-monitoring their learning experiences towards obtaining these goals. Candidates design their personal education plan to facilitate learning and critical reflection on learning. Because we train doctoral candidates to not only contribute to scientific debates, but to also be an active citizen and ethical leader, the education plan transcends basic research knowledge and skills, and also includes broader professional development such as research ethics and integrity.
Standardised en personalised
Education plans are both standardized, ensuring that all candidates reach key intended learning objectives, and personalized, acknowledging the wide diversity in candidates’ backgrounds and future career paths. This is realised by ensuring that all candidates cover basic learning objectives pertaining to their research area and more general academic and professional skills, and allowing candidates to formulate their personal learning objectives within each of these domains.
National research schools
Besides this guidance from supervisors, PhD candidates often receive PhD training organised by a national research school. Since the introduction of the Graduate Schools in the Netherlands, PhD candidates can also receive PhD training from the Graduate Schools. A combination of courses and components taken at the Graduate School of Child Development and Education as well as from national research schools is also possible. For the specific requirements of the PhD training organised by the national research schools ISED, ICO and IOPS, please check out their websites.
Personal PhD education plan template and guidelines
Download here a template of the education and supervision plan RICDE would like to receive before PhD candidates start their traject.
RICDE/GSCDE Courses for PhD Candidates
RICDE/GSCDE PhD courses include basic methodological and statistical methods and academic and professional skills. Advanced substantive and methodological and statistical methods courses are project-depended. See the course scanner for an overview of these courses at GSCDE MA programs and at external programs. Please note that costs may apply for these courses.
Below is an overview of other courses for PhD Candidates on (1) basic research methods and statistics, (2) academic writing, and (3) research ethics and good research practices. The UvA Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) (4) offers courses to support your teaching skills. All RICDE courses are free for all RICDE PhD Candidates (employed as well as not-employed). TLC courses are free for those who teach at the UvA.
Although voluntary, we strongly advise PhD candidates to follow the courses research ethics, research data management, research integrity, and good research practices.
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Basic research methods and statistics
Descriptive statistics (1 EC) (anytime)
On understanding and applying basic descriptive statistics to summarize, visualize and interpret quantitative data.
Structure: self-directed info clips and assignments on Canvas.
How to sign up: self-enrol through this link.Inferential statistics (1 EC) (anytime)
On understanding and applying basic inferential statistics to test associations and group differences using quantitative data.
Structure: self-directed info clips and assignments on Canvas.
How to sign up: self-enrol through this link.Qualitative research methods (1 EC) (anytime)
On the basics of the iterative process of data collection, description, analysis and interpretation in qualitative research.
Structure: self-directed info clips and assignments on Canvas.
How to sign up: self-enrol through this link.Quantitative research methods (1 EC) (anytime)
On the basic methodological concepts and criteria needed to design and evaluate empirical research studies in the social and behavioral sciences.
Structure: self-directed info clips and assignments on Canvas.
How to sign up: self-enrol through this link. -
Academic writing
Academic writing: the basics (0 EC) (anytime)
On clear and convincing academic writing, with easy to apply suggestions and examples. (all MA students follow this course. Scrolling through its content may also be helpful for supervising MA theses).
Structure: self-directed info clips and assignments on Canvas.
How to sign up: self-enrol through this link.Writing Club (1 EC) (starts in October and again in Jan/Feb)
On developing gratifying writing habits, elements of style in academic writing, and submitting papers to peer-reviewed journals and responding to peer review.
Structure: 5 monthly 1-hour group meetings (Fridays 13.00-14.00 or 16.00-17.00) + brief assignments.
How to sign up: email Milica Nikolic (M.Nikolic@uva.nl). -
Research ethics and good research practices
Research Ethics (1 EC) (anytime)
On preparing research protocols for ethics approval at RICDE.
Structure: self-directed course on Canvas with final assignment in ANS.
How to sign up: self-enrol to the Canvas course through this link. Ready to make the final assignment in ANS? Send an email to ICTO (icto-pow-fmg@uva.nl) and they will add you to ANS. After you have the exam, email the course coordinator Titia van Zuijen (t.l.vanzuijen@uva.nl) and she will notify you about the results.Research Data Management (1 EC) (anytime)
On safely storing and organizing your research data at the UvA.
Structure: self-directed info clips and assignments on Canvas.
How to sign up: self-enrol through this link.Good Research Practices (1 EC) (anytime)
On recognizing and avoiding questionable research practices.
Structure: self-directed assignments on Canvas.
How to sign up: self-enrol through this link.Research Integrity (1 EC) (Spring)
On navigating complex ethical and moral academic situations in a professional and responsible matter.
Structure: workshop.
How to sign up: email Milica Nikolic (M.Nikolic@uva.nl) -
Teaching Skills
The TLC announces courses on their website. In addition to an overview of all courses (e.g., teaching an international classroom, applying blended learning, providing written feedback etc.) they provide tips (e.g., time savers) and teachers share their experiences (e.g., on flipping the classroom)
Our faculty-specific TLC-FMG organizes courses for working group teachers. These courses are open to PhD Candidates at the FMG. TLC contact person for our department is Arna van Beek (A.R.vanBeek@uva.nl)
Want to become part of the TLC community? Sign up here.