For staffPGCert in Researcher Professional Development

The Postgraduate Certificate in Researcher Professional Development is the first academic award in the UK to recognise and reward the wide array of skills and experiences that postgraduate research students achieve during their PhD research. ​​​​​​​

Overview

The PGCert in Researcher Professional Development (PG Cert RPD) classes are mapped to the Researcher Development Framework which sets out the key competencies and behaviours of a successful researcher.

The PGCert RPD has no set curriculum or timetable. Each student, with the support of their supervisor, identifies the development activities best suited to their individual needs.

Activities that contribute to the PGCert RPD can be:

  • PGT classes
  • courses and workshops offered by any provider within the University (including the Researcher Development Programme)
  • courses and workshops offered by any external provider
  • developmental experiences like conferences and publications
  • working with companies and organisations
  • online courses
  • engaging the public in research
  • funding applications

Staff guide on marking & assessment

NEPTUNE staff guide

SPIDER staff guide

Classes in the PG Cert in Researcher Professional Development

The PG Cert in Researcher Professional Development has a total of 60 credits, broken down over five classes:

  • RD901: Researcher Knowledge & Intellectual Abilities (20 credits)
  • RD902: Researcher Personal Effectiveness (10 credits)
  • RD903: Researcher Governance & Organisation (10 credits)
  • RD904: Researcher Engagement, Influence & Impact (10 credits)
  • RD905: Researcher Professional Development Elective (10 credits)

Students are encouraged to identify the skills they will need to complete their research and to equip them for their chosen careers. The timing of training and balancing training across RD901-905 is important.

We have two tools to support planning for the PG Cert RPD:

PG Cert RPD Training Needs Analysis Tool

The TNA tool allows the student to see all 63 skills and attributes listed in the Researcher Development Framework. They can then rate their current skill level for each descriptor and the skill level they would like to obtain by the end of their research.

PG Cert RPD Training and Development Plan

The planning template should be used to plan the research-specific training required to complete the research plan, and the personal and professional development needs of the student to allow them to achieve their career aims.

Almost anything can count towards the PGCert in Researcher Professional Development, as long as you can extract meaningful learning from the activity, and demonstrate how it meets the learning outcomes of one of the PG Cert RPD classes.

Reflection is an important part of the PGCert, and the assessments for each class encourage the student to reflect on all their activities, not just the experiential ones.

Activities can fall into three categories:

Informal activities

With a defined structure and content, but no formal examination. Can be offered by any provider within the University, or any external provider. Examples include:

  • a workshop delivered through the Researcher Development Programme
  • participation in a faculty research presentation day
  • engagement with a departmental seminar series

Formal activities

A postgraduate taught class offered by your department.

Experiential activities

Almost anything else and unique to each participant. Typically students only understand their learning after reflecting on their experience. Two students taking part in the same general activity (for example, volunteering at a conference) will likely have very different learning experiences depending on their roles and interactions with others.

 
Evidence

For more formal activities - attendance records, completion certificates, or academic transcripts.

Activities with an output - copies of posters or presentations at conferences can be used.

Other activities may be harder to evidence - anything that proves the student was involved - email chains, or direct requests from someone involved in organising the activity to provide a testimonial.

 
Credits

The number of credits a student records in the PGR monitoring systems should accurately reflect the number of hours the student spent on each activity.

For example, a 20 credit PG Cert RPD class nominally requires 200 hours of active engagement, including exams and assessments.

The evidence provided should support the number of credits claimed.

 
 

The assessment pass mark is 50%. ​​​​​​​

Your supervisor needs to approve your assessment and will answer the following questions as part of the approval process:

  1. Did the student demonstrate that they met at least one of the learning outcomes?
  2. Did the student describe what aspects of each activity contributed to the learning outcomes?
  3. Did the student describe why they chose the activities listed in the form, and how the activities met their training needs?
  4. Did the student reflect on the new skills acquired during each activity, or how they applied existing skills to a new situation?
  5. Did the student reflect on how they can apply their new knowledge to their research, and to their overall professional development?
  6. Did the student reflect on their expectations of the activity, and if those expectations were met?

You should also be satisfied that the evidence provided supports the number of credits claimed. You should also be satisfied that the evidence provided supports the number of credits claimed. If you are not satisfied, you can return the essay to your student for improvement and resubmission. This can be done as many times as is necessary for the essay to be satisfactory. Once you have reviewed your student’s essay as satisfactory, we will distribute it to one of our independent markers. We schedule this process as a four-weekly cycle. If you approve your student’s essay by the date below, we will provide feedback to your student about 3 weeks later.

Supervisor approval deadlineFeedback returned
26 May 2022  Week commencing: 13 June 2022
23 June 2022 Week commencing: 11 July 2022
21 July 2022 Week commencing: 8 August 2022
18 August 2022 Week commencing: 5 September 2022
15 September 2022 Week commencing: 3 October 2022

 

RD901 Researcher Knowledge & Intellectual Abilities

2000 words+ evidence for each activity

  1. Enhanced knowledge base in a research context, including: subject knowledge; theoretical knowledge of research methods; practical application of research methods; information seeking; information literacy and management; languages; academic literacy and numeracy
  2. Enhanced cognitive abilities in a research context, including: analysing; synthesising; critical thinking; evaluation; problem solving
  3. Enhanced creativity in a research context, including: inquiring mind; intellectual insight; innovation; argument construction; intellectual risk
 
RD902 Researcher Personal Effectiveness

1000 words+ evidence for each activity

  1. Enhanced personal qualities in a research context, including: enthusiasm; perseverance; integrity; self-confidence; self-reflection; responsibility
  2. Enhanced self-management in a research context, including: preparation and prioritisation; commitment to research; time management; responsiveness to change; work-life balance
  3. Enhanced professional and career development in a research context, including: career management; continuing professional development; responsiveness to opportunities; networking; reputation and esteem
 
RD903 Researcher Governance & Organisation

1000 words+ evidence for each activity

  1. Enhanced professional conduct in a research context, including: health and safety; ethics, principles, and sustainability; legal requirements; IPR and copyright; respect and confidentiality; attribution and co-authorship; appropriate practice.
  2. Enhanced understanding of research management in a research context, including: research strategy; project planning and delivery; risk management.
  3. Enhanced understanding finance, funding and resources in a research context, including: income and funding generation; financial management; infrastructure and resources.
 
RD904 Researcher Engagement, Influence & Impact

1000 words+ evidence for each activity.

  1. Enhanced ability to work with others in a research context, including: collegiality; team working; people management; supervision; mentoring; influence and leadership; collaboration; equality and diversity
  2. Enhanced abilities to communicate and disseminate in a research context, including: communication methods; communication media; publication
  3. Enhanced engagement and impact in a research context, including: teaching; public engagement; enterprise, policy; society and culture; global citizenship
 
RD905 Researcher Professional Development Elective

1000 words+ evidence for each activity

  1. Enhanced knowledge and intellectual abilities needed to carry out excellent research
  2. Enhance personal qualities, career and self-management skills required to take ownership for and engage in professional development
  3. Enhanced knowledge of the standards, requirements and professional conduct that are needed for the effective management of research
  4. Enhanced knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage with, influence and impact on the academic, social, cultural, economic and broader context

MPhil students

MPhil students are required to complete RD906 - 20 credits - and demonstrate development across the four domains of the Researcher Development Framework.

Students are required to record activities and assessments in the relevant progress monitoring systems.

Students who upgrade to PhD are required to complete the full PG Cert RPD.

Please get in touch if your MPhil student is upgrading, or if a PhD student is transferring to MPhil.

Opting in and opting out

Students will only be allowed to opt-out of the PG Cert RPD in exceptional circumstances. A case needs to be made to the PGR Director and approved by the Vice Dean demonstrating a level of skill/experience in each of the classes.

Students on doctoral programmes who are not required to undertake the PG Cert RPD may request to opt-in. A case should be made demonstrating that the student has sufficient time and capacity to undertake the work required to gain the PG Cert RPD. Please get in touch for details about opting in.

Recognition of prior learning

Prior learning can contribute to the credit requirements of the PG Cert RPD.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) must have occurred within the five years prior to the student starting the PhD and can be based on a previous qualification, work-based experience or any other relevant experience.

Students can apply for up to 30 credits of RPL across classes RD901 to RD904. The student must demonstrate how the previous experience meets the learning outcomes of the PG Cert RPD class it is being applied to.

Please get in touch for more information.