PhD Sphere

The SPHeRE PhD Programme provides a comprehensive set of capacity building and training activities to scholars. These activities are organised around expert-led, independent, and peer-led learning processes. These core approaches to teaching and learning underpin the different stages of the PhD journey.

These stages are divided into yearly terms where you complete the programme on a full-time basis; people completing on a part-time basis will have longer periods between stages.

Please visit the SPHeRE programme website for further details.

The PhD training programme is organised into several stages of development, divided into yearly terms for full-time scholars with a longer period between stage markers for part-time scholars. These stages include successful completion of:

• Six modules in PHPHSR
• National and international placements in ‘real life’ research settings
• Participation in a series of workshop training sessions focussed on research methods, professional and personal skills, PhD completion, and career advancement.

Successful completion of the six modules ensures scholars have the required foundational health, healthcare and health systems knowledge, while participation in the workshop programme and related activities ensures generic and transferrable skills development.
The PhD process itself, within the context of a structured and mentored framework, offers the basis for experiential learning in relation to the range of skills outlined in the Skills and Competencies Framework presented by the HRB (HRB, 2009). Supervisory teams are made up of experienced PHPHSR researchers attentive to the overall programme goal of training researchers (through the production of a PHPHSR PhD thesis). Therefore, they work with scholars in accessing training opportunities and ensuring that scholars gain concrete experience in research career practices such as publishing, presenting, teaching and collaborating.
Scholars’ progress through the programme stages is monitored by means of key outputs (milestones) that are delivered at strategic points in the programme. Full-time scholars must pass all Year One modules and complete a national placement. On completion of Year One scholars present their research proposal to an academic panel that approves transition to the next stage. After 18 months scholars are expected to present a satisfactory progress plan and at the close of Year Two to submit a paper to a peer-reviewed journal along with a progress report on data collection. On completion of Year Three a plan for thesis completion is required. Scholars are also expected to have completed their international placement by this stage. During Year Four scholars are expected to follow-through with the thesis completion plan and submit their thesis for examination in a timely manner.

Additional to these stages and markers of progression, scholars are expected to participate in various direct and indirect support activities, mentoring by supervision being the most essential of these. Additionally, the programme formally provides opportunities for various forms of expert-led and peer-led learning. These include external training opportunities, attendance and presentation at national and international conferences, research seminars and peer-learning fora.

The call for applications to the SPHeRE PhD Programme opens annually in January of each year.

Please contact sphere@rcsi.ie for further information or check the website: www.sphereprogramme.ie.

SPHeRE Programme Co-Director: Dr Sara Burke
p: +353 1 896 2201
e: hsmsec@tcd.ie

Please contact sphere@rcsi.ie for further information or check the website: www.sphereprogramme.ie