Undertaking a PhD is an extremely rewarding experience, however there are inevitably times in the PhD journey that are challenging and affect both the student experience and wellbeing. These might relate to pastoral issues such as mental health, disability, financial concerns, interpersonal conflict or academic support.
A number of activities below provide pastoral support to enhance your PhD journey that complements the roles of the supervisory team and Research Degree Coordinators. Academic support is also also available in the form of Writing Retreats and workshops. The following professional services also provide key modes of support during your PhD:
Student Success Advisors | support for student welfare and access to services and wider university support networks. Contact the Arts, Design & Media team here: admssa.team@bcu.ac.uk
Mental Health and Wellbeing Team | confidential online and face-to-face appointments including counselling services, mental health and wellbeing support. Contact the team here: SA.wellbeing@bcu.ac.uk.
Disability Support Services | Advice and support for students with a diagnosed (or suspected) disability, including Disability Support Statements and Disability Support Allowances. Contact the team here: disability@bcu.ac.uk
Wellbeing-related events
A number of events aimed at enhancing PhD wellness are scheduled as part of The PGR Studio programme. Past events include Meditation and Mindfulness and PhD walks. We also run socially-oriented events such as regular Coffee & Chats, a winter social and summer PhD picnic as well as happenings that aim to foster a PhD community such as our Inside//Out festival and annual conference.
ADM mentoring scheme
Our mentoring scheme pairs Arts, Design & Media doctoral students at different stages of their PhD journey as well as with recently completed researchers. It facilitates a confidential and supportive space to discuss issues related to PhD study and is complemented by annual gatherings that bring together the mentoring community. You can find more about the mentoring scheme here.
Online resources
We are currently building a resources area on the PGR Studio website that provides links to relevant information and services available both within and beyond BCU. You can also see our Academics Anonymous blog posts here, which explore a range of issues experienced during the PhD journey.
