The experience of doing a PhD is different for everyone, not only do methodologies and frameworks vary hugely between disciplines but students often enter into the process for a variety of reasons.
Some envisage it as the ultimate luxury, day after day in your pyjamas, eating nothing but cereal, surrounded by interesting books. For others it’s a means to an end, a route into academia, a badge of honour or a necessary requirement for the perfect job.
However, despite the breadth of experiences, one thing that seems to be widely agreed upon is that your time as a PhD student is hugely informed by your supervisors, department and university.
It was the cereal and pyjamas (and books of course) that drew me to PhD research. However, my experience at Coventry University, has involved many more activities and given me many more experiences than I could ever had expected.
I am based in the centre for dance research (C-DaRE), which is run by professor Sarah Whatley. She and Dr Scott deLahunta, my second supervisor, are highly regarded in the field of dance studies. This means that from the very start of the research process I have been introduced to a wealth of fascinating case studies, ideas and people, which stimulated the development of my thesis.
Coventry has a very structured PhD system, which involves a series of formal milestones and yearly assessments. This approach, combined with the support of my supervisors has really helped me to stay on track and have many successes, such as winning the Ede and Ravenscroft postgraduate award for academic excellence in 2014.
It is a luxury to have time to deeply probe a topic and have your ideas closely interrogated and discussed in supervision meetings.
However, doing a PhD does not only entail writing a thesis. There are conference papers, journal articles, book reviews and book chapters to be written. Presenting at conferences is a good way to meet people with similar interests and to get to see the world.
Last year I presented at multiple conferences in the UK, as well as meetings in France and New York. So far this year I am due to travel to Ghent, Kent, California and Hyderabad.
Alongside research there are also teaching responsibilities. I was introduced to university teaching through co-teaching with Sarah on the BA dance degree at Coventry. I have now worked as a visiting lecturer at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Roehampton University, Kingston University, University of East London and London School of Contemporary Dance, providing me with important experience for the next stage of my career.
C-DaRE is relatively small, but it is growing all of the time and is an extremely active research centre. There are frequent seminars to attend and other events happening. Many of the researchers based in the department are also dance artists and practitioners, this combined with the close relationship with the undergraduate degree, helps for the art form to be at the centre of the research arising from the department.
There are many opportunities to engage in artistic practice, for example last year I performed in (to) Constantly Vent, a performance work by dance artist and senior lecturer Katye Coe, which was performed at the Haywood Gallery for 12 weeks.
Undertaking a PhD at Coventry has certainly involved less staring out of the window in quiet contemplation than I had envisaged, and I have to get dressed almost every day, however the university has definitely prepared me well for the reality of a multi-faceted academic career.
This content has been produced by Coventry University
