History and Philosophy

Actions

Responsible

Status*

1

Research

Infrastructure and Facilities

Research Students in the School of History and Philosophy must rely on research space in the Hardiman building. During covid restrictions, students had no access to this research space, which impacted negatively on some. Fortunately, access is now restored. But improved research infrastructure at School level is advised. In particular, a shared research space for students in both Disciplines would be welcome.

Head of

School,

CASSCS,

Buildings Office.

In

progress*

2

Supervision

The report indicates a high level of satisfaction with the level of supervisory support available to students. Although most students in History and Philosophy are supervised by one supervisor, co-supervisory arrangements are in place for projects that would benefit from them and where the requisite supervisory expertise is available. It is to be noted that the most recent report shows considerable improvement in the level of satisfaction amongst students with their supervisor’s attention to identifying relevant training and development needs. Supervisors in the School will continue to direct students to the Researcher Development Centre (RDC), which is supported by the offices of the VP for Research and Innovation and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Supervisors and GRC members will also continue to advise students about relevant generic skills modules offered to graduate students in the CASSCS. Programme handbooks will continue to be updated by Programme Directors with relevant information for the convenience of students, GRC members and supervisors. 

Postgraduate

Programme Directors,

Supervisors, GRC members

Complete

3

Research Culture

The School of History and Philosophy offers a vibrant research culture by offering a research seminar series running across two semesters and comprising presentations from visiting speakers and postgraduate students. All staff and students are encouraged to attend and attendance tends to be very good.

Postgraduate students in Philosophy organize a peer-reviewed graduate conference each year, which allows students to engage with their international peers. The research ambience in the School could be improved by the availability of a designated space for postgraduate researchers. The availability of such a space requires improved infrastructure in the School.

History and Philosophy

staff, History and Philosophy research seminar organizers.

In progress

4

Progress and

Assessment

The report indicates a high level of satisfaction in this area. At School and Department level students meet with the Directors of the PG programmes for a specific department-related induction and are provided with a PG course Handbook, both of which they find extremely helpful. No particular issue in relation to this category has arisen in the School

PG

Programme

Directors

Complete

5

Research Skills

Students have expressed a high degree of satisfaction in this area. Students in Philosophy are directed to the Research Development Centre and relevant generic skills modules are offered on the Structured PhD programme. Information is provided in the programme handbook

Postgraduate

Programme

Directors,

Supervisors,

GRC members

Complete

6

Other Transferable

Skills

Students express a high level of satisfaction in this area. As noted above, postgraduate

PG Programme

Complete

students in Philosophy research postgraduates in History are directed to the Research Development Centre to draw up a personal development plan and to take training workshops in highlighting transferable skills and CV building

Directors,

GRC members,

Postgraduate

Programme

Teaching

Staff

7

Responsibilities and Supports

Students seem to be aware of their responsibilities as postgraduates and of their supervisor’s responsibilities. In both History and Philosophy, these responsibilities are clearly outlined in the postgraduate handbook given to all postgraduate students and available online on the Postgraduate Studies web page. Students seem to be less aware of other support channels in the university. Information about these supports is made available to students of Philosophy and History in the programme handbook. The various support channels in the university need to make more of an effort to communicate with postgraduate students in the different Schools and Departments

PG

Programme

Directors,

Supervisors,

CASSCS,

NUIG

Postgraduate

Studies

Complete

8

Personal Outlook

In both History and Philosophy, postgraduate students are generally supported well and are aware that there is someone to talk to in the person of the programme director. Programme Directors, Supervisors and GRC members in History and Philosophy regularly direct students to university supports outside the School. Information on how to access these supports are provided in the Programme Handbooks. 

The survey results indicate that students suffer from poor work-life balance, and this is not surprising, given that several students in the School are unfunded and must work in paid

Postgraduate

Programme Directors,

Supervisors,

CASSCS, 

In progress

employment to support their studies. This often results in students applying for a leave of absence, which interrupts their studies. Further opportunities for financial support for postgraduate students might help remedy the problem.

9

COVID-19 Questions

Students have undoubtedly been impacted negatively by the pandemic and restricted access to on-campus facilities/study space. Availability of suitable study space at home has been a challenge. The survey indicates that students have suffered financially. Isolation has also been a significant problem. Both disciplines have responded by encouraging students to apply, where appropriate, for a HEA costed extension. Research seminars were moved online, which allowed the graduate community to meet regularly. Postgraduate international conference in Philosophy was also successfully moved online. A PhD student in Philosophy organized online weekly meet-ups for graduate students. Staff attended the sessions on occasion. History staff have also held virtual coffees with their PhD students, among whom there is a good esprit de corps.

Programme Directors, seminar organizers

In progress

10

Development

Opportunities  

As noted above, students are directed to the Research Development Centre and encouraged to register with the centre, draw up a personal development plan and avail of relevant training workshops. A training plan might also become part of the formation of every postgraduate, incorporating research skills and transferable skills. Such a plan might be incorporated into the Induction training module provided by CASSCS. Also, in

PG

Programme

Directors,

Supervisors, PG

Programmes Teaching

Staff, HODs,

HOS, Career

In progress

conjunction with the Careers Office, the CASSCS and the Departments might also provide more systematic guidance with regard to career options. 

Placement/internships: Philosophy has introduced a new postgraduate module, PI6111 Public Philosophy and Civic Education, which makes P4C (Philosophy for Children) training available to postgraduate students in the Discipline. The module involves a placement in a local school. In the MA in History, there is an optional placement element in HI519 Sources and Resources (15 ECTS) amounting to 25 per cent of credit for the module. This element was introduced only in 2020-21, so opportunities have been limited to work in archives due to the pandemic, but students have availed of it during both years to date.

Links with industry: In the School of History and Philosophy context, opportunities of ‘Working Collaboratively with Industry’ are necessarily be limited, but there would certainly be possibilities of ‘Working Collaboratively with a Civil Society Organisation’, especially in light of plans to develop Public History at MA level.

Conference attendance/submission of papers to journals etc.: Postgraduate students in History and Philosophy are encouraged to attend conference and submit papers for publication. However, attendance at conferences requires financial support, which we are unable to provide. 

Still, the 50% of submission of an academic paper for publication in the former School of Humanities in the survey seems satisfactory, given that 50% of respondents were masters’ students and would not be expected to have

Office,

CASSCS

reached the point where they might publish either in History or Philosophy.

Teaching: students have the opportunity to teach tutorials but these opportunities are subject to budgetary constraints. The remuneration for tutorial teaching is unattractive for many of the School’s postgraduate students. Students funded by the Galway Doctoral Scholarship are often given more opportunity to teach than others because it is a contractual requirement for them and does not put pressure on the Departmental budgets. All students who teach are encouraged to take teaching training modules offered on the Structured PhD. It would be beneficial if PhD students were to be offered more opportunities to lecture on occasion to improve their CVs, but these opportunities are subject to budgetary conditions.

11

Motivations

Postgraduate research students primarily motivated by interest in their subject.

Complete

12

Career

Most research students wish to pursue an academic career. This result stresses the importance of providing teaching experience for all postgraduate researchers who wish to avail of the opportunity. Unfortunately, as indicated above, the availability of teaching is subject to budgetary constraints. 

Head of

School,

CASCCS,

Graduate

Studies

In progress

13

Overall Experience 

Students in History and Philosophy are mostly satisfied with their experience. They are encouraged to consult with the Programme Director, supervisor or GRC members if they are unsatisfied with some aspect of theprogramme. Students are guaranteed a swift response. 

Heads of

Discipline, Programme Directors,

Supervisors,GRC members