(Department header)

University of Cambridge Part-time Research Degrees

PROGRESS LOG

Name of Student:

Course:

Course dates:

Name of Supervisor:

Name of Adviser (if any):

Name of Local Co-ordinator:

Your Progress Log is for you and your supervisor to complete over the period of your course to show that all requirements have been met. The Log will record attendance at supervisions, skills training etc. It will also be a vehicle for Personal Development Planning*. This document belongs to you and you must keep it up to date, but it will routinely be seen by your supervisor. Please add pages to the Log as required.

At the end of each twelve months, you will have a formal meeting with your supervisor and a joint report of your progress will be entered in the Log. The Local Co-ordinator will also ask to see the Log at this time to check that attendance requirements have been met.

The Progress Log should also be an up to date record of your training needs and requirements as a Graduate Student. It will help you to plan your own training (Section 2) and to record the outcomes (Sections 3 and 4). The information accumulated will prove helpful when you come to rewriting your CV and applying for jobs, and will form part of your own Personal Development Plan*.

*A Personal Development Plan is “a means by which students can monitor, build and reflect upon their personal development” (National Committee of Inquiry in Higher Education, 1997). Supported by the Government and Higher Education Institutions, the primary objective of Personal Development Planning is to help students • become more effective, independent and confident self-directed learners; • understand how they are learning and relate their learning to a wider context • improve their general skills for study and career management; • articulate personal goals and evaluate progress towards their achievement; • and encourage a positive attitude to learning throughout life.

SECTION 1 Record of Meetings with Supervisor

You are required to meet formally with your supervisor at least twice a term. You and your supervisor should initial the form to confirm that these meetings have been held. If you are away doing fieldwork, please indicate accordingly.

At the end of each twelve months, you will have a formal meeting with your supervisor and a joint report of your progress must be attached to the Log. The Local Co-ordinator will also ask to see the Log at this time to check that attendance requirements have been met.

|Meeting |Date |Supervisor initials|Student initials|*Progress report to be attached |
| | | | |(tick) |
|Initial (first month) | | | | |
|Discuss Personal Learning | | | | |
|Year 1 term 1 | | | | |
|Year 1 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 1 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 1 term 3 | | | | |
|Progress: Year 1 | | | |* |
|Local Co-ordinator’s signature |
|Date: |
|Year 2 term 1 | | | | |
|Discuss Personal Learning | | | | |
|Year 2 term 1 | | | | |
|Year 2 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 2 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 2 term 3 | | | | |
|Progress: Year 2 | | | |* |
|Local Co-ordinator’s |
|signature and date: |

/continued overleaf

SECTION 1 Record of Meetings with Supervisor (continued)

|Meeting |Date |Supervisor initials|Student initials|*Progress report to |
| | | | |be attached (tick) |
|Year 3 term 1 | | | | |
|Discuss Personal Learning | | | | |
|Year 3 term 1 | | | | |
|Year 3 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 3 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 3 term 3 | | | | |
|Progress: Year 3 | | | |* |
|Local Co-ordinator’s signature |
|Date: |
|Year 4 term 1 | | | | |
|Discuss Personal Learning | | | | |
|Year 4 term 1 | | | | |
|Year 4 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 4 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 4 term 3 | | | | |
|Progress:Year 4 | | | |* |
|Local Co-ordinator’s signature |
|Date: |
|Year 5 term 1 | | | | |
|Discuss Personal Learning | | | | |
|Year 5 term 1 | | | | |
|Year 5 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 5 term 2 | | | | |
|Year 5 term 3 | | | | |
|Progress:Year 5 | | | |* |
|Local Co-ordinator’s |
|signature and date: |

SECTION 1 Record of Meetings with Adviser (if any)

The frequency of meetings with advisers varies, but is expected to be at least twice a year.

|Meeting |Date |Adviser’s initials | Student’s initials |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |
|Year Term | | | |

SECTION 2 Training Plan

The purpose of your Training Plan is to review your training needs at the start of each calendar year of study. The varied backgrounds and prior experience of graduate students means that this learning plan needs to be tailored to the needs of the individual. It is particularly important to carry out such a review at the start of your first year.

Students often embark on research projects in areas that were not well covered during their first degree. In order to make the most effective use of your time here it is important to discuss with your supervisor (and perhaps your adviser) your planned project to identify any areas in which you might benefit from attending specific sets of lectures or training courses. There are a huge number of advanced undergraduate lectures that may help in this respect – in fact there is a good chance that your supervisor may give the relevant lectures. It is important to make these plans early within the first year (otherwise you might miss out on some courses!).

You should also think about other courses that you might wish to take. Courses are available within the University on study skills, specific and generic research skills, IT, communication skills, presentation skills, career planning and personal development. Your own Department or Faculty may run some of these courses.

Some of these may be helpful during your first year; others may be more relevant during later years (e.g. career planning). You should review your Training Plan on an annual basis according to your current needs. Some of the courses will be clearly related to the immediate needs of your research project, while others will assist you in your overall career and professional development.

Finally, remember that this plan is a statement of intent and is not fixed. Actual attendance at training courses is recorded in Section 3. You can of course decide during the year to attend other courses as the need arises.

SECTION 2 Training Plan

Academic Year:

Complete this page, sign and date within the first month of each year

List the courses/lectures that you plan to attend during the year. You may include those which are compulsory in your Department.

|Course |Date(s) |
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Student signature

Date

SECTION 3 Training Courses Attended

Academic Year:

Keeping an up to date record of the training courses you have attended will be very helpful when you update your CV. Non-academic employers usually want to know about about the “generic” and “transferable” skills that you have acquired. Many studentship sponsors also require students to report back on this. Being able to document prior training (eg in safety matters) sometimes allows you to be exempted from basic training in subsequent employment. Remember to include any compulsory training courses as well as those you have elected to attend.

|Course attended |Date(s) |Comments upon content/usefulness of course |
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SECTION 4 Presentations

Academic Year:

The various forms of communication included here cover a number of important CV-enhancing transferable skills, which may be acquired without attending specific training courses. Keep a record of the presentations that you give including seminars, lectures, poster presentations, and Journal Club presentations. Include activities within the Department as well as external meetings. You can also record attendance at national or international meetings even where you did not give a presentation.

|Title |Type of presentation |Date |
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