At the very start of your research degree, spend time getting to know your supervisors and designing your research program.
Your research program helps you to identify the training, networks and facilities you need to achieve your goals. Your supervisors and the Graduate Research School can guide you to access the relevant opportunities.
Week one: Meet with your supervisors
Within the first week of enrolling at UTS, you should organise to meet with your principal and co-supervisor. The first meeting is an important process in establishing your relationship and talking through your respective expectations, roles and responsibilities as they relate to your research candidature.
In your first meeting, you can discuss:
- how often you and your supervisor will meet and how the meetings will be conducted (e.g. in-person, over the phone or Zoom)
- whether you will meet with all your supervisors together, or with each supervisor separately
- who will initiate the contact and meeting requests
- who will keep notes of the meetings,
- timeframes for receiving feedback.
Week two: Develop a Graduate Research Study Plan
In your first two weeks, you need to develop a Graduate Research Study Plan (GRSP) with your supervisor.
A GRSP is a structured agreement between you and your supervisors that articulates the resources, knowledge and skills development you need to produce your research output, as well as the capabilities you'll use to develop your career.
An initial GRSP conversation should begin with an assessment of the skills that you possess and the skills you need to progress your research and career, using the HDR Capability Framework as a guideline.
Once you identify gaps, you can:
- enrol in coursework subjects to undertake (at no cost to you)
- explore industry placements
- attend graduate research workshops, and
- apply additional funding for external opportunities.
You need to develop and submit your GRSP via an online form in ResearchMaster.
How to access and use ResearchMaster.
Ongoing planning
You’ll revisit the GRSP at each stage of your candidature to ensure that it remains an accurate reflection of your research aspirations.
For additional information about your research degree, please visit the graduate research journey.