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Student Profile

Name: Jim
Course: PhD

Why did you choose to study for a PhD in School of Education? I was very interested in teacher cognition, one area I came across when I was doing my MSc at Queen’s, and wanted to explore this area further. I decided to continue my study at Queen’s as I had enjoyed my MSc study so much in the previous year.

What have you found most interesting or useful about the course? Doing a PhD at Queen’s has been a very rewarding experience for me. I benefited a lot from various training on research methods, academic writing and computing skills, provided by both the Postgraduate Centre and the School of Education. The supportive atmosphere at the School of Education left a deep impression - learning from and sharing with fellow doctoral students whenever at coffee morning, seminars or student-led conferences was so enjoyable.

What is your experience of the teaching support and student facility at Queen’s? I feel lucky to have very supportive supervisors and always found staff at the School of Education friendly and helpful.

Where are you in your career at the moment? I enjoy doing research and decide to follow this path in my future career. I have secured a post as a research fellow at one of the top universities in China.

Has the course helped you in your career? This PhD course had not only allowed me to explore teachers’ cognition in depth, but also broadened my general knowledge in applied linguistics and enhanced my research skills. I feel confident in embarking on this new journey as a professional researcher as I find the experience of my PhD study has laid quite a solid foundation in preparing me to become an independent researcher.

Any advice to future students? As doing a PhD is a relatively long process of three to four years. It is necessary to have a plan and try to stick to it at all times. However, being reasonable and flexible is also vitally important.