Training and careers

Find out more about the wide range of training resources, career support and professional development available to our research students through the Birkbeck Graduate Research School.

Overview of resources

The following provides an overview of resources but current students should refer to the BGRS Moodle site for more detailed information.

Training needs analysis

• All MPhil/PhD researchers at Birkbeck have to undertake a Training Needs Analysis to help you and your supervisor(s) identify your training needs and help you develop skills that will strengthen your career prospects beyond your PhD.

training offered by the Birkbeck graduate research school (BGRS)

• The Birkbeck Graduate Research Schools offers training and careers support to MPhil/PhD researchers at all stages of their research.
• We offer access to a range of useful, high-quality videos for Birkbeck MPhil/PhD researchers, covering topics including, undertaking doctoral research, good supervisions, presenting your research, surmounting the challenges of writing a doctoral thesis, how to successfully upgrade from MPhil to PhD status and how to prepare for and succeed in your viva. Please contact us for more details and for access to the videos.

Birkbeck careers and employability service 

• Birkbeck's Careers Service supports all Birkbeck students, including MPhil/PhD researchers, to improve their employability and develop the skills they need for their future career.
• The Service offers an extensive range of workshops, which all Birkbeck students can sign up for.
• The online Careers Portal gives you access to a fantastic range of tools and materials, including a CV review tool, career assessments, practice interviews, industry insights and ‘how to' guides. The Portal is accessed through your My Birkbeck profile.

Birkbeck library

• Birkbeck Library provides help and support with bibliographic and information-based skills. They have a handy online Research Support Guide.

Birkbeck Talent

• Our professional recruitment service, Birkbeck Talent, matches Birkbeck's students, including MPhil/PhD researchers, with some of the UK's top employers for exciting internship and employment opportunities. 

Training Offered by the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Networks

• We also work with the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, a group of universities, colleges and institutions in the Bloomsbury area, to provide access to training for our MPhil/PhD researchers. 

training opportunities through the Doctoral Training Programmes

• Birkbeck is a partner within the following PhD Doctoral Training Programmes through which additional training opportunities may be available:
  • The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC): Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE).
  • The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC): The London Interdisciplinary Biosciences Consortium.
  • Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC): UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership and the Bloomsbury Doctoral Training Centre for the Social Sciences.
  • Medical Research Council (MRC): UCL-Birkbeck MRC Doctoral Training Programme.
  • Natural Environment Research Council (NERC): The London NERC Doctoral Training Programme.

Other sources of training for MPhil/PhD researchers 

• The Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network gives you access to specialist postgraduate training across participating institutions in the Bloomsbury area.
• Online resources can be accessed through Vitae, the body for the professional development of researchers.
• All Birkbeck students can access over 2000,000 online tutorials on LinkedIn Learning. 

Suggestions for improving training at Birkbeck 

• If you have suggestions for future training courses, or for modifications to existing workshops, please submit a proposal using the BGRS Training Workshop Request form.
• We will prioritise requests for training that meet the most demand and will prove the most useful for students at Birkbeck.