Here’s a general outline of what you might be doing in the early months of your PhD. Of course, your day-to-day activities and schedule will vary according to your academic discipline, and also whether your full- part-time. This should give you an idea and also a basis for discussions with your supervisor.
1st Month
Find out about & attend induction events
- Your department/School
- Doctoral School
- Student Union
Make contact with your supervisor(s)
- Schedule your first meeting
- Check the frequency of subsequent meetings
- Establish expectations for your working relationship
Book workshops
- Researcher Development Programme
- Sussex Centre for Language Studies (if applicable)
Settle down in the UK/Brighton/University of Sussex
- Explore your new environment
- Seek guidance from International Student Support (if applicable)
- Make some friends
2nd Month
Read the Handbook and Regulations for Doctoral Researchers
- Make sure you understand the regulations and requirements
- Familiarise yourself with the annual review procedure
Make a plan for your research
- Schedule your work for the first year
- Make a rough plan for the following years
3rd Month
Start preparing for your first annual review
- Draft your research proposal
- Design your presentation (if applicable)
Meet your research communities
- Find out about the research centres and groups at Sussex
- Connect to to other researchers in your field through ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and Twitter
Decide how to organise your research
- Explore software for writing, note-taking, and bibliographic referencing
- Find a suitable study space
- Establish your daily/weekly routine
4th, 5th & 6th Months
Do your research
- Get going with your research & keep a log
- Continue & modify your daily/week/monthly schedule
Prepare for fieldwork / research trips
Attend a conference
Teaching
- Consider signing up for the Starting to Teach module