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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Personal & Professional Development
Module Code BAA1008 (ITS: HR610)
Faculty DCU Business School School DCU Business School
NFQ level 9 Credit Rating 5
Description

The aim of this module is to enhance participant understanding of their current personal and professional competencies profile. The module aims to assist participants to work in a coherent and structured way to develop aspects of this profile over the course of the doctoral programme. This is facilitated by the provision of an on-line learning and development portfolio which enables structured goal setting and goal management. Core to the module is a focus on a series of generic competencies such as networking, emotional intelligence, communication styles, career review and goal setting which are often seen as peripheral to the doctoral educational experience but are recognised as being of significant importance to advancement in research, academia and beyond. The module is essentially skills and competencies based and will take the form of a series of workshops that have been designed to maximise active participation

Learning Outcomes

1. Appraise their of your own competency portfolio with a view to establishing developmental goals (Block I to III)
2. Design a personal developmental competency plan (Block I to III)
3. Manage a goal setting plan across their doctoral journey (Block I to III)
4. Discriminate well-being and work-life balance issues that impact across the stages of the doctoral process (Block II)
5. Practice career planning and development strategies to facilitate active career mapping (Block III)
6. Review and evaluate their personal feedback preferences and networking skills with a view to self-regulation
7. Deliver a reflective diary illustrative of reflective competence (Block I to III)


WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Independent Study14• Pre-workshop assessment preparation and post workshop assessment & homework
Seminars23• Workshop Attendance
Assignment Completion59• Portfolio Development Completion weekly average : 2 hours per week
Assignment Completion29• Reflection
Total Workload: 125
Section Breakdown
CRN12263Part of TermSemester 1, 2 & 3
Coursework0%Examination Weight0%
Grade ScalePASS/FAILPass Both ElementsY
Resit CategoryRC2Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorAurora TrifModule TeacherEdel Conway
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Reflective journal(i) You are asked to keep a reflective journal over the duration of the module. The aim of the reflective process is to assist you in developing the skills of reflection and insight. A template for keeping the journal will be provided for all participating scholars. (LO7)50%Week 1
Portfolio(ii) You are asked to engage with the portfolio planning process by completing the portfolio over the duration of the module. This will involve you in: • Setting objectives, tasks, milestones and identifying barriers/risks for a five month period of time; • Identifying the ways in which you will manage the relationship with your supervisor; • Planning your work-life balance; • Identifying key competencies and how these will be enhanced over the time span of the doctorate; • Identifying the key issues to be considered in planning your career; • Planning your professional development for the next twelve months. (LOs 1-6)50%Week 1
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

The module is delivered over a 6 month period involving attendance at 3 one-day workshops at DCU and on-going engagement on the learning portfolio provided.

Block 1
-Introduction to Doctoral Portfolio Development – -Personal competency Profiling –assessment, scoring and interpretation - Goal setting and goal achievement management - Reflecive Process and Reflective Diary Keeping -Competency Development Workshop

Block 2
-Managing well-being and work-life balance during the doctoral process -Professional development: The role of conferences, networking, training and –development opportunities, teaching and learning -Processes involved in giving and receiving feedback -Developing a positive relationship with your supervisor and mentors

Block 3
-Career Planning Workshop -Psychometric assessment personality and career preferences -Career planning and goal setting -Personal career coaching

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Antonessa, M.: 2006, Researching and Writing your thesis: A Guide for Postgraduate Students. NUI: Maynooth.,
  • Philipps, E. and Ugh, D.: 2009, How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and their Supervisors., Buckingham: Open University Press.,
  • Potter, S.: 2002, Doing Postgraduate Research, London: Sage,
  • Wisker, G.: 2001, The Postgraduate Research Handbook: Succeed with your MA, MPhil, DEd, PhD., Basingstoke: Palgrave McMillan,
  • Morgavi, A., McCarthy, M. and Metcalfe, J: 2007, Employers’ Views of Researchers’ Skills: A comprehensive review of existing literature into employers’ views of the skills of early career researchers, London: UK GRAD Programme., Available online at: http://www.grad.ac.uk/downloads/documents/Reports/2007%20publications/Employers'%20views%20of%20researchers'%20skills%20(pdf).pdf,
  • Borthwick, J. and Wissler, R: 2003, Postgraduate Research Students and Generic Capabilities: Online Directions, Available online at: http://www.dest.gov.au/archive/highered/respubs/postgrad_research/post_research.pdf,
  • Boyatzis, R, Stubbs, E and Taylor, S.: 2002, Learning Cognitive and Emotional Intelligence Competencies through Graduate Management Education, Academy of Management Learning and Education Vol 1 No 2, pp150-162,
  • Cryer, P.: 1997, Transferable Skills, Marketability and Lifelong Learning: The particular case of postgraduate research students, Studies in Higher Education Vol 23 No 2, pp 207-216,
  • Golde, C. and Dore, T.: 2001, At Cross Purposes: What the experiences of today’s doctoral students reveal about doctoral education” Available online at: http://www. phd-survey.org/,
  • Leonard, D.: 2000, Transforming Doctoral Studies: Competencies and artistry. Higher Education in Europe Vol 25 No 2, pp181-192,
  • Mitchell, T.: 2007, The Academic Life: Realistic changes needed for business school students and faculty” Academy of Management Learning & Education Vol 6 No 2, pp236-251,
  • Park, C.: 2005, New Variant PhD: the changing nature of the doctorate in the UK. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management Vol 27 No 2, pp189-207,
  • Pedler, M, Burgoyne, J and Boydell, T: 2007, A Manager’s Guide to Self-development (5th Edition), Columbus: McGraw-Hill,
  • Calori, R: 2002, Real time/real space research: connecting action and reflection in organization studies, Organization Studies 23(6): 877-883.,
  • Moon, J.: 2004, A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning, London: Routledge Falmer.,
  • Raelin, J.: 2002, I don’t have time to think!” versus the art of reflective practice, Reflections, 4(1) Society for Organizational learning (www.solonline.org),


Articles:
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Other Resources

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