A spotlight on Postgraduate Study at Keele | 23
on Research Skills as part of my MA programme , so I felt as if I had a good grounding for going into the PhD itself . Staying on at Keele also really helped because my main PhD supervisor supervised my MA dissertation , so we had already established a good working relationship .
EP : What opportunities have been available to you to enrich your student experience and gain key employability skills ?
AB : During my MA programme I opted to undertake a Work Placement module . I ended up working with a local museum and helped them to improve digital access to their collections by starting up a collections blog and making some video user guides . In addition to giving me work experience within an area of interest , the placement subsequently led to further collaboration as I partnered with the same museum during my PhD to run an archival skills training day for PGR students . The skills gained as part of that module also helped me to secure a paid internship with another local heritage organisation during my PhD .
EP : What kind of support do postgraduate students receive at Keele ?
AB : One of the main reasons that I chose to stay at Keele for my PhD was because of how supported I felt during my MA programme . My tutors were so approachable and always encouraged me to get in touch if I had questions or was unsure about any aspect of the course . I have also found the additional skills training offered by the Library , Academic Services , and the Keele Doctoral Academy ( KDA ) very helpful .
Keele is one of only two universities in the country to have a dedicated postgraduate students ’ union – the Keele Postgraduate Association ( KPA ) - and that has been a huge source of support too . In addition to running regular social events that help to create a vibrant and friendly postgraduate community , the KPA provides advice , support , and bursaries to postgraduate students .