Supervising MSc Students: Starter Kit (2024-VII)

Target audience

Supervising MSc Students: Starter Kit is for GSLS PhD candidates that have no or little experience with supervision. The course can be followed shortly before you start with supervision of students or during the first months of supervising your first student.

Following a supervision course is compulsory for all GSLS PhD candidates that will supervise a Master student. This requirement follows the regulations of Utrecht University. The GSLS offers 2 types of courses: Supervising MSc Students: Starter Kit and Supervising Research of MSc students. You need to join the course that fits you best. Please have a look here find out which course you have to choose. If you would like advise which course to follow, please send an e-mail to pcc@uu.nl.

Course description

Supervising scientific research is a complicated process. The nature and possibilities of the student, the supervisor(s), and the type of research determine the best supervision strategy. This short course aims to provide novice supervisors with a number of important (didactic) insights and skills so that they can get off to a good start with the supervision of Master students.

Learning objectives

After this course:

• You obtained ideas of what good supervision entails.
• You gained insights in which didactical insights (theories) can be applied to the supervision practice.
• You practiced how to apply supervision skills in common situation.
• You drawn on own experiences of being supervised to become aware of your ‘natural style’ as a supervisor and to take steps to develop yourself in this role.

Instructional method

The program covers a range of basic subjects. The level of detail will partly depend on the needs of participants. The way of working is characterized by the combination of reflection on theory and practice (based on common scenarios). Experiences gained during the course are translated into implications for future supervision practice. You will receive course assignments and the trainer will give feedback on that. In addition, participants receive feedback from their peers. Exchanging experiences and putting (theoretical) insights into practice are important elements of the course. Even though you have no or little experience with supervising students, you can draw on your own experiences of being supervised yourself to become aware of your ‘natural style’ as a supervisor and take steps to develop yourself in this role.

About the trainer

Trainers of Edutional Consultancy & Teacher Development (O&T), Utrecht University

Group size

10 to 12 participants

Number of credits

0.4 EC

Course schedule

Study load

In addition to the scheduled sessions, you should take into account an extra study load of approximately 4 hours in total. This study load consists of homework assignments in preparation for the sessions.

Course certificate

You will receive a certificate after actively participating during the two course sessions, including homework assignments.

This course counts as didactic training for your University Teaching Qualification (BKO). 
Learn more about achieving a University Teaching Qualification (BKO).

Cancellation and No-show policy

This course is free for GSLS PhD candidates. However: free of charge does not mean free of responsibility. Once you have signed up for a course, we expect you to attend. For every late cancellation or no-show we have had to disappoint others who would have liked to attend. This is our policy:

• You may cancel free of charge up to 4 weeks before the start of the course. After this date you can only cancel if you have a GSLS PhD candidate to replace you in the course. Send the name and contact information of your replacement to pcc@uu.nl, at least 2 working days before the start of the course;
• We expect that you actively attend the full course, but at least 80%. It is mandatory to attend the first session. If you are absent the first session you cannot follow the remaining of the course;
• Not meeting the above requirements means you will be charged a no-show fee (€ 98). We will send the invoice after the course has ended. We are unable to make any exceptions, unless you have a valid reason (i.e., illness or death in the family 1^st/2^nd degree or partner). Your supervisor has to send an e-mail to pcc@uu.nl indicating the reason.

Unfortunately we don’t offer this course for participants not part of the GSLS. Our courses tend to be fully booked by GSLS PhD candidates.