phd schedule plan

How to develop an awesome PhD timeline step-by-step

A successful PhD journey begins with a solid plan that includes a PhD timeline . A thought-through and well-designed PhD timeline requires some time but can be accomplished in a few simple steps.

Why a clear PhD research timeline matters

Step 1: decide what to include in your phd timeline, step 2: discuss your provisional phd timeline with your supervisor/s, step 3: design your phd timeline, step 4: regularly update your phd timeline.

Doing a PhD means committing to a challenging project that spans several years. Therefore, it is no surprise that doing a PhD can feel quite overwhelming. How do you even begin to tackle such a huge project?

A PhD timeline breaks down the daunting task of doing a PhD into an actionable plan with tasks and milestones along the way.

Even if not everything will go as planned (which is normal and no problem!), a PhD timeline can give PhD students peace of mind. A good plan, worked out in a PhD timeline, helps them to structure their time, communicate their goals and work toward specific targets.

Some PhD students are required to create a PhD timeline as part of their programme. Yet, even if PhD students are not required to do so, it is highly recommended to create a PhD timeline!

PhD timelines should be as diverse as PhD research projects: What you decide to include in your timeline should fit to your situation, goals and your programmes’ requirements.

Common elements included in a PhD timeline are the following:

Data collection : How, when and where are you collecting your research data?
Fieldwork : Is your data collection spread out or are you spending several weeks doing fieldwork? If so, when is this scheduled and how can you avoid overlaps with other requirements, such as coursework?
Experiments : Are you running experiments for your PhD research? If so, when? And how long do you estimate this will take you?
Data analysis : Once you have your data, be it quantitative or qualitative data, when and how do you analyse it? How much time do you block for this task?
Writing plan : When are you writing down your results? How can you break down writing into different parts, for instance, writing goals per chapter or article?
Publications : Publication requirements differ from PhD programme to programme. Even if you write your PhD as a monograph (instead of a selection of articles) , you should try to publish something during your PhD. When would you have an opportunity to do so, and how much time does it require?
Conferences : Every PhD student should present at a conference during their PhD trajectory. Which conferences are you interested in? When do they take place, and when would you have findings to share at a conference?
Coursework : What are your PhD programme’s coursework requirements? What courses are you interested in, and when are they offered?
Other activities : Are there any other activities that are crucial for your PhD project? Think, for instance, about an extensive dissemination campaign, collaboration with external partners, internships, online activities etcetera.

Make a draft plan, including dates and times. Then move to Step 2: Discussing it with your supervisor/s!

Proactively creating your PhD timeline is a good step as a PhD student. However, you should share your thoughts and ideas with your PhD supervisor/s and get their input.

If possible, set up a meeting with your supervisor/s that is entirely dedicated to your PhD timeline. During this meeting, you can share what you created so far.

Then, you should discuss the following questions:

Is there anything missing in the PhD timeline?
Is the PhD timeline realistic?
Should anything be removed from the PhD timeline to prioritise other tasks?
Does the PhD timeline meet all the formal requirements to graduate within the designated amount of time?
Is there institutional support and sufficient financial resources for activities such as fieldwork, conference attendance, etcetera?

Make sure to take notes during the meeting, as you will need the answers to these questions to edit your provisional PhD timeline.

Not only will this discussion help you to finalise your PhD timeline. It will also help you to get clarity on your supervisor/s’ expectations!

You may also like: Planning your PhD research: A 3-year PhD timeline example

Following the input of your supervisor/s, your PhD timeline will reach a more final stage. Now it is time to think about designing your PhD timeline:

A well-designed PhD timeline is not just pretty for the eyes, but it makes it much easier to have a good overview of all plans and milestones ahead.

Yet, it would be wrong to argue that there is a one-size-fits all solution to designing a perfect PhD timeline.

Maybe you are a very visual person and would prefer your timeline to illustrate a broad overview of the upcoming years. Maybe you are encouraged by checking things off your to-do list. In that case, a more detailed PhD timeline with many different tasks and milestones may be more suitable for you.

A common way to design PhD timelines is via Gantt charts. If you want to learn more about Gantt charts for your PhD timeline, check out my post on how to design Gantt charts in Microsoft Excel, Power Point and Word.

A PhD timeline is there to keep you on track and to showcase the milestones that you reached in your journey so far. However, while it is good to have a solid plan, the future is impossible to predict.

Your PhD timeline should be a living document or chart. Update it regularly!

For instance, a conference may be cancelled. You may have a period of sick leave. An experiment may not work out as planned. Or writing a paper takes longer than expected.

Successful PhD students remain flexible and don’t panic as soon as something does not work out as planned.

So, use your PhD timeline to regularly reflect on your progress and your current situation. Update your PhD timeline when needed, to prioritise tasks and set more concrete and achievable goals for the upcoming months.

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154. How to Plan Your PhD w/ Hugh Kearns

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A PhD Plan sounds like an oxymoron, but charting a path to graduation is one of the most important things you can do as a graduate student.

This week, we talk with Hugh Kearns of Thinkwell about why PhD planning is so challenging for students, and learn about some tools that can keep your research on track.

Uncharted Territory

We start the conversation by trying to understand why planning is so difficult and so rare for PhDs.

“They’ve never done a PhD so they don’t know what’s coming,” Kearns observes. “And your previous education doesn’t prepare for research.”

He continues, “Research by its nature is uncertain. Things go wrong. And then what happens is people think that ‘Because I don’t know, we just won’t plan anything! We’ll see what happens.'”

But just because you’ve never done a PhD before, and no one has pursued your particular branch of research, that doesn’t mean you can’t plan ahead.

In fact, there are already tools and strategies, adapted from project management in the business world, that will help you set some guide rails around your winding path to a PhD.

Getting Your PhD Plan Backward

Traditional ‘forward’ planning works great for a well-worn process, like building a house. Builders know from experience that you can’t build the walls until you’ve poured the foundation, and you can’t paint until the drywall is installed.

Each of those activities has a reasonably predictable timeline, so you can plan the construction of a home week by week until it’s finished.

But a PhD isn’t quite at prescriptive. Sure, you know you need to do a literature review, but how long does that take? And how long will experiments take?

The fact is, they’ll take as much time as you give them. There’s no definitive ‘finish line’ for a literature review the way there is for a construction project. You just need to decide how long you’re willing to give the review, and stop when it’s ‘good enough.’

That’s why Kearns recommends ‘backward planning’ for PhDs. You start with an end date in mind (usually when the funding runs out) and work back from there.

His book, Planning Your PhD: All the tools and advice you need to finish your PhD in three years , lays out the steps in detail, and provides some worksheets you can use to create a multi-year Thesis Plan .

In fact, he offers those worksheets for free on the website!

Drilling into Detail

With your Thesis Plan in place, you can begin the process of adding more and more detail to the events closest in time.

This ‘rolling plan’ recognizes that you don’t know what you might be doing on Tuesday March 25 at 3PM three years from now, but you CAN decide on some goals over the next six months.

And don’t stress out if those goals shift, or you don’t quite manage to meet them. If you revisit your plan on a regular schedule, you can adjust and adapt.

If you never set the goal, or never look back at what you planned, you’re guaranteed to drift as the months and years pass by.

Kearns shares some other tools, like his ‘To Day’ list that works in conjunction with your ‘To Do’ list to put a time component on your tasks. That way, you slowly make progress toward your goals, rather than watching your list grow more and more unmanageable.

The Paradox of Choice

Finally, we talk about the surprising fact having more options usually means you are less happy and get less done. Weird, right?

It’s the ‘paradox of choice,’ described by Barry Schwartz in his 2004 book of the same name, and this TED Talk .

For graduate students, that manifests as a list of things you need to get done: pour a gel, set up those reactions, manage the lab animals, read three papers, write a section of a review, respond to your PI’s email, and on and on.

And what happens when you have all those things you COULD be doing? You get overwhelmed and go scroll through Instagram instead.

Kearns recommends that you identify ‘The Next Thing’ (or TNT) and work on that. The smaller you make that task, the better!

We’ve learned over the years that PhD students don’t understand the meaning of the word “small”. Because they’ll say, “OK, I know what the task is: I’ll finish my literature review”. But this is still way too big. So now we use the word micro-task. For example, some micro-tasks are: * Add two paragraphs to the discussion section * Add the new data to Table 1 * Read my supervisor’s comments on my draft Planning Your PhD, by Hugh Kearns and Maria Gardiner

Keeping ‘The Next Thing’ manageable prevents your brain from shutting down and giving up.

And if you stack up enough ‘The Next Things’, day after day and week after week, you’ll soon be making measurable progress on your PhD!

One thought to “154. How to Plan Your PhD w/ Hugh Kearns”

There’s so many people that I’ve already approached and address the subject, and while it’s still needs to be addressed and is of great value to younger grad students… There’s something that I have experienced two times in my graduate student career, that I’ve yet to hear any academic institution discuss… What happens, when you are left alone when your advisor dies, and/or commits suicide? I realize this is a very small population of the onions that you speak to, but to those of us that I’ve gone through this, it is absolutely devastating. I’m the first person from my family to go to college, let alone grad school. Trying to finish my PhD was absolutely, not supported the least. When my advisor died it just sent things out of control. So, how do you propose to integrate maybe even in a small portion… However uncomfortable it may be, if a student is to be in such a situation where their advisor dies, And they are not receiving any support by their department which leaves them in even greater shock.. And perhaps I need them selves in limbo for years. This is what happened to me. But I had extenuating circumstances. I fought as hard as I could, While escaping a very unsafe home situation… Essentially, how do you bring up these topics for students for the worst possible case scenario for when things go wrong? Hopefully, they never do reach a point Were you have to learn that your advisor died or that you were advisor completed suicide in one of the parking garages is in your university. If you happen to plan your research out, let’s say perfectly; you have five research papers and you were on track to graduate and you were ready to give your defense And anticipated your graduation to be the next upcoming semester. You did everything right. Your plan worked. You follow the rules. What advice for students would you suggest, to prevent them from essentially falling apart completely? Because at the end of the day they put their entire lives into what they are doing here to finish up and move on with their lives. They put relationships and marriages and children on hold… So what happens when a disaster strikes? I think that should be a topic you might want to touch on in the future. Like I said, might be a small demographic, but I lost 1 advisor suddenly, An excellent professor to suicide, a remarkable and rising star an excellent lab-mate to suicide as well. I think that if we can integrate mental health and just kind of trickle it into conversations more, and dedicate more time to Just discussing it, and just discussing that mental health is as important as physical health… mental health won’t be as stigmatized as it unfortunately still is at this very day. Overall, I’m happy about the topic of this episode and this podcast in general. However, I think there are modern in inclusive pathways and things that Students really need help with especially regarding mental health and support… Especially when the loss of a lame or a advisor or a loved one… If any of this occurs, and they feel like they cannot reach out, that can be detrimental to your perfect research plan. So at the end of the day, your research plan could mean absolutely nothing. You have to essentially plan for the worst. Sounds sounds like a very pessimistic thing, I understand. But having gone through this myself, I don’t want anybody to ever experience what I have. We can only start making these extreme cases easier to deal with by Integrating it in our discussions. After all, it is quite relatable to your planning of your research and your PhD career. Because when your world gets turned upside down, your “plan” Could be dead or worthless. So where do you go from there? Just trying to provide a thought on my own take Hope it helps thanks for the podcast.

How to Manage Your PhD Timeline for Smoother Research Completion

It’s finally happening! The university has sent you an acceptance letter for the PhD program you had applied to. Getting into a doctoral program is not an easy task, and the speculations around it of being one of the toughest courses can’t be denied either. However, despite it being a daunting journey, one can smoothly sail through by managing the PhD timeline smartly. So sit back and read this article to plan your Ph.D. research timeline in an effective and hassle-free manner.

Table of Contents

Why Should You Draw a Ph.D. Timeline?

A PhD journey is laid with several milestones that come as you proceed. Thus, drawing a timeline preemptively helps researchers stay away from the last-minute terror of submissions, presentations, committee meetings, viva, etc. Furthermore, creating a timeline and adhering to it makes you a better learner and instills discipline in you.

How to Begin with the PhD Timeline Planning?

While creating a well-structured timeline, you must ask these questions to yourself and to your supervisor:

What are the important steps of a PhD program?
How many projects do you have to work on?
What are the technical milestones for developing a protocol?
What are the risks associated?

What to Do Before Creating Your PhD Timeline?

Obtaining a doctoral degree is a process of completing of required credits, passing the qualification test for submitting a doctoral thesis, writing and submitting a thesis, and final viva voce.

Follow these steps as you create your PhD Timeline :

Attend the program orientation to understand specific graduation requirements
Make a list of technical events such as conferences, committee meetings, PhD viva voce , presentations, qualification examination, etc.
Manage your PhD timeline term-wise or month-wise
Make a list of events on priority-basis

Step-wise Guide to Create Your PhD Timeline

Let’s take a detailed look at the steps required for a PhD. It is important to know what each step entails and what the deadline is for each of it. Generally, all universities have strict graduation requirements. A doctoral student is expected to complete a minimum number of credits to qualify as a PhD candidate. However, in some cases, a master’s degree is required for the doctoral program, and if you have obtained a master’s degree, you may be awarded a doctoral degree only through a research course without taking additional credits.

Here are 8 major milestones of a PhD program:

Milestone 1: Through consultation with your advisor, check whether there are any special graduation requirements other than the university and department that you may have to complete as part of your program.

Milestone 2: The supervisory committee must be formed within one year of the doctoral program and must have at least one meeting to plan the successful conclusion of a research project. In addition to the advisor, at least two other university professors are required to be members of this committee. Doctoral students must receive advice on how the doctoral program is progressing through regular meetings of the committee.

Milestone 3: In the second year of the doctoral program, you must pass a comprehensive exam which is known as the PhD qualifying examination . It is an oral presentation and oral exam of approximately 2 hours in front of 6-7 professors, essentially including one non-university professor, members of the Supervisory/Supervisory Board, and two other professors from your university and your advisors. Upon passing this exam, the PhD student’s status changes to PhD candidate. This makes him/her eligible to receive the doctoral degree.

Milestone 4: After that, by presenting the thesis and participating in conferences, the doctoral student must conduct his doctoral research in-depth and be recognized for it.

Milestone 5: When the curriculum requirements are met, the deadline for completing the doctoral thesis is determined through consultation with the advisor, and this is approved by the guidance committee.

Milestone 6: As a prerequisite before appearing for PhD viva, discuss the completed thesis with your advisor and select PhD external examiners related to the research field.

Milestone 7: Once the external expert/s reviews and approves the value, logic, and results of the doctoral thesis, the doctoral office allows the PhD candidate to take the thesis defense as the next course. In this defense, PhD candidates must pass a 2.5-3-hour oral examination based on their thesis in front of the doctoral examination panel.

Milestone 8: After receiving approval from the attending professors on the doctoral examination panel, submitting the final thesis, and applying for the doctoral degree, you will finally graduate with your PhD degree.

To download the PhD Timeline Template, click here !

Key takeaways.

Don’t get discouraged when someone shares their anecdotes of surviving a cumbersome PhD journey. Everyone applying for a doctoral program meets obstacles along the way; however, setting a proper timeline and following it diligently will only make your journey smoother than the rest. Do your best in accordance with your conscience, your mission as a learning scholar, and the regulations of your university. Wishing you a successful academic life with this PhD timeline . Let us know how you plan to soar through your PhD in the comments section below.

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How to maximize and adjust to a phd schedule.

A PhD schedule takes adjustment, but the strategies that work for doctoral studies carry throughout an academic career.

Adjusting to a PhD schedule can be a challenge. Classes will take up a decent amount of your time for the first few years of a program. After completing the required courses, independent research becomes the main focus. Sometimes that can be intimidating. You become your own boss, which is an adjustment from being told what to do and when to do it.

Here are a few tips from current doctoral students and professors at Wharton on how to transition into this new lifestyle:

Brush Up on Your Time Management Skills

Learning how to manage your time more effectively can help you get your schedule under control as well as stay on task and reduce stress. Prof. Wayne Guay , the doctoral coordinator for the Accounting program, said, “Effective time management is crucial to success, progress and sanity. First, students should know they are not alone, as it is something that many — perhaps most — graduate students struggle with from time to time.”

Time management allows you to maximize your day. If you find yourself struggling to effectively manage your time, click here for helpful tips .

Ask for Help

Completing a PhD is not an easy task. There will be times when you’re struggling and may be feel unsure or overwhelmed. Prof. Fernando Ferreira , the doctoral coordinator for the Business Economics and Public Policy and Real Estate programs, suggested that students reach out for help. He said, “It’s always much better to talk people. Share the experience that’s happening and share the problem, usually that’s the best way to overcome that struggle. It’s much easier once you’re able to communicate what exactly is happening.”

Professors are there to guide you when you need, so take advantage of their expertise. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to a professor, talk to a peer. There’s a chance that others have experienced similar issues and can lend some helpful advice. Prof. Ferreira also suggested seeking help sooner rather than later as putting off a problem can cause further issues down the line.

Take a Break

From going to class, completing homework, and conducting research, your days can be jam-packed. Although it is important to focus on your work, it is also important to take time for yourself. Karren Knowlton , a third year Management student, said, “It’s super easy to feel like school is your life, but you won’t be able to bring your best self here if you don’t round yourself out in other ways. I would say maybe two nights a week try to see other people and do something outside of school even if it’s just for an hour.”

Whether grabbing dinner with a friend or joining on a club on campus, there is plenty to do in and around Philadelphia. Karren chooses to spend her free time volunteering with the Science Education Academy in West Philly. Karren said, “ It’s a fun and rewarding way to give something back to the local community that’s easy to work into a PhD student schedule.”

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

Not comparing yourself to others is easier said than done. It’s important to remember a PhD program is not one size fits all. What works for one person may not necessarily work for you. Prof. Deborah Small , the doctoral coordinator for the Marketing program, said, “Of course it’s impossible to not compare yourself to others, but there’s not one right way to become an academic other than getting that degree.”

Comparing yourself to others can cause you to lose sight of the goal you’re working towards. Focus on what you personally need to do to be successful. Karren said, “Figure out what your priorities are and don’t let looking at other people and how much they seem to be working or not working affect that.”

Having tips to adjust to a PhD schedule is only helpful if you know what to expect. Get an inside look at the schedule of a PhD student .

Posted: August 4, 2017

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12 Expert Tips for Organizing Your PhD Research work

Revolutionize Your Research Workflow with These Expert Organization Tips

1. set clear goals, 2. develop a research plan, 3. create a schedule, 4. use a project management tool, 5. prioritize your tasks, 6. break down large tasks into smaller ones, 7. manage your time effectively, 8. stay organized, 9. communicate with your supervisor, 10. seek support, 11. stay motivated, 12. take breaks, 50 tips to oranize phd research work.

The journey of pursuing a PhD can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be overwhelming at times. One of the keys to completing the PhD degree successfully is being organized and managing your time effectively.

Organizing PhD work can be a challenging task, but with proper plan and execution, one can effectively manage their time and progress. In this article, iLovePhD presented twelve practical tips and strategies to help you stay organized and productive during your PhD journey.

Whether you’re just starting or in the middle of your PhD journey, these tips will help you stay on track and make the most out of your time as a research scholar.

Tips to Revolutionize Your PhD Research Workflow

The first step in organizing your PhD work is to set clear goals for yourself. Define the objectives of your research. Develop a clear and realistic plan for your PhD work, including milestones and deadlines for each task.

Once you have set your goals, develop a research plan that outlines the steps you need to take to achieve them. Your research plan should include the research questions you want to answer, the methods you will use to collect data, and the analysis techniques you will use to draw conclusions.

Create a schedule that outlines the tasks you need to complete each week and the deadlines for completing them. Make sure you allocate enough time for each task and don’t forget to include time for reviewing and revising your work.

Consider using a project management tool like Trello, Asana, or Notion to help you organize your tasks, set deadlines, and to help you to stay on track.

Prioritize your work based on the importance and urgency of each task. This will help you to focus on the most critical work first.

Also Read: Suffering PhD Scholars in Academia

Divide large tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks. This will help you to work more efficiently and achieve progress more quickly.

Manage your time effectively by allocating specific time slots for each task. Avoid multitasking, which can reduce your productivity and increase your stress levels.

Keep your work organized by using folders, files, and notes. This will help you to easily find and access your work and prevent you from losing important documents. Use tools like Zotero or Mendeley to manage your references.

Regular communication with your supervisor is crucial for staying on track with your PhD work. Schedule regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss your progress, get feedback, and ask for help if needed.

Seek support from your peers, and other professionals when necessary. This can help you to overcome challenges and move forward in your research

Stay motivated by setting realistic goals for yourself and celebrating your achievements.

Taking regular breaks is important to avoid burnout and stay focused. Make sure to schedule time for self-care. Engage in activities that you enjoy to maintain your mental health and well-being.

Organizing your PhD work is essential to ensure that you can work efficiently and effectively toward your research goals. It is an ongoing process, and you may need to adjust your plan as you go along.

Develop a system for managing your data.
Use a literature review matrix to stay organized.
Prioritize self-care to avoid burnout.
Use a task management tool to stay on top of deadlines.
Keep a research journal to track progress and ideas.
Stay organized by using folders and labels.
Create a clear and concise research plan.
Break larger tasks into smaller, manageable ones.
Use a citation management tool to keep track of sources.
Take breaks to avoid fatigue and maintain focus.
Back up your data regularly.
Use templates for reports and presentations to save time.
Stay on top of emails and communication.
Use an agenda or planner to schedule meetings and deadlines.
Collaborate with others to share ideas and resources.
Use software tools to help automate repetitive tasks.
Take advantage of library resources and research guides.
Use charts and graphs to visualize data.
Use cloud-based storage to access your work from anywhere.
Stay organized by color-coding notes and files.
Use checklists to ensure you complete all necessary tasks.
Make time for exercise and other forms of self-care.
Keep track of important dates and events.
Break down complex information into easy-to-understand summaries.
Use mind-mapping software to brainstorm ideas.
Take notes during meetings and discussions.
Create a filing system for physical documents.
Use an annotation tool to mark up documents.
Set aside designated time for writing.
Prioritize your most important tasks first.
Use keywords to organize your literature reviews.
Stay focused by eliminating distractions.
Use a backup system to protect your work.
Use templates to maintain consistent formatting.
Utilize peer feedback to improve your work.
Stay up-to-date on research trends and developments.
Use time blocking to schedule your day.
Maintain a consistent schedule to establish a routine.
Use a timer to help with time management.
Stay organized by using bookmarks and tags.
Make use of keyboard shortcuts to save time.
Take breaks to stretch and move your body.
Stay hydrated and well-rested for optimal productivity.
Use online forums to connect with other researchers.
Take care of your mental health to stay focused and motivated.
Keep your workspace clean and clutter-free.
Use a dictation tool to speed up your writing.
Create a backup plan in case of unexpected issues.
Use technology to stay organized on the go.
Celebrate your progress and accomplishments along the way!

By implementing the tips discussed in this article, you can establish a structured approach to your work that will help you stay focused and motivated. Be flexible and keep working towards your goals, and you will be on your way to completing your PhD successfully.

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iLovePhD is a research education website to know updated research-related information. It helps researchers to find top journals for publishing research articles and get an easy manual for research tools. The main aim of this website is to help Ph.D. scholars who are working in various domains to get more valuable ideas to carry out their research. Learn the current groundbreaking research activities around the world, love the process of getting a Ph.D.

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PhD Program Plans

[Part of the Policies of the CHD, August 2019]

Prospective Ph.D. Program Plan: Spring of G1 year

By mid-semester of the Spring of the G1 year, students should submit a Prospective Ph.D. program plan. The Ph.D. program plan specifies the ten SEAS graduate-level half-courses, or acceptable alternatives, be taken to satisfy the course requirements for the degree. The plan should contain a Proposed Dissertation Topic / Area of Research. The plan should be supplemented by a statement to explain the area of interest and the educational rationale for the courses included in the program. A major test of a program's intellectual validity is the possibility of providing a rational and persuasive argument in its favor. Supporting statements by the student's advisor(s) may also be necessary. The explanatory statement should be as brief as is consistent with clarity and completeness.

After consultation with their first-year advisor, the student will submit the Ph.D. program plan form by the announced deadline, usually in March of the G1 year. If necessary, the Application for Academic Credit for Graduate Work Done Elsewhere form also should be completed and attached to the prospective plan.

After reviewing the prospective program plan, the CHD may suggest or require modifications. It is in the best interest of the student that the prospective program plan be submitted as early as possible, during the first semester if possible; in no case may submission be delayed beyond April of the G1 year. An approved prospective program plan is normally a condition for registration for a third semester.

At any time after approval of the prospective program plan, changes to it are subject to approval by the CHD.

Ph.D. Program Plan (including qualifying exam committee): Fall of the G2 year

In consultation with the research advisor, the student will submit the Ph.D. Program Plan form by mid-November, preferably earlier. The final program plan serves two purposes: (1) it updates the prospective program plan by noting any revisions to the ten courses to be taken, and (2) it serves to form the qualifying exam committee. The committee includes the research advisor and nominations by both the student and the research advisor of one member each. The CHD reviews the final program plan and, on behalf of the Dean, nominates a fourth member for the qualifying committee, who is a SEAS faculty member

An approved final program plan is normally a condition for registration for a fourth semester.

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How to Create and Use a Gantt Chart for PhD Studies

A Gantt chart is a common tool used in the project management field. It is used for schedule planning of a project and its tasks and activities. It shows the tasks, their start and end dates, and the duration needed to complete them.

A PhD is a project and may last from as few as three years to as long as six years depending on the university and department a student is enrolled in.

In order to successfully complete a PhD program, one needs to plan when each of the tasks will be completed from the word go. A Gantt chart is very useful in doing this.

A PhD student can create one comprehensive Gantt chart or several smaller Gantt charts for each of the major deliverables.

This article discusses a Gantt chart for a general PhD program that has both coursework and dissertation components.

Benefits of a Gantt chart for planning PhD studies

Steps involved in creating a gantt chart for phd studies, how to effectively use the phd gantt chart, final thoughts on the phd gantt chart.

Creating a Gantt chart at the beginning of PhD studies has the following benefits:

It is easy to create. A student can use the traditional pen-and-paper method or existing digital tools or softwares to create a Gantt chart.
It is easy to read. The visual presentation of the Gantt chart makes it easy for the student to read and know what is expected of him at any point in time.
A Gantt chart makes it easy to monitor progress of PhD studies. The user can choose to use different colors for tasks that have already been completed, tasks that are close to completion, and tasks that require more time and effort to complete.
It forms the basis for monthly, weekly, and daily planning of the PhD studies. Depending on how detailed a student wants to go in terms of planning, the Gantt chart comes in handy when writing out the monthly, weekly and even daily plans.

Step 1: List all the deliverables expected of your PhD program. In this example, the PhD program has the following requirements:

Coursework, divided into 4 modules each lasting 2 weeks. All 4 modules need to be completed within the first year of study.
A comprehensive written exam at the end of the fourth module.
An oral exam once a student passes the written exam.
Submission of a concept note.
Submission of a research proposal once a student passes the oral exam.
Writing a business management case study.
Three journal papers.
At least two conference papers.
A dissertation.

Step 2: For each of the requirements listed above, note the start and end dates. For the above example, the PhD program lasts a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years. Assuming the minimum of 3 years (beginning January 2021), the activities’ start and end dates are as follows:

Step 3: Using the above information, create the Gantt chart using Microsoft Word, Powerpoint or Excel.

The following are useful resources for creating a Gantt chart using:

Microsoft Powerpoint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp0vr6OkW8Y
Microsoft Excel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00s5efQWrgU&t=10s
Microsoft Word: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90RdA5X4G0

The Gantt chart created from the above data is shown below. The chart was created using Microsoft Powerpoint.

Step 4: Once the Gantt chart is complete, print it out and hang it on the wall of your study room/area. This serves as a constant reminder of the tasks that need to be done at any point in time, as well as of the progress that has been made so far.

The greatest strength in using the Gantt chart for PhD studies lies in its ability to help one plan ahead. Using the Gantt chart above as an example, the user can plan as follows:

At the beginning of every month, look at what is required of you. For instance, the student above needs to complete module one of the coursework and at the same time start working on proposal writing.

The student can plan for module one in advance by going through the course structure and expected readings, and reading in advance before the start of the module so that he is able to follow and understand what is being taught. If there are pre- and post-module exams, the student can also prepare for them in advance.

Preliminary tasks for proposal writing can include: discussing your proposed topic with your supervisor, and searching for and quick review of literature to identify the gap that your topic will be addressing. All these can be done in the first month before the actual proposal writing starts.

The Gantt chart can help you identify the skills that are required for the successful completion of your dissertation. For instance, the student above is expected to write a Business Management case study by June of year 2.

If the student does not have case study writing skills, he can start looking for courses that teach case study writing and complete them way before the deadline for the case study. Same case for skills such as preparing and writing a journal paper, writing a conference paper, data analysis using softwares such as Stata, SPSS, NVivo etc.

The Gantt chart can help you plan for academic-related events such as conferences.

In the example provided above, the student is expected to attend two scientific conferences (in November of year 2 and March of year 3) and make presentations.

The student can start looking for conferences related to his field that are held during the proposed times and mark the key dates and requirements of the conferences (for instance, abstract submission deadlines, abstract submission guidelines, registration deadlines etc).

The Gantt chart can help you create monthly and weekly plans for longer tasks such as proposal writing.

In the above sample Gantt chart, proposal writing and defense spans a period of 15 months. By March of the second year, the student is expected to defend his proposal. This may seem like such a long period of time but in reality it is not. This is because it is not the only task that the student will undertake during this period. As a result, it is easier to focus on the tasks at hand and forget about the tasks that seem to have adequate time.

Proposal writing is a daunting task and requires constant reading and updating. To ensure that the student submits his proposal in time, he can create monthly and weekly plans for the task. An example of monthly planning for the proposal writing is provided in the table below:

The monthly plan is based on assumptions, for instance, that the supervisor will review the document within the scheduled timeframe. This may or may not hold, depending on the supervisor.

It is therefore important to allow ample time for such factors that are out of your own control in order to ensure that the task is completed by the deadline.

The monthly plans can further be broken down into weekly (and even daily) plans, for instance:

Number of papers to read per week (day).
Number of words to write per week (day).
How many citations and bibliographies to insert (update) every week (day).
Number of additional articles to search and add to your library each week etc.

Each of these tasks contributes to the overall proposal writing and make the task completion easier and faster than waiting for the last few months to do it all at once.

A PhD is a medium- to long-term project depending on how long it takes to finish. It therefore requires effective and careful planning from the start of the program to ensure that each deliverable is completed within the stipulated time. The Gantt chart is an easy-to-create, and easy-to-use planning tool that can be used by all PhD students. Not only does it save the student time but it also gives him peace of mind knowing the progress of each and every task required.

Grace Njeri-Otieno

Grace Njeri-Otieno is a Kenyan, a wife, a mom, and currently a PhD student, among many other balls she juggles. She holds a Bachelors' and Masters' degrees in Economics and has more than 7 years' experience with an INGO. She was inspired to start this site so as to share the lessons learned throughout her PhD journey with other PhD students. Her vision for this site is "to become a go-to resource center for PhD students in all their spheres of learning."

Typical timetable for full-time PhD student (3 Year)

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What should be a daily routine for PhD Students? Our proven checklist

PhD is the topmost academic honor , we write this line every time in our articles, only to make you understand how serious it is. To achieve the doctoral award, one has to develop some routine habits and self-discipline throughout the tenure.

This article is not the kind of all other articles on the internet which demonstrate some common things. Here is the standard daily routine process we advise our students to follow. This work, and will work for you.

Stay tuned with this content, it will certainly change your PhD journey.

The 7+8= 6 formula

Your daily planner, parkinson’s law , balance reading, writing and research , prepare goals for a day, check the goals for the day .

Learn a single new thing every day

Do exercise

Check your computational work, and make a backup, an ideal daily routine for a phd student, wrapping up: , a daily routine for phd students: .

This one is our proven formula, trust me. Sleep for 7 hours, work for 8 hours, for all 6 days in a week. Rest is very important to reduce the burden and tension. Make sure you rest for at least 7 hours every day no matter how much workload you have.

Work for 8 hours, including your research, lectures and other academic activities. Do check your daily work amount, without failure. No matter what you do (related to your PhD), you have to work for 8 hours every single day.

This routine should be followed for six-day, and you can take a rest, party, read or walk around on Sunday. Follow the 7+8=6 formula and let me know your experience.

As a PhD student, you must have your daily planner on your PC or laptop or on your desk. The daily planner will show you your work picture for the entire month. If you don’t have one, download it from here.

Make a red circle when you fail to achieve a goal or daily progress. This will make you a better researcher. Plan, roughly your work for the month and try to achieve every single objective every day.

Here is the secret formula using which you can increase productivity and do more work in less time. Parkinson’s law says that work expands to the time allowed for it.

For example, if you give 5 hours to write an article, or paper or anything, you can write in 5 hours. You see your social media, and videos, and do other stuff and reach the goal. But if you give 2 hours for the same work, you can really achieve it in 2 hours.

Trust me, this is scientifically proven. Make a small goal and try to complete it in a shorter time period, put your mobile and all other activities aside and only focus on that particular piece of work.

Try it. You will love it. Remember it’s Parkinson’s law.

Students work only under pressure or when required. But let me tell you that you can gradually decrease your workload by managing your work from day one. Plan how much time you will give to read, write and research.

I know, at first, it looks unrealistic but it can be managed. Prepare a timetable, for example, 2 hours to search literature early before your college hours. Search sources, material or literature which possibly helps your that day’s research work.

2 hours- literature review
College hours (3 to 4)- research and lab work
1 hour- enlist the results
2- read literature to correlate or justify your findings.

This should be your plan for a typical academic day. For example, let’s say today you would prepare some chemical solutions for your research. So before 2 hours of your work, read what chemicals are used, and what are their roles, quantity and variation that other scientists use.

After preparing solutions, check them, note results and search what others have found. Correlate it, and find problems so that you can work seamlessly for actual experiments.

This is something less recognized but so important. Wake up early, be prepared and enlist goals for the day. What would you do in the lab? Do remember Parkinson’s law and list more goals than the time allotted.

This routine will certainly help you to manage work and decrease your workload. In the long run, I bet you, you will be way ahead of your colleagues.

Now you have goals, planned how to execute them and worked. Go home and take a quick look at the goal book, and whether all goals are achieved, if you have achieved goals in time, before time or if some are left.

Also, note if some crucial goals are achieved in time or not.

Learn a single new thing every day

See, your ultimate goal is not only achieving a PhD degree, but afterward, you also have to go for a job or something else. Your degree is not the only thing required in the future. So try to learn at least a single new thing every day.

For example, a single or two new phrases, an English word or a new language. Learn MS Office or Excel, Some tools, etc.

Do yoga and meditation

Now, this is an obvious routine not only for a PhD student but also for others. Do yoga and meditation, possibly early in the morning. Yoga will strengthen your soul and inner spirit while meditation helps you to keep calm and fight depression and stress.

Again one obvious routine for everyone. If you like or not, do exercise, cardio, and physical activity and strengthen yourself. See, to achieve some serious things like a PhD, one must have been physical and mentally strong.

Do hit the gym or exercise every single day at least for 5 days a week.

Before going to sleep, take a quick look at all of your day’s activity, and if required, take a backup of some data or work. Don’t take backup lightly, data is everything. If you lose it, you will regret it.

When to write?

Writing is a serious business. You have to give so much time and can’t be managed in a daily routine. You have to read, understand, think and then write so it takes time. Plan to do research for 3 days and write for 3 days, on a weekly basis.

Again, manage things by yourself, if you are at the early stage, you can give more time to research. If your work is almost done, you can give yourself more days to write.

It’s not military training, first of all, keep in mind. This is just a time management plan. You don’t have to always follow this. Manage things by yourself. Remember, your ultimate goal is to achieve a PhD, managing your health, mental status, physical status and social commitments.

However, self-discipline is tough but important. So try to follow this routine at least for 6 months, regularly, if you wish or if you do not wish. Once it is in process, it becomes routine.

Our students always remain ahead of their friends and we train them to follow the routine. I hope this will help you. Be a part of our community, and subscribe to us.

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

About The Author

Dr Tushar Chauhan

20 Amazing Websites and/or Resources For PhD Students

Second Year

Enroll in 8 to 10 units each quarter of the regular academic year (autumn, winter, and spring)
Continue taking any required courses for area/subplan
Finish methodology core if not completed during first year
Second-Year Review in the spring quarter
Finalize program of study in consultation with advisor(s)
Transfer credit from outside institutions and/or choose a PhD Minor/Master’s Degree (recommended to be done by the end of second year, but can be completed anytime before the student goes TGR)
Advance to candidacy
Continuing taking required coursework and electives
Enroll in 8 to 10 units each quarter of the regular academic year (autumn, winter, and spring quarters)

Fourth Year

Complete 135 units of earned residency credit (including applicable transfer credit, if any)
Select reading committee
Apply for TGR status after completing all course-related degree requirements (including clearing any "incomplete" or "GNR" grades)
Complete dissertation proposal hearing
Note that going TGR and completing the dissertation proposal hearing are required in order to be eligible for the fifth-year funding guarantee

Fifth Year and Beyond

Complete research for and write dissertation
Schedule University Oral Examination (fourth or fifth year)
Make revisions to dissertation after the Oral Examination
Submit dissertation to the University (final quarter of program)

Each of these steps requires action and documentation by the student. At various times, the faculty advisor, Doctoral Programs Officer, Area Committee, or other entities participate in the completion of degree requirements. Students must ensure that each step is completed and that all appropriate parties have taken the necessary actions. See the Degree Progress Self-Tracking Checklist at the end of this Handbook.

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A PhD timeline for finishing quickly [Free Gantt Download]

Navigating the labyrinthine journey of a PhD program is no small feat.

From the day you step into your graduate program as a bright-eyed doctoral student, you’re immediately thrust into a complex weave of coursework, research, and milestones.

By the second year, you’ve transitioned from coursework to research, laying the groundwork for your dissertation—a pivotal component in your scholarly endeavour.

Come the third year, you face the critical oral examination, a hurdle that could make or break years of hard work.

But how does one streamline this multifaceted journey? The answer lies in a well-planned PhD timeline.

This blog serves as an invaluable guide for any PhD student looking to complete their doctoral studies efficiently, walking you through each milestone from coursework to graduation.

How to Begin with the PhD Timeline Planning?

Planning your PhD timeline is an essential first step in your PhD program.

Success in any PhD program depends, to a large extent, on effective time management and keeping track of progress through a thoughtfully crafted PhD timeline.

Start with outlining all your major requirements:

coursework,
dissertation,
and the expected time needed for each task.

I also highly recommend factoring in failure time – give yourself a little bit of wiggle room for when things, invariably – go wrong.

It’s crucial to remain realistic about the time you can commit daily or weekly while keeping long-term goals in mind.

Regular check-ins on your PhD timeline and supervisor will help you stay on track and allow you to adapt if necessary.

Adjustments may be needed as you progress through your PhD program, but having a timeline as a guide can make the journey less daunting and more achievable.

Elements to include in a 3-year PhD timeline

The initial stage in this timeline typically involves coursework, often lasting one year, where the student engrosses themselves in advanced study in their chosen field.

Once the coursework is done (USA PhDs), they focus on proposing, conducting, and presenting their initial research.

By the end of the second year, most students should have a clear direction for their dissertation, a core component of the PhD process.

In this third and final year of the PhD timeline, the student focuses primarily on completing their dissertation, which involves collecting data, analyzing results, and organizing their research into a substantial, original, and cohesive document that contributes to contemporary knowledge in their field.

Regular reviews and modifications of the PhD timeline may also be necessary to accommodate various unpredictable circumstances, thus making this timeline both a guide and a flexible workplan.

It is a significant tool in successfully navigating the maze of becoming a PhD holder.

Create Your PhD Timeline for a 3 year completion

Creating a timeline for a 3-year PhD program requires careful planning, as you’ll have multiple milestones and tasks to complete.

This timeline may vary depending on your specific field, institution, or country, but here is a general outline you can use as a starting point:

Free Gantt chart excel template

Here is a free template you can modify for your own research:

Example Gantt chart for a USA PhD

Here are some common steps involved in completing a PhD, which I’ll use to create the Gantt chart:

Orientation and Coursework (Semester 1) : Familiarization with the university, department, and coursework.
Coursework (Semester 2) : Continued coursework and possible teaching/research assistantships.
Select Advisor and Research Topic : Usually done towards the end of the first year or the beginning of the second year.
Preliminary Research : Initial research and literature review.
Complete Coursework (Semester 3) : Wrap up any remaining required courses.
Research Proposal : Develop a full research proposal including methodology.
Qualifying Exams : Exams to transition from a Ph.D. student to a Ph.D. candidate.
Begin Research : Start of actual research based on the approved proposal.
Conduct Research : Data collection, experiments, and analysis.
Intermediate Review : A review to assess the progress of the research.
Write Papers : Start writing papers and possibly publishing in journals.
Finalize Research : Final experiments and data analysis.
Write Dissertation : Writing the actual Ph.D. dissertation.
Dissertation Defense : Defending the dissertation before the committee.
Graduation : Completing all requirements and graduating.

Example Gantt chart for a UK, European and Australian PhD

For Ph.D. programs outside the United States, especially in Europe and some other parts of the world, students often go straight into research without the need for coursework. Here are some common steps for such programs:

Orientation : Familiarization with the university and department.
Select Advisor and Research Topic : Usually done at the beginning of the program.

Wrapping up

The journey to earning a PhD is complex and demanding, filled with academic milestones from coursework to research to dissertation writing.

The key to a smooth and efficient doctoral journey lies in well-planned time management—a structured PhD timeline.

This blog serves as an invaluable guide, offering detailed tips for planning out each academic year in both U.S. and international PhD programs. It emphasizes the importance of starting with an outline of major requirements and factoring in “failure time” for unforeseen challenges.

For those looking to navigate their PhD journey in three years or beyond, having a flexible but comprehensive timeline can be the compass that guides them successfully through the academic labyrinth.

Whether you’re just starting out or already deep into your research, the principles and strategies outlined here can help streamline your path to that coveted doctoral hood.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

8 Rules to write a PhD Thesis

Rule 4: make a phd timetable.

A PhD thesis can not be written in one week. Get this through your head. It is hard, maybe even the hardest thing you have to do during your PhD. It is going to be a painful task for most of you (it was for me). So schedule it in a proper time-wise manner. Do not wait until it’s just two weeks before the deadline to start writing. Here is a proposal: make a document with your PhD plan . Write down in that document the important things that need to be done in the last six months of your PhD, preferably in some chronological order. 3 Examples of things to write can be submission of papers, finishing data analyses or other leftover work, writing the thesis, preparing for the defence, sending some important emails, etc. Allocate at least two months of your time for the writing of the thesis . That’s a minimum proposed time frame and it might be far from ideal for you. Time equals money as they say, and that’s definitively the case for the PhD. So you might not want to spend too much of your time in thesis writing. On the other hand, you surely don’t want to underestimate the time that is required for such a colossal task. Therefore, you need to make a well-balanced estimate and plan your thesis writing accordingly. How can then someone derive such an estimate ?

For starters, you need to understand that the exact amount of time that is necessary to finish the thesis writing is hard to predict. The reason for this is that during such a large time period, your life is going to be influenced by a lot of factors. Some of these factors are uncontrollable and there is no way to prepare for them (the phenomenon also simply known as “ life happens ”). Some other factors are directly related to the practical task at hand and can thus be more easily predicted and regulated to your advantage. Using this knowledge, you can make a rough calculation of how much time it will take to write your PhD thesis. I personally think three factors are of significant importance to derive such an estimate. First, the format of the thesis , i.e. a paper-based thesis or a monograph, the latter of which will surely require more time to finish. Second, your personal writing speed , measured in the amount of chapters that you will be able to write on average in a specified time period (usually a week). Third, the number of chapters you need to write. Choosing the format of the thesis should be fairly obvious, based on common practices in your research field, the regulations of your academic institution and the existence or not of published PhD work (papers). Moreover, you should already have a pretty good estimate on the amount of total chapters, based on the modular way of constructing your PhD story as was explained in Rule 3 . Then all that is left, is for you to make an educated guess of your writing speed. The combination of the aforementioned three factors will then help you make a realistic estimation of how long the PhD thesis writing will take.

Let me share with you my personal experience on this matter. My thesis was paper-based. Following the rules in the section During writing , I was writing one to two thesis chapters per week. These were chapter drafts, so definitely not polished material. Therefore, my minimum writing speed was around one chapter per week . Continuing, I had a total of eight chapters to write + the abstract (derived from my initial story structure), which let’s say was equivalent to approximately nine chapters. Worst case scenario, I write one chapter per week, so a total of nine weeks are required. Best case scenario, I write two chapters per week, so a total of five weeks are required (rounding it up). Chapter size plays a huge role as you can probably guess. The proposed estimate of two months time is somewhere between five and nine weeks and closer to the second (the maximum of the two). So, eight weeks, equal to two months, sounded like a good deadline for my writing project. In the end, I finished the thesis writing in seven weeks, which was one week before the deadline. That included also reviewing the edits and comments from my supervisor and several rewrites. The important thing to remember here is that the calculation of your thesis time frame is going to be a personal rough estimate . Therefore, using an average writing speed of one chapter per week without further thought is justifiable (see Rule 7 on how to have more control over this). To summarize, my advice is to 1) calculate the number of chapters you are going to write 2) directly translate that number to weeks and 3) round it up to months. 4

Responsibly follow the time schedule you set up for yourself and be aware to not procrastinate on your thesis writing. This has also been stated more empirically as the notion that “ work expands to fill the time available for its completion ” (Parkinson’s Law). Procrastination can lead to unpleasant and stressful days before the thesis submission, that anyone would gladly dispense with. I have seen people doing rewrites, last minute additions, or otherwise work that could have been done a week or so ago, if properly scheduled. I have heard of people literally running to submit a printed copy in their respective department one hour before the deadline. Doesn’t sound too good to me. It’s a million times better to be prepared and follow your time plan religiously . Try to schedule your thesis writing in an anticipatory manner. This will happen when unfortunate scenarios that you can personally deal with, are managed to a satisfying degree. See also related discussion in the Epilogue .

Make a PhD timetable and allocate a realistic time frame for your thesis writing.

Of course you can make such a plan document from the start of your PhD. I just want to stress here the importance of including in this document what needs to be done during the last stages of your PhD. ↩︎

Remember to round up the resulting number to months! A basic arithmetic example is appropriate here. If you have a total of $11$ chapters, the time required to write them down would be calculated as follows: $\frac{11 \text{ chapters }}{1 \text{ chapter/week }}=11 \text{ weeks } \approx 12 \text{ weeks }$ (closest multiple of $4$ ), which is equal to $3$ months, assuming that $1$ month is equal to $4$ weeks. ↩︎

Jul 29, 2020

How I Made My PhD Completion Plan on Excel (With Template)

Updated: Dec 12, 2023

For the last few weeks, I've been working on my PhD completion plan. It's basically an excel spreadsheet that I'm using to track my progress and plan my time for the remainder of my PhD. My thesis is due August of next year (with a 6 month extension) so the clock is definitely ticking. But what started as a quick and basic gantt chart has quickly turned into a more complicated excel spreadsheet - and I love it so much I thought I'd share it with you all!

If you want to skip to accessing the excel template click the link below. But if you want to see how I made the document and how to use it, then keep on reading!

Basically, to make the Gantt charts I followed this Youtube tutorial:

I really wanted a Gantt chart that showed percentage progress as well as a general timeline, so I thought this tutorial was really useful for showing me how to do this!

If you start playing around with the Gantt charts in the template I've provided and run into any difficulties, particularly with things like changing the dates displayed on each chart, this is a good reference point as to how to fix problems that may arise. But of course, if you reach out to me for assistance with editing the spreadsheet, I'll do my best to help too!

The basic set up is that I have a colour coded table to the left of each Gantt chart within my file, that lists off each task with both my planned dates and my actual dates of start and completion for each task. Therefore, as I go along, if the dates that I actually do things don't correlate with my planned timeline, then I have a space to put the new dates down without losing my originally planned timeline. Basically, this set up allows me to have two options for what my Gantt chart looks like, I have the "Plan" view and the "Actual" view. I also have a column for % completion, so that on the "Actual" Gantt chart, it'll show me how far through I am with each task with a dark bar.

As I said, this all allows me to have two options for what my Gantt chart looks like, with both a planned and an actual dates option, I can control what I'm seeing on the chart using this nifty little drop down box:

By picking either actual or plan from the drop down box, it changes the display of the Gantt chart and what values come up in the second table entitled "Data Prep". You don't need to enter anything in the Data Prep table or do anything to it, it's all set up to get all the information it needs from the colour-coded table.

Then the sheet is set up to automatically create a Gantt chart like this one:

I've colour coded the chart based on three PhD Aims and general thesis writing. You'll notice that the dark bars indicate my percentage progress like I mentioned earlier, so if a bar is half way across, then the task is 50% complete. However, this will only show on the actual view, not the plan view.

If you change the dates for any of the planned or actual dates, it'll automatically update the Data Prep table and the corresponding Gantt chart.

Within the document, I have an overall Gantt chart to chart the whole PhD, but then I've also made tabs for each aim, where you can break each task down into smaller more actionable tasks and have a Gantt chart that displays those in detail. I've personally found this really useful so that I can both get an overall picture of my PhD, but also go into more detail for each aim or project when I need it.

I've also included a "Calendar View" option tab in the document. I don't think there's a way to automatically import dates of all your various tasks into the calendar, so you'll have to do it manually if this is a set up that would be beneficial for you. But personally, I liked being able to plan my day to day out on a calendar in order to know when I could put down tasks as planning to be performed on my Gantt charts. So I filled this calendar view out before I did any date planning on the charts. I obviously colour code these tasks for each aim and then general thesis writing in the same colours I've used to make the overall Gantt chart to make things easier to navigate and know what's going on at first glance.

I haven't included this in the template, but in my personal PhD completion plan document, I also have more tabs with experimental information like my immunohistochemistry antibody panels, so that I can quickly refer back to them while I'm looking at the timelines of completing my lab work for each project.

To access the most up-to-date version of this template, head to my new website at:

This excel sheet looks incredible and I cannot wait to use it: thanks for creating and sharing it with us!

Hello Lily,

My name is Hida and I am thankful for your kind sharing of this template. You have done a good deed and I also hope I can enjoy sharing my knowledge with others too. Thanks 😘

Love from Malaysia,

Hello, thank you so much for sharing this! very beneficial indeed. I need a little help, in extending the timeline beyond December 2021. Can you help me with it? Thanks a lot!

Hi Siti, the date axis are simply the dates on the gantt chart (top of the chart). If you click on those, the date axis will be selected

Hi, thanks for sharing and providing resources. Now that you are using notion how does this planning fit with that software? Or are you still using the gantt chart as your overall planning tool. Many thanks

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Tress Academic

#112: PhD project-planning quick-start

February 15, 2022 by Tress Academic

Let’s get straight to the point: If you realistically want to have a chance of finishing your PhD on time, you’ll have to plan your project. More specifically, you have to apply project management techniques and appoint yourself the manager of that project. Many PhD candidates have trouble setting up and following a project plan. That is why in this blogpost, we’ll let you know what it means to manage your PhD project and we’ll share an awesome free worksheet: 6 steps to outline a PhD project plan . With this, you can start drafting your project plan without struggle and endless searching for the right procedure.

My experiences with project planning

When I set out to apply for a scholarship to fund my PhD project, my supervisor, a professor at the University of Heidelberg, told me to describe exactly what I wanted to achieve in my project, and to set up a Gantt-Chart so my proposal would convince the funding agency that my project was worth the investment. My professor was tight-lipped and I did not get any further information on how to work out my project plan. I dived into the university library for the latest project-management guides, and it took a lot of time to figure it all out and come up with a reasonable plan for my PhD project. I got the funding for the project, and once I started, I used my plan to guide me throughout my project. I adjusted it every now and then, but it helped me never lose sight of my goals and to finish within the 3 years that I had.

I have used project plans ever since. In the 12 years that I have worked as a scientist, there were many plans for small projects within my own group or institute, as well as for large multinational EU-framework funded project clusters. And since running TRESS ACADEMIC , whenever we set up a new course or revise our website, the first thing we do is set up a project plan. We even have mini-project plans for our weekly blog posts with the exact tasks we have to do and when they need to be completed. For me, this has become second nature: No project without a plan.

Common myths around project planning for PhD projects

1. believing you don’t know enough.

Many PhD students don’t devise a plan because they think they don’t know enough about their project–particularly what the end results might be. That is a very common excuse to avoid thinking about the goals and outcomes of the project, as well as the entire process that will lead you there. You can read more about this and other common objections on the SMART ACADEMICS BLOG post no. 47: Plan your project – save your PhD!

2. Believing a plan is set in stone

In other words, you are afraid that once the plan is set, you lose all freedom and flexibility in your research.

Don’t think that once the plan is drawn up, your project will be carried out in this exact way. None of my projects were ever carried out exactly as I had initially planned. The goal is not to set-up regulations that dictate your every move, but to set-up a plan that will steer your project along the correct path. Your plan helps you make informed decisions on where to take your project at any point in time. You can stick to the plan or adjust it if you determine that a deviation is superior to what you have initially planned. This is how your project will evolve and improve over time.

3. Believing it’s better to wait and see what happens

There is still a wide-spread belief that you start a PhD and just see what comes your way or what will develop once your supervisors give you some initial input. This is blind-trust that the brilliant scientists around you will show you the safe route to finish on time with stellar results. Hint: They won’t, and it’s not their task. While I hope that your supervisor will give you input and bounce around ideas with you (that is indeed their task), don’t expect them to run this project for you. This is your PhD, not theirs.

4. Believing you don’t need a personal plan for your PhD because there is already one for the bigger project you’re working in

Are you a PhD working in a larger research project with many collaborating scientists? Is your PhD project only focusing on one aspect among many ? When you get the project plan for the bigger project (or the part that your supervisor is responsible for) handed to you, you may think: Great, that’s my plan! I don’t need a separate one for myself. Wrong. Although your PhD will take place under the umbrella of this bigger project, you need to sit down and identify exactly what you are going to do that a) serves the goals of the overall project b) merits a PhD.

If you fail to plan you plan to fail

Data from empirical surveys show over and over again that the majority of international PhD candidates delay (HEFCE 2007, Council of Graduate Schools 2008, SCB 2011, Van de Schoot et al. 2013, BuWiN 2021). That means their PhD project takes more time than initially planned. It may take five instead of the initially planned four years, or six instead of three. While there is some wriggle room for individual cases, there is none for others. “Delay is highly problematic for PhD students because in most cases it means that they receive no income anymore, because their employment contract or scholarship ends after a certain amount of time, regardless of whether or not the dissertation has been completed” (Van Rooij E. et al. 2021). International PhD candidates may have to leave their host countries when their contracts expire since their permission to stay is tied to their employment.

There are many reasons why PhD candidates delay. In our blog post no. 60: Are you delayed with your PhD? we list 10 common reasons. Not planning ahead for the 3-4 years of the PhD project is definitely one of them. Since this is entirely in your hands (no one will keep you from developing a project plan and tracking your progress), it is one of your biggest assets in avoiding a lengthy and painful delay. You’ve got to set clear goals from the first to the last day of your PhD, and the plan helps you put these into practice.

Don’t take a PhD delay and its negative consequences for granted. Review what has caused your delay and how you work on your PhD currently in order to identify what needs to change with our free worksheet: Identify main reasons for the delay with your PhD .

You don’t have to major in project management

You’re not overly interested in project management? I get it. You’re here to work on your science. Point taken. I agree that you should focus on becoming an expert in your scientific field over project management. And: Managing a scientific project has a few different requirements than managing a project in an industrial, commercial or philanthropic setting. So even just having general project management skills won’t necessarily help you a lot. That’s why we at TRESS ACADEMIC have developed tools and techniques to help you acquire the necessary skills to manage your PhD project in the fastest and most efficient way. We’re not tinkering around with theory, but instead give you PhD specific practical advice. In our course PhD Success Lab, we teach PhD candidates the exact steps to take to set up a project plan and manage their project throughout their 3-4 year PhD process, progress-tracking included. Many report that having a clear road-map takes a big weight off their shoulders, and makes them feel less overwhelmed and more confident.

Let’s give you a head-start

We’ve thought about how we can make PhD project-management easier for everyone right now. What we’ve realised over the years is that PhD candidates don’t know what a project plan should look like; they’re uncertain where to begin and what to include. To give you a head-start, get our free worksheet “6 steps to outline a PhD project plan” with the exact steps you have to take to set up your own. So you don’t have to figure it out all alone like I had to at the start of my PhD! Get going!

Will you do us a favour?

Since we are sharing this for free, please refer to the SMART ACA DEMICS BLOG whenever you use our material. We’d be delighted if you share this blogpost with a friend or colleague who needs to brush up their project management skills. If you are a professor or supervisor, please share this with your team or PhD candidates.

SMART ACADEMICS BLOG post no. 47: Plan your project – save your PhD!
SMART ACADEMICS BLOG post no. 60: Are you delayed with your PhD?
SMART ACADEMICS BLOG post no. 73: What’s needed to finish your PhD?
free worksheet: 6 steps to outline a PhD project plan
free worksheet: Identify main reasons for the delay with your PhD
free worksheet: Completing my PhD: what’s needed?

References:

BuWiN (Konsortium Bundesbericht Wissenschaftlicher Nachwuchs). 2021. Bundesbericht Wissenschaftlicher Nachwuchs 2021. Statistische Daten und Forschungsbefunde zu Promovierenden und Promovierten in Deutschland. WBV-Media, Bielefeld. DOI:10.3278/6004603aw
Council of Graduate Schools (ed.) 2008. Ph.D. Completion and Attrition: Analysis of Baseline Demographic Data from the Ph.D. Completion Project. Washington DC: CGS-Publications.
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) 2007. PhD research degrees – update. Entry and completion. HEFCE Issues paper 2007/28.
Högskoleverket, Statisktika centralbyrån (SCB) 2011. Universitet och högskolor. Doktorander och examina på forskarnivå 2011. Serie Utbildning och forskning. 21 Juni 2012.
Van Rooij E., Fokkens-Bruinsma M., and Jansen E. 2021: Factors that influence PhD candidates’ success: the importance of PhD project characteristics. Studies in Continuing Education, Vol. 43, No. 1, 48-67 https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2019.1652158
Van de Schoot, R., M. A. Yerkes, J. M. Mouw, H. Sonneveld. 2013. What Took Them So Long? Explaining PhD Delays among Doctoral Candidates. PLOS ONE 8 (7): e68839. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068839

Related courses and services:

PhD Success Lab (Digital mentoring programme)
Supervision-Coaching (1-to-1 Advice package)

More information

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PhD Timeline and Milestones - School of Engineering Education - Purdue University

Ph.D. Timeline and Milestones

Refer to Graduate School Deadlines and the information here as a guide to planning and accomplishing program milestones. Please note that the guidelines below assume full-time registration; if you work part-time, adjust the schedule to suit your needs.

Allowable Time Limit for Completion of the PhD Degree

From the Graduate School Manual

The time-limit policy of the School of Engineering Education exists to ensure timely academic progress. This policy applies to all students in the PhD program, including those on research in absentia.

The total elapsed time of a completed PhD degree program at Purdue University, from admission to the completion of the final examination, shall be no more than eight calendar years. Students entering the Engineering Education PhD program with a Master’s degree should complete all degree requirements within six equivalent full-time years from the beginning of their first semester registration. Those entering as direct PhD students should complete all degree requirements within seven years.

Extensions of this limitation may be granted by the dean of the Graduate School and/or the Graduate Council, upon recommendation and justification by the academic department (the Doctoral Advisory Committee, the Graduate Chair), but may require re-approval of plans of study and/or retaking of preliminary examinations.

Note: Only full semesters are counted toward the time limit. Summer sessions are not counted even if a student registers for one or more summer sessions. Most students will complete taking the Preliminary and Final Examinations before a Formal Review is implemented. A student who is not in good standing with regard to the cited time limit will not be allowed to register for the following semester without the approval of the Graduate Chair.

Absences from Purdue

The following deadlines (most require submitting a formal request) are explained in the Graduate School Manual:

Research in Absentia Registration
Change of Duty Station
Leave of Absence
Note: Each requires a formal request with specific forms and deadlines.

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Free planners and guides

PhD Toolkit

Free templates and planners available for you to download.

The book Planning Your PhD describes a number of planners and forms you can use to help plan your PhD. You can download these planners and forms below.

Show Planners

Thesis Planner - Moveable tasks

This planner allows you to work out the timeline for the major tasks of your PhD. ..

Thesis Planner - No tasks

This planner allows you to work out the timeline for the major tasks of your PhD ..

Six Month Planner - Moveable tasks

The Six Month Planner lets you map out your tasks for the next six months ..

Six Month Planner - No tasks

This blank planner shows you the next six months which you can fill in ..

Completion Planner - Moveable tasks

This Completion Planner allows you to work out the timeline for the major tasks of the final year..

Completion Planner - No tasks

This blank Completion Planner shows you the final twelve months of your PhD ..

This Six Months

This form helps you identify your targets for the next six months ..

Use this form to map out your tasks for the coming week ..

To Day List

Use this form to plan out your day and identify when the important jobs are going to get done ..

The Next Thing

To help you get clear about your very next task ..

Writing Audit

Use the Writing Audit to work out how much writing you have done and update it as you add new wor..

Meeting Agenda

A template agenda for meetings with your supervisor ..

Meeting Notes

A template for noting down the outcomes of your meetings with your supervisor ..

PhD Toolkit - All forms

Download all PhD Toolkit forms in a zip ..

PhD Toolkit - All planners

Download all PhD Toolkit planners in a zip ..

Aarhus University logo

Graduate School of Natural Sciences

Template for phd plans.

Within 3 months after you start as a PhD student, you must write a PhD plan that needs to be approved by the PhD school. The PhD plan will be revised every 6 months during your studies.

Please see the general guidelines for PhD plans at GSNS.

At Department of Computer Science (and Bioinformatics), the PhD plan should be based on the template below. The two parts of the template must be uploaded as one single PDF under "PhD Project" in the PhD-Planner online system. When you revise the plan, please replace the existing PDF instead of adding a new one.

Brief information about publications , courses , dissemination , and research environment must be updated separately as other ”plan elements”.

The online web form for the PhD plan and biannual evaluations also contains fields for "assessment text" and "essential changes". These fields are used by other PhD programmes, and you do not need to complete these, since that information should be included in the uploaded PDF as described below.

In case of questions, please contact the chair of the CS PhD committee .

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PhD Schedule & Format

Completion of the PhD portion of the program is anticipated to require an additional three years of full-time study, with the possibility for extension depending on the particular research project.

PhD Program Schedule and Format

Students complete a master’s degree in the applied sciences at KGI OR similar master’s program with comparable learning objectives.
PhD program start term can be either fall or spring.

For more information, please consult the PhD student handbook .

Selection of Dissertation Advisor and Committee

At the beginning of the PhD program, each student will select a committee that serves as mentoring team and includes the primary research advisor, an external advisor who is typically from industry or non-profit research organization, and at least one other committee member who can be from KGI or from an external entity. The research advisor(s) will supervise the student’s dissertation work.

View a PDF of the PhD Dissertation formats.

Each semester during their PhD study, students enroll in the 1.5 unit course PDEV 7200 Current Topics in Applied Life Sciences & Ethics/ Responsible Conduct of Research. Their research work and the tracking of all PhD research progress and milestones are tracked through the course RES 7000 which is a 13.5 unit course each semester and 12 units over the summer session. Upon approval of their faculty advisor and the PhD Program Director, students may register (through the Registrar’s office) for additional courses that further their PhD research.

Program Learning Outcomes

After completing the PhD, students should be able to:

Apply rigorous research methodologies to original, independent experimental, theoretical, and/or computational work in applied bioscience.
Integrate the fundamentals of computational and informational science, engineering design, and biomolecular technologies to solve problems in applied life science.
Communicate effectively in an academic as well as in an industry environment composed of students, scientists, engineers, administrators and business professionals.
Demonstrate core business analysis and management knowledge needed for the bioscience industry and can assume leadership roles in realizing the goals of technical and business projects.
Develop both a broad understanding of current scientific advances and mastery in an area of interdisciplinary science of relevance to applied bioscience sufficient for conducting original research.
Understand the translation of basic science and engineering discoveries into products and processes, which benefit society.
Adhere to ethical principles in research, development and business issues inherent in the bioscience industries.

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IMAGES

How to Write a PhD Research Proposal
How To Write A Phd Study Plan
How to Create and Use a Gantt Chart for PhD Studies
How to Prepare a PhD Research Plan/Schedule?
How to Prepare a PhD Research Plan/Schedule?
How to Create a Dissertation Timeline (With Examples + Tempate)

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COMMENTS

Planning your PhD research: A 3-year PhD timeline example
Example: Planning year 2 of a 3-year PhD. Maria completed her first round of data collection according to plan, and starts the second year of her PhD with a lot of material. In her second year, she will focus on turning this data into two journal articles. Months 1-2: Maria works on her data analysis.
How to Prepare a PhD Research Plan/Schedule?
A PhD research plan or schedule can be prepared using the GANTT chart which includes a month, semester or year-wise planning of the entire PhD research work. First, enlist goals and objectives. It's not about your research objective enlisted in your proposal. I'm talking about the objectives of your PhD.
How to develop an awesome PhD timeline step-by-step
A successful PhD journey begins with a solid plan that includes a PhD timeline. A thought-through and well-designed PhD timeline requires some time but can be accomplished in a few simple steps. Contents Why a clear PhD research timeline mattersStep 1: Decide what to include in your PhD timelineStep 2: Discuss your provisional PhD timeline
How to Prepare Actionable PhD Research Plan Template
Actionable PhD research plan template. Now prepare a timeline— in how much time a particular goal should be achieved. For example, 6 Months for sampling (Including, ethical approval, approval from sampling authority, consent, preparation and arrangement for utilities). Another is sample collection— 3 Months which isn't covered in the 6 ...
The PhD Journey
Here you will clarify any changes that are needed and agree a schedule of meetings and a plan of work for the following months. 3-6 months: Clarify the direction of your research, methods and the necessity of any research trips. You will also discuss your training and development needs and begin working towards a literature review. 9 months-1 year
154. How to Plan Your PhD w/ Hugh Kearns
A PhD Plan sounds like an oxymoron, but charting a path to graduation is one of the most important things you can do as a graduate student. ... If you revisit your plan on a regular schedule, you can adjust and adapt. If you never set the goal, or never look back at what you planned, you're guaranteed to drift as the months and years pass by. ...
What to Expect from a PhD Schedule
The first two years of a PhD program are mainly made up of classes and the beginning stages of research. Deborah Small, the doctoral coordinator for the Marketing program, said, "It starts with heavy duty coursework and a lot of specific requirements. At the end of your first year, there are qualifying exams on all the core marketing courses.
How to Manage Your PhD Timeline for Smoother Research Completion
Follow these steps as you create your PhD Timeline: Attend the program orientation to understand specific graduation requirements. Make a list of technical events such as conferences, committee meetings, PhD viva voce, presentations, qualification examination, etc. Manage your PhD timeline term-wise or month-wise.
How to Maximize and Adjust to a PhD Schedule
A PhD schedule takes adjustment, but the strategies that work for doctoral studies carry throughout an academic career. Adjusting to a PhD schedule can be a challenge. Classes will take up a decent amount of your time for the first few years of a program. After completing the required courses, independent research becomes the main focus.
12 Expert Tips for Organizing Your PhD Research work
The first step in organizing your PhD work is to set clear goals for yourself. Define the objectives of your research. Develop a clear and realistic plan for your PhD work, including milestones and deadlines for each task. 2. Develop a research plan. Once you have set your goals, develop a research plan that.
PhD Overview and Timeline
Late-January: Course registration deadline (previously known as "Study Card Day"). Mid-February: Deadline for submitting materials to be reviewed at the March CHD meetings. G1s: Your Prospective Program Plan due to the Office of Academic Programs on this day. Transfer of up to 3 classes of coursework may be allowed.
A Guide to PhD Success: How to Thrive During Doctoral Studies
Create a schedule and take careful note of class and dissertation deadlines so you can set a schedule and stick to it. Your chances to succeed in any PhD or doctoral degree program increase when you are prepared from the inquiry stage to life after. These tips will help you survive—and even thrive—in graduate school.
PhD Program Plans
Ph.D. Program Plan (including qualifying exam committee): Fall of the G2 year. In consultation with the research advisor, the student will submit the Ph.D. Program Plan form by mid-November, preferably earlier. The final program plan serves two purposes: (1) it updates the prospective program plan by noting any revisions to the ten courses to ...
How to Prepare for and Start a PhD
When starting a PhD, or as preparation beforehand, it will be helpful to plan your research. This means expanding upon the research proposal, if you have written one, or researching more of the proposed project.It is valuable to become more knowledgeable about the research field, even before you start the PhD research.
A typical PhD student schedule [Free template download]
A PhD student's schedule is very different to anything that people have experienced in undergraduate or masters level education. Depending on the country that you are doing your PhD in, you may have classes alongside your dedicated research time. ... Check emails, plan the day, have a supervisor meeting: 11 AM - 1 PM: Perform research ...
1 PhD research plan purpose and requirements
Purpose of the PhD research plan • Develop a PhD project with realistic goals that can be achieved within the timeframe of the PhD period (normally 3-4 years). • Ensure that the PhD student and PhD supervisor(s) are aligned wrt goals of the project and the work plan/schedule. • Critically evaluate the overall objectives.
How to Create and Use a Gantt Chart for PhD Studies
Step 1: List all the deliverables expected of your PhD program. In this example, the PhD program has the following requirements: Coursework, divided into 4 modules each lasting 2 weeks. All 4 modules need to be completed within the first year of study. A comprehensive written exam at the end of the fourth module.
Typical timetable for full-time PhD student (3 Year)
Transfer of registration from MPhil to PhD (between 9-18 months, but as. early as reasonable). 24 months: Submission and assessment of second year progress report on research log. Agreement of thesis structure and strict timetable. for thesis writing . 30 months (not less than 4 months before expected date of submission
PhD Research Project Plan
I share my PhD Research Project Plan at Oxford and how to plan your PhD research timeline using TeamGantt to stay productive and organized as a PhD student. ...
What should be a daily routine for PhD Students? Our proven checklist
Here is the standard daily routine process we advise our students to follow. This work, and will work for you. Stay tuned with this content, it will certainly change your PhD journey. A Daily Routine for PhD students: The 7+8= 6 formula. Your daily planner. Parkinson's law. Balance reading, writing and research.
Timetable for the Doctoral Degree
Timetable for the Doctoral Degree. The Doctor of Philosophy degree at the GSE requires four to five years of full-time study. Possession of a relevant master's degree may shorten this period. Per Stanford policy, students are required to enroll in each quarter of the academic year (Autumn, Winter, and Spring) from their first through final ...
A PhD timeline for finishing quickly [Free Gantt Download]
Creating a timeline for a 3-year PhD program requires careful planning, as you'll have multiple milestones and tasks to complete. This timeline may vary depending on your specific field, institution, or country, but here is a general outline you can use as a starting point: Year & Quarter. Activity/Milestone.
Rule 4: Make a PhD timetable
Rule 4: Make a PhD timetable. A PhD thesis can not be written in one week. Get this through your head. It is hard, maybe even the hardest thing you have to do during your PhD. It is going to be a painful task for most of you (it was for me). So schedule it in a proper time-wise manner. Do not wait until it's just two weeks before the deadline ...
How I Made My PhD Completion Plan on Excel
How I Made My PhD Completion Plan on Excel (With Template) For the last few weeks, I've been working on my PhD completion plan. It's basically an excel spreadsheet that I'm using to track my progress and plan my time for the remainder of my PhD. My thesis is due August of next year (with a 6 month extension) so the clock is definitely ticking.
PhD project-planning quick-start
Common myths around project planning for PhD projects. 1. Believing you don't know enough. Many PhD students don't devise a plan because they think they don't know enough about their project-particularly what the end results might be. That is a very common excuse to avoid thinking about the goals and outcomes of the project, as well as ...
Guide to Setting up a PhD Daily Routine
A daily routine is crucial for PhD students, as it helps to manage the various demands of graduate school and maintain a healthy work-life balance. A well-organized schedule allows you to prioritize tasks and responsibilities, making it easier to stay focused and avoid feeling overwhelmed. In addition, having a consistent routine can help you ...
PhD Timeline and Milestones
Ph.D. Timeline and Milestones. Refer to Graduate School Deadlines and the information here as a guide to planning and accomplishing program milestones. Please note that the guidelines below assume full-time registration; if you work part-time, adjust the schedule to suit your needs. Come to the Graduate Office (1300 Armstrong Hall) to register ...
PhD Toolkit
Free templates and planners available for you to download. The book Planning Your PhD describes a number of planners and forms you can use to help plan your PhD.
Template for PhD plans
The PhD plan will be revised every 6 months during your studies. Please see the general guidelines for PhD plans at GSNS. At Department of Computer Science (and Bioinformatics), the PhD plan should be based on the template below. The two parts of the template must be uploaded as one single PDF under "PhD Project" in the PhD-Planner online system.
PhD Schedule & Format
PhD Program Schedule and Format. Students complete a master's degree in the applied sciences at KGI OR similar master's program with comparable learning objectives. Completion of the PhD portion of the program is anticipated to require an additional three years of full-time study, with the possibility for extension depending on the ...

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154. How to Plan Your PhD w/ Hugh Kearns

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How to Manage Your PhD Timeline for Smoother Research Completion

Why Should You Draw a Ph.D. Timeline?

How to Begin with the PhD Timeline Planning?

What to Do Before Creating Your PhD Timeline?

Step-wise Guide to Create Your PhD Timeline

Here are 8 major milestones of a PhD program:

To download the PhD Timeline Template, click here !

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Second Year

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Handbook Contents

A PhD timeline for finishing quickly [Free Gantt Download]

How to Begin with the PhD Timeline Planning?

Elements to include in a 3-year PhD timeline

Create Your PhD Timeline for a 3 year completion