Research Seminars & Workshops

Research Seminars

Research Seminars are held approximately eight times a year and are conducted by the Sydney College of Divinity Research Director or other SCD research staff.

The Research Seminars take place in Sydney in the evening and Sydney-based students are expected to attend the Research Seminars regularly in person. The minimum attendance for candidates is four out of eight seminars. However, candidates are strongly encouraged to attend as many seminars as possible so that they might benefit from and contribute to their academic community of research peers. Candidates are also expected to notify in advance their absence from any seminar. Students living beyond Sydney are asked to attend in person at least once a year and otherwise to attend the seminars by electronic means which will be explained.

All research students are expected to present a short paper related to their thesis work at prescribed intervals, and to take turns in presenting prepared responses to other students’ papers, apart from participating in the general discussion following paper presentations. The modelling of formal presentation and response is intended as training in research conference participation. As well as contributing to the development of each person’s research capacity and skills, moreover, these seminars allow students who may be carrying out their work alone to experience membership of a community of scholars and make friends with other people in a similar position.

 

START DATE END DATE EVENT INSTITUTION
02 Mar 2023 02 Mar 2023 Research Seminar SCD Graduate Research School ADD TO CALENDAR
04 Apr 2023 04 Apr 2023 Research Seminar SCD Graduate Research School ADD TO CALENDAR
18 May 2023 18 May 2023 Research Seminar SCD Graduate Research School ADD TO CALENDAR

Research Workshops

Research Degree Thesis Writers’ Workshop

Candidates in their first year of enrolment must attend a Research Degree Workshop in addition to the Research Seminars, provided that they have not previously attended such a seminar with the Sydney College of Divinity as part of a previous award. Regardless of such previous attendance, they may be required to attend those parts of the Workshop considered relevant to their current research.

Research workshops are compulsory for all new thesis writers, including DMin candidates moving to the thesis stage of their candidature. Held annually, they are offered in intensive mode, early in first semester and may also be offered early in the second semester.

New thesis writers may be at slightly different stages of preparation for the research but all will find the matters covered wholly or largely relevant to their situation. Presented by various lecturers, they are designed to introduce candidates to practical matters affecting the production of a thesis such as:

  • defining a thesis topic and planning chapters
  • research methodologies
  • bibliographical aids
  • using the library to best effect in research
  • writing a formal thesis proposal
  • ethical considerations and ethics clearance procedures
  • examiners’ expectations
  • guidelines for writing and documenting
  • writing an abstract
  • participating in the SCD research seminars and in conferences.