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May 31, 2013

Based on the findings from the Report on Graduate Student Professional Development at SFU, the Office of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Fellows will pilot a new program of professional development for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in September 2013.

The program exists to complement disciplinary study. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to participate in SFU’s new structured professional development program in order to assess their current strengths and experiences and develop new knowledge and skills that will enhance their graduate degrees.

The 2013–14 pilot program will provide the space for students to reflect upon their past experiences, assess and evaluate their present situation, and provide opportunities to learn about diverse career paths.

The program will follow a flexible model, where a group of participants who register in the program in Fall 2013 will choose from an array of courses (some elective, some mandatory) according to their own schedules.

Elective elements will be chosen from a suite of professional development offerings from the following three streams:

1. Research & Knowledge Translation
2. Management & Life Skills
3. Teaching & Leadership

Participants may choose to focus on one of the three streams and follow a suggested pathway, or they may pick and choose between and amongst the three streams to individualize their own pathway. 

The program’s mandatory elements will engage participants in an intentional look at their experiences, skills, and passion, and invite participants to be fully engaged in reflecting upon and planning their individual career outcomes. The program will also feature an online component to build an interdisciplinary community of dialogue and exchange amongst peers as they progress throughout their programs

The duration of the program is flexible: participants can set their own timelines for completion of their individualized program. The program is meant to appeal to participants at any stage of their education and training. For example:

• A master’s student may decide to participate in the program and complete the program in two semesters at SFU
• A doctoral student may begin the program when they enter SFU, and might complete the program at the end of their 4-year program
  
• A postdoctoral fellow might begin the program after one year of working at SFU, and complete the program in six terms

Once all mandatory and elective elements of the program are met, the participant will receive a Certificate of Completion. Completed courses as well as the Certificate will be recorded on the participant’s co-curricular transcript, if applicable.

The 2013 pilot program is a collaborative effort of the Office of Graduate Studies & Post-Doctoral Fellows, the Teaching and Learning Centre, the Research Commons, the Graduate Student Society and SFU Career Services.

The direction and planning of the professional development program is being guided by the following core principles:

• to encourage participants to be intentional in their assessment of their strengths: skills, knowledge, experiences and passions;
• to embed career outcomes throughout the program and promote an understanding of how skills and experiences can transfer from one context to another;   
• to promote a ‘reflective practitioner’ approach through the use of experiential learning, group dialogue and individual reflection;
• to create opportunities for peer to peer learning, mentorship, and peer assessment when appropriate;
• to contribute to a spirit of inquiry and dialogue by expanding our collaboration with other SFU service delivery units, faculty units, and academic units.