Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick
interdisciplinary science
transferable skills module
Module leader
Professor Alison Rodger
a.rodger@warwick.ac.uk
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Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick interdisciplinary science transferable skills module
CH948 is designed to be integrated with all the modules and research work you undertake during
your PhD. Its aim is to help you realise the skills that you have learned during your MSc that
'transfer' across the boundaries of any particular module. Its content is the kind of skills that future
employers whether in academia or industry or elsewhere are concerned about. Frequently
employers are less concerned about your specific technical skills than the fact that you can acquire
such skills and use them in a diverse range of future projects.
The purpose of CH948 is therefore to gather together the skills you acquire during your MSc year
so that you are aware of what you are learning.
The Roberts Report1, prepared for the Treasury in 2002, noted that the range of abilities required by
graduates in the workplace was widening and it identified the generic and transferable skills that
graduates in science and technology need to have for industry to remain competitive. This list has
been widely reproduced is included as appendix A.
Your progress in this module will be assessed by your DTC or MSc Director or their nominated
Transferable Skills Coordinator. Each element needs to be signed off on the sheets at the end of this
document. You will need to keep a portfolio of the evidence where relevant to summarise your
progress in the module. This portfolio should be kept in your Assessed Work folder. To give you an
indication of the effort required 1 CATS is nominally ~10 hours of student effort. If you have any
specific queries about what a particular task involves you should in the first instance consult your
MSc Course Director of their nominated Transferable Skills Coordinator. They will consult the
module leader if they cannot provide an answer.
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Appendix A: Generic and Transferable Skills as set out in the Roberts’ Report
A. Research skills and techniques -to be able to demonstrate:
1.The ability to recognise and validate problems and to formulate and test hypotheses.
2.Original, independent and critical thinking, and the ability to develop theoretical concepts.
3.A knowledge of recent advances within one's field and in related areas.
4.An understanding of relevant research methodologies and techniques and their appropriate application within one's
research field.
5.The ability to analyse critically and evaluate one's findings and those of others.
6.An ability to summarise, document, report and reflect on progress.
B. Research environment -to be able to:
1.Show a broad understanding of the context, at the national and international level, in which research takes place.
2.Demonstrate awareness of issues relating to the rights of other researchers, of research subjects, and of others who
may be affected by the research, eg confidentiality, ethical issues, attribution, copyright, malpractice, ownership of data
and the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
3.Demonstrate appreciation of standards of good research practice in their institution and/or discipline.
4.Understand relevant health and safety issues and demonstrate responsible working practices.
5.Understand the processes for funding and evaluation of research.
6.Justify the principles and experimental techniques used in one's own research.
7.Understand the process of academic or commercial exploitation of research results.
C. Research management -to be able to:
1.Apply effective project management through the setting of research goals, intermediate milestones and prioritisation
of activities.
2.Design and execute systems for the acquisition and collation of information through the effective use of appropriate
resources and equipment.
3.Identify and access appropriate bibliographical resources, archives, and other sources of relevant information. Use
information technology appropriately for database management, recording and presenting information.
D. Personal effectiveness -to be able to:
1.Demonstrate a willingness and ability to learn and acquire knowledge.
2.Be creative, innovative and original in one's approach to research.
3.Demonstrate flexibility and open-mindedness.
4.Demonstrate self-awareness and the ability to identify own training needs.
5.Demonstrate self-discipline, motivation, and thoroughness.
6.Recognise boundaries and draw upon/use sources of support as appropriate.
7.Show initiative, work independently and be self-reliant.
E. Communication skills -to be able to:
1.Write clearly and in a style appropriate to purpose, eg progress reports, published documents, thesis.
2.Construct coherent arguments and articulate ideas clearly to a range of audiences, formally and informally through a
variety of techniques.
3.Constructively defend research outcomes at seminars and viva examination.
4.Contribute to promoting the public understanding of one's research field.
5.Effectively support the learning of others when involved in teaching, mentoring or demonstrating activities.
F. Networking and teamworking -to be able to:
1.Develop and maintain co-operative networks and working relationships with supervisors, colleagues and peers, within
the institution and the wider research community.
2.Understand one's behaviours and impact on others when working in and contributing to the success of formal and
informal teams.
3.Listen, give and receive feedback and respond perceptively to others.
G. Career management -to be able to:
1.Appreciate the need for and show commitment to continued professional development.
2.Take ownership for and manage one's career progression, set realistic and achievable career goals, and identify and
develop ways to improve employability.
3.Demonstrate an insight into the transferable nature of research skills to other work environments and the range of
career opportunities within and outside academia.
4.Present one's skills, personal attributes and experiences through effective CVs, applications and interviews.
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List of Assignments
This list of assignments defines the work you need to hand in for CH948. If you are in any doubt
about what is required you should see your MSc Course Director or the Module Leader. The
module syllabus, and hence the assessed tasks. Submitted material must be legible. Where
appropriate there should be documentary evidence in your portfolio such as a copy of your poster,
your questionnaire answers etc. The external examiner will be the final assessor on this pass/fail
module which is required for you to pass your MSc.
1.
General introduction to graduate studies at Warwick including safety, library (1 CATS)
This includes all the timetabled required activities at the beginning of the year.
2.
Team development, learning styles, team roles etc. (3 CATS)
This includes the team development exercise and the follow-up sessions.
3.
Weekly seminar general organisation and ability to discuss seminar content critically (3
CATS)
This requires your regular attendance at a seminar series, your participation in any preparation
involved and talking speakers. Your should interact with at least one external speaker, and ability to
seminar content critically with an academic member of staff. You need to make an opportunity for
these activities and get them to sign your assessment sheet.
4.
DTC annual conference and preparation for it or equivalent departmental course or
group-related activity (3 CATS)
This requires you to have played a role in the practical preparing for the event and to have carried
through that preparation into a contribution to the actual conference. This is in addition to any
academic/technical/scientific contribution you make.
5.
Presenting scientific work to varied audiences by a poster, writing a paper, writing a
thesis, giving a technical and non-technical talk, assessing presentations of colleagues
(3 CATS)
An academic member of staff needs to sign you off on each of these.
6.
Selection of your activities (to be confirmed by a discussion with the relevant MSc
director) which involve interaction and elements of leadership of other people. These
could include SSLC, course newsletter, courses provided by the graduate school,
EPSRC activities, other courses (3 CATS), social activity organisation etc.
3 CATS means ~30 hours of student effort. In this case the effort needs to be focused on a range of
things that support the DTC community in one way or another.
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CH948 log of assignments completed
This log should be updated as each completed assignment is added to the Portfolio. The assessor is a member
of academic staff who witnessed you completing the assignment/activity.
Student’s Name: _____________________________
DTC/Dept. ____________
Course Director: _____________________________
Title of Assignment
Date
completed
Student’s
signature
Assessor’s
Initials
1. General introduction to graduate studies at
Warwick including
safety
library
2. Team development
learning styles,
team roles
3. Seminar general organisation
Catering (if appropriate)
interacting with visitors
interacting with seminar speaker
critical discussion of seminar content
4. Course event, e.g. annual conference,
preparation
participation
5. Presenting scientific work to varied audiences
and critically assessing the presentations of
others
Poster
writing a paper
writing a thesis
giving a technical talk
giving a non-technical talk
assessing presentations of colleagues
assessing posters of colleagues
web page
6. Other (indicating interaction with people and
element of leadership)
The Course Director should check the associated Portfolio for completeness before signing off the module.
Course Director’s signature: ___________________________ Date module completed: ______________
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Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick interdisciplinary science transferable skills module
1. General introduction to graduate studies at Warwick including safety, library (1 CATS)
Student’s Name: _____________________________
DTC/Dept: __________________
Assessor’s Name: ______________________________
___________
Outline introductory sessions attended and assess where they might be valuable or otherwise:
Assessor’s comment on any obvious strengths, skills or weaknesses of this student.
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Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick interdisciplinary science transferable skills module
2. Team development, learning styles, team roles etc. (3 CATS)
Student’s Name: _____________________________
DTC/Dept: __________________
Assessor’s Name: ______________________________
Outline your contribution to team development exercise, learning styles discussion and team roles:
Make brief comments on the anticipated significant of the learning styles and team roles analysis for
you and your colleagues for the next academic year (attach the plots you did and your own surveys):
Assessor’s comment on any obvious strengths, skills or weaknesses of this student.
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Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick interdisciplinary science transferable skills module
3. Seminar general organisation and ability to discuss seminar content critically (3 CATS)
Student’s Name: _____________________________
DTC/Dept: __________________
Assessor’s Name: ______________________________
Outline your contribution to seminar or other organisation:
Give the following information on seminars you have discussed with the speaker or member of
academic staff with expertise in the area (each to be signed off by an academic member of staff
aware of the discussion):
Date
Academic’s name
Seminar title and nominal length
Assessor’s comment on any obvious strengths, skills or weaknesses of this student.
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Initials
Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick interdisciplinary science transferable skills module
4. Course event, e.g. annual conference preparation and participation (3 CATS)
Student’s Name: _____________________________
DTC/Dept: __________________
Assessor’s Name: ______________________________
Outline contribution to annual conference preparation and running or equivalent task:
Outline transferable skills activities engaged in during the event:
Assessor’s comment on any obvious strengths, skills or weaknesses of this student.
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Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick interdisciplinary science transferable skills module
5. Presenting scientific work to varied audiences by a poster, writing a paper, writing a thesis, giving
a technical and non-technical talk, assessing presentations of colleagues (3 CATS)
Student’s Name: _____________________________
DTC/Dept: __________________
Assessor’s Name: ______________________________
Attach a copy of your presentation/activity in each category. Make a brief assessment of the pros
and cons of each presentation with a view to what you might do differently another time. Assessor
should initial each activity when it is complete.
Poster
Writing a poster
Writing a thesis
Technical talk
Non-technical talk
Assessing presentations of colleagues
Assessor’s comment on any obvious strengths, skills or weaknesses of this student.
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Faculty of Science
CH948. Warwick interdisciplinary science transferable skills module
6. Other (indicating interaction with people and element of leadership) (3 CATS)
Student’s Name: _____________________________
DTC/Dept: __________________
Assessor’s Name: ______________________________
Summarise your activities
Assessor’s comment on any obvious strengths, skills or weaknesses of this student.
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