LSE recognises the vital role that supervisors play in supporting PhD students: they support students’ research, their broader personal and professional development, their involvement in the research culture of the School, and their impact on the wider research environment.
PhD supervision is among the most creative and satisfying educational and research relationships in academic careers, and this guidance aims to support the development of supervisory relationships that are positive, professional and intellectually stimulating.
What supervision entails
Each supervision will be unique and will require different approaches, skills and knowledge bases with different students, different projects and at different stages of the PhD journey.
As PhD supervisor you and your co-supervisor(s) are responsible for guiding the research project and the student’s development as a researcher, and for fostering an intellectually challenging, fulfilling and supportive research environment.
Amongst other responsibilities, supervision could include:
- Guiding students in formulating and refining their research questions and selecting appropriate research methods.
- Identifying areas where students may need additional training or skills development.
- Assisting students in understanding research ethics, principles of integrity, and governance within the field.
- Offering timely, constructive feedback to support progress on their research work.
- Assisting with time management, effective planning, and progress tracking.
- Introducing students to the broader research community and relevant networks.
- Encouraging and supporting students in presenting and sharing their research.
- Ensuring that the quality of students' work meets academic standards.
- Helping students prepare for their next career steps.
- Supporting students to address any challenges or obstacles they encounter.
You may find that you have to deal with situations or difficulties that you and your co-supervisor(s) are not equipped for or that you feel fall outside of your expertise and experience.
You will find further guidance in the pages that follow, but remember that PhD supervision is part of a wider infrastructure of support available to your PhD students, including from your Department, the PhD Academy, Careers and the Student Wellbeing Service.
A key element of supervision is supporting students to seek appropriate sources of support and advice from the relevant teams and services at the School. For up-to-date regulatory information, please refer to the PhD Academy’s website.