Many US PhD programs in the humanities, social sciences & business disciplines offer scant direction during the Summer.
During the regular academic year, the faculty provide long lists of courses to take - methods, the literature, theory - you name it. There is monitoring of student work & time & performance.
During the summer semester, the monitoring melts away - it’s as if the #faculty forget students exist. The #students are admonished to focus on their research & left to structure their work & time & finish papers.
This gap in advising can be problematic - because most #PhDprograms fund students for only four, maybe five years - and long aimless gaps represent time not invested in learning or building a research portfolio.
Absent faculty advice, what should PhD students do? To use the Summer effectively?
First, take a #vacation. Most faculty do. So should students. Even if it is a ‘staycation’ make time for your brain to rest.
Second, look at #summercourses. Many uni’s have special topics courses taught in a compressed Summer format. These courses represent a great way to come up to speed on a body of knowledge or a method. I still use my logit and probit notes from Summer 1997!
As an aside, these courses are also great ways to make out of discipline friends - which will enrich your life for years to come.
Third, plan a summer writing project. Work on your writing skills. Read a book about writing. Write summaries of seminal papers - with a focus on clarity of exposition. Time invested in #skilldevelopment is well spent.
Fourth, gather data. While faculty are off doing faculty stuff, collect #data for your #dissertationessays or #journalpapers. This requires uninterrupted time. Summer is good for that.
Fifth, plan your next year’s coursework. Usually, a #PhDprogram has #electivecourses. Usually, students go to the faculty and ask for the same courses as the last group. Use the Summer to chart a novel path - explore possibilities for new classes.
Find a course on #theory or #method that is novel to you and may help you think of how to solve problems in interesting ways. This will help your long game.
Sixth, finish papers from the #academic year. Most seminars have you start papers. Assess whether those papers should go to market at a conference or a journal. If they should, solicit faculty advice on how to make it happen & execute it.
Finally, explore where you live. Most college towns have wonderful quirky cultures and things to do. Get out of your office and find things nearby that help you #relax. Become a little more ‘local.’ You will find those options, once discovered, are valuable #coping resources when the Summer is done.
Even though unstructured by #faculty, you need not spend your Summer drifting. With a little initiative, you can make real progress in your development.
Best of luck for the Summer!
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