How to make the most of a research master’s placement

Completing a research placement while studying for a master’s at the University of Leeds was a crucial stage in my personal and professional development.

I worked with academic Rachael O’Connor on one of 13 Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE) projects. Her work was designed to improve academic personal tutoring (APT) practice by using students’ voices and experiences through a reverse mentoring scheme.

I helped Rachael to revise and finalise her project by developing the materials for each of the project’s sessions.

Support through the application process

The LITE team gave an incredibly helpful virtual presentation about the application process with tips on how to make our applications stand out.

In spring 2022, I had a virtual interview with the project supervisor and I got the job in early April. Rachael and the LITE team were flexible about my start date and working pattern, which helped me to organise my time effectively to complete my dissertation and the placement before the September deadline.

How the placement worked

Flexible working hours helped me to maintain a good work-life balance while ensuring I completed the project within the 210 hours allocated.

I managed my time by writing a task list, prioritising the most important jobs and allocating set days to work on the project.

I then set aside some of the other days to work on my dissertation. Taking plenty of breaks helped me to stay focused and motivated.

I developed a fantastic, professional staff-student relationship with Rachael because we were both passionate about making meaningful changes to APT practices. Our enthusiasm and determination played a key role in finalising the reverse mentoring project.

Through our weekly meetings, Rachael gave me a platform and a safe space to share my experiences of APT as an under-represented student, which enriched and shaped the project. Our discussions also helped me to understand the challenges academics face in delivering tutoring effectively.

The placement allowed me not only to connect with other academics, but also helped me to talk to other under-represented students whom I may not otherwise have met. Although we may not have had the same lived experiences, there were similarities. We always empathised and listened to each other.

These conversations were essential to the placement. They helped me to understand the challenges other students faced, shaping the project’s focus so that we were informed by as many groups of students as possible.

Learning new skills

I developed a lot of skills, including research and data collection, project management, written and verbal communication.

As part of the project, I interviewed current students about their personal tutoring experiences. I didn’t have any experience of designing a research project with participants, so I learned about research ethics and GDPR, which will be useful when I interview people as part of my PhD research. I also learned how to write a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts by selecting the main themes that arose during the discussions.

The internship proved invaluable when writing my PhD funding application because I could evidence my skills. For example, in September 2022, I was invited to present my research with the LITE team at a conference. This was a fantastic opportunity to gain experience of presenting my findings to a mixed audience of academics and non-specialists.

I learned a lot about myself through exploring my sense of under-representation and my identity. I also further developed my presentation and research skills and learned how to conduct different types of analysis. 

Advice for applicants about placements

Before applying for a placement, carefully consider your career goals and the skills and experience you want to gain. Having a clear idea about what you would like to achieve will lead you to apply for the most relevant placements.

If you have the contact details of the person coordinating the placement scheme, reach out to them during the application process with questions about the placement. Also, do some detective work if you are not familiar with the placement provider by researching them on LinkedIn and look up people who already work there.

Don’t be afraid to message them about what it’s really like to work there. Trust me, while contacting people you don’t know might seem scary, it’s a great way to see if the placement provider is the right fit for you, which will save a lot of time in the long run.

During your placement, connect with others as much as possible, whether that’s via LinkedIn, online or in person. The more conversations you have with others, the more knowledge you will gain and your thoughts and ideas will be shaped by a range of perspectives.

Finally, just go for it! See your placement as an adventure because you never know where it might take you.