GRADnavigate workshops

Demystifying Comprehensive and Qualifying Exams 

One of the major milestones of most programs will be the comprehensive or qualifying exams. Students will often feel unsure, especially at the beginning of their program, what to expect from this evaluation of their progress. Join us to learn about what the experience involves, how to plan and what questions to ask your supervisor as you learn more about this important milestone.

Parenting in Graduate School: A Panel Discussion

Graduate students who are parents discuss navigating competing priorities of academic work and family life. Panelists share their own journeys, provide examples of how they’ve navigated graduate school while parenting, and add in a few tips, tricks and ideas for gracefully managing the joys of being a caregiver while tackling academic life! There is an opportunity to network with other student parents through breakout rooms and post-panel questions.  

Planning Your Degree (DYL For Doctoral Students) 

Your time in a doctoral program can often feel extremely busy and preparing a plan can save you time later on. In this interactive workshop, you’ll have an opportunity to review your academic milestones, consider where your PhD could take you, and think about academic and non-academic opportunities available to you to design your PhD experience so that it's uniquely tailored to you.  

This workshop is based on the principles of Design Thinking from the book Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.  

The Art Of Saying ‘No’: Managing Expectations in Graduate School

Graduate Students lead very busy lives with several competing priorities. It is often difficult to decide what activities we should focus our time on, especially with so many different academic and social events going on around us. When it comes time to turn down an invitation to an activity or opportunity, many students struggle with the process of saying no. In this session, we will explore decision making strategies for deciding when to say yes and when to say no, as well as suggestions and tips for how to convey your decision.  Graduate students must manage expectations – and invitations - from faculty, peers, students and friends and family. Developing skills to help manage these expectations can help with your time management, stress and overall success. 

Pushing Boundaries: The Power of Interdisciplinary Research 

Have you wondered about the difference between interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and cross-disciplinary research? Would you like to learn more about exciting research happening on campus? 

Interdisciplinary work is increasingly prevalent in Canadian universities, and we know students have many questions about their potential for interdisciplinary work. At this event, you will hear from current members of the Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars at the University of Waterloo, who will share their journeys towards interdisciplinary excellence.  Join us to explore how to use interdisciplinary approaches in your own work, enhancing collaboration and strengthening your research impact.

The Art Of Saying ‘No’: Managing Expectations in Graduate School

Graduate Students lead very busy lives with several competing priorities. It is often difficult to decide what activities we should focus our time on, especially with so many different academic and social events going on around us. When it comes time to turn down an invitation to an activity or opportunity, many students struggle with the process of saying no. In this session, we will explore decision-making strategies for deciding when to say yes and when to say no, as well as suggestions and tips for how to convey your decision.  Graduate students must manage expectations – and invitations - from faculty, peers, students and friends and family. Developing skills to help manage these expectations can help with your time management, stress and overall success.

Knock, knock! Making the Most of Opportunities in Graduate School

When opportunity knocks, graduate students often wonder how to make the most of the experiences available to them. In this session, we will explore how you can maximize your engagement in a variety of activities such as academic and professional conferences, campus activities and professional development.  What is available and what should you expect? 

Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum  

A great way to begin our series is by exploring the hidden curriculum and the impostor phenomenon. The hidden curriculum can most easily be described as the information students are expected to know but that is rarely included in a course syllabus. Experts say there is a hidden curriculum in every academic program and workplace- and graduate school is no different!  We will also discuss how to manage feelings of being underprepared or ill-suited for a graduate program, often referred to as imposter phenomenon. Join us to learn about how to navigate these feelings, which can assist you in overcoming the associated challenges and help you thrive in your program.  

Planning Your Degree (For Master’s Students) 

Your time in your master’s program can go by quickly, so it’s important to start thinking about what you hope to take away from your time in graduate school and how you will achieve your academic milestones within the timelines of your degree.  

In this interactive workshop, you’ll have an opportunity to review your academic milestones, consider where your master’s degree could take you, and think about academia and non-academic opportunities available to you in order to design your degree so that it's uniquely tailored to you.  

This workshop is based on the principles of Design Thinking from the book Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. 

Supervisory Relationships 

One of the most important relationships you will have during your time in graduate school is the one you share with your supervisor. Join us to learn about supervisor-student relationships, expectations and how to navigate through the experience to create a collaborative and positive experience.  

Demystifying Comprehensive and Qualifying Exams 

One of the major milestones of most programs will be the comprehensive or qualifying exams. Students will often feel unsure, especially at the beginning of their program, what to expect from this evaluation of their progress. Join us to learn about what the experience involves, how to plan and what questions to ask your supervisor as you learn more about this important milestone.