Better is a warm and quirky creative co-working space at 91 Oxford Road in Saxonwold, Johannesburg
You want to meet your clients in a quiet, comfortable and neutral space. Coffee shops are noisy and distracting, your home is your private space and renting an office is pricey.
Better offers you a cosy, nurturing environment, safe parking and is conveniently located along Oxford Road between Rosebank and Killarney. We have a quiet, private meeting room for sessions, but also a beautiful garden and veranda space.
Normally our meeting room costs R150 per hour. We have put together these discount packages especially for coaches, to make it affordable.
10 sessions for R750 (R75 per hour)
20 sessions for R1200 (R60 per hour)
30 sessions for R1350 (R45 per hour)
Your package gets you and your client entrance into Better and the exclusive use of our small meeting room for pre-booked one-hour sessions. (Please book 24 hours in advance so we can confirm that the room will be free.) Your package also allows you to hang out at Better between appointments and enjoy our free refreshments and WiFi.
Better is a homely, welcoming, safe space, ideal for coaching
You are thinking about getting a PhD, but you are not sure about what is expected, how to go about it and whether it’s worth it. This workshop will help you to decide, and to prepare an application for PhD studies.
Many people want to get a PhD, to wear the red gown and to earn the right to be called Doctor. But it’s not an easy process. Doctoral education takes three to six years so it’s a big commitment. Many start, but few complete.
This workshop will help you to …
Decide if a PhD really is for you
Understand what a PhD is and is not
Choose a PhD program
Find a supervisor and persuade them to supervise you
Choose a research topic
Prepare your application
Prepare a research proposal
Increase your chances of acceptance into a program
Plan for your life as a PhD candidate
This workshop is a great way to start you PhD studies and make sure you succeed.
Who is it for?
All kinds of people do PhDs. This workshop is for you if…
You are employed at a university and are under pressure to get a PhD
You want to get into an academic career and need to improve your qualifications
You are employed outside of academia and want a PhD to differentiate yourself
You are retired and now have time to explore an area of knowledge in depth
You want to reflect on and consolidate your experience and knowledge in a field
You have a long-standing personal dream of being a doctor
You have applied for a PhD before and been rejected
You don’t have friends and family with PhDs to advise and guide you
How does it work?
The workshop takes place over two days. You must attend both days. It is held at Better, 91 Oxford Road, Saxonwold in Johannesburg. We can recommend accommodation nearby for people travelling to Johannesburg (not included in the fee).
The first day of the workshop will be spent learning about the PhD, how doctoral education works and analysing your reasons for wanting to do a PhD. We discuss how to choose a program and supervisor and go through a detailed process for deciding on a research topic. The day is very hands-on and we will have plenty of time to talk about your specific circumstances. We work through exercises examining what the information we share means to you.
At the end of the first day you will be set homework to do that evening, collecting information for and preparing your application. On the second day we will review your application and discuss how to strengthen it. Then we will spend time writing your proposal, discussing your proposal and improving it. This process also gives you a taste of what PhD study is like. We end the workshop by discussing how you are going to adjust your life to accommodate a PhD.
You get…
Two days with an expert on doctoral education answering your questions
Detailed information about what to expect from doctoral education
A checklist of questions to ask when choosing a program and supervisor
A detailed procedure for approaching a supervisor
A template for preparing a short proposal for your application
Insight into how to find and use academic literature to guide your choice of topic
A taste of what academic research and PhD learning is like
A personal review of your CV and academic transcript to identify strengths and weaknesses
A worksheet that helps you plan your life as a PhD candidate
About Judy Backhouse
Judy Backhouse wrote her PhD on Doctoral Education in South Africa, graduating in 2009 from Wits University. She has run workshops for postgraduate students and academic staff on academic writing. She has also run workshops for postgraduate supervisors at Wits University and at the University of Venda. She has worked as the convenor of a PhD program, including screening and interviewing PhD applicants. This course is a result of seeing a lot of bad applications and wanting to help applicants to improve their chances in applying.
Participants in some of Judy’s workshops have said:
“Judy has an amazing ability to create a safe space. Academic writing can feel so scary, and yet she made me feel that I could do it and that I didn’t have to be afraid of asking stupid questions.”
“This workshop gave me so much direction and clarity. I now know what I need to do next.”
Details
Dates: The course will run in January, July and September 2018 Times: 8:30am to 4:30pm Venue: Better, 91 Oxford Road, Saxonwold (entrance off Englewold Road) Cost: R3850 Booking: Contact Candy on 011 327 6098 or create@better.joburg
