Graduate Students
Learning Development & Success helps students succeed in graduate school. We cover areas such as time management, goal setting, research organization, habit creation, reading and note-taking strategies, motivation and positive mindsets, and so much more! Check out the services below to see how we can help and for information and ideas on how to balance the challenges of taking courses, conducting research, doing volunteer work, writing your dissertation, and being an effective teacher.
Presentations and Workshops
We offer a variety of live sessions on topics that are common challenges among graduate students.
Click here to view our list of upcoming LIVE presentations.Note that some of the presentations listed are more relevant for grad students taking courses or those in course-based programs, while others are better suited for those in research-based programs. So check out the topics and choose based on your specific needs!
Can't make it to a live session? No worries, check out our prerecorded learning videos.
For additional sessions offered by other campus partners, please visit Own Your Future (OYF) which is Western's doctoral professional development program. You can view their upcoming live sessions in the OYF Calendar or view their recordings of past sessions. Master's students and postdocs are welcome to attend if space is available.
GradUpdATE: E-Newsletter
Subscribe to our monthly E-Newsletter and receive helpful suggestions and useful information on how to succeed in grad school every month. To sign up, send an e-mail to gradupdate-request@uwo.ca. Type 'subscribe' as the subject and send - that's it! Feel free to also browse our archived editions of GRADUpdATE.
Time Management (PDFs, progress tracker, dissertation calculator)
Here is a time management workbook developed for graduate students with information, resources, tools, and strategies to assist with time management. For tips on time management for grad students, click here.
Use a calendar to help manage your time and organize deadlines.
- Weekly Calendar
- November - December 2023 Calendar
- January - February 2024 Calendar
- March - April 2024 Calendar
- January - April 2024 Calendar
Use a dissertation calculator to help break down your project and a tracker to monitor your progress
New: Grad Study Club
Need motivation to get some work done? Come and work alongside other graduate students! There's also help available for setting goals, tracking your progress, and finding an accountability buddy. Thursdays 10am-12pm at Weldon Library (room M22 - UX lab on the mezzanine floor) from Sep 28th to Dec 14th. No need to register, just show up! For every time you show up, you'll also get entered into a draw for a Grad Club gift card! Feel free to bring your lunch and hang out with others afterward. Add Grad Study Club to your calendar.
PhD & Masters Planning Group
Every Monday, students get together discuss and reflect on what they were or were not able to get done during the previous week, then you have time to plan for the upcoming week, and share your plans with each other. Registration is closed for Fall 2023 but to learn more or be placed on a waitlist for future planning groups, click here.
Book an Appointment
Looking for help developing a plan to complete your work? Wanting progress check-ins to stay on track? Wondering how to improve your time management or motivation? Book a confidential individual appointment with us.
Mindfulness Events and groups
Mindfulness can greatly impact your learning and work by lowering your anxiety and helping you focus and recharge better. Learn more about our mindfulness programs and how you can benefit from mindfulness.
Learn2Thrive
A 5-week program specifically designed for graduate students in research-based programs and a 10-week program for graduate students in course-based programs (and undergraduate students) that introduce you to a range of helpful learning and thriving concepts. Learn more about Learn2Thrive here.
