GCAC Hybrid Dissertation Boot Camp for Doctoral Students: August 20-22 2024

Why, What, Who, and How?

Why a Dissertation Writing Boot Camp?

If you’ve taken a break over summer and would like to get back to prioritizing your dissertation, or if you could benefit from connecting with a community of fellow dissertation writers after a period of writing alone, then the GCAC’s Dissertation Boot Camp, from August 20-22, is for you. The GCAC Dissertation Boot Camp is designed to provide U of T graduate students with uninterrupted time and a distraction-free space to focus solely on your writing. With instructor-led training sessions, you will receive much-needed support and advice to help you progress on your dissertation.

What is a Hybrid Dissertation Boot Camp?

The GCAC’s Dissertation Boot ​Camp offers structure and guidance for three full days of writing and writing-related activities. You’ll be required to set aside other demands on your time for these three days, giving you the opportunity to make significant progress on your writing. Each day of the camp includes structured blocks of writing time as well as opportunities to learn process-related strategies for building momentum in your writing that will last beyond our virtual time together.  

The boot camp will be offered in two formats: in-person and online synchronous. In order to create a consistent community of supportive writers, you will be asked to commit to one of these formats for the full three days. The in-person boot camp will be held on the St. George campus; concurrently, the virtual format will be conducted synchronously over Zoom.

Each day will run from 9:30am to 4:30pm (optional 5pm) and will feature a schedule that includes instructor presentations, at least four-and-a-half hours of uninterrupted writing time, and group discussions (to be conducted in Zoom rooms for those attending virtually).

Who is eligible to enrol in the Dissertation Boot Camp?

In order to sign up for the GCAC Dissertation Boot Camp, you must meet the following conditions:

• You are actively engaged in writing a doctoral dissertation in any department at U of T; the dissertation boot camp is not open to Master’s students.
• You are finished with course work, qualifying exams, and primary research and/or data collection; the boot camp is designed for writing, not further reading and research.

How do the Logistics of the GCAC Dissertation Article Boot Camp work?  

The boot camp will be held in-person at the St. George Campus and concurrently cast over Zoom on three consecutive days (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, August 20, 21, & 22, 2024) from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm ET (optional 5pm) each day.

For in-person participants: Each in-person participant is asked to pay $15 (fifteen dollars) to defray the cost of coffee and cookies (lunch excluded!). Please bring the cash with you on the first day.  In-person enrolment is limited to 20 PhD candidates, and eligible applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For virtual participants: There is no cost for virtual attendance. Virtual enrolment is limited to 25 PhD candidates, and eligible applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.