Individual Development Plans (IDP) are important tools for doctoral students to develop academically and professionally.
Defining clear goals and expectations allows doctoral students to develop disciplinary and professional skills to help them reach their professional and personal goals. At the same time, it helps establish strong lines of communication with their advisor, facilitating support for articulated academic and professional development. And IDPs facilitate career exploration!
After you have completed an IDP and created your goals, you can develop your skills by participating in professional development programming supported by the Graduate School.
The Graduate School does not recommend the use of one specific IDP. However, it is strongly suggested that the IDP used involves two components: goals and assessment. National organizations have developed IDP platforms to support doctoral student development. For STEM students there is the MyIDP and for students in the social sciences and humanities there is ImaginePhD. Many other IDP platforms exist, some of which are discipline-specific, such as the American Chemical Society IDP.
Some departments at UB have specific IDPs. The Graduate School has developed a general template for IDPs. The IDP should go beyond a checklist of degree requirements. Instead, it should be a roadmap for professional and academic development.
The IDP should be referred to, revised and refined yearly, if not more frequently.