Because the end result of a Ph.D. program is a written thesis, courses for first-year Ph.D. students are often general classes within the selected program to give students a broad idea of the subject so they can find what aspect of the subject they want to continue studying and researching. These classes are typically prescribed by the program or an academic adviser. Although they are typically more general, the classes should be taken very seriously as they often translate into later success.
A large difference between Ph.D. programs and undergraduate and master's programs is the long leash Ph.D. students are given by professors and advisers. Ph.D. students are expected to be self-driven, which means that, at this level, many professors will not outline projects and set mid-point goals for assignments. This freedom requires that students take more responsibility and initiative for completing their assignments. An integral part of doing this successfully is time management. Setting mid-point goals and always remaining aware of deadlines are necessary to completing the first year of any Ph.D. program.
Many students use the first year of their Ph.D. program to explore different aspects of studies that interest them. Once a Ph.D. student has discovered her passion within the program, she will meet with her adviser (or advisory committee) to map out a research and development plan to implement in the following years. If approved by the adviser, the student will pursue this passion in research in the years following, culminating in a master work called a thesis.
In undergraduate and master's programs, assignments are varied, ranging from group projects to presentations. One thing that many first-year Ph.D. students realize straight away is that the majority of assignments are strictly reading. Students should get to know the university library well because they will most likely be spending many hours there. Many Ph.D. students employ software programs to help with catalogue research and generating bibliographies.