M P h i l / P h D S t u d e n t H a n d b o o k

Transcription

1 M P h i l / P h D S t u d e n t H a n d b o o k

2 A large-print version of this document is available and alternative formats can be provided on request. Please contact Disabilities Support for assistance. Telephone:

3 Table of Contents Key dates and library opening hours 1 Dates of term 1 Library opening hours 1 Dates of closure Contacts and general information 2 Doctoral School Academic Administration 2 Doctoral School Academic Staff 3 Introduction 5 1. Registration Requirements Course of study Acceptance as a doctoral student Length of course of study 6 Minimum period 6 Maximum period Full-time and part-time study Residence requirements for the MPhil/PhD Transfer between full-time and part-time study Leave of absence for fieldwork for the MPhil/PhD Enrolment formalities Verification of qualifications 10 Change of name Change of contact details and IOE communication Statements of registration Absence Interruption in course Writing up fee Refund of tuition fee following withdrawal Complaints procedure Doctoral Training at the Institute for MPhil/PhD Student Research training programme Between you and your supervisor Supervision Allocation of supervisor(s) and advisory panel Responsibilities of the supervisor and the student The relationship between student and supervisor 16 Frequency of contact 17

4 Written reports on progress 17 Feedback 17 Advice on progress 17 Seeking advice from other sources Change of supervisor Advisory panel Your Thesis Getting started on the thesis Ethical issues Writing up the thesis Literary presentation Plagiarism Referencing style and acknowledgement of sources Intellectual property rights Practice/performance PhDs Monitoring of Progress Annual progress review Upgrade Independent reading of draft thesis Special progress review status Withdrawal for academic or personal reasons Upgrading of Registration from MPhil to PhD Timing of upgrading Application procedure and upgrade submission Upgrade submission Consideration of the application 36 Upgrading panel 36 Interview with upgrading panel 36 If the student is unable to attend the interview Outcome of the application 37 If the upgrade is recommended 38 If the upgrade is not recommended 38 Disagreement among upgrade panel members 38 Appeal Requirements of the Thesis Regulations: criteria for PhD and MPhil Extension to the prescribed word length of PhD theses Availability of thesis 43

5 8. Examination Criteria for thesis Title of thesis Earliest date for submission of the thesis Timing of application for entry to examination Application procedure Fee for fee remitted staff and those who re-enter Special arrangements for students with a disability or medical problem Submission, format and binding of thesis for MPhil and PhD Appointment of examiners Arranging the viva voce and conduct of examination Independent chair Notification of result Degree diploma Degree award ceremonies Appeals procedure Conduct of Examination and Thesis Format Instructions Instructions and notes on submission, format and binding 51 Number of hard copies 51 Presentation 52 Paper 52 Layout 52 Pagination 52 Title page 52 Abstract 52 Declaration and word count 52 Table of contents 53 Illustrative material 53 Practice/performance PhDs 53 Binders Conduct of examination for the degree of MPhil and PhD 53 Eligibility to examine 53 Timetable for examination 53 Preliminary independent reports 54 Oral examination 54 The result of the examination 56 Reporting on the examination 56 Notification to the candidate 58 Examination of re-entry candidates 59

6 If the examiners are not in agreement or require further assistance 59 Examiners fees and expenses 59 Equal opportunities 59 Appeals procedure 60 Research degree examinations at the Institute of Education Sources of Advice and Support Your supervisor Other sources of academic support Disability support Additional support and advice 62 Appendix 1: Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Service 63 Annex: Requirements for students registered under University of London regulations 66 A.1 University of London MPhil/PhD regulations 66 A.2 Programme of study 67 A.3 Written assignments 67 A.4 Upgrading of registration from MPhil to PhD 72 A.5 Regulations on criteria for University of London PhD and MPhil 77

7 Key Dates and Library Opening Hours Dates of Term The dates of term for the session are: Autumn term - Monday 29 September to Friday 12 December 2014 Spring term - Monday 5 January to Friday 20 March 2015 Summer term - Monday 20 April to Friday 3 July 2015 Library Opening Hours The Institute library is normally open during term time from: 8.30 a.m. to p.m. on Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday During vacations the normal hours are: 9.30 a.m. to 8.15 p.m. on Monday to Friday a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays The times given above indicate the library s study service opening hours. For full service and membership desk opening hours please consult the website: Dates of Closure The Institute will be closed on the following dates: Christmas and New Year Wednesday 24 December 2014 to Friday 2 January 2015 Easter 2014 Friday 3 April 3014 to Monday 6 April 2015 inclusive Spring Bank Holidays Monday 4 May and Monday 25 May 2015 Summer Bank holidays Friday 28 August 2014 to Monday 31 August

8 Contacts and General Information Doctoral School - Academic Administration Academic Administration staff are there to offer you assistance on regulations, policies and procedures for the MPhil/PhD, Online MPhil/PhD, MPhil/PhD with Integrated Research Methods, EdD, DEdPsy, PGDip and MRes Programmes as well as other research degree programmes offered at the Institute. The Doctoral School is situated in room 519 on level 5 (A Core Wing). The office opening hours are: Mon, Tue, Thur & Fri Weds 9.30am- 5.00pm 11.00am 5.00pm Staff with specific responsibility for MPhil/PhD and MRes students (including online programmes) Catherine Haberfield c.haberfield@ioe.ac.uk Programme Services Co-ordinator Room 519 / ext Contact Catherine for all queries related to student progress and supervisor support and administrative arrangements for the MPhil/PhD Research Training Programme Gary Ford g.ford@ioe.ac.uk Programme Administrator Room 519 / ext Contact Gary for all programme administration matters related to the Online MPhil/PhD, MPhil/PhD with Integrated Research Methods, MRes and Online MRes Hazel Croft h.croft@ioe.ac.uk Programme Administrator Room 519 / ext Contact Hazel for administrative arrangements relating to MPhil/PhD upgrades and viva voce examinations Staff with specific responsibility for EdD, DEdPsy and PGDip SSRM students Cathy McSweeney c.mcsweeney@ioe.ac.uk Programme Services Co-ordinator Room 519 / ext Contact Cathy for all queries related to taught courses, student progress and supervisor support. Neal Carr n.carr@ioe.ac.uk Programme Administrator Room 519 / ext Contact Neal for all queries related to the EdD Formal Review Prior to Thesis Pui Sin p.sin@ioe.ac.uk Programme Administrator Room 519 / ext Contact Pui for all queries related to EdD viva voce examinations and programme administration matters related to the PGDipSSRM Lorraine Fernandes l.fernandes@ioe.ac.uk Programme Administrator Room G6 / ext Woburn Square Contact Lorraine for all programme administration matters related to the DEdPsy Please note: PGR applicant enquiries, admissions and enrolment are managed by the Recruitment and Admissions team in Registry (enquiries@ioe.ac.uk). Thesis examinations are managed by the Exams team in Registry (thesisexams@ioe.ac.uk), although administrative support for viva arrangements is provided by the PGR team in Academic Administration. 2

9 Doctoral School Academic Staff Dean of the Doctoral School Andy Tolmie Room 516/ ext Director of Postgraduate Research Programmes John Vorhaus Director of Postgraduate Research Supervision Christine Han Room 412, Gordon Sq Ext Room 714/ ext Each programme has a Programme Leader who acts as the co-ordinator for the courses. Joint Programme Leaders for MPhil/PhD and MRes Claudia Lapping Jane Perryman Programme Leader for EdD c.lapping@ioe.ac.uk Room 630b/ ext j.perryman@ioe.ac.uk Room 737 / ext Denise Hawkes d.hawkes@ioe.ac.uk Room 517 / ext Programme Leader for Online MPhil/PhD Richard Freeman r.freeman@ioe.ac.uk Room 519a/ ext Programme Leader for DEdPsy Vivian Hill v.hill@ioe.ac.uk Room 105 / ext Woburn Square Programme Leader for Postgraduate Diploma Sue Taylor s.taylor@ioe.ac.uk Room 201 / ext Woburn Square Programme Leader for Online MRes Will Gibson w.gibson@ioe.ac.uk Room 624 ext

10 Director of Postgraduate Research Supervision Director of Postgraduate Research (PGR) Supervision has responsibility for PGR supervision across the IOE, including responsibility for the coordination and quality assurance of PGR supervision, acting as the principal point of contact between the Doctoral School and Departmental PGR Tutors, and co-ordinating and providing development support for the activity of PGR Tutors in relation to their specific PGR responsibilities. Departmental Postgraduate Research Tutors Each supervisor is a member of an academic department. You are a member of the same academic department as your main supervisor and each Department has an appointed Postgraduate Research Tutor, who chairs the Departmental Postgraduate Research Committee. The Postgraduate Research Tutor is responsible on a day-to-day basis for all matters concerning doctoral students within the Department. This includes student admissions to Departments; the appointment of supervisors; doctoral training; the provision of facilities for doctoral students within the department; the review of annual progress reports on all students and training plans for new students; formal review of progress; and, the nomination of examiners. The Postgraduate Research Tutor also has responsibility for the pastoral care of students within the Department: you may discuss in confidence any matters related to your progress with your research studies. Department Psychology and Human Development Quantitative Social Science Humanities and Social Sciences London Centre for Leadership in Learning Lifelong and Comparative Education Early Years and Primary Education Culture, Communication and Media Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment Children, Families and Health PGR Tutor Maria Kambouri George Ploubidis Tom Woodin Rob Higham Christine Han Phil Jones John Potter Jane Perryman Sarah Crafter 4

11 Introduction The Institute of Education is a postgraduate college of the federal University of London and as of October 2008 awards its own degrees. It is the lead institution in the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded Bloomsbury Doctoral Training Centre (in partnership with Birkbeck, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the School of Oriental and African Studies), and is also a recipient of studentship funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). All students will be advised if a decision to merge with UCL is confirmed in December All new MPhil/PhD students are enrolled under the Institute s regulations for the degrees Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Students who first enrolled before are registered under the University of London regulations for their degree. All students are subject to the Institute s General Academic Regulations and all other appropriate Institute regulations, policies and procedures. All regulations are available on the IOE website, The Doctoral School Committee has strategic oversight and responsibility for all matters relating to research students. The Doctoral School Committee each year issues a Code of Practice for Research Degrees which supplements the MPhil/PhD Regulations: these apply to all research degree students. This handbook is a guide for MPhil and PhD students, including those registered for the Online MPhil/PhD and their supervisors and contains advice about mandatory procedures and guidelines on good practice as well as information about support and facilities. It should be read in conjunction with the the Code of Practice for Research Degrees and the MPhil/PhD Research Training Programme which are both available from the Doctoral School web site: If anything is unclear or if you need advice on any points regarding procedures or regulations for your degree course, please contact the relevant administrative or academic staff in the Doctoral School, who will be pleased to be of assistance. Please retain this handbook for reference during your course. The handbook is updated each year - the latest version can be found on the Doctoral School web site. 5

12 1. Registration Requirements This section provides a summary of the regulations for the degrees of PhD and MPhil and the registration requirements for these programmes of study. 1.1 Course of study Students registered for the degrees of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) will pursue a course of study under the guidance of an appointed supervisor leading to the submission of a thesis consisting of their own account of their investigations. This is examined by means of an oral examination (viva voce). The period of study for the PhD is intended to enable you to produce your own thesis and to develop a range of research and other skills. You are expected to participate in the research training programme run through the Doctoral School; these include courses on research design, data collection and analysis, and a range of other more generic skills as well as advanced and specialist courses. Full details can be found in the research training handbook, available at You will register in the first instance for the MPhil degree, and then to seek a transfer of your registration to PhD later in the programme. The upgrading process provides a valuable opportunity for an independent review and detailed discussion of and feedback on your work. The table in Appendix 2 summarises the stages towards the successful completion of the doctoral degree at the Institute for new students. If you are a continuing student, please refer to the summary in the Annex. 1.2 Acceptance as a doctoral student Academic staff in the Doctoral School and administrative staff in Recruitment and Admissions (Registry) liaise with the PGR Tutor of the appropriate department about the acceptance of students. The PGR Tutor arranges the appointment of a supervisor and an advisory panel for each new doctoral student. If joint supervision is appropriate, a main supervisor and a second supervisor are appointed. Where joint supervision involves two departments, the Research Committee in the main supervisor's department assumes primary responsibility for monitoring the progress of the student in consultation with the second supervisor. 1.3 Length of course of study Minimum period The regulations for the degree of MPhil and PhD specify the minimum period of registration as two calendar years of full-time or three years part-time study. 6

13 However, the expectation is that students will be registered for three calendar years of full-time or five calendar years of part-time study. This reflects the normal expectation for a doctoral student to complete a PhD although a longer period of registration may be required. If you need further supervision after completion of the expected period of registration stipulated in your letter of offer, you will need to re-register and pay tuition fees. If you manage to complete your thesis within the minimum period laid down in the regulations you will not be prevented from submitting your thesis, if you so wish and your supervisor supports you. Maximum period The Institute regulations prescribe the maximum period of registration for doctoral studies as four years of full-time or seven years of part-time study. If you wish to complete your registration by a combination of full- and part-time study your maximum period will be calculated on a pro-rata basis. 1.4 Full-time and part-time study If you are studying on a full-time basis you should not be engaged in employment, other than your studies, for more than twenty hours a week. However, you are encouraged to limit your paid work to ten hours a week. If you are studying in the UK on a Tier 4 student visa you must be registered on a full time basis. To be eligible for registration on a part-time basis, it is normally expected that you will be in fulltime employment. You will need to bear in mind that the amount of support you will receive as a part-time student will be less than that available to full-time students because you will be extending your period of part-time registration over a longer period. Please bear in mind that if you change your mode of study from full-to part-time or vice versa this can have important fee implications as well as affecting your length of registration, your expected completion date and your access to supervisory support. *Note: if you are an overseas student and studying at the IOE on a Tier 4 student visa, please speak to one of the Programme Administrators in room 519, or the International Student Co-ordinator in Registry before arranging to switch to part-time. 1.5 Residence requirements for the MPhil/PhD *(This does not apply to students on the Online MPhil/PhD) Students will normally undertake their studies by registering either as full-time for the whole of their studies or part-time for the whole period of registration. Students in the UK on a Tier 4 student visa will study full-time and normally be resident in the UK to attend the Institute throughout their period of registration. Permission may be sought to vary this pattern of registration subject to: 7

14 you agreeing with your supervisor a pattern of study that enables you to meet the requirements of the MPhil/PhD programme; and you providing satisfactory evidence as to the availability of appropriate facilities for your research at your home location; and the arrangements proposed for supervision enabling frequent and substantial contact between you and your supervisor(s) in accordance with the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Any variation in the study pattern will normally have been agreed at application stage. Once you have registered any substantial departure from the agreed pattern will need to be approved by your supervisor and PGR Tutor. See 1.6. There can be no guarantee that a proposed change in pattern of study will be approved. Please bear in mind that if your agreed pattern of study includes periods studying away from the Institute, our expectation is that you will spend your first term of registration or longer at the Institute as it is very important to ensure you can build a solid foundation for your doctoral research by attending the MPhil/PhD research training programme, department seminars and by meeting regularly with your supervisor in the early stages of your research. During periods of study spent overseas, you will be permitted to register on a part-time basis whether or not you are in full-time employment provided your supervisor agrees. This will enable you to maintain regular communication with your supervisor by or Skype. 1.6 Transfer between full-time and part-time study The regulations allow a student to transfer from full to part-time study and vice versa. If you wish to change your mode of study, you should first obtain the support of your supervisor. You should seek formal approval using form DS/2 Changing Mode/Pattern of Study request form, available at This should be completed and returned to room 519 a few weeks at least before a new term begins, so that the relevant authorising signatures can be obtained. Retrospective interruptions will not be permitted. 8

15 1.7 Leave of absence for fieldwork for the MPhil/PhD *(This does not apply to students on the Online MPhil/PhD) Whether you are registered on a full-or part-time basis, you may need to collect data and/or undertake fieldwork overseas and you may, with the approval of your supervisor and your Department PGR Tutor, take leave of absence. You should complete form DS/2 Changing Mode/Pattern of Study request form and your supervisor should indicate his or her support for this request by signing the form. If you are conducting fieldwork overseas and remain registered, you should maintain regular contact with your supervisor, i.e. by or Skype at least once a month. The amount of supervisory support you would be entitled to receive during this time would be dependent upon whether you registered on a full or part-time basis. Students on a Tier 4 visa will also need to complete a Tier 4 Leave of Absence form, available at Enrolment formalities As a doctoral student of the Institute, you must enrol at the beginning of your programme of study and, subject to fulfilling the conditions set out in Section 5, re-enrol at the beginning of the Autumn term of each subsequent academic year. You should also pay the annual composite tuition, registration and examination fee at this time. Details of the annual fee rates are available at If you are not paying your own fees, please provide written confirmation of your sponsorship or your student loan. The Institute sends information about enrolment, including payment methods, to all new and continuing students in September each year. It is only by completing these enrolment formalities that you can take advantage of the support and resources which the Institute has to offer, including access to and other online resources. Failure to complete the enrolment process, including payment of fees, at the appropriate time each year will lead to the cancellation of your student enrolment record. See tuition fee policy: If you are having problems paying your fees at enrolment time, please contact our Finance section at cashier@ioe.ac.uk or telephone , or speak to colleagues in Registry, Student Support (level 4, 20 Bedford Way), who will be willing to offer advice. 9

16 1.9 Verification of qualifications In order to comply with the Institute s General Academic Regulations, you must produce original documentary evidence of the qualifications on the basis of which you have been accepted as a doctoral student at the Institute. You will also be asked to let Registry/Student Support have sight of your passport or driving licence. If you fail to produce adequate documentation you may be required to withdraw from the course. Change of name The form in which your name appears on the evidence which you provide for the verification of your previous qualifications is used for registration purposes and you should use the same form in all correspondence relating to your studies, including your examination application. Your name will appear in this form on your diploma. Any official change that you may wish to make to your name during the course of your studies should be notified to Registry by going to Student Support in person, (level 4, 20 Bedford Way) or Admissions@ioe.ac.uk. You will be asked to provide supporting documentation, for example, a marriage certificate, passport, or deed poll before the change can be formally accepted. You should also notify your Programme administrator by Change of contact details and IOE communication If you have changed either your permanent address or your term time address or both, you can use this form to let Student Support know. For any other enquiries concerning this, or to advise of a change to your telephone number or personal address, please contact the Student Support Centre. You should also advise the IOE Library at lib.enquiries@ioe.ac.uk, your Programme Administrator and your supervisor. Please note, however, that we shall use your Institute address to communicate with you. Once you have enrolled on the programme you will be given an IOE address and this will be the primary means of communication through which the Institute will contact you. You must make sure you activate and regularly check your IOE account to receive important information, such as room or other changes to research training courses and there may be new seminars and Conferences advertised via Statements of registration Should you require a general statement to confirm your registration status at the Institute or a letter to open a bank account, please Enquiries@ioe.ac.uk For a more detailed letter or course transcript you should complete a Statement Request form, available at: Please note that seven working days notice should be allowed to ensure any such statements are ready by the date required. 10

17 1.12 Absence If you are absent from your studies for a period lasting more than two weeks while you are registered, e.g. for health reasons, it is essential that you inform your supervisor and your Programme administrator (see Contacts and General Information page) Interruption in course Although the course of study for the degree should normally be continuously pursued, you may occasionally find yourself in a position where you are unable to work on your research for a period of time and it may be advisable to seek an interruption in your registration. Examples of reasons for seeking an interruption in registration might include illness, unexpected pressure from work for a part-time student or financial difficulty. An interruption in course must always have the support of your supervisor and is normally for one term or two terms only. If the interruption lasts for more than one year, you will be asked to submit a written statement outlining the work you have completed towards your research and your research plans for when you resume. This will be considered by your supervisor and department, prior to your re-registration. During a period of interruption you are not asked to pay tuition fees and you are not entitled to consult your supervisor, to participate in the MPhil/PhD Research Training Programme, department seminars, to use the Institute's library, to use online resources or computing resources. However, there would be no reason why you should not continue to work on your thesis independently if personal circumstances allowed. If you wish to interrupt your registration, you should first discuss the situation with your supervisor to obtain his or her support, before completing form DS/1 to seek formal approval. The DS/1 form can be found at: Written notification should be received in advance of the period of interruption in course so that the necessary administrative action can be taken, including any adjustments to tuition fee payments. You are asked to bear in mind that an interruption to your registration should be considered exceptional and is not to be undertaken lightly. It is therefore imperative for any student who is unable to return after an approved period of interruption to seek an extension of the interruption, giving reasons and a revised completion date. You should apply in advance of the period by ing your Programme administrator and your supervisor, who will consult the Department PGR Tutor for a decision in your case. If you are in the UK on a Tier 4 student visa it is essential that you consult your Programme administrator, or the International Student Co-ordinator in Student Support, to discuss your position before seeking an interruption in study. 11

18 Please note that the Institute reserves the right to refuse to re-register a doctoral student, particularly if the interruption is over two years and there is insufficient evidence of the student s ability to complete the degree successfully. If you have not been registered with the Institute for three years your registration may be cancelled automatically unless the Institute has approved exceptional arrangements (see Code of Practice for Research Degrees) Writing up Fee From the academic year a writing up fee is available for PhD and EdD students in the final stages of doctoral study, prior to the submission of thesis. Students who fulfil the following criteria are eligible for a reduced fee equivalent to half the full-time fee, or half the part-time fee, depending on their mode of study: PhD: the student has upgraded to PhD EdD: the student has completed their IFS Has entered for the thesis examination (submitted exam entry forms to room 519) Is within 12 months (full-time PhD, or part-time EdD) or 18 months (part-time PhD) of completion of the degree The student s supervisor confirms that the student is in the final 12 months (full-time PhD or part-time EdD), or 18 months (part-time PhD) of completion of the degree. The writing up fee is available for a maximum period of 12 months (full-time PhD or part-time EdD) or 18 months (part-time PhD). If you do not complete within this period then you will be required to pay fees at the normal rate for any subsequent period of registration. PhD students are expected to maintain their previous mode of study during this period, unless an exceptional case is made using the DS/2 Changing mode/pattern of study Request Form and supported by the supervisor and PGR Tutor. There is no change in the access to supervision or to other IOE resources during the writing up period. The supervisory entitlement for all PGR students can be found in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees: If you wish to apply to pay the writing up fee you should download the Writing up fee request form at: It should be fully completed and signed by you, your supervisor and PGR Tutor. Your supervisor should also include a supporting statement on the form. 12

19 1.15 Refund of tuition fees following withdrawal If for any reason you decide to withdraw from your programme you should complete and sign DS/3 Withdrawal from Programme form available at: After completion, you are required to send this to your supervisor by post or , so your supervisor can sign this official notification, before he/she returns this form to your programme administrator in room 519, who will process your withdrawal. Notification to a supervisor or to the Department administrative office is not sufficient. Tuition fees are not normally refundable and applications for refunds will be considered in exceptional circumstances. Such applications should be made in writing to the Academic Registrar. In all cases where refunds are sanctioned, the Institute will retain an administration fee. It will not be possible to consider refunds requested more than one year after payment has been made. If you are withdrawn from your course because of non-attendance you will be liable for the full tuition fee due. The Institute s Tuition Fee Policy is available on our website at Complaints procedure The Institute has a complaints procedure, which should be followed if you wish to make a complaint about any aspect of your study at the Institute. Details regarding the complaints procedure and the complaints form are available here: 13

20 2. Doctoral Training at the Institute for MPhil/PhD Students It is the view of bodies such as the Research Councils and the Higher Education Funding Councils, as well as the Institute, that it is increasingly necessary for research students to be trained in a range of skills that extend beyond those required for them to write their own thesis; this reflects changing employment patterns and the closer relationship between universities and employers. These skills include a wide range of research skills which enable PhD graduates to read and understand research literature from different research paradigms, and to carry out research with confidence and more generic skills such as: the use of ICT (information and communication technologies), the ability to manage time and to use this effectively, the capacity to work in teams, and oral and written communication skills 2.1 Research training programme The Institute s programme has been designed to provide comprehensive and broadly based research training and to meet the requirements of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the UK Researcher Development Framework for Skills Training ( Development-Framework.html). The programme serves a number of purposes: to support the ongoing development and specialisation of your doctoral research project; to introduce you to a range of different issues and approaches as a context for your own research; to prepare you for the different stages of the research process; to provide you with the skills and understanding that will support your future professional and/or research career; to provide you with a range of different opportunities to engage in the IOE doctoral community. There are various ways to complete the research training. Students may take the MRes in Education and Social Research as their initial training and move on to more advanced training during the three year MPhil/PhD programme. However, the majority of students complete both initial and advanced training through the comprehensive MPhil/PhD programme presented here. Students who have already completed an ESRC recognised MRes will pursue their advanced training through this programme. The Doctoral School s MPhil/PhD programme is organised in six main sections (with equivalent courses for the Online MPhil/PhD): 14

21 Core courses early stage (comprises Information and Literature Searching (Info and Lit), Working with your Supervisor and Preparing for Upgrade (WWSPU), Conceptualising and Designing Research (CDR) and either Collecting and Analysing Data (CAD) or Research in the Arts and Humanities (RAH), to be completed in the first year of full-time study, or five terms of part-time study) Core courses later stage (which are taken after the completion of the early stage courses) Specialist/Advanced courses (which can be taken at any time, but normally after the first year of study) Academic Competencies (a range of courses to promote your development as an academic, which can be taken at any time) Facilitating Learning in Higher Education (which is an optional programme of courses) Reading Seminars/ Student Workshops (a programme of seminars co-ordinated by the Doctoral School and provided in response to research student interest and request. These may be led by staff or students and can be taken at any time) Full details of the training programme are given in the MPhil/PhD Research Training Handbook issued to you when you registered and available on the website. 2.2 Between you and your supervisor Bearing in mind the time-scale for the completion of your degree, you should draw up a plan in as much detail as possible for your research in consultation with your supervisor for completion of your thesis within the agreed period of time. The scale of the research project should be tailored to this period of time. This plan should be revised regularly in the light of your progress, and forms an important aspect of the Annual Progress Review process. 15

22 3. Supervision 3.1 Allocation of supervisor(s) and advisory panel The PGR Tutor of the Department which accepts you, arranges the appointment of a supervisor(s) for you in accordance with the Institute guidelines for appointment of supervisors. The department PGR Tutor will also advise you of the staff on your advisory panel. Your advisory panel will offer support through their involvement in the annual review process, upgrading, appointment of examiners. They will ensure continuity of supervision and arrange back-up supervision where necessary. If expertise is required in two fields, you may be allocated two supervisors. When joint supervision is agreed, one supervisor will be nominated as your main supervisor, and he or she will take primary responsibility for your progress. Your supervisors will liaise closely on all aspects of your research, and joint agreement must be reached on the readiness of your thesis for submission for examination and on the nomination of the examiners. 3.2 Responsibilities of the supervisor and the student You and your supervisor should refer to the Code of Practice for Research Degrees, on a regular basis, as a reminder of your respective responsibilities in the supervisory relationship. At the outset you should also discuss your respective responsibilities with your supervisor in order that a good working relationship can be established. 3.3 The relationship between student and supervisor It is very important that you and your supervisor are able to establish a good working relationship, which will probably require negotiation and periodic review. Writing a thesis should be a mutual learning process for you and your supervisor, and during the progress of the research the relationship between you and your supervisor and between you and research will change and develop. Every effort should be made to ensure that you feel comfortable with the relationship and it is good practice to review this relationship on a regular basis. Do not hesitate to contact your Department s PGR Tutor or the Director of PGR Supervision, if you have any concerns about your supervision. 16

23 Frequency of contact The number and frequency of meetings (or equivalent contact, for example, by telephone, or Skype/Lync) between you and your supervisor is a matter for you both to decide together. As a guideline, you could expect to have approximately 9-15 supervision sessions per year (full-time student) and 6-9 supervision sessions per year (part-time student). However, it is accepted that frequency of contact may vary according to the topic and the stage reached in the research and according to mode of contact, e.g. . For example, more frequent supervision sessions, perhaps as often as weekly for full-time students, may be appropriate in the early stages, whereas in the later stages, contact may be less often. It useful for you to arrange with your supervisor the date of the next supervision at the end of each tutorial, whether face to face, by or Skype/Lync. If you need to change the arrangement, you should contact your supervisor in advance to keep him or her informed of your progress. You should let your supervisor have any written work well in advance of such meetings. If you are overseas for any period of your registration, communication between you and your supervisor should be maintained and regular contact should continue by , Skype/Lync or letter. It is recommended that contact is made at least once a month even if you have not made as much progress as you had planned. Written reports on progress You and your supervisor need to ensure that written records are kept of your supervision sessions. This helps to ensure that there is no misunderstanding regarding the advice you receive. It also provides a useful aide memoir when completing the annual review of your progress. Feedback Your supervisor is expected to read and comment on your written work. Written feedback, not just margin notes, is particularly useful. Please make this process easier by giving your supervisor sufficient time to consider your work by regularly submitting work or plans so that your supervisor is familiar with the research and its progress. You may find it useful to submit with your work a summary of the issues which you would particularly like your supervisor to consider or points on which comments are particularly important. Advice on progress Your supervisor is expected to advise you of any concerns he/she may have about your progress in order that any difficulties may be resolved at an early stage. Your supervisor s comments should be provided in writing so that you have a clear understanding of your progress. 17

24 The comments and suggestions, written or verbal, made by your supervisor are advisory and you are not under any obligation to agree with them or adopt them. You are ultimately responsible for the research you are undertaking, and the role of your supervisor is to help as much as he or she can. Seeking advice from other sources You may wish to discuss your research with other members of staff of the Institute, or indeed with appropriate people outside the Institute, and seek their advice. It sometimes happens that a chapter or longer section of a thesis draws on other areas of work outside your main discipline and that there are specialists who can help with this. If you wish to discuss your work with another member of staff, please discuss this with your supervisor in advance, so that the advice can be properly integrated into your research plan. 3.4 Change of supervisor There are a number of reasons why a temporary or permanent change of supervisor might be necessary. For advice in such circumstances, please refer to the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Your Department should ensure that the Doctoral School is advised of a change of supervisor using Form DS/ Advisory Panel All doctoral students have an advisory panel. Advisory panels are small teams of supervisors (at least three and not more than five) with responsibility for monitoring the progress of students under their supervision. Your advisory panel is the panel to which your main supervisor belongs. The PGR Tutor for your Department will advise you of the names of the members of your advisory panel. Note that advisory panel members are not usually directly involved in the supervision of each other s students. Advisory panels have the following responsibilities: to oversee the annual progress review and to ensure regular monitoring of progress; to oversee the independent reading of draft thesis and participate as required; to ensure continuity of supervision in the event of the supervisor leaving the Institute or being absent, e.g. on sick leave or study leave; to provide for one member of the advisory panel to carry out the ethical review of research prior to the commencement of data collection or fieldwork; 18

25 to oversee the upgrade to PhD and participate as required; to be available to offer guidance to you at the request of your main supervisor. 19

26 4. Your Thesis 4.1 Getting started on the thesis During your first year, in consultation with your supervisor you will need to develop a more detailed research outline taking into account the requirements of a PhD (see Section 7) and the period of study required to complete it. Your initial proposal (which you completed prior to your enrolment) is likely to be a useful starting point. In further developing your proposal you need to include: a clear statement of the research question or problem; a working title (this can always be changed, but provides an important focus) a rationale for the research which makes reference to relevant theoretical and other concerns and to relevant literature and research; a clear statement of the theoretical and methodological perspective being adopted; a description of the design of your study including, where appropriate, discussion of proposed methods of data collection and analysis; a timetable with milestones identified. It may be useful to ask yourself the following questions: What is your research question/focus/problem? Is the research manageable and practicable within the timescale of your PhD? What approach and methods are you planning to use? How will you analyse the data? What is your thesis or argument going to be? What is the likely contribution (to theory, methodology, policy, practice)? What is your provisional (working) title? (This helps you to be clear and focused in your topic) It is an inevitable part of the research process that ideas change and develop as you are introduced to a range of research techniques and through discussions with your supervisor, other researchers and fellow postgraduate researchers. You will find that your proposal and timetable will need to be reviewed on a regular basis. The following books may be useful as they will give you ideas about carrying out the research, managing your supervision, writing up the thesis and preparing for the examination: Cryer, P. (2006). The Research Student s Guide to Success. 3 rd edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press. 20

27 Delamont, S., Atkinson, P. and Parry, O. (Eds) (2000). The Doctoral Experience: Success and Failure in Graduate School. London: Falmer Press. Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish A Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Hart, C. (1998). Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination. London: Sage. Leonard, D. (2001). A Woman s Guide to Doctoral Studies. Buckingham: Open University Press. Murray, R. (2011). How to Write a Thesis. 3 rd edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Murray, R. (2009). How to Survive your Viva: Defending a Thesis in an Oral Examination. 2 nd edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Petre, M. and Rugg, G. (Eds) (2010). The Unwritten Rules of PhD Research. 2 nd edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Phillips, E. M. and Pugh, D. S. (Eds) (2005). How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and Their Supervisors. 4 th edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Tinkler, P. and Jackson, C. (Eds) (2004). The Doctoral Examination Process: A Handbook for Students, Examiners and Supervisors. Maidenhead: Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press. Wellington, J. J., Bathmaker, A-M., Hunt, C., McCulloch, G. and Sikes, P. (Eds) (2005). Succeeding with your Doctorate. London: Sage. 4.2 Ethical issues All research undertaken by staff and students at the Institute of Education needs to have ethical approval before data collection commences. This includes research involving human participants as well as the use of data collected from human participants. Ethical review processes are specified in the Research Governance and Ethics Policy, available on the Research Ethics website ( Ethical review is one aspect of ensuring that research is conducted to the highest levels of integrity. This involves responsibilities to participants, institutions, and to the research community. Please ensure that you are aware of the ethical issues involved in research. Your course of study may include sessions specifically focusing on ethical issues within educational research or the social sciences. Ethical issues are especially relevant to the following areas: Determining research aims and who benefits from the research; Handling dual roles (e.g. being a researcher and a professional) and potentially conflicting values; Minimising potential risk or harm to all involved; Gaining access to participants; 21

28 Ensuring voluntary informed consent; Safeguarding participants; Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity; Giving feedback, reporting results, and dissemination. You should discuss these and other issues with your supervisor and ensure that your research adheres to sound ethical principles. Professional codes of practice Many professional organisations have produced codes of ethical practice for their disciplines or areas of work. Please ensure that you are familiar with the code for your discipline or area. You will need to specify and follow one of these codes of ethical practice during your research. You do not have to be a member of a professional organisation to follow their code of ethical practice. Links to the common codes of ethical practice are provided on the Research Ethics website These include codes from: The British Educational Research Association ( The British Psychological Society ( The British Sociological Association ( The British Association for Applied Linguistics( Ethical review and approval procedures Ethical review and approval are necessary before data collection can commence. The procedures for student ethical review and approval are described on the Student Ethics section of the website ( ). Application forms and guidance notes are provided on the website. Please follow the guidance, which also explains who you need to submit your application materials to. If you intend to conduct research which may raise particular or difficult ethical issues (for instance, work involving vulnerable groups, deception or where consent will not be possible), you are advised to begin the ethics approval process well in advance of your planned data collection. If you need to undertake research involving children or vulnerable adults in the UK, please bear in mind you will need to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (formerly a CRB check). For more information, please contact Student Support/ Registry Please note that research involving any of the following would require external ethical approval: 22