GRADUATE SCHOOL RESEARCH DEGREES HANDBOOK For supervised PhD and MPhil awards

Transcription

1 GRADUATE SCHOOL RESEARCH DEGREES HANDBOOK For supervised PhD and MPhil awards Please direct any queries relating to this handbook to the Graduate School, Bath Spa University. This version 01/10/2015 Please note that regulations and procedures are subject to modification. You will be informed whenever any substantial modifications are made. Research Degrees Handbook Page 1

2 CONTENTS Welcome and introduction 3 The Graduate School; Academic Schools; Higher Degrees (Research) Committee; Student community; International students; Library & Learning Services. Research degrees at Bath Spa 11 PhD/MPhil Descriptors; 60 credit requirement; PhD by Publication; Creative work; Contextual research for creative writing. Supervision 18 Supervisory team; Responsibilities of the student. Researcher development 22 Progression milestones 23 Research Plan, Progression Assessment, Annual Monitoring, Student conduct 29 Changes to registration 30 Change to mode of study; Changes to supervisory team; Changes to research project; Transfer between awards; Suspension of registration; Extension of registration; Continuation status; Withdrawal. Submission of the thesis 32 Intention to submit; Format of the thesis. Final examination 37 Appointment of examiners; Before the viva; The viva; Outcomes of the viva; Resubmission; The final approved thesis. The Award 42 Problems, complaints and appeals 42 Research Degrees Forms 45 ANNEXES I. Research Degrees regulations 46 II. Handbook on Research Integrity and Ethics 59 Research Degrees Handbook Page 2

3 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Graduate School s Research Degrees Handbook. This handbook is for all research students and supervisors at Bath Spa University. It gives information, guidance and advice relevant to the postgraduate research lifecycle from initial registration through to final examination, including opportunities for researcher development. Your School may also provide additional information specific to your subject area I encourage you to take every opportunity to become involved in the research community at School and University level by joining appropriate research centres and groups and participating in workshops, seminars, study groups and conferences arranged over the year. I hope you find this handbook helpful and we welcome feedback and ideas on what you would like it to include in future You should keep the handbook so you can refer to it as necessary. It will be updated at the start of each academic year. I hope you enjoy your time at Bath Spa University and I wish you every success in your studies. With best wishes Prof. John Strachan Head of Graduate School Vice Provost, Research & Enterprise Dean of the Graduate College Research Degrees Handbook Page 3

4 THE GRADUATE SCHOOL Bath Spa University seeks to promote excellence within the work of research students and their supervisors through the Graduate School, which is located in the Graduate Centre at Corsham Court. The centre houses the Graduate School office, library and computer and social facilities for research students. Undertaking postgraduate research at Bath Spa involves a student engaging in independent study leading to the development of new ideas and understanding in the context of existing knowledge. This is achieved through their own initiative, planning, gathering of information, innovation, and analysis. Both the MPhil and PhD involve substantial research, leading to significant and original contributions to inquiry or practice. Such study may be undertaken full-time or part-time. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) consider full-time to mean at least 21 hours per week devoted to study. Part-time students should spend at least 12 hours per week on their studies. The Graduate School takes a strategic view of postgraduate studies at BSU and advises the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee (HDRC). Professor John Strachan, Vice-Provost, Research and Enterprise and Dean of the Graduate College, oversees postgraduate research at Bath Spa and is Chair of the HDRC. The Graduate School supports students and supervisors through consultation, advice, training and development workshops. We also work to ensure that all policy, procedural and quality standards requirements are met. The aim is to enable both students and their supervisors to achieve the high standards expected of work at postgraduate research level. Standards are monitored through the admissions process, annual reporting and progression assessment. The Graduate School will also: administer postgraduate research in line with the Bath Spa University s academic regulation and associated processes and procedures; monitor and develops the postgraduate research environment at Bath Spa in ways that benefit research degrees students and help lead to successful completions; make provision for the training, development and support of research degrees supervisors; liaise with Deans of School, School Higher Degrees Tutors, supervisors, Library and Information Services, Student Services and International Relations, as well as research students, as necessary; offer students training in research management and methods and make provision for research seminars and discussion groups; provide advice to individual students, supervisors and Heads of School; counsel and arbitrate where needed. The Graduate School also provides some financial support for PGR students wishing to present at conferences or undertake archive or fieldwork via the Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme. Applications are invited from all MPhil and PhD students who have successfully completed their Research Plan. Funds are available to assist in the costs associated with an activity that will significantly advance the research project e.g. archive or field work or presenting a paper or poster at a conference within the UK. These will be relatively small grants, sufficient to part cover fees, travel costs and other expenses. Normally no more than 200 can be awarded to any student in one financial year (1 August 31 July). For further information please see: Research Degrees Handbook Page 4

5 Bath Spa University welfare and academic support services are available to all postgraduate research students. The purpose of this handbook is to outline the procedures and regulations that apply to postgraduate research at Bath Spa. Further information is available on the Graduate School webpages at: and at Bath Spa s Hub pages at GRADUATE SCHOOL CONTACTS Prof John Strachan Vice-Provost, Research and Enterprise Dean of the Graduate College Tel: [email protected] Justine Blass Postgraduate Administrator Tel: [email protected] Dawn Harding Graduate Affairs Administrator Tel: [email protected] Andrei Branea Campus Technician at Corsham Court Tel: Mob: [email protected] John Edwards Graduate Affairs Manager Tel: [email protected] Louise Chapman Postgraduate Administrator Tel: [email protected] Claire Jones Graduate Affairs Administrator Tel: [email protected] Helena Maclellan Receptionist at Corsham Court Tel: [email protected] For general enquiries from those interested in a research degree at Bath Spa: [email protected] PhD and MPhil applications should be sent to: [email protected] Queries relating to current students should be addressed to: [email protected] POSTAL ADDRESS Graduate School, Bath Spa University, Corsham Court, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 0BZ. Research Degrees Handbook Page 5

6 ACADEMIC SCHOOLS Full information on Schools of study may be found here: DEANS OF SCHOOL Prof Steve May Dr Kate Reynolds Prof Anita Taylor Prof Robert Mears Dr Charles Wiffen (Acting Dean) Humanities and Cultural Industries Education Bath School of Art & Design Society, Enterprise and Environment Music & Performing Arts Deans of School are responsible for ensuring quality control of postgraduate research in their School. They: determine the resource implications of accepting a research degree student, including the staffing implications; they ensure that the School continues to supports the student, in whatever ways are appropriate, throughout the period of registration; ensure that the supervisory team has the time and the opportunity to maintain viable supervisory engagement and that the student s minimum entitlement to supervision is not jeopardized by a supervisor s other commitments. Schools and Departments also have responsibility for the quality of research degrees in their remit. They: ensure that students and supervisors are adequately supported, especially in relation to time, workspace and resources; exercise control on the quality of applicant, through recommendations made at enrolment, and thereafter seek to ensure that all procedures are followed appropriately and in ways that enhance the research process; ensure that students participate in the research environment of both the School and the University as a whole; liaise with the Head of the Graduate School and the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee, where necessary. SCHOOL HIGHER DEGREES TUTORS Higher Degrees Tutors are nominated by the Dean of School and are members of the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. Their role is to: provide support to research students and postgraduate research activity; promote communication between supervisors, students, the School and the Graduate School; facilitate communication and support between Departments, Schools and across the University as a whole; act as mentor to less experienced supervisors. Research Degrees Handbook Page 6

7 CONTACT DETAILS FOR HIGHER DEGREES TUTORS Dr Tracy Brain Humanities and Cultural Industries Tel: Dr Mary Stakelum Education Dr Alison Lee Society, Enterprise and Environment Tel: Prof Amanda Bayley Music & Performing Arts Tel: Robin Marriner Art & Design Tel: HIGHER DEGREES (RESEARCH) COMMITTEE The Terms of Reference of the HDRC are: to consider matters relating to the development of programmes of study for research degrees and research degree supervision at BSU; to advise, as appropriate, Academic Board and the Vice-Chancellor; to consider and approve students in relation to registration, progression and related matters; to consider and approve examination arrangements for research degrees including mechanisms for appeal and review of examiner's recommendations. The Committee is chaired by the Vice Provost, Research and Enterprise and members include the Higher Degrees Tutors from each School, together with the Head of Library and Information Services and an external member. We have student representatives who contribute to discussions on policy matters, but do not attend sections of meetings that deal with confidential student-related matters. Feel free to contact them with any issues you would like raised at committee. Student representatives on HDRC for are: Caroline Kuhn Hildebrandt (Education) Annabel Wynne (HCI, from Jan 2016) Research Degrees Handbook Page 7

8 SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS FOR Meeting date Paper deadline 14 October September November November January January March March May May July June 2016 Copies of non-confidential papers and minutes may be obtained from the Postgraduate Administrator. STUDENT COMMUNITY RESEARCH ROUNDTABLE Research Roundtable is an interdisciplinary research network for postgraduate research students. Its purpose is to provide an informal and supportive environment where ongoing research projects may be discussed and thoughts and ideas exchanged. There is also the opportunity to practice delivering conference papers and other kinds of presentations, and get feedback from peers. Meetings usually take place every couple of months at Corsham Court and they tend to be held on a different day of the week each time, so that any part-time PGR students who may also be in paid employment have the opportunity to attend. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available at each meeting. As it currently stands, Research Roundtable is a lively and vibrant group, and new members are very much welcome. The most important feature of the Roundtable is that it exists for the benefit of its members, so it is always open to ideas and concepts which could develop and enhance the network. The format of the meetings so far has been the presentation of two papers, followed by questions and discussion. If you would like to present a paper or other kind of presentation, or would just like to come along and see what you think, please [email protected] or (before December 2015) please contact [email protected]. EARLY STAGE RESEARCHER CONFERENCE The Early-Stage Researcher Conference takes place in June each year. Early-Stage Researchers represent a broad network of colleagues that includes lecturers, postdoctoral researchers, and postgraduate research and taught students. This conference celebrates the research being undertaken by those at the early stages of their research careers, providing them with an opportunity to build confidence, practice their presenting skills and to test out their ideas in a supportive and collaborative environment. The 2015 conference was themed around public engagement and included a wide range of fascinating papers and presentations, workshops, a roundtable discussion, and an art exhibition. It was opened by keynote Research Degrees Handbook Page 8

9 speaker Professor Bruce Hood from University of Bristol, who shared with us the wealth of experience he has gained from his various public engagement activities. The previous conference in 2014 explored the notion of Digital Scholarship and how digital tools available to contemporary researchers are changing the way we undertake, disseminate, and think about research. As well as a diverse array of papers, the two-day event also featured two eminent keynote speakers: Professor Martin Weller from the Open University and Dr Abigail Williams from the University of Oxford. We will send out information in the spring on how to get involved and contribute to the 2016 conference. RESEARCH CENTRES AND GROUPS Research students are encouraged to participate in the research culture within their academic School by joining appropriate research centres and groups and attending seminars, workshops and other events organised by Schools. Please visit the following link for a list of current Research Centres and Groups. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS For information on the international student experience at Bath Spa, with full details of support available, please visit: The English Language Unit s webpages may be found here: LIBRARY AND LEARNING SERVICES The Library maintains and develops academic resources relevant to its users at all of the campus libraries. CAMPUS LIBRARIES Newton Park Library is the largest campus library and has a wide range of resources. Sion Hill Library provides more specialist support for the School of Art & Design. Corsham Court Library contains reading material for many of the postgraduate taught masters. All campus libraries contain photocopying/printing/scanning machines and self-issue facilities. Research students are free to use the stock and services at all three campus libraries. Students can also request for items to be sent to their nearest campus library for collection instead of travelling to retrieve the items themselves. The Library catalogue and opening times are available at Research Degrees Handbook Page 9

10 RESOURCES Research students can borrow 25 items at a time with unlimited renewals on all 3-week and 1-week loans. The Inter-library Loans service can supply books and journal articles that are not available from the Library s own stock. Electronic request forms are on the Library homepage and there is no request limit (within reason) for research students. Research students can also register with the SCONUL Access scheme in order to gain entry and borrowing rights to over 170 other higher education libraries in the UK and Ireland. This does not include usage of their electronic resources but does allow access to print books, print journals, photocopying facilities and study space. Please see for full details of the scheme. Through the Library web pages, resources that research students have access to include a large amount of digitised primary source material in databases such as ECCO and EEBO, ebooks from many disciplines, major newspaper databases such as Newsbank, reference material such as Oxford Music Online and Oxford English Dictionary, the EThOS collection of digitised theses, and specialised bibliographic software to aid with referencing. In addition to this, the students have access to major interdisciplinary journal databases such as Academic Search Premier, Literary Reference Center Plus, ScienceDirect and JSTOR. To search the databases, students can use the Search Everything tool on the Library home page or browse the databases individually at Current staff research can also be found by visiting ResearchSPAce, the University s institutional repository maintained by the Library. The homepage is at SUPPORT All research students are contacted via by a librarian when their study begins. After this initial contact to determine their needs, further support is provided for the student by either Becky Atkins or Katie Rickard, the Graduate School Librarians based at Corsham Court. This support can include enquiries, phone conversations, web-chatting or meetings in person at the student s convenience. For more details, phone or [email protected]/ [email protected] The Library also runs an Instant Chat service accessible on its web pages. The Writing & Learning Centre (WLC) is a support service run by the Library. Members of staff in this department can help students with their academic writing style, structuring their chapters, improving their digital literacy, referencing, honing their critical thinking and much more. The WLC is based at Newton Park campus but appointments can be booked for when a member of WLC staff is over at Corsham Court or Sion Hill for a regular shift. Students can also examples of their work to the WLC staff for feedback. Go to for more details or [email protected] Research Degrees Handbook Page 10

11 RESEARCH DEGREES AT BATH SPA Please see Annex I: Research Degrees Regulations, section 1. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD) DESCRIPTOR QAA AND THE NATIONAL FRAMEWORK In August 2008, the Quality Assurance Agency published The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (2 nd Edition). The research degree of Doctor of Philosophy falls within the description for degrees awarded at Level 8. The following is drawn directly from the QAA Framework document. Doctoral degrees are awarded to students who demonstrate: the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline, and merit publication a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional practice the general ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline, and to adjust the project design in the light of unforeseen problems a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry. Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to: make informed judgements on complex issues in specialist fields, often in the absence of complete data, and be able to communicate their ideas and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences continue to undertake pure and/or applied research and development at an advanced level, contributing substantially to the development of new techniques, ideas or approaches. And holders will have: the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and largely autonomous initiative in complex and unpredictable situations, in professional or equivalent environments. Research Degrees Handbook Page 11

12 DESCRIBING THE PHD IN THE CONTEXT OF RESEARCH DEGREES AT BSU A PhD is awarded to candidates who have critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic and by so doing have made an independent and original contribution to knowledge. It will contain a major research, constructive or reflective component, which in sum, or part, is worthy of publication. They also need to demonstrate an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field. The work is presented as a thesis, which must be defended by oral examination to the satisfaction of the examiners. It is expected that the thesis and its defence will demonstrate substantial research and is a significant contribution to established knowledge. In full, the Bath Spa University Doctoral descriptor is: A doctorate is awarded to a candidate who: has conducted enquiry leading to the creation and interpretation of new knowledge through original research or other advanced scholarship, shown by satisfying scholarly review by accomplished and recognized scholars in the field; can demonstrate a critical understanding of the current state of knowledge in that field of theory and/or practice; shows the ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge at the forefront of the discipline or field of practice, including the capacity to adjust the project design in the light of emergent issues and understandings; can demonstrate a critical understanding of the methodology of enquiry; has developed independent judgement of issues and ideas in the field of research and/or practice and is able to communicate and justify that judgement to appropriate audiences; can critically reflect on his/her work and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, including understanding validation procedures. WORD LENGTH OF A PHD THESIS A doctoral thesis submitted in science, art and design practice and practice-based music and performing arts subject areas should not exceed 40,000 words. In social sciences, humanities and education, history and theory of art and design, and history and theory of music and performing arts the thesis should not exceed is 80,000 words. If accompanied by original material, based on explorative or creative practice, then the thesis should normally be in the range of 20-40,000 words. MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM PERIODS OF REGISTRATION FOR PHD Full-time students will be allowed a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of 60 months. Part-time students will be allowed a minimum of 36 months and a maximum of 84 months. Note that the final viva voce examination should take place within the maximum registration period. Research Degrees Handbook Page 12

13 MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (MPHIL) DESCRIPTOR QAA AND THE NATIONAL FRAMEWORK In August 2008, The Quality Assurance Agency published The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. (2 nd edition) The research degree of Master of Philosophy falls within the description for degrees awarded at Level 7. The following is drawn directly from the QAA Framework document. A Master of Philosophy degree is awarded to students who have demonstrated: a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study or area of professional practice; a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship; originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline; conceptual understanding that enables the student: o o to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses. Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to: deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences; demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level; continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level. And holders will have: the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: o o o the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility; decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development. Research Degrees Handbook Page 13

14 DESCRIBING THE MPHIL IN THE CONTEXT OF RESEARCH DEGREES AT BSU Master of Philosophy is awarded to those candidates who have engaged in critical investigation and evaluation of an approved topic and have demonstrated an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field through the submission of a thesis. The thesis should demonstrate familiarity with complex and specialized areas of knowledge and skills, engagement with research issues, the taking of responsibility for the research itself, and the capacity to work independently. Candidates must present and defend the thesis by oral examination to the satisfaction of the examiners. THE WORD LENGTH OF AN MPHIL THESIS The thesis will be no more than 20,000 words if in science, art and design practice and practice-based music and performing arts subject areas. In social sciences, humanities and education, history and theory of art and design, and history and theory of music and performing arts it will be no more than 40,000 words. If accompanied by material in other than written form, or the research involves creative writing, then the thesis should normally be in the range 12-20,000 words. MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM PERIODS OF REGISTRATION FOR AN MPHIL Full-time students will take a minimum of 18 months and maximum of 36 months to complete. Part-time students will take a minimum of 30 months and a maximum of 48 months. Note that the final viva voce examination should take place within the maximum registration period. 60-CREDIT REQUIREMENT This applies only to students who enrolled before October This requirement states that research degree students must undertake a minimum of 60 credits of which at least 40 must be at Level 7 (Masters) or Level 8 (Doctorate) level, and of which at least 20 credits must be related to research methodology. This requirement is not intended to add an additional component, but to formalise part of the research degree. However, where applicants have gained appropriate research training through a Master s degree (or equivalent), they may ask that this be taken into account by evidencing the appropriateness of the prior (learning) experience in relation to the proposed research degree when negotiating the 60 credit requirement with their supervisors. Further guidance is issued separately to all applicants and enrolled students. Research Degrees Handbook Page 14

15 PHD BY PUBLICATION Only applicants employed by the University or with a substantial past or present connection to the University, as determined by the Chair of the Higher Degrees Research Committee, shall be eligible for registration for the PhD by publication. Research eligible for assessment is that which: i) has been published, exhibited, performed, recorded, screened, or broadcast; ii) is in the public domain and is/has been open to critical academic/scholarly/professional peer scrutiny; and iii) can be judged against the assessment criteria for the PhD (see Annex 1 below). With these conditions in mind it is the intrinsic quality of the research, wherever and however it is undertaken and whatever its output form, that shall be considered. An output list would normally contain one or more of the following: Articles in peer reviewed/refereed journals Academic monographs from an academic press Portfolios of creative works accompanied by some of the above and/or by relevant documentation (catalogues etc.) and evidence of academic/scholarly/professional peer review Reviewed official reports for Government organisations accompanied by some of the above An output list would normally not contain any of the following: Text books Ephemeral works popular or polemical works If any works are co-authored, it is essential that there is a clear statement about the applicant s role and contribution, and applicants should be aware that they will be required to substantiate this Submissions should consist of a coherent and linked body of published work as evidenced through the associated commentary. The form of the submission will be: a commentary of not more than 20,000 words setting out the applicant s view of the nature and significance of the work(s) submitted, the claim to originality, reference to research methodologies employed and the applicant s assessment of the contribution of the published work(s) to existing knowledge in the relevant subject area; a statement of the extent of the applicant s contribution to the work(s) submitted, involving joint authorship or other types of collaboration; a statement confirming which part of the work(s) submitted, if any, has been or is being submitted for another academic award; and three copies of the published work(s) which shall be submitted in accordance with the procedures approved by the Academic Board; and Research Degrees Handbook Page 15

16 an abstract, being a succinct summary of the work(s) containing all of the main concept and conclusions of the work(s) and being of no more than 200 words in length. It should be noted that there would have to be a substantiated case outlining why work(s) submitted for another academic award should be included. Such a case could be made, for example, where the genesis of work(s) lay in an earlier qualification but the later publication of such work(s) required considerable modification and/or documentation of such work(s). In all instances advice from the Chair of the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee should be sought at an early stage. It is recognised that it is not possible to provide actual copies of work in the case of exhibitions, original artefacts and performance. In such cases the material provided should be in the form of recording through video, audio or other appropriate means, e.g. text and image-based catalogues, sufficient for examiners to form a judgement on the work. In the case of proposed future exhibition/performance etc. it would be entirely appropriate for examiners to be invited to the event as part of the examination process. There is no set minimum or maximum number of items of published work for the submission. However, the body of work to be submitted should normally represent an equivalent amount to that contained in a traditional PhD in the appropriate discipline. RESEARCH DEGREES INVOLVING CREATIVE WORK In creative fields it is entirely appropriate that an integral part of the submitted work should take the form of materials derived from practice, such as those involved with creative writing, musical composition and the making of images or forms. Research students working in these fields may pursue an interdependent programme of theoretical and practical work, leading to new knowledge expressed through the thesis as a whole (please see Annex I: Research Degrees Regulations, section ) Practice may be used in balance with theory and as an integral part of the work in order to explore, annotate and critique the central ideas or argument. The size and extent of the practical work is dependent on the degree to which it contributes to the intellectual whole. In general terms, there should be a balance between the creative materials submitted and the written thesis within the range and maximum word counts as specified above. However, students are particularly advised to guard against interpreting this as a dual requirement, thereby developing not one thesis, but two one written, one practice. The emphasis is on integration and purposeful exploration through practice. The supervisory team should discuss the proposed means of research with the School Higher Degrees Tutor and the Higher Degrees Research Committee, particularly at the Research Plan stage. All postgraduate research procedures apply to students undertaking research degrees involving creative work. In conducting the research, consideration needs to be given to how any material derived from practice is to be presented to the examiners and also how it can be stored as a permanent record of the research undertaken. On notification of their intention to submit, the research student must advise the Graduate School of any requirements regarding the viewing or experience of the practical work, for example the availability of exhibition space or arrangements for performance. Research Degrees Handbook Page 16

17 GUIDELINES ON CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH FOR CREATIVE WRITING For the Bath Spa PhD in Creative Writing the contextualising research should be 20,000 words. With a 10% cushion either side, that means it may range from 18,000-22,000 words. Please bear in mind that you are submitting a volume-length piece of creative writing as well as this piece of research in which you situate some aspect of your practice. To ask more of this of yourself, of your supervisors, and of your examiners, is not in anyone's best interest. One thing though that so many students struggle with, perhaps surprisingly, is making the scope of their research sufficiently tight and focused. Almost everyone, at the outset, makes it too big. Some of the examples of contextualising research available in Minerva may be longer than 20,000 words. In such cases, it is because the student registered before 2007, when we changed our guidelines. The examples will still be very helpful, and in all cases are exceptional instances of good practice. But please be mindful that in such cases the scope of the research will be bigger than what you are going to need to work towards. Bath Spa University's PhD regulations state the following: where the thesis accompanies creative and /or practice-based material (e.g. novel, book of poetry, musical composition(s) or other art works) the written thesis should normally be in the range: a) 20,000-40,000 words for a PhD This wording was designed to allow the many and various practice-based subjects within the University to set their own guidance for the length of the contextualising research. Within Creative Writing, this is 20,000 words. The shorter length is in line with other institutions and less is nearly always more. For several years all Handbooks for the PhD in Creative Writing, and all website material, have made it clear that our guidance for the contextualising research is 20,000 words. For the contextualising research to be longer than this poses a real risk of students in effect being asked to write two theses. We are concerned that in attempting to write more in a creative writing PhD you will be setting yourself an unmanageable task which may not be something that your allocated supervisory team can support. In addition we are very aware that examiners have in the past objected to reading what they see as two theses. Also, in our experience, a student's wish to write to the longer length is often a way of avoiding addressing the topic within the proper scope. As with all aspects of the PhD it is, in the end, your choice as to what you submit, but please note that Directors of Studies are advised to record their concerns about overlong contextualising studies so these are on file with Graduate School. This is to make it clear that you have been advised as to the subject expectations and that it is your choice to ignore this advice. In summary, whilst you are within your rights to disregard this guidance and exceed the word limit, we ask that you are aware that if you are doing so it is unlikely to be in your best interests. Research Degrees Handbook Page 17

18 SUPERVISION THE SUPERVISORY TEAM The supervisory team is formally appointed by the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee on the recommendation from the School as part of the approval of the Research Plan. The team will normally consist of a Director of Studies and a Second Supervisor. A third supervisor or advisor may be added if necessary. Supervisors and advisors can be external to the University, but the Director of Studies must be a member of Bath Spa academic staff. All supervisors will demonstrate their research and/or professional relevance to the proposed project. Members of the supervisory team are required to undertake training within the Graduate School programme as required by University regulations. It is normally expected that a research degree supervisor will supervise only up to six current research students by headcount or four FTE, whichever is the greater. Exceptions to this maximum must be justified on the ground of workload by the Dean of School to the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. The supervisory role is to support the student by giving guidance and constructive criticism at all stages. The supervisory team will together define their individual contributions to the supervision of the work and this will be explained to the student during their induction. Full-time research degree students can expect at least 30 hours supervision per year. Part-time students can expect 15 hours. Where needed, the supervisory team should either provide subject specialist training or arrange for training to be given. Where students or supervisors are away for extended periods (for example undertaking archive or field-based work) the Director of Studies and the student should ensure that adequate arrangements for supervision remain available for that period. If the Director of Studies or main academic supervisor are scheduled to be away from normal duties (e.g. on research leave) and unavailable to the student for a period exceeding 3 months, they should ensure adequate alternative supervisory arrangements are in place and communicated in writing to all involved prior to their absence. This may involve a formal change of the supervisory team, which must be approved by the HDRC. The Graduate School should be informed of any such circumstances. DIRECTOR OF STUDIES The Director of Studies (DoS) is responsible for the co-ordination of the whole process, from enrolment to submission, according to Bath Spa University s regulations, ensuring that all procedures are appropriately followed and that standards are maintained. They will enable the establishment of the research project and guide the student into ways of working and thinking that are of the appropriate level and quality and monitor the progress of research in relation to academic content and the agreed time scale. Advice should be given to students on any legal, ethical or procedural difficulty with the project, or assistance in approaching an authoritative source of advice as required. The DoS leads on such matters as Annual Monitoring, maintaining contact with the student and ensuring that the student participates as fully as possible in the research culture of their School and participates in Research Degrees Handbook Page 18

19 development workshops and support programmes available to them through the Graduate School or elsewhere. They should also communicate any teaching and demonstration opportunities to the student. The DoS should liaise with the School Higher Degrees Tutor, the Graduate School, and the HDRC in respect of the student s progress as necessary, including attending HDRC meetings, if requested, when matters relating to the student are discussed. Reports and all formal applications should be produced as necessary within the process at the points needed or requested. Training/development needs of the student should be identified and the best means of meeting those needs as necessary may be discussed with the School and the Graduate School as appropriate. The DoS will also advise on availability of research funding and grants, and support students in their applications to appropriate bodies. The Director of Studies will ensure the student undergoes induction and encourages their participation in external seminars and conferences wherever possible. Ensure compliance with all Health and Safety regulations and other Bath Spa regulations. The Director of Studies will hold supervision meetings with the student on a regular basis and ensure that the Second Supervisor and any External Supervisors or Advisors are involved in the supervision. They should keep records of supervision meetings, along with details of plans, decisions made, and advice given. The Research Student Log Book should be used and may be downloaded here: It is normally expected that the Director of Studies or other supervisor should see the student not less than four times a term for full-time students and twice a term for part-time students. Directors of Studies are expected to keep their own supervisory skills up-to-date. SECOND SUPERVISOR The Second Supervisor provides an extra dimension to the supervisory team. They may bring content or methodological expertise that augments those of Director of Studies. The specific responsibilities and expectations of the Second Supervisor are defined at the point where the supervisory team is established. There will be times where the Second Supervisor is appointed because of the relevance of their specialist knowledge. They may therefore have a particular responsibility towards certain sections of the work. They should have sight of the Research Plans, draft chapters of the thesis and data which has been collected etc. They should also be in a position to provide appropriate feedback and advice. In particular, they should provide an overview of the work, helping the student move the work into a coherent whole. Their advice should be available to the student and the supervisory team as a whole. They should keep records of their contact with students. At all times, the Second Supervisor should be able to advise on research methods and research project management in the light of the work being undertaken. The Second Supervisor is consulted whenever a report on student progress is required. Research Degrees Handbook Page 19

20 It is expected that the Second Supervisor should see evidence of research (written work, field or experimental work) from both full and part-time students on a regular basis. They should normally see the students at least once a term, and attend joint meetings of the supervisory team and student when necessary. EXTERNAL SUPERVISORS (IF APPOINTED) The role of the External Supervisor can vary in relation to their area of expertise. It is expected that they will see a significant proportion of the student s work. The External Supervisor is consulted whenever a report on student progress is required. The External Supervisor should see work from both full and part-time students at least once a term and should return this within three weeks of receipt, with comments and advice. If at all possible, the External Supervisor should meet with the student at least once in each academic year and be available to students when guidance is needed. It is accepted that face to face meetings with students even on an annual basis may not be possible where either the supervisor or the student live a considerable distance from the university. If this is the case, alternative and adequate arrangements for contact must be in place. RESPONSIBILITIES OF POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENTS Students carry the responsibility for the successful completion of their project. The supervisory team acts to guide the work. Further responsibilities include: their own progress and planning of their work at all stages to ensure that the research is completed within the specified period. They are also responsible for undertaking specified development activities; keeping appropriate records of meetings with their supervisor(s); the originality and individuality of the work, ensuring at all times that sources, ideas and opinions of others are fully and appropriately acknowledged. In particular students should be aware of the seriousness which Bath Spa University, and the wider academic community, attaches to instances of both academic fraud and plagiarism; the development of their ideas and the means through which research questions are formed, responded to and explored; the conduct of their research in an ethically aware manner (please see Annex 2: Ethics Policy); maintaining their proficiency in English (where English is not their first language). In addition it is expected that postgraduate research students will: establish an agreed programme of work with supervisors, including the aims, objectives and deadlines for each stage of the research; attend meetings with supervisors on a regular basis; produce written and other work as and when required or promised; Research Degrees Handbook Page 20

21 keep supervisors informed of progress and meet all deadlines set; report on their progress at annual monitoring and when otherwise required; initiate meetings with supervisors and others within the university, when needed; advise their Director of Studies and/or the Graduate School of any difficulties; participate in research training and other programmes offered and/or required of them; attend research seminars in their own Schools and, if applicable, in other Schools; take advantage of opportunities to attend relevant seminars outside of Bath Spa University and to engage with the wider academic community, especially through the presentation of papers and/or posters; respond promptly to the annual processes of reporting and re-registration; comply with all Health and Safety regulations and codes of practice; work within Bath Spa University s regulations, procedures and guidelines; make appropriate acknowledgement in any publication or presentation which involves supervisory support. Students are strongly encouraged to use the Vitae Research Development Framework Planner to help plan and record evidence of progress and achievements in professional development activities. policy We expect all of our students to access their Bath Spa student addresses and this will be the one that is used by all central systems and groups. You can easily arrange for your student account to forward all s to your personal or work account.. When you're logged in to your Bath Spa , if you go to the settings cog at the top right of the screen, then choose settings again and then the forwarding tab, you can set this up here. Research Degrees Handbook Page 21

22 RESEARCHER DEVELOPMENT At Bath Spa University we are committed to the development of our doctoral researchers and in 2012 were awarded the HR in Excellence in Research Award by the European Commission. The BSU Researcher Development programme consists of a suite of courses, workshops, activities and online materials that have been designed to suit researchers individual needs, enabling them to engage in continued professional development from the beginning of their doctoral studies onwards. The Researcher Development Programme is informed by the work of Vitae and their Researcher Development Framework (RDF). Vitae are a UK-based organisation that is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development. Their Researcher Development Framework (RDF) articulates the knowledge, behaviours and attributes of successful researchers and seeks to encourage researchers to aspire to excellence through engagement with development activities and reflection. The framework identifies four core areas for development (Knowledge and Intellectual Abilities; Personal Effectiveness; Research Governance and Organisation; and Engagement, Influence and Impact) and has been cited as a model of good practice by Research Councils UK (RCUK), the Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE), the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and the European Commission. THE EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER SERIES The Effective Researcher series is a suite of five programmes developed by Vitae for doctoral researchers. The aim of this series is to enable researchers to be more effective throughout their doctorate and better prepared for the next stages of their career. 1. Effective Researcher: Getting started This half-day programme forms part of the candidates induction. It focuses on the skills required of researchers for successful self-management and development during their doctorate and will address what is expected of the research plan. (For those wanting additional support, there is the option to attend the workshop Writing Your First Research Proposal). 2. Effective Researcher: How to be an effective researcher A finalist for a UK National Training Award and Times Higher Education Award, this programme helps researchers who are 3-12 months into their doctorate (or part-time equivalent) to focus on building understanding, capability and confidence in communication, planning, time management, problem solving, leadership and assertiveness. This training session will also provide guidance on preparing for the progression assessment. 3. Effective Researcher: The next 90 days A one-day programme for those who are 6-12 months (or part-time equivalent) into their doctorate. It focuses on developing the supervisor relationship, engaging in the impact agenda, communicating research to various audiences and career development beyond the doctorate. 4. Effective Researcher: Making progress in your doctorate A one-day programme for postgraduate researchers early in the second year of a full-time doctorate (or parttime equivalent). It focuses on critical success factors during the middle year(s) and managing the doctoral process. 5. Effective Researcher: The end is in sight A one-day programme for researchers in the final year of a doctorate. It focuses on what is required to complete a doctorate, recognising the skills developed during a doctorate and planning how to be successful in job searching. This sessions will also include guidance on preparing for the viva voce examination. Research Degrees Handbook Page 22

23 These five workshops are mandatory for all postgraduate researchers, with the wider programme being optional, given the diverse make-up of doctoral researchers at BSU. The supervisory team will provide guidance to candidates on the courses most suited to their needs. The development programme runs throughout the year and culminates with the Annual Early-Stage Researcher Conference. The conference provides doctoral researchers with an opportunity to practice presenting their ideas to a friendly and informal audience. For details of the workshops, events, and activities on offer this coming year, please visit: TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES Research students may be asked to undertake teaching and/or demonstrating duties for which they will normally be paid. Teaching opportunities cannot be guaranteed and will need to be identified as part of personal and professional development planning. Full-time students should not be asked to undertake more than 6 hours of teaching/demonstration time within any given week. PROGRESSION MILESTONES RESEARCH PLAN The Research Plan is a detailed research proposal, including a summary of the methods to be employed in conducting the research project. It should establish the aim of the work and provide a timetable for its completion, bearing in mind the minimum and maximum registration periods. Please see Annex I: Research Degrees Regulations, Section The Research Plan is an important element in getting the project off to the best possible start. The plan must work out in some detail how best to approach the research and develop awareness of all matters likely to be involved in the project. This is not to preclude or prevent later developments or discoveries, but is instead aimed at setting the work off on the right footing, with the student thoroughly prepared for what is involved and cognisant of the standards to be reached. It requires the student to work with their supervisory team to set out in detail their proposed programme of work. Therefore the Research Plan should be seen as a joint proposal. As part of development of the Research Plan, students should discuss their training and development needs with their Director of Studies and agree a training and professional development plan. The university subscribes to Vitae, a national organisation who offer professional development support to researchers within Higher Education. They have a range of resources including the Researcher Development Framework - which can support you in your studies and support you in the researcher development planning process - further information can be found at the Vitae website: From the student s start date, the Research Plan should be submitted to the Graduate School for the attention of the Higher Degrees Research Committee no later than: 3 months (full-time) 6 months (part-time) Typically this initial period of registration leading up to submission of the Research Plan will also involve the student undertaking: Research Degrees Handbook Page 23

24 induction within the School; meetings with members of the supervisory team; meeting with the Graduate Affairs Manager; an extensive literature search in relation to the project; development of research skills; training appropriate to the student s needs; background reading on research methods and management; WHAT MAKES A GOOD RESEARCH PLAN? The Research Plan will be reviewed by the School and the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. By considering the viability of the proposal, the School and HDRC act to ensure a consistently high quality of research degrees at the University and to help the student achieve a solid foundation for their work. Any conditions attached to the research by sponsors should be fully communicated to HDRC in the Research Plan. HDRC reserves the right to review such conditions if it deems them inappropriate. The Research Plan will be reviewed by Committee members who are experienced senior members of academic staff, but not necessarily subject experts, so this proposal should also be seen as a test of how to communicate ideas to a lay audience. The Director of Studies may be called upon to attend the relevant meeting of the HDRC to advise on the application. All Research Plans are carefully scrutinised. The Committee will want to see a complete, well-focused and carefully thought-through proposal, which is confidently articulated, credible and convincing. It should have a clear and logical structure and be methodical, detailed and specific. To be approved, the Research Plan must demonstrate a clear aim, indicating the research question and the research field to be investigated. The central purpose of the research should be clear and students should demonstrate their grasp of the central concept and avoid generalisations and opinions, and not be too anecdotal or impressionistic. The plan should contain an outline of the project that is neither too brief or general, nor too broad in scope, over-ambitious or unwieldy. The timing of activities such as data collection should be appropriate, i.e. not coming too late in the timeline. The plan should be viable and aim for completion within 3-4 years for a fulltime student or 5-6 years for part-time. The student should explain why they are well placed to conduct this particular project and show that they know where and how to begin. Part of the approval process is to confirm the level of award for which the student is registered. For PhD it is important to explain clearly why the research project is original and likely to lead to new understanding, give a convincing articulation of the original contribution to academic/theoretical knowledge required at this level. The proposal should identify and discuss the approaches or methods to be undertaken, which should be appropriate and focused. Students should demonstrate an understanding of fieldwork and data collection, including how access to respondents will be secured. Research Degrees Handbook Page 24

25 To situate the proposal in relation to established knowledge a preliminary reading list should be included in the form of a short bibliography and an embryonic literature review. The literature cited should be substantial and up-to-date. The project must have adequate supervisory support, so the supervisory team should be well-qualified, with appropriate expertise and experience. If they have not received supervisor training at BSU, this must be arranged as a priority. Any external supervisor or advisor must be suitable and it must be clear what expertise they bring to the project. If the project is interdisciplinary, the connections should be well-defined and not just slip between disciplines. If the project is in collaboration with an external body, a letter of support from that organisation must be appended to the application. Any arrangements with collaborating establishments must be appropriate, defined and confirmed in writing, including the student s use of facilities, information or other resources, advice and supervision; There should be no unresolved funding issues by this stage. The student s research skills should be sufficiently developed to embark on the project. Any programme of related studies and skill development needs must be clearly articulated. Full consideration must be given to ethical issues which are likely to arise in the research. There are always ethical implications when working with human participants. Intellectual property issues and procedures need to be dealt with at this stage. Information given in confidence will be respected. OUTCOMES In the event of the Research Plan not being approved by HDRC, the Graduate School will advise the supervisory team and the student with respect to the re-submission of the proposal. Written feedback will be provided in a letter notifying the outcome to the student, and copied to the Director of Studies. The Chair of HDRC (or nominee) will be willing to discuss these issues with the student s Director of Studies to give further guidance if required. One resubmission opportunity will normally be allowed, with a deadline of one month from the student being notified. Any approval is subject to further review by the appropriate School or University Ethics Committee where required. A student whose Research Plan has not been approved within 6 months (full time) or 12 months (part time) of their start date will have their situation thoroughly reviewed and registration is likely to be withdrawn if progress is found to be unsatisfactory. Research Degrees Handbook Page 25

26 PROGRESSION ASSESSMENT Throughout the period of registration the student s progress will be reviewed, formally and informally to gauge whether the student is achieving the required level of progress. Both the student and the supervisory team will be actively involved in all assessments made. The Progression Assessment is a formal academic review of a student's progress - please see Annex I: Research Degrees Regulations, section The progress is assessed in the early stages of the work and it must be deemed satisfactory for a student to continue. This includes satisfactory progress toward any agreed research training. The purpose is also to consider how the research project will advance toward its final stages. This process also confirms or amends the student s registration for the award of MPhil or PhD. It may also serve as a transfer point from MPhil to PhD, and where this is a desired outcome the student and their Director of Studies should notify the Graduate School before the progression paper is submitted. TIMESCALE The following deadlines from the student s start date will apply: PhD Full-time: Part-time: 12 months 24 months MPhil Full-time: Part-time: 9 months 18 months) There are two components to the Progression Assessment: a progression paper; the progression viva. PROGRESSION PAPER The student will submit a paper of words of work in progress drawn from their research to date (fully referenced and correctly presented) and a progress report of approximately 1500 words setting out how the work has developed since the approval of the Research Plan, noting achievements and areas where further work is planned and containing some reflection on the research process and the methods currently being employed. The report will also confirm the main research questions the project is seeking to answer. Finally the report will set out a timetable for due development and submission of the thesis. The sample of work will include an element of literature review or, if this chapter has been written, it may be submitted as an appendix. In the case of practice led research students, should present material from the research along with a 2,000 word contextual account which situates the Project in the research field. Research Degrees Handbook Page 26

27 The work is to be submitted by the student to the progression panel at least two weeks before the progression viva date. The student should ensure that their Director of Studies receives the paper at a time to allow circulation. The assessment panel may ask the student to present the paper orally as well as in writing. PROGRESSION VIVA The viva will allow the assessment panel to discuss the work with the student and any possibilities and issues that arise from it. The purpose of the viva is to allow the panel an opportunity to question the student on the research report and clarify the possibilities and problems of the research. They will expect the student to be critical of their own work. The viva is not combative. The viva should not normally take more than one hour. The panel should meet privately before the viva, and will consider the outcome privately after the viva before informing the student of the outcome. The assessment panel of the progression viva will comprise: the Director of Studies; an academic with relevant expertise who is not engaged with the student's supervision; the Head of Graduate School (or nominee). Please note that any member of the progression panel will not be eligible to act as an examiner at the final viva. Other members of the supervisory team may also attend if they wish. Typically, the panel will want to question the student on: aims of the research; background to the research; context of the research within established knowledge; available literature; methods being used; timescale for the remaining stages of the work; the likely date of submission of the thesis for final examination. In particular, the student will be expected to be able to discuss their work critically with the panel. OUTCOMES The assessment panel may recommend that the student: progress for PhD; progress for MPhil; transfer from MPhil to PhD; transfer from PhD to MPhil; be required to resubmit. Research Degrees Handbook Page 27

28 The assessment panel s recommendation is subject to approval by the HDRC. One resubmission opportunity will normally be allowed within the timeframe of one month for full time study and two for part time. An outcome of resubmission will require a revised paper to be submitted, but a second progression viva may or may not be required, at the discretion of the assessors, subject to approval of the HDRC. In the event of progression not being approved at the second attempt the student is likely to be deemed to have made unsatisfactory progress and their registration is liable to be withdrawn. The student will receive a copy of the progression report and formal notification of the decision of the HDRC. ANNUAL MONITORING Formal monitoring of the progress of all research students will be undertaken annually in the spring by each academic School. The purpose of this is to monitor progress, aid planning of future work and to identify any problems which may have arisen. Please see Annex I: Research Degrees Regulations, section This is also an opportunity to identify any further training needs, and to discuss other professional development activities such as placements and conference attendance. Students are strongly encouraged to use the Vitae Research Development Framework Planner to help plan and record evidence of progress and achievements in professional development activities. Further information can be found here. Reports on students progress will be submitted to the Graduate School and the HDRC and wherever possible or required, appropriate action will be taken in the light of comments made. They may involve further training, advice, or counselling, depending on the specific circumstances. In particular, Schools will advise the Graduate School if students in receipt of scholarships, bursaries and grants from BSU or elsewhere are failing to fulfil their commitments. Appropriate action will be taken, as necessary. Research Degrees Handbook Page 28

29 STUDENT CONDUCT Any student who is deemed to have neglected their research for a significant period of time will be referred to the Dean of School. They may also be required to meet with the Head of the Graduate School to discuss their situation. Following discussion with the Dean of School and the Director of Studies, the Head of the Graduate School will advise a course of action. The Higher Degrees (Research) Committee will be informed of this. A similar course of action will be taken in the event of supervisory neglect. Further formal procedures may ensue, if appropriate. Students in receipt of funding are liable to have all payments suspended if academic responsibilities have been neglected and in certain circumstances may be required to repay all or part of the funds received to date. Failure to submit Annual Monitoring reports in case of students and supervisors will also be considered a neglect of responsibilities. Any additional monitoring procedures required (for example, in the case of externally funded studentships) must also be completed as required. TERMINATION OF STUDIES BSU reserves the right to terminate the registration of students who have: neglected their studies; failed to meet deadlines; made unsatisfactory academic progress failed to meet required standards; breached rules on plagiarism & academic integrity; contravened BSU's codes of practice, the responsibilities set out in the Research Degrees Handbook or university regulations. Students may appeal against termination of their registration through the University's Appeals Procedure, which can be found here See also page 42 of this handbook. Research Degrees Handbook Page 29

30 CHANGES TO REGISTRATION CHANGE TO MODE OF STUDY If a student wishes to change from full time mode of attendance to part time, the form Application for Change to Mode of Study should be submitted to the Graduate School for the attention of HDRC. Where this change is approved the HDRC will decide upon revised minimum and maximum registration periods for the student, within the normal limits. CHANGES TO SUPERVISORY TEAM From time to time, it may be necessary to change the composition of the supervisory team. This is especially so when a supervisor leaves or is unable to provide a consistent level of supervision due to additional responsibilities or ill health. There may be occasions where the development of the research project necessitates additional or alternative supervision. There may also be occasions where the Dean of School decides that a change of supervisors is in the best interests of the student. In such circumstances, swift action needs to be taken to ensure that the student suffers the minimum amount of disruption possible. The Graduate School should be advised as soon as the need for a change is recognised. The form Application for Change to Supervisory Team should be submitted, with support from the Dean of School, to the Graduate School for attention of HDRC. CHANGES TO THE RESEARCH PROJECT It is expected that once a programme of research has begun the student will be working within its scope. However, it is recognised that changes may be required, for example where a change in employment impacts upon what can be achieved within the planned research. Occasionally a project fails to develop satisfactorily with no fault on the student s part, or a funding or collaborating institution discontinues its support. A fundamental change to the field of study or the methodology employed will require the approval of the Dean of School and the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. The form Application for Change to Programme of Research will need to be submitted to the Graduate School. Final approval rests with the HDRC. TRANSFER BETWEEN AWARDS Students who are registered for a PhD and who are unable to complete the approved programme of work may apply for transfer of registration to MPhil. This may take place at any time prior to submission of the thesis for examination. Transfer may also take place as part of the Progression Assessment. The form Application for Transfer of Registration with support from the Dean of School should be submitted to the Graduate School for the attention of HDRC. Approval will normally be subject to the Committee accepting a revised Research Plan suitable for a project at MPhil level. Transfer from MPhil to PhD is permitted only as an outcome of the Progression Assessment (see pages 26-27). Research Degrees Handbook Page 30

31 SUSPENSION OF REGISTRATION Registration may be suspended if the student is prevented by unforeseen and unpreventable circumstances, such as an illness affecting the student, a serious illness affecting a close family member, unanticipated or unavoidable events or bereavement that significantly disrupts progress with the research project. This is in line with the University s mitigating circumstances process. Financial hardship will not normally be accepted as a valid reason for suspension. Students may apply for a suspension of a minimum of three months and a maximum of 12 months at any one time. No more than a total of 24 months suspension will normally be approved. Any application for suspension exceeding this length of time may be considered in exceptional circumstances by the Chair of the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. All requests should be made in advance on the form Application for Suspension of Registration. It has to be supported by the Director of Studies and Dean of School and include a revised timetable for the completion of the work within the remaining period of registration to follow the student s return. Fees are not payable for the period of suspension, and students are not entitled to supervisory support during this time. If the student is receiving funding, payments of the stipend will also be suspended. Please see Annex I: Research Degrees Regulations, section 1.8. RESUMPTION OF STUDIES FOLLOWING A SUSPENSION Before a student returns to research study they should be fit and able to do so. The Director of Studies and the School s Higher Degrees Research Tutor should meet the student to confirm this. If the suspension was for medical reasons the student would normally be referred to the University s Occupational Health advisor as part of a Fitness to Study assessment. A student who fails to re-register when their approved period of suspension has ended will be deemed to have withdrawn from the programme. They will be advised of this in writing. If the student does wish to continue they may be required to re-apply for admission before being permitted to continue. EXTENSION OF REGISTRATION A period of extension to a student s registration period may be exceptionally allowed. A maximum extension of six months only may be applied for initially, but further applications may be made up to a maximum of 18 months in total. Applications will need to provide clear reasons for the delay in completion of the thesis and specify the new expected date of completion. The application must be approved by the Director of Studies. The form for Application for Extension of Period of Registration must be submitted to the Graduate School for attention of the HDRC at least 3 months before the student s maximum registration period is due to expire. Retrospective approval will not normally be given. Research Degrees Handbook Page 31

32 CONTINUATION FEE STATUS Students will be transferred to continuation status when they submit their thesis for examination and this status will apply until the end of their registration period. Please see Annex I: Research Degrees Regulations, section The Continuation fee will be 600 in International students must contact the International Admissions Team for clarification of any visa issues that may arise at this stage. WITHDRAWAL BY STUDENTS Students who choose to discontinue their studies must advise the Graduate School in writing. The form Withdrawal from Registration may be used. Please give your reasons for withdrawal. Students who have been receiving funding should discuss their position with the Dean of School and with the Chair of Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. Fees will be due for the current academic year up to the notification of withdrawal. This will be calculated pro-rata on a monthly basis. SUBMISSION OF THE THESIS Research students and their supervisory teams should pace the research project to ensure that the work can be completed within the maximum registration period. It is a requirement that the thesis is submitted and examined within this time. After submitting your thesis please allow two to four months before the viva takes place, so examiners have time to read your thesis and write preliminary reports to the Graduate School. To ensure that all concerned are well aware of the constraints, the Graduate School will give formal notice when twelve months of the registration period are remaining. Where appropriate, extensions can be given, but application must be made to HDRC at least three months before the end of the maximum registration period. Please see page 28 for further information on the limits on extensions and how to apply. It is recognised that the final year or so is hugely important and effort will be made to support students during this time. In particular, they are encouraged to give research seminars and engage in open discussion of their work as a means of preparing for the viva. Graduate School workshops will be available to give training on what to expect at the viva. INTENTION TO SUBMIT It is good practice for a final draft of the thesis to be reviewed and commented on by the supervisory team at an appropriate time prior to submission. However, the final decision on the content of the thesis and when to submit it rests with the candidate. It is the responsibility of the candidate to give formal notification of their Intention to Submit to the Graduate School for the attention of the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. This process should be in consultation with the Director of Studies. The form should be received at least three months before the submission. Soft Research Degrees Handbook Page 32

33 bound copies of the final text should be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the date specified in the student s Intention to Submit form. CHANGES TO TITLE If the candidate proposes a change to the approved title of the thesis, he or she shall submit the final title of the thesis to the HDRC at the same time as the examination arrangements are proposed. Changes to the title thereafter are only permitted if required by the examiners. FORMAT OF THE THESIS ABSTRACT The thesis shall include an abstract of approximately 300 words which gives a synopsis of the work, stating the nature and scope of the project undertaken and identifying the contribution made to the knowledge of the subject area concerned. The abstract should be placed on a page after the title page of the thesis, but before the contents page. Where the language of the thesis is not English, the abstract shall be in English. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES The thesis shall include a statement of the candidate s objectives and shall acknowledge published or other sources of material consulted (including an appropriate bibliography) and any assistance received. COLLABORATION Where a candidate s research programme is part of a collaborative group project, the thesis shall indicate clearly the candidate s individual contribution and the extent of the collaboration. PUBLICATION The candidate shall be free to publish material in advance of the thesis but reference shall be made in the thesis to any such work. Copies of published material should either be bound in with the thesis or placed in an adequately secured pocket at the end of the thesis. LENGTH The maximum word length of the thesis depends on subject area, as follows. Subject areas Science, art & design practice and practice-based music and performing arts. Social sciences, humanities, education, history of art & design and history & theory of music and performing arts. PhD 40,000 80,000 MPhil 20,000 40,000 There is no specified minimum word length. Please see guidance for Creative Writing students on page 17. Appendices or ancillary data are excluded from the word count. Footnotes or endnotes intrinsic to the thesis should be included in the word count, but those used only for referencing purposes should be excluded. Research Degrees Handbook Page 33

34 Please follow the style sheet approved by the subject and consult the specialist subject handbook. General guidance can be found at LAYOUT We have following requirements for the format of a submitted thesis: i) it shall be printed in A4 format, in permanent and legible form. The font size for the main body of text, including displayed matter and notes, shall not be less than 12pt ; ii) it shall be printed single sided. The paper shall be white and within the weight range 70 gsm to 100 gsm, i.e. the weight of standard printer paper. iii) the margin at the binding left edge of the page shall not be less than 40mm; other margins shall not be less than 15mm; iv) double or one-and-a-half spacing shall be used throughout the text except for indented quotations or footnotes where single spacing may be used; v) pages shall be numbered consecutively through the main text, including photographs and/or diagrams included as whole pages. Page numbers shall not be printed in the margin; vi) the title page shall give the following information: a - the full title of the thesis; b - the full name of the author; c - that the degree is awarded by Bath Spa University d - the award for which the thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of its requirements; e - the school in which the student was based; f - the name of the affiliated institution, where relevant; g - the collaborating establishment(s), if any; h - the month and year of submission which shall be updated on each occasion on which the thesis is submitted. Research Degrees Handbook Page 34

35 [Specimen thesis or dissertation title page] THE ORIGINS OF UNDERWATER BASKET WEAVING IN WESSEX JOHN ALBERT SMITH A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Bath Spa University for the degree of Master of Philosophy/Doctor of Philosophy* This research programme was carried out in collaboration with the Marine Basket Weavers' Association # School of Science, Society and Management, Bath Spa University October 2014 [*delete as applicable, # include if applicable] Research Degrees Handbook Page 35

36 The thesis shall include the following copyright text following the title page and before the contents page: This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that my thesis is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law or infringe any third party s copyright or other intellectual property right. BINDING AND SUBMISSION OF THE THESIS FOR EXAMINATION A thesis submitted for examination purposes shall be in a softbound form which is sufficiently secure to ensure that pages cannot be added or removed (such as 'perfect binding' or spiral binding). The softbound thesis must be in its final form in all respects except the binding. Any storage media (such as a memory stick or CD-Rom) or other materials must be secured in a pocket within the thesis. The candidate must submit one copy of the thesis for each member of the examination panel, including the internal and external examiners and the independent chair. The theses should be submitted to the Graduate School Office at Corsham Court. If, due to the length of the thesis, the printers are unable to bind the work within a single document, the thesis can be submitted in two or more volumes (please note that this is not the case when it comes to submitting the final, hard bound thesis, which should always be bound as a single book, further details regarding hard bound submission can be found on pages 39-41). We do not currently have the facilities available to bind theses in-house at BSU. Former candidates have used the following organisations to produce their theses: Minuteman Press: University of Bristol Print Services: University of Bath Print Services: It is important when dealing with printers to give them your full detailed requirements in advance. Mistakes do sometimes occur due to misunderstandings and can be difficult to rectify without further cost, so please make sure the printers clearly understand your instructions. If you have any issues with the printing of your thesis, or any questions about formatting or binding, please do contact the Graduate School at: [email protected] SUBMISSION OF CREATIVE WORKS Where the thesis is accompanied by creative works, these should be submitted with the thesis wherever possible (e.g. novels, scripts, poetry or scores). Where the thesis is accompanied by creative works in the form of original artefacts, e.g. paintings, installations or ceramics, or performance, e.g. a concert, the candidate and supervisory team must arrange for a record of the artefacts or performance to accompany the thesis when it is submitted. The Graduate School will work with the Director of Studies arrange for the exhibition of the artefacts or the production of the performance in a way that allows examiners to view the artefacts or performance and reflect on the artefacts or performance, together with the written thesis, before the viva voce examination. Research Degrees Handbook Page 36

37 FINAL EXAMINATION The examination and award procedures as laid out in the Academic Regulations will apply. Candidates for examination are advised to read the Research Degrees Regulations covering the examination process in full (Annex I: Sections 1.16 to 1.21) and seek advice from the Graduate School if they are unsure about any aspect of this. The examination has two stages: the candidate s submission of the thesis and the examiners independent preliminary assessment of it; the defence of the thesis by the candidate by viva voce or approved alternative examination. APPOINTMENT OF EXAMINERS Before a viva examination can go ahead the examination team must be approved by the HDRC. The Director of Studies and Dean of School are required to complete the Application for Approval of Examination Arrangements and submit this along with the Examiners Short C.V. forms to the Graduate School for the attention of HDRC, at least three months before the expected date of examination. The thesis will be examined by at least two examiners, one of whom must be external to the university. If the student has had a period of employment with the university for more than 12 months then a second external examiner shall also be appointed. An independent chair, who will be an experienced researcher and examiner, will also be appointed. Examiners shall be experienced in research in the general area of the candidate s thesis and, where practicable, have experience as a specialist in the topic(s) to be examined. External examiners shall be independent of the University, collaborating establishment or affiliated institution as appropriate. They shall not have acted previously as the candidate s supervisor or adviser and will not have had any input into the work being examined. Neither will they have had any recent collaboration with any of the candidate s supervisors. The internal examiner shall not have taken part in the candidate s progression assessment nor had any supervisory role with respect to the candidate. It is a normal expectation that the examining team will have an aggregate experience of at least three external examinations at the same level. No candidate for a research degree shall act as an examiner. BEFORE THE VIVA Once examination arrangements have been approved, and in consultation with the examiners and the Graduate School, the Director of Studies will decide the date and make logistical arrangements for the examination. They will then notify the Graduate School, the candidate, supervisors, examiners and independent chair. The Graduate School shall arrange for the issue of letters of appointment to the examiners. Research Degrees Handbook Page 37

38 The Graduate School shall send a copy of the thesis to each examiner, with the designated form for the examiner s preliminary report, and the Academic Regulations and Procedures relating to research degrees, and shall ensure that the examiners are properly briefed on their duties. Preliminary reports from examiners must be completed and returned to the Graduate School at least 10 working days before the scheduled date of the viva voce examination. The viva voce examination may not take place until the preliminary reports have been received. In exceptional circumstances permission for the viva to proceed without one or more of the preliminary reports may be granted by the Graduate School. THE VIVA The viva voce examination shall normally be held in the UK and in English. In exceptional circumstances the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee may grant permission for the viva to be held abroad. The supervisors and a representative of HDRC may, with the consent of the candidate, attend the viva voce examination and participate in the discussion with the candidate. The representative of HDRC shall remain whilst the examiners decide on their recommendation on the award, but shall not participate in that discussion. The supervisors may not remain whilst the examiners decide on their recommendation on the award. The conduct of the viva voce examination is at the discretion of the examiners. OUTCOMES OF THE VIVA The range of possible outcomes is governed by Regulation (Annex I) for a first examination and Regulation 1.20 for a re-examination. No other outcomes for the viva voce are permitted. The examiners shall not recommend that a candidate fail outright without holding a viva voce examination or other alternative examination. Following the viva voce examination the examiners may recommend that: i) the candidate be awarded the degree without correction; ii) iii) iv) the candidate be awarded the degree subject to minor or straightforward amendments being made to the thesis (in which case the examiners shall indicate to the candidate in writing the amendments and corrections which are required, and the internal examiner shall be responsible for checking that the necessary revisions have been made prior to final submission); the candidate be awarded the degree subject to more substantial or less straightforward amendments being made to the thesis (in which case the examiners shall indicate to the candidate in writing the amendments and corrections which are required, and both examiners will be required to check that the necessary amendments have been made prior to final submission); the candidate be permitted to re-submit for the degree and be re-examined, with or without a viva voce examination subject to the appropriate fee; v) in the case of a PhD examination, the candidate be awarded the degree of MPhil subject to the presentation of the thesis being amended as necessary to the satisfaction of the examiners and the thesis satisfying the University s MPhil descriptor outcomes; or vi) the candidate be not awarded the degree and be not permitted to be re-examined. Research Degrees Handbook Page 38

39 When the examiners recommendation is for outcomes ii) or iii) above it is the candidate s responsibility to ensure that all recommended corrections are carried out within the specified time period. Failure to do so may result in the University terminating the candidates registration and result in no award being made. Where the examiners recommendations are not unanimous, this shall be reported to HDRC which may: i) uphold a majority recommendation (provided that the majority includes at least one external examiner); ii) iii) uphold the recommendation of the external examiner; or require the appointment of an additional external examiner, once only, to participate in the examination of the candidate as if for the first time RESUBMISSION One re-examination may be permitted. A second viva voce may or may not be required by the examiners. The candidate must submit for re-examination within one calendar year from the date of the letter notifying them of the viva outcome. HDRC may, where there are good reasons, approve an extension of this period. The examiners shall not recommend that a candidate fail outright without holding a viva voce examination or other alternative examination, even if their original recommendation, approved by HDRC, was for resubmission without a viva voce. HDRC may require that an additional external examiner be appointed for the re-examination. Following the completion of the re-examination the examiners may recommend in accordance with the provisions set out in Regulation (Annex I) excepting that iv) shall not apply to the re-examination. In the case of outcomes ii) and iii) the amendments must be carried out in accordance with Regulation Where the examiners recommendations are not unanimous, HDRC may: i) uphold a majority recommendation (provided that the majority includes at least one external examiner); or ii) uphold the recommendation of the external examiner. Where the degree is not awarded, the examiners shall prepare an agreed statement of the deficiencies of the thesis and the reason for their recommendation, to be forwarded to the candidate by the Graduate School. Re-examination is permitted once only. In all other respects the re-examination shall be conducted in the same way as the first examination. THE FINAL APPROVED THESIS The thesis shall be presented in a permanent hard binding (see below for details) before the degree may be awarded. The candidate shall confirm that the contents of the permanently bound thesis are identical with the version submitted for examination, except where amendments have been made to meet the requirements, or at the suggestion, of the examiners. Research Degrees Handbook Page 39

40 Sufficient bound copies of the final thesis, incorporating any amendments required by the examiners, shall be submitted in order that copies may be supplied to the University Library, the library of any collaborating establishment and of any relevant affiliated institution. The final bound thesis shall be accompanied by the designated form confirming that the contents are identical with the version submitted for examination purposes, except where amendments have been made to meet the requirements, or at the suggestion, of the examiners. The candidate is also asked to provide a signed Digital Repositories Agreement form with the final submission. This agreement will authorise the University to make a digital copy of the full text of the final thesis available in our online research repository ResearchSpace or elsewhere online (for example in EThOS). The candidate retains all rights in the thesis, including the freedom to publish it elsewhere. Candidates should consider resultant benefits such as greater visibility, uptake and impact of their thesis, as well as its long-term preservation. The agreement is optional for the majority of students, but it is obligatory under the terms of AHRC funding and students should check any similar terms given by their funder. Where, due to publishing reasons or similar, a student is unable to authorise the uploading of their creative work online, it is also possible to just upload the critical aspect of the work and redact the creative component. Please see the section on Confidentiality on page 41. The candidate must provide a digital copy of their thesis with a signed Digital Repositories Agreement form. The digital copy must be identical to the version submitted for examination purposes and can be submitted either on CD-Rom or memory stick, or via to: [email protected] After the thesis is submitted, the University reserves the right to make a bound copy available for consultation in the University Library and via inter-library lending. For all theses, regardless of whether the full-text access has been withheld or restricted, the University may upload the title page and abstract of the thesis to one or more databases (such as EThOS or the Library catalogue). The rights in the title and abstract data are deemed to have been waived and this material may be made publically available via the internet. The approved hard binding for a final version of a thesis shall be: i) of a fixed type so that pages cannot be removed or replaced; ii) the front and rear boards shall have sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the work when standing upright; iii) the outside front board shall bear the title of the work, the name and initials of the candidate, the qualification, and the year of final submission, all in at least 24pt type; iv) the spine of the binding shall bear the name and initials of the candidate, the qualification, and the year of final submission, all in at least 24pt type, reading left to right down the spine; v) the binding of a thesis shall be black for MPhil and dark navy blue (the colour of the Bath Spa logo, or as close to it as possible) for a PhD. This shade of navy blue is specified as PMS 533 in the Pantone Matching System, which printers should recognise. vi) The lettering upon the binding shall be silver for both MPhil and PhD. We do not currently have the facilities available to bind theses in-house. Former candidates have used the following organisations to produce their final bound theses: Bristol Bound University of Bristol Print Services Research Degrees Handbook Page 40

41 Please note: printing companies can and do make mistakes so candidates should be as specific as possible when instructing them about formatting/colour etc. If you have any queries about the final thesis, please do contact the Graduate School at: EXCEPTIONS Parts of the thesis, and very exceptionally all of it, may be presented in other formats (such as CD-ROM) or using paper sizes other than A4, where it can be demonstrated that the contents can be better expressed in that form and are capable of being assessed. Any application to submit a thesis in another format must be made to the HDRC on the designated form for consideration by the Committee and must have the support of the Director of Studies. CONFIDENTIALITY Confidentiality of the final thesis is governed by Regulations to (Annex I). Where it is necessary to apply for confidentiality of the thesis after registration, the application should be made to the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee. Where the Committee has agreed that the confidential nature of the candidate s work is such as to preclude the thesis being made freely available by the University Library (and any collaborating body) the thesis shall, immediately on completion of the programme of work, be retained by the University on restricted access and, for a time not exceeding the approved period, shall only be made available to those who were directly involved in the research. The Committee shall normally only approve an application for confidentiality in order to enable a patent application to be lodged or to protect commercially or politically sensitive material. A thesis shall not be restricted in this way in order to protect research leads. While the normal maximum period of confidentiality is two years, in exceptional circumstances the Committee may approve a longer period. Where a shorter period would be sufficient the Committee shall not automatically grant confidentiality for two years. Alternatively, in consideration for theses containing a substantial amount of commercially publishable creative writing or artistic material, the University Library can redact sections of the thesis before making it freely available online but only if an intact and complete version of the thesis is still held by the University Library in a physical format. The Open Access requirements of any funding bodies involved in the creation of the thesis will be observed. Research Degrees Handbook Page 41

42 THE AWARD On receipt of a unanimous recommendation from the examiners to award a PhD, MPhil, or of a decision by the Committee where the examiners were not unanimous, and evidence of the candidate s achievement of the necessary taught elements and credits where applicable, the Graduate School shall produce a results list confirming the recommendations of the examiners or Committee dated with the date of the recommendation of the examiners or Committee. The results list shall be signed by the Chair of the HDRC and the Registrar. This will be passed to the appropriate officer of the University for the production of the certificate. Following the award of the degree the Graduate School shall lodge one copy of the thesis in the library of the University, one in the library of any collaborating establishment and one in the library of any relevant affiliated institution. Any agreement over confidentiality agreed at the time of submission and affecting this, will be honoured. PROBLEMS, COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS Where problems arise students should seek advice from either their Director of Studies, School Higher Degrees Tutor, or Dean of School as appropriate. If there is any doubt about who to approach, students should seek advice from the Head of Graduate School. Most problems encountered are either personal or problems with the research itself (e.g. concerning methodology). However, if the problem is in the form of a complaint, and not addressed through dialogue with involved parties, the University does have a formal complaints procedure. The definitive version of this is held on line at A paper copy can be supplied by The Graduate School if required. COMPLAINTS & APPEALS The Higher Degrees (Research) Committee shall establish procedures for the consideration of applications for review of decisions of examiners and for their reconsideration by examiners. The following shall be the only grounds for review: a) that there has been a material and significant administrative irregularity; b) that the assessments were not conducted in accordance with the Regulations; c) that the student s performance was adversely affected by illness or other valid cause, which he or she was unable to divulge before the meeting of the examiners, and which could have had a bearing on the examiners decision; d) that there was demonstrable prejudice on the part of the examiners. It is not possible to apply for a review on the basis of a disagreement with the academic judgement of the examiners. Academic judgement means assessing the merits of the student s work and reaching a decision on the award based on both the thesis and the viva voce examination. Complaints by a candidate about his or her supervision must be made before the candidate submits for examination through annual reporting or other available mechanisms. They shall not be permitted as grounds for a review of the examiners decision unless the candidate can demonstrate that there were exceptional reasons why the complaint could not be reported before the examination. Research Degrees Handbook Page 42

43 APPLICATION FOR REVIEW OF THE EXAMINERS DECISION (APPEAL) Any application from a student for a review of the examiners decisions should be made within 14 days of receipt of the letter informing the student of the decision. The application shall: i) be made in writing by the student personally and signed by the student; ii) iii) iv) be addressed to the Registrar in an envelope marked Application for Review ; be received no later than fourteen working days after the formal notification of the results; give the full name, date of birth and student number of the applicant, an address for reply, details of the award, and the decision of the examiners of which a review is requested; v) state clearly the grounds on which the application is based, identify the issues about which remedy is sought and where appropriate identify the new decision sought; vi) enclose all relevant documentary evidence on which the application relies (for example, medical certificates). REVIEW PANEL The Registrar and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Appeals shall determine whether such applications are within the jurisdiction of a review panel according to Regulation (Annex I). In doing so they may consult with any other party they deem necessary to make their determination. The determination shall be made, wherever possible, within 14 days of the receipt of the application for review and shall be communicated to the applicant and the Graduate School. If the grounds for appeal are deemed within the remit of a review panel the Deputy Vice-Chancellor responsible for appeals shall recommend to the Vice-Chancellor that a review panel be established. The review panel shall be chaired by a nominee of the Vice-Chancellor. There shall be at least two and not more than four other members who shall be staff members of the Academic Board or one of its subcommittees and who have experience of research degree examining and/or research degree examining processes. No member of a review panel shall consider an application in which he or she has an interest. The quorum shall be three members including the chair. The review panel will, wherever possible, aim to conclude the review process within 2 months of the decision to review. The applicant, Registrar and Head of Graduate School shall be informed of the review outcome. The review panel may consult with any other party they deem necessary to make their determination. The review panel may determine that: a) grounds for review have been established (in which case it shall require the examiners to review their decision in the light of those grounds); or b) the application be rejected. Research Degrees Handbook Page 43

44 OUTCOMES Should the outcome of the review need to be considered by the HDRC the Committee shall consider the outcome of the review at the next available meeting. In such cases the Graduate School will inform the review applicant of the likely timescale involved and will inform the review applicant of the decision of the committee following their deliberations. Should any of the review procedures outlined above seem likely to exceed the normal timescales as outlined the applicant shall be informed of the reasons for this by the relevant University authority. Should the review applicant still feel that their appeal has not been satisfactorily dealt with they may be entitled to take the appeal to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). Please see Examiners who are required to review their original decision shall do so as soon as practicable by whatever means they choose, providing the means chosen are fair and equitable given the circumstances of the review. The means of review must be agreed by the Head of the Graduate School. There shall be no appeal against the decision of a review panel. If, after reconsideration the examiners do not modify their decision, the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee may annul that decision if in its opinion proper account has not been taken of the factors specified by the review panel. Where there has been procedural or other irregularity, or it is not possible to reconvene the examiners, the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee may annul a decision of the examiners without making a prior request for reconsideration. Where a decision has been annulled the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee shall ask that alternative examiners are appointed through the relevant committee. Research Degrees Handbook Page 44

45 RESEARCH DEGREES FORMS Application for Approval of Research Plan Progression Assessment Report Application for Change of Mode of Study Application for Change of Supervisory Team Application for Change to Programme of Research Application for Transfer Between Awards Application for Suspension of Registration Application for Extension of Registration Notification of Withdrawal Intention To Submit Short CV for supervisors Application for Approval of Examination Arrangements Short CV for Examiners All these forms may be downloaded from: Research Degrees Handbook Page 45