7.4 SECOND SUPERVISOR(S) AND ADVISERS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP INSTITUTIONS DESIGNING, PLANNING AND MANAGING THE RESEARCH

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2 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION THE PURPOSE OF THIS HANDBOOK AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RESEARCH DEGREES REGULATIONS CODE OF PRACTICE FOR RESEARCH DEGREES UWTSD RESEARCH DEGREES COMMITTEE AND UNIVERSITY OF WALES DAAB UWTSD RESEARCH DEGREES COMMITTEE (RDC) STUDENT REPRESENTATION AND FEEDBACK RESEARCH PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY UNIVERSITY OF WALES TRINITY SAINT DAVID MRES DEGREES PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATES THE UNIVERSITY S LANGUAGE POLICY THE UNIVERSITY FACULTIES AND SCHOOLS PROFESSIONAL UNITS LEARNING RESOURCES STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & SYSTEMS STUDENT UNION VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (VLE) AND MYTSD PORTAL INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS REQUIRED PERIODS OF STUDY MPHIL / PHD BY RESEARCH PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATES* MRES PHD BY PUBLISHED WORKS RE-ENROLMENT RE-ENROLMENT PROCEDURES STUDENT NUMBERS INDUCTION PROGRAMME NON-ACCREDITED GENERIC SKILLS MODULE FOR MPHIL AND PHD BY RESEARCH STUDENTS GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT FACILITIES WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR SUPERVISION MAINTAINING REGULAR CONTACT COMPLETING ANNUAL MONITORING REPORTS SATISFACTORY PROGRESS (MPHIL / PHD BY RESEARCH) SATISFACTORY PROGRESS (MRES AND PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE PROGRAMMES OF STUDY) CAUSE FOR CONCERN AND UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN OR UNSATISFACTORY REPORT FORMAL WARNING CONCERNS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DIRECTOR OF STUDIES OR OTHER SUPERVISORS STUDENT SUPPORT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAFF SUPERVISORY TEAM DIRECTOR OF STUDIES

3 7.4 SECOND SUPERVISOR(S) AND ADVISERS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP INSTITUTIONS DESIGNING, PLANNING AND MANAGING THE RESEARCH PROJECT INTRODUCTION WHAT TO EXPECT FROM RESEARCH THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL ETHICS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND RISK ASSESSMENT DATA MANAGEMENT PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (PDP) ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS GUIDANCE ON FORMAT, WORD COUNT, AND BINDING OF THE THESIS PLANNING THE THESIS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES LITERATURE REVIEW RESEARCH METHODOLOGY TIMETABLE ORGANISATION KEEPING A LOGBOOK / PDP REGULAR WRITING OR RECORD KEEPING SUPPORT REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY RECOMMENDED READING TRANSFERRING FROM MPHIL TO PHD RESEARCH AND FROM PART ONE TO PART TWO FOR PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATES TRANSFER FROM MPHIL TO PHD STAGE ONE STAGE TWO STAGE THREE STAGE FOUR TRANSFER FROM PART ONE TO PART TWO OF AN MRES PROGRAMME OF STUDY OR A PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE STAGE ONE STAGE TWO EMPLOYMENT CHANGING A MODE OF STUDY EXTENSION OR SUSPENSION OF STUDIES SUBMISSION AND ORAL EXAMINATION FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS SUBMISSION OF THE THESIS EARLY SUBMISSION OF THESIS THE EXAMINING BOARD ORAL EXAMINATION EXAMINATION OF THE THESIS (PRIOR TO THE ORAL EXAMINATION) THE ORAL EXAMINATION PREPARING FOR AN ORAL EXAMINATION THE ORAL EXAMINATION PROCESS POSSIBLE OUTCOMES NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS CORRECTIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO THESIS RESUBMISSION OF THESIS SUBMIT AS AN MPHIL (ONLY IN THE CASE OF A PHD SUBMISSION) FAIL PERMANENT BINDING OF THESIS UNFAIR PRACTICE

4 14.1 AVOIDING UNFAIR PRACTICE PENALTIES FOR UNFAIR PRACTICE RESEARCH GOVERNANCE RESEARCH MISCONDUCT APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS YOUR CONDUCT AT THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL REGULATIONS APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE STUDENT DEBT TO THE UNIVERSITY DISCIPLINARY ISSUES STUDENT SUPPORT CARMARTHEN CAMPUS LAMPETER CAMPUS LONDON CAMPUS SWANSEA CAMPUS GENERAL INFORMATION CONTACT INFORMATION APPENDIX 1 - STUDENT LIFECYCLE

5 1 Introduction Welcome to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD). We hope that you will enjoy your time studying for a research degree with us. 1.1 The purpose of this handbook and other documents This handbook provides you with information about the various procedures and regulations you will encounter at the University and is intended to guide research degree students throughout their Programme of Study. The handbook makes frequent reference to a number of other important sources of information relating to the University, including the Academic Quality Handbook - in particular Chapter 8 which covers Research Degree Regulations - and the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Students studying for MRes programmes of study and professional doctorates also need to consult chapters 6 and 7 of the Academic Quality Handbook. These documents are available on the University s website and through MyDay, the University s electronic information portal Students who are not based at one of the University s campuses (e.g. external, off-campus, or distance learning students) will also find additional valuable information in the Distance Learning Student Guide which gives information specific to students studying through this mode of study. This document is also available on the University s website and through MyDay. This handbook is for all research degrees students studying for UWTSD degrees, including all research degrees students studying for an award validated through UWTSD at a collaborative partnership institution. It is also for all students who are studying for a University of Wales award at UWTSD. In addition to this handbook, students may receive additional information from their Faculty, School, or a collaborative partner institution. For example, students enrolled on a Professional Doctorate or an MRes programme of study will, in addition to this Handbook, also receive a Programme of Study Handbook upon enrolment. Programme of Study Handbooks include information about all the taught modules of part one of such degrees. Students enrolled through collaborative partnership institutions may also receive additional information from the collaborative partnership institution. The University has made every effort to ensure that this information is as full and as accurate as possible, but please note that changes are made from time to time and that all regulations and procedures are reviewed annually. We aim to keep any such changes to a minimum and students will be informed in the event of any major alteration. This handbook is intended to be helpful to you and we would welcome your feedback on how it might be improved. Please send any comments to [email protected]. 1.2 Research Degrees Regulations The regulations and procedures outlined in the Academic Quality Handbook and the Code of Practice for Research Degrees are applicable to all research degree students enrolled on UWTSD degrees. For students that are enrolled for a University of Wales award, there is additional oversight at every stage of candidature by the University of Wales, through its Degrees and Academic Awards Board (DAAB). The regulations, as set out in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook, apply to all research degree students with the following exceptions: 5

6 1) The word count regulations have changed for research degrees students studying for a practice-based PhD / MPhil by Research (e.g. within the areas of Film and Media or Creative Writing). Students who started their degrees before October 2012 will continue to work towards the word limit and structure of their programme as stipulated by the regulations when they started their degrees. All students who started their degree on or after October 2012 will follow the regulations as set out in the current regulations; 2) Current students on either the DMin programme or the PhD in Applied Archaeology will continue to study according to the regulations that were in force when they started their programmes; the current Professional Doctorate regulations do not apply to students on those programmes. 3) For University of Wales candidates the UW outcome regulations apply. For all UWTSD students the outcome regulations apply as specified in the Academic Quality Handbook. The unfair practice regulations, suspension regulations, appeal and complaints regulations as well as all disciplinary regulations will be applied to all students in accordance with the regulations as they are set out in the current Academic Quality Handbook, in Chapter 8. The Academic Quality Handbook can be found on the university website at: Please note that whereas students studying for an MRes degree or a Professional Doctorate study for a named award, students studying for an MPhil or PhD are studying for an MPhil or PhD by research rather than for an MPhil or PhD in a defined subject area. This includes research students working within practice-based areas of research. The regulations contain an important new section on the protocols relating to the inclusion of non-textual artefacts in a thesis and the examination of such a thesis as well as a new section on the use of published papers within research degrees other than the PhD by Published Works. Please note also that the pass mark for Part One modules for MRes programmes of study as well Professional Doctorates is 50%. 1.3 Code of Practice for Research Degrees In addition to the regulations UWTSD has a Code of Practice for Research Degrees. The Code elaborates on the research degrees regulatory framework. The Code of Practice provides information about the processes involved in the administration of research degree study, from admission to graduation. Where there appears to be ambiguity in advice given in the different documents, the regulations, as outlined in the Academic Quality Handbook, take precedence over all documents and the Code of Practice for Research Degrees should be regarded as more authoritative than this Postgraduate Research Student Handbook, any Programme of Study Handbooks, or any information supplied by the Faculty or collaborative partnership institution. 1.4 UWTSD Research Degrees Committee and University of Wales DAAB The regulations and procedures for research degrees are governed by UWTSD s Research Degrees Committee. For students that are enrolled on degrees awarded by the University of Wales there is additional oversight of every stage of candidature by the University of Wales DAAB. For students enrolled through collaborative partners there may also be a partnership RDC which reports to the UWTSD RDC. In this research student handbook whenever RDC is mentioned the UWTSD RDC is meant. 6

7 1.4.1 UWTSD Research Degrees Committee (RDC) The Research Degrees Committee oversees all aspects of University s research degrees provision. This committee, which has representation from all Faculties, reports to the Research Committee and the Academic Quality and Standards Committee on the effectiveness of the arrangements for maintaining appropriate academic standards and enhancing the quality of postgraduate research programmes. The Research Degrees Committee meets on a regular basis, normally about once a month, to discuss all matters relating to research degrees. It is also charged with developing all procedures that support, monitor, and review all aspects of the University s research degrees provision. Membership and the terms of reference of the Research Degrees Committee can be found in Chapter 2 of the Academic Quality Handbook Student Representation and feedback Three student representatives attend the Research Degrees Committee on behalf of all students enrolled on research degree programmes; one to represent the Lampeter/Carmarthen campuses, one for the London campus, and one for the Swansea campus. In addition, there may also be the opportunity for representation at Faculty level. Student representatives are normally elected for a period of three years. Attendance at this committee may take the form of video-conferencing or participation through Skype; in other words if you are a distance learning student this does not mean that you could not become a student representative. If you wish to raise an issue with the Research Degrees Committee, you should contact the student representative who will feed the comments to the Committee and report back to you. You can, of course, also contact the Students Union, the Student Experience Department, or discuss your issue with your Faculty who can then take the issue to RDC through the Faculty representation system. Students can give formal feedback through surveys such as the PRES and, for example, through annual monitoring forms. There is, of course, also always the opportunity to give informal feedback, whether that is on the systems and processes that the University uses for research degrees, on the administration of research degrees, on supervision and research culture, or on this handbook. Feedback is always welcome and you can give your comments to your supervisory team, your representatives, staff in your Faculty, staff in the collaborative partnership institution, staff within the Postgraduate Research Office or Student Experience Department, or through Students Union structures. 1.5 Research Programmes offered by University of Wales Trinity Saint David The qualifications that are offered at research level are: A range of MRes programmes of study Master of Philosophy by Research (MPhil) Doctor of Philosophy by Research (PhD) Professional Doctorates, e.g. Doctor of Business Administrator (DBA) Doctor of Applied Archaeology (DAA) Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Doctor of Professional Practice (DProf) Doctor of Philosophy by Published Works Full details of the requirements for each qualification are provided in the Academic Quality Handbook (Chapter 8). 7

8 1.6 MRes degrees Students following MRes should also refer to the Postgraduate Student Guide (Taught Degrees) in relation to the first 60 to 90 taught credits of their programme. The MRes programme comprises of 180 credits at Level 7 (Master s level), with between taught credits for Part One of their degrees and a research project of either between 90 and 120 credits depending on the size of Part One. Your programme of study handbook will detail how many credits have been allocated to each part. All work for the taught assessment purposes must be handed in to meet deadlines. Students are informed of these deadlines by their tutors. If you are unable to submit coursework on time, for example because of illness, please follow the extenuating circumstances guidelines and regulations outlined in Chapter 13 of the Academic Quality Handbook. If the taught part of your programme of study contains an examination and you have support needs, you need to get in touch with your Programme Director as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made. More information about support for disabled students and students with specific learning needs can be found in Chapter 12 of the Academic Quality Handbook and can be obtained from Student Services. Once the taught element has been passed by the Examining Board, students may be permitted to transfer onto the research element (Part Two) of the programme. Please contact your Programme Director for further details of this process and see section 9.2 of this handbook. Regulations for the MRes can be found in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. 1.7 Professional Doctorates Students following Professional Doctorate Programmes should also refer to the Postgraduate Student Guide (Taught Degrees) in relation to the first 180 taught credits of their programme and to section 9.2 in this guide. The Professional Doctorate programme comprises of 540 credits with 180 credits at Level 7 (Master s level) and a minimum of 360 credits at research Level 8 (Doctoral level). All work for the taught assessment purposes must be handed in to meet deadlines. Students are informed of these deadlines by their tutors. If you are unable to submit coursework on time, for example because of illness, please follow the extenuating circumstances guidelines and regulations outlined in Chapter 13 of the Academic Quality Handbook. If the taught part of your programme of study contains an examination and you have support needs, you need to get in touch with your Programme Director as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made. More information about support for disabled students and students with specific learning needs can be found in Chapter 12 of the Academic Quality Handbook and can be obtained from Student Services. Once the taught element has been passed by the Examining Board, students may be permitted to transfer onto the research element (Part Two) of the programme. Please contact your Programme Director for further details of this process and see section 9.2 of this handbook. Regulations for Professional Doctorates can be found in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. Please note that it is not possible to condone any failed modules. 1.8 The University s Language Policy 8

9 The University s Language Policy confirms that the University gives equal status to both the Welsh and English languages throughout its activities. This policy gives the right to all who are associated with the University to correspond and to receive a service in their chosen language of either Welsh or English. The University sees its natural bilingual context as a strength and will develop and extend its provision of bilingual opportunities for the community it serves. 2 The University 2.1 Administrative structures for research degrees A number of professional units look after the University s research degrees provision. The Postgraduate Research Office (PGRO), which is part of the Academic Office, is responsible for the support of research degree students throughout their time at the University once they have been admitted, including the submission and examination of theses. The Postgraduate Research Office also offers support to all academic staff that are responsible for research degree students and liaises closely with the different Faculties, collaborative partnership institutions, and a range of professional units. Responsibility for the admission of research degree students lies with the Registry admission team. Responsibility for the research environment and training of research degrees students lies with the University s Research, Enterprise and Innovation Services (RIES). The Student Experience Department looks after student engagement, which includes student feedback (e.g. PRES survey) and the election of student representatives. 2.2 Faculties and Schools The University is composed of five Faculties with responsibility for the academic work of the institution. Every Faculty consists of a number of Schools, each of which focuses upon one or more academic disciplines. Some Faculties have Schools on more than one campus. Details of the Faculties and Schools can be obtained from the website. The structure for the Faculties in is as follows: Faculty of Architecture, Computing and Engineering School of Applied Computing School of Architecture, Built and Natural Environments School of Automotive Engineering School of Engineering, Manufacturing, and Logistics Faculty of Art and Design School of Design and Applied Art School of Film and Digital Media School of Fine Art and Photography School of Visual Communication Faculty of Business and Management School of Business, Finance and Management School of Sport, Health and Outdoor Education School of Tourism and Hospitality Wales Institute for Work-based Learning Faculty of Education and Communities South West Wales Centre of Teacher Education School of Early Childhood 9

10 School of Psychology School of Social Justice and Inclusion School of Welsh and Bilingual Studies Faculty of Humanities and Performing Arts School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology School of Classics School of Cultural Studies School of Performing Arts School of Theology, Religious Studies and Islamic Studies 2.3 Professional Units The University provides a range of support services for research students for which further information can be found on the university website at: Learning Resources For information regarding Learning Resources for Lampeter, Carmarthen Swansea, and London campuses go to: Student Services Further information can be found in section 19 or at: Information Technology & Systems For information regarding Information Technology & Systems for Lampeter, Carmarthen Swansea, and London campuses go to: Student Union Trinity Saint David Students' Union (TSDSU) exists to enhance the experience of students studying at the University and ensure that student concerns are at the centre of University decision making. Affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS), TSDSU is a charity with the primary purpose of supporting and representing students. It also, organises a range of social and sporting activities that vary from campus to campus; it runs events in its own or external facilities where it hosts a range of diverse events from foam parties, sporting events to comedy nights. Each year several full-time officers are elected to represent you and lead TSDSU: Carmarthen, Lampeter and Swansea campuses have a President and a Vice President each, while a Group President covers London and the FE partners in addition to having an overall University role. You can find an assortment of activities at TSDSU there is something for everyone, including a volunteering program aimed at enhancing your employability. TSDSU also runs campaigns, with the help of its part-time officers, to ensure that issues facing students are tackled constructively. TSDSU is a democratic organisation: you can put forward ideas and, if other students agree with you, they can be voted through in an Executive Meeting and TSDSU will work hard to make your idea a reality. Perhaps you think the University should improve sports facilities, or ban bottled water, or that the officers should lobby parliament. Whatever it is, big or small, put your idea forward. 10

11 TSDSU is run by the students and for the students. If you have any issues or ideas its doors are always open, providing a friendly and welcoming environment for all students. More information about TSDSU can be found at on its websites Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and MYTSD portal The management and day to day support of VLEs is the responsibility of the Information Services. Moodle is the VLE used by UWTSD. More detailed information about the use of the VLE for your studies is available at: International Students Attendance of all students on Tier 4 (General) visas is monitored in accordance with UKVI guidelines and regulations. Students will receive full information about what will be required from them with respect to attendance on enrolment. The University s monitoring policy for research degrees students can be found in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. For any questions in relation to monitoring, please consult with your supervisory team, the Director of Research degrees within your Faculty or your Faculty office. Please note that in addition international students will be required to re-register at the start of every term: October, January and April. 3 Required periods of study Further details on the required periods of study, including information about direct entry, RPCL (recognition of prior accredited learning) and RPEL (recognition of prior experiential learning) can be found in Chapter 10 of the Academic Quality Handbook. The tables below give the standard minimum and maximum periods of enrolment. Please note that the minimum period of study is also called the expected period of study and that the period between minimum and maximum period of candidature is called the continuation period. 3.1 MPhil / PhD by Research Full-time candidates Degree Minimum Maximum MPhil 2 year 3 years PhD 3 years 5 years Part-time candidates Degree Minimum Maximum MPhil 3 years 5 years PhD 5 years 9 years 3.2 Professional Doctorates* Full-time candidates 11

12 Minimum Maximum 3 years 5 years Part-time candidates Minimum Maximum 5 years 9 years * Please note that not all Professional Doctorates are available full-time. 3.3 MRes Full-time candidates Minimum Maximum 1 year 3 years Part-time candidates Minimum Maximum 2 years 5 years 3.4 PhD by Published Works Minimum Full time Part time Maximum 1 year 2 years 4 Re-enrolment 4.1 Re-enrolment procedures Throughout their candidature, postgraduate research students are required to re-enrol annually and this is conditional on a satisfactory annual review. International students will be required to re-register in addition at the start of every semester: October, January, April. In May of each academic year, an annual monitoring form must be completed by both the student and supervisory team. This provides both parties with an opportunity to evaluate the progress made and to signal any developmental concerns or requirements. A central Annual Review Board considers all forms to ensure that the appropriate academic standards are being met by both the student and supervisory team, and that the quality of the supervision is appropriate. Approval must then be given by the Research Degrees Committee before reenrolment can take place. Re-enrolment for the next academic year is conditional on a satisfactory annual report; students that have been given an action plan following a cause for concern or unsatisfactory judgement may only be re-enrolled provisionally and their candidature could be terminated during the academic year if the conditions of the action plan have not been met and no satisfactory progress is made. Please note that students can also only re-enrol when they have completed and signed the annual monitoring form. 12

13 For students who started their studies in February the first annual review will come in May of the same year and staff will take into account the length of candidature when they fill in the review form for candidates who are in this situation. A re-enrolment pack will then be sent to you by the Registry asking you to complete the reenrolment and, where appropriate, tuition fee forms. Your enrolment for the next academic year cannot be completed until you have completed and submitted all the relevant paperwork. On completion of the standard fee paying period (that is, the minimum candidature period), your enrolment will roll over to the maximum period of enrolment, during which an annual continuation fee will be paid until either you submit your thesis or your candidature expires, whichever occurs first. There is no continuation fee for students who started their studies prior to October Please note, that you will be required to pay the full fees for the minimum candidature period even if you submit your thesis within this period. You should always discuss the submission of your thesis with your supervisory team prior to submitting it. For further guidelines in relation to early submission please see the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. It is vitally important that the Registry has an accurate record of each student s personal details at all times. It is equally important that students ensure that they are registered on the correct Programme of Study. Failure to inform the Registry of any changes in this respect is likely to cause some or all of the following problems: delay in obtaining funding, e.g. US federal loans; UKVI problems as a result of a delay in obtaining a Tier 4 (General) visa; failure to keep students generally informed; failure to contact students in an emergency. Students must inform the Registry and supervisory team in writing of any change to term-time and/or home address or any other contact details at the earliest opportunity. 4.2 Student Numbers When students first register, they are allocated a unique student number. It is important that students use their student number as well as their name when communicating with staff in different parts of the University. This will not only improve the efficiency of many administrative processes; it will also reduce the possibility of error. 5 Induction programme The postgraduate research student induction programme is intended to introduce students to postgraduate life at UWTSD and to provide them with the essential tools for the start of their research programme. The initial intensive Induction Programme takes place at the start of each enrolment period on the University s campuses. This induction programme introduces students to the regulatory framework and includes introductions to the resources and facilities available at UWTSD and outside, such as, for example, the National Library of Wales. There will also be a range of seminars designed to help students to start their programmes successfully. All newly enrolled residential research degrees students are expected to attend the induction sessions. Distance learning students are encouraged to attend an induction programmes in person if at all possible, but an induction programme will also be made available electronically through the VLE. 13

14 The induction programme will start the Professional Development Planning (PDP) process for all research degrees candidates and build on the training analysis that was done as part of the admission process. For further information about PDP see section 8.7 in this guide, as well as the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Students enrolled on MRes programmes of study and Professional Doctorates will have an additional induction session when they start part two of their studies. Additional induction activities may also be organised by your Faculty, School, or collaborative partnership institutions and you will be informed about these by your supervisory team. Some of these may be compulsory to attend. 5.1 Non-accredited Generic Skills Module for MPhil and PhD by Research Students Once enrolled, all new MPhil and PhD by Research students, with the exception of those that have been given direct entry to the PhD and explicit exemption of this part of the programme, are expected to complete the non-accredited Generic Skills for Research Students module that has been set up on Moodle. The units in this module aim at helping to guide you through the starting phase of your research. The work associated with units should be completed and submitted to your Director of Studies during the first 6 months (12 months for part-time students) of your research. Completion of the module is monitored through the Annual Monitoring process. The generic skills module comprises of the following units: Unit 1 Support and Supervision Unit 2 Reviewing the Literature Unit 3 Ethical Issues Unit 4 Project Management Unit 5 Refining your Research Unit 6 Looking Forward Writing your thesis The Generic Skills for Research Students module can be accessed once you are fully enrolled and have obtained access to Moodle. Information Services provides all new students with access to the VLE. A VLE guide, giving information about how to access the VLE can be found on the University s website ( If there are any problems, please contact Information Services (for contact details see section 2.3.3). Faculties and collaborative partnership institutions may, depending on specific discipline requirements, add additional information or units, for example in relation to practice-based research degrees. 5.2 Graduate Teaching Assistants If you are undertaking any teaching during your studies, you must be enrolled on and complete the University s accredited Teaching in Higher Education programme for Graduate Teaching Assistants. Your Faculty will give you further information about this. Any teaching that you undertake must be formally approved by the Faculty and an appropriate contract must be set up with HR. 6 Roles and responsibilities of postgraduate research students 14

15 6.1 Rights and responsibilities of the Student The rights and responsibilities research degree students are as follows: a. Acknowledge receipt of the regulations, Code of Practice for Research Degrees and Research Student handbook; b. Familiarise themselves with the University regulations and guidelines, processes and procedures for research degrees; c. Enrol with UWTSD at the start of each academic year; d. Have regular contact with their supervisory teams as per monitoring policy outlined in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees and attend all formal and informal meetings scheduled; e. Attend any classes that are part of Part One of an MRes or Professional Doctorate programme; f. Make the supervisory team aware of any specific needs or circumstances likely to affect their work; g. Complete all necessary forms and paperwork used by the University to monitor progress and performance; h. Take ownership of their research plan. A record of training, progress reports, conference contributions etc. are expected to be recorded in a Personal Development Profile (PDP); i. Attend the research seminars and training events provided by the Faculty or collaborative partnership institutions whether in person or, for distance learning students, electronically; j. Follow the requirements for submission of the thesis, especially the requirement for referencing according to a consistent and recognised standard. 6.2 Participation in the research environment The University encourages and strongly recommends that students become as involved in the research environment and culture of the University or collaborative partnership institution as possible. Not only will this enable students to meet other researchers (research by its very nature can be quite solitary), but it will also give students a stronger voice and a feeling of involvement. Information of events will be posted on the University website and on many occasions students will be informed of events by . It is therefore important that students check their university address on a regular basis. The University provides several ways for students to become involved in research culture, which include the following: Completion of the Initial Experience Questionnaire; Completion of the Annual Monitoring Form; Participation in surveys (Postgraduate Research Experience Survey) Representation at the Research Degrees Committee or at Faculty / collaborative partnership institution level; Invitations to hear guest speakers; The opportunity to attend the University s annual Graduate Research Summer School on the Lampeter campus; The opportunity to attend research seminars organised by the University, Faculties, Schools, or collaborative partnership institution or listen to these through podcasts; Participation in on-line forums through the VLE; Invitations to attend research seminars, workshops and conferences both inside the University and externally and, where appropriate and possible, get involved in their organisation. 15

16 It is as important for distance learning students to be and feel included within the University s research environment as it is for residential students. The University therefore, for example, aims to make as many research seminars as possible available as podcasts via the VLE and many distance learning students have found attendance at the University s annual Graduate Research Summer School extremely beneficial. Information about this summer school is sent to all students by the University s Research, Innovation and Enterprise Services (RIES) Facilities For research projects that are studio or laboratory-based, students will usually have access to a range of facilities within the Faculty or collaborative partnership institutions. Faculties and collaborative partnership institutions will inform students about regulations in relation to the access to dedicated areas or specific equipment. For example, students may need to book a studio within time-tabled slots. Faculties and collaborative partnership institutions will also inform students if there is a dedicated space available on campus for study for research degrees students. The University will strive to ensure that students have sufficient access to space and equipment in order to fully pursue their project. Any possible problems with facilities should immediately be brought to the attention of the supervisory team What to expect from your supervision Research projects within the University cover a vast range of areas, and, whilst no one pattern of progression and assessment is appropriate for all, the formal monitoring pattern falls into a universal pattern which is designed to be helpful to students but provides the necessary assurances to the University that all is well with their work. The University s minimum expectation with regard to formal meetings are included in the monitoring policy which is part of the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. However, some common features will probably include the following: Regular meetings with your supervisor(s) Regular contact with your supervisors is essential and students as well as supervisors have an obligation to initiate these meetings. Oral presentations of your work Each Faculty and collaborative partnership institution organises research seminars and there is also an annual research degrees student conference and the University s annual Graduate Summer School on the Lampeter campus. On occasion you will be expected to present your results at these informal settings. Not only will this allow discussion amongst peers of any research problems you may be facing, but it will also enable you to further strengthen your presentation skills. Assistance with such skills will be given where needed and the student should record this personal development in their PDP file. Written presentations of your work Again depending on the precise work that students are conducting they will at intervals be required to present written reports on your progress. These range from weekly one-page summaries to formal typed interim reports or drafts of chapters. Although the latter in particular may require a lot of work, they will make an excellent basis for embarking on the completion of annual reports and theses. Computer skills will feature heavily in most cases and are regarded as an important generic outcome of research training. Key stages of progress 16

17 There are a number of key stages during each research degree programme. More information about these is given below and an overview of the research degrees students life cycle is given in Appendix Maintaining Regular Contact Students are expected to meet their supervisory team on a regular basis throughout their period of study: for full-time students there are expected to be ten formal meetings per year, for part-time students there are expected to be five formal meetings per year. This is irrespective of whether you are a residential or distance learning student and irrespective of the stage of candidature. Full details of what is expected can be found in the University s monitoring policy for research degrees and the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Regular contact between the student and supervisory team is essential for the successful outcome of the research candidature. It has been shown that regular contact and supervision substantially improves the quality and academic standards of a thesis and improves the probability of a successful viva within the period of candidature. If a student does not maintain regular contact, supervisory teams may become concerned that the student is not making satisfactory progress. These concerns will be raised with the Dean of Faculty, Head of School or their Faculty Director of Research Degrees and the Postgraduate Research Office, where the student will be asked to contact their supervisory team or submit work. If regular contact does still not continue, this will be reported on the annual review form or directly to the Research Degrees Committee and the student s progress may be deemed unsatisfactory and re-enrolment onto the next academic year may not be permitted. Of course, unforeseen personal or professional problems may occur to impede progress; if this is the case, it is essential that the student contacts both their Director of Studies and the Postgraduate Research Office to inform them of the situation. Advice will be given on how to proceed with the matter. Where students do not feel comfortable discussing a problem with a member of the supervisory team (for example when the problem concerns a member of the supervisory team or when the candidate is a member of staff) this should be raised initially and immediately with the Dean of Faculty, Head of School, their Director of Research Degrees Studies or the Postgraduate Research Office in order for the matter to be resolved informally. 6.4 Completing annual monitoring reports Postgraduate research students and supervisory teams are required to complete a formal report of progress and achievements each year, together with plans for the completion of the research programme, before research degree students can re-enrol. The supervisory team fills in the detailed form first; students then see the comments made about their progress and performance and are required to fill in the student feedback part of the form, again completing a detailed set of questions. All students are required to fill in this form and to sign it to indicate that they have read and understood the supervisory team s assessment. If a student is concerned about the assessment from the supervisory team, then they need to contact their Dean of Faculty, Head of School, or their Director of Research Degrees Studies in the first instance. This annual monitoring process usually takes place in May and June, with the central Annual Review Board meeting being held in July. Full information about this Board can be found in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook and the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Follow-up Review Boards are held in relation to any student classified as cause for concern or unsatisfactory. All students will be sent a letter by the Postgraduate Research Office following the central Annual Review Board to inform them about the outcome of the Board. 17

18 Please note that the supervisory team is only able to recommend an outcome and that it is the central Review Board takes the final decision on the appropriate outcome result. The central Review Board ensures that there is consistency in the decision making process across the University and its collaborative partnerships and that there is parity for all research degree students. Students may submit an additional report at any time, without any contribution from the supervisory team, if the student wishes to bring a matter of concern to the attention of the Research Degrees Committee. If this is the case, the report should be sent to the Postgraduate Research Office in the first instance. 6.5 Satisfactory Progress (MPhil / PhD by Research) The progress of a postgraduate research student s studies is continually monitored throughout the period of candidature in a variety of ways which include: Submission of a Full Research Proposal by the first formal review (3 months for fulltime candidates, 6 months for part-time) giving details of the work that has been carried out and is planned, the methodology and techniques to be used, how any skills are to be acquired and the planned time-frame for the completion of the project. This is also an opportunity to assess the research for any ethical issues not previously identified with approval of the University s Ethics Committee required via the submission of an ethics form before progress can be confirmed. Similarly, any risk assessment or Intellectual Property arrangements that have not been completed yet need to be finalised at this stage as well as any arrangements relating to the inclusion of nontextual artefacts or published papers within the thesis.. Please note that the Full Research proposal must include a detailed schedule of work. Transfer from MPhil/PhD to PhD. The entire transfer process must have been completed within the initial 18 month period for full-time candidates (30 months for parttime candidates). Details of this process are discussed in section 9. A revised and more substantial plan for the thesis should be in place at the end of the first year of full-time study (second for part-time candidates). This revised plan should aim to include a reliable estimate of the likely completion date. A first draft of the thesis submitted to the Director of Studies in good time before the prospective date of completion. Students should aim to submit a substantially complete draft for the formal meeting with the supervisory team held six months into their third year of full-time study (the end of the fourth year for part-time candidates) and at this meeting, ideally, an Examining Board should have been identified and a submission date agreed Satisfactory Progress (MRes and Professional Doctorate programmes of study) Students following MRes or Professional Doctorate Programmes that include both a taught and research element, should also refer to the Postgraduate Student Guide (Taught Degrees) in relation to the taught credits of their programme and to the relevant section in this research degrees guide, for transferring from the Master to the Doctoral element of the programme and to Chapters 6 and 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. The progress of an MRes and Professional Doctoral research student s studies is continually monitored throughout the period of candidature in a variety of ways which include: 18

19 All work for the taught assessments must be submitted to meet each deadline. Students are informed of these deadlines by their supervisors. Information about what to do if you miss a deadline can be found in Chapter 13 of the Academic Quality Handbook. Transfer from Part One (Taught) to Part Two (Research). Once the taught element has been completed and passed by the Examining Board, candidatures may apply to transfer onto the research element of the programme. They need to submit an initial research proposal which will allow for a supervisory team to be set up. Once students have entered the research phase of their studies, submission of a Full Research Proposal by the first formal review (3 months for full-time candidates, 6 months for part-time) giving details of the work to be carried out, the methodology and techniques to be used, how any skills are to be acquired and the planned timeframe for the completion of the project. This is also an opportunity to assess the research for any ethical issues not previously identified, to address any Intellectual Property issues or complete any risk assessments. The inclusion of non-textual artefacts and / or published papers in the thesis also needs to be approved at this stage. A first draft of the portfolio/ thesis should be submitted to the Director of Studies in good time before the prospective date of completion. Students should aim to submit a substantially complete draft in good time. Ideally, an Examining Board should have been identified and a submission date agreed at least three months before the end of candidature. 6.6 Cause for Concern and Unsatisfactory Progress If the supervisory team is concerned about the rate of a student s progress there are several opportunities at which this can be identified and discussed with the student. There may be personal reasons explaining the lack of progress, in which case the supervisory team may be able to provide the student with, or direct the student to, relevant advice. It is essential that you keep your supervisory team informed of your progress; if unsatisfactory progress continues, it will be reported to the central Annual Review Board and the student s progress may be deemed to give cause for concern or be unsatisfactory. Further details of what constitutes as satisfactory, cause for concern and unsatisfactory can be found in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. If a student has any concerns relating to their progress they should be discussed with their Director of Studies as soon as possible. 6.7 A Cause for concern or Unsatisfactory Report The central Annual Review Board will decide whether a student s annual review report is satisfactory, gives cause for concern or is unsatisfactory. As noted, it may overturn a recommendation from the supervisory team, Faculty or collaborative partnership institution in this respect. If the progress gives cause for concern or is unsatisfactory, the University will decide on an appropriate action. This can vary from an action plan for a specified period, conditional re-enrolment, to termination of the programme of studies. The student will be informed of this decision. It is possible to appeal the decision of the Annual Review Board but please note that students will need to explain why they had not given information (for example in relation to extenuating circumstances) on the annual monitoring form if they decide to disclose information at a later date. Please note also that it is not possible to use extenuating circumstances to ensure a satisfactory outcome result. If progress is not in line with the expected progress to be made at a particular stage of candidature, it will be classed as cause for concern or unsatisfactory irrespective of the reasons behind the lack of progress or performance. However, knowledge of extenuating circumstances is crucial for the supervisory 19

20 team and University to decide what the best course of action is and in deciding what support needs to be offered. In the case of a cause for concern or unsatisfactory report, the University may decide that a student should be allowed to re-enrol, but will usually attach conditions to this permission. Alternatively, the decision may be taken, after unsuccessful remedial action, to terminate the student s enrolment. In this case the student will be informed in writing of the decision and of how they can appeal against the decision. 6.8 Formal warning Generally a postgraduate research student will be given a formal warning if the supervisory team are seriously concerned that, despite advice, progress continues to be unsatisfactory or give cause for concern. An action plan will be set up to re-establish satisfactory progress, including how that progress will be monitored. Subsequent failure to make satisfactory progress without a good reason will usually result in a recommendation to the Research Degrees Committee that enrolment should be terminated. If a student is not satisfied with the supervisory team s position the student can discuss the matter informally with the Dean of Faculty, Head of School, Faculty or Collaborative Partnership Director of Research Degrees and/or appeal formally against the decision taken by the Research Degrees Committee. 6.9 Concerns about the relationship with the Director of Studies or other supervisors Either a postgraduate research student or the Director of Studies or any other supervisor within the supervisory team may feel that the postgraduate research student/supervisor relationship has deteriorated or is unsatisfactory, to the possible detriment of the postgraduate research student s progress. It is essential to seek early advice on this, through the supervisory team in the first instance. If the student cannot resolve the problem with the supervisory team, the Head of School (or nominee), Faculty or Collaborative Partnership s Director of Research Degrees, or Dean of Faculty should be approached for advice. Ultimately, if problems cannot be resolved, either the student or their Director of Studies may ask the Research Degrees Committee for a change to the supervisory team Student Support The University aims to support students as much as possible during the course of their studies and to provide them with opportunities to develop their research and employability skills. The University recognises that studying for a research degree is a long and challenging process and is on hand at all times to help in any way it can. UWTSD students have access to the full range of student support services offered by the University. For information about the student support services that are offered to students on the London campus, please see the following website: ( Student Services offers a range of services to distance-learning students including: Careers Service; Student Counselling Service; Study Skills Support advice on studying, preparing and presenting assignments etc via the OUTREACH team based at the Lampeter campus; Support for disabled students; 20

21 Financial support (for eligible students) from the Financial Contingency Fund (UKdomiciled students), and the University s Scholarships and Bursaries package including a limited number of awards for international students; Money Doctors general student finance advice including advice on managing student debt. Details of how students can access these services, including and phone contact details are available on the Student Services pages of the University website and through the Distance Learning Study guide. Most of the services are delivered throughout the year, whilst some services are limited to University term-time only. The University is firmly committed to enhancing the support services available to distance learning students and will work to improve the range and quality of services provided. In addition, students can join the National Union of Students through UWTSD. As members of the NUS they have access a range of services, including counselling, provided by the Union at UWTSD campuses. 7 Roles and responsibilities of staff 7.1 Programme Directors and tutors All MRes and Professional Doctorate students will have a Programme Director for Part One of their studies. For the role of the Programme Director and tutors please see Chapter 7 of the Academic Quality Handbook. 7.2 Supervisory Team The responsibilities of the Director of Studies and Supervisory team are set out in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees and the Research Supervisor Handbook. The supervisory team will consist of a minimum of two academic staff within the research area and possibly a third member, if required. The Director of Studies is usually the main contact for the student. However, it is often the case that the second supervisor offers expertise in a specific area and complements the expertise of the Director of Studies. Regular contact should be maintained with all members of the supervisory team. Meetings between Directors of Studies and students are often informal and based on discussions surrounding advice on the research project. However, a proper written record should be kept by candidates and supervisory teams of agreed actions. The requirements for formal meetings are given above in section 6.3. The supervisory team are also able to give advice on other processes of the candidature including the transfer from MPhil to PhD or transfer from Part One to Part Two for MRes and Professional Doctorate students, information on conferences and events within the subject area, advice on publishing papers, preparing for the oral examination, and the submission of the thesis. The University provides research degree training events throughout the year for both students and staff as well as administrative support to the supervisory teams and students. Students registered on the London campus will have in addition to the individual sessions with their supervisory teams, group sessions where a group of research degrees students meets on a regular basis for training, peer presentations, and discussion of each other s projects. Where such sessions are organised, the Faculty Director of Research Degrees Studies will give students information about these as well as a schedule of contacts. 21

22 7.3 Director of Studies The Director of Studies is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of the research student and for managing the supervisory team. The Director of Studies is appointed in relation to his or her relevant academic expertise in the area of the student s research. The Director of Studies is also responsible for the submission of all research degree paperwork to the Research Degrees Committee and for assessing the training needs of the student for determining the required research methods training as appropriate. Where the expertise with an aspect of the student s research lies with another supervisor, it may be appropriate for the Director of Studies to share day-to-day responsibilities for this aspect of the postgraduate research student s project with the other supervisor. Where a Director of Studies is absent for short periods (three months or less), another member of the supervisory team will assume their responsibilities, either through formal or informal arrangements. 7.4 Second Supervisor(s) and Advisers Postgraduate research students must have at least one additional supervisor for their project, and in some cases may have two additional supervisors. Together the Director of Studies and supervisor(s) will form a team that can academically support the student through the term of their candidature by providing the appropriate research knowledge and experience. In some cases, such as the case of joint projects or multi-disciplinary work, students may have a further supervisor or advisers, especially when there is an employer or organisation outside the University involved. 7.5 Collaborative partnership institutions Some students are enrolled through a collaborative partnership institution with the University. It is crucial that throughout the student s candidature there is a close relationship between the University and the collaborative partnership institution. Further information about collaborative provision and research degrees can be found in Chapter 9 of the Academic Quality Handbook. 8 Designing, Planning and Managing the Research Project 8.1 Introduction It is important to recognise that whilst a research degree constitutes an academic achievement it is also training in the discipline of high-level research. An important part of that discipline is time management which includes submitting work in on time, and adjusting the project on a regular basis. An example of a student research life-cycle calendar can be found as Appendix 1 of this Research Student Handbook. Things can go wrong in any research project and there will be unanticipated obstacles to overcome. If the project methodology has been properly designed, it should be anticipated that the successful completion of the research degree is within the period of candidature. 8.2 What to expect from research Research degrees at UWTSD conform to the descriptors laid down in the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in January 2001 and to Chapter B11 of the QAA Code of Practice for Research Degrees. These can be found on 22

23 the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education website at Descriptors for research awards are provided in the Academic Quality Handbook. 8.3 The Research Proposal After enrolment, candidates must produce a detailed research proposal. This is required within the first 3 months for full-time candidates (6 months for part-time candidates). In most cases candidates will have submitted a short proposal to the Faculty / collaborative partnership institution with the application for admission, but this will need significant elaboration and enhancement before it can be formally approved by the Research Degrees Committee. Each proposal must include a detailed schedule of work, with clear targets for each stage and section of the thesis. 8.4 Ethics Consideration must be given to ethical issues at an early stage so that steps can be taken if necessary to incorporate ethical considerations into the research design and methodology of the project. All research projects will require approval from the Ethics Committee prior to its commencement. The essence of good practice in ethical consideration relating to research is that research students are responsible for ensuring that, as far as possible, the wellbeing (physical, social and psychological) of those participating in research is not detrimentally affected by the research. The supervisory team will discuss any possible ethical issues with the student in the early stages of proposal. If ethical issues are deemed to arise, after completion of the full research proposal or at any point during the research period, the supervisory team and student will complete an ethics form and submit it to the Ethics Committee for approval. The outcome of the report will be reported to the Research Degrees Committee who will confirm whether the project can proceed. Students should not undertake any aspects of the research that are subject to ethical review until they receive approval from Ethics Committee. Students can obtain guidance on ethics approval of their research from their supervisory team, their Faculty / Collaborative Partnership s Director of Research Degrees, or the Postgraduate Research Office. The University has a Research Integrity and Ethics policy which can be found on the University s website and through MyDay. 8.5 Intellectual Property and Risk Assessment Where the research carried out for certain project carries a high level of risk, a full risk assessment needs to be carried out that will need to be checked by the University s Health and Safety Manager and be reported to Research Degrees Committee. A risk assessment form is available from the Postgraduate Research Office. The University has an Intellectual Property policy and all research projects with Intellectual Property implications need to follow the procedures outlined in this policy. A copy of the policy can be found through MyDay. 8.6 Data management Research degrees students are responsible for ensuring that all research data is stored securely and backed up regularly. 23

24 Digital files may be accidentally lost or corrupted so that errors are introduced or the file becomes unreadable. To avoid corruption of data, the research degree student is responsible for ensuring that data is backed-up regularly ideally automatically and to several locations. This ensures a copy of the data is made that can be retrieved if the original is lost or corrupted. Similarly, back-up arrangements should be in place if any data is held in hard copy. Loss of data may have a significant impact on a research student s ability to complete their research in a timely manner, but where appropriate steps to back up data have not been taken, such loss will not be considered as an appropriate extenuating circumstance by the University. 8.7 Personal Development Plan (PDP) All research degrees students are required to have a Personal Development Plan (PDP) which is meant to include a record of your progress and achievements with your personal views and critical reflection of the learning experience associated with your research. Your supervisory team will support the development of your PDP and will formally review it during the year at your supervisory meetings and as part of the annual monitoring process. The University encourages supervisory teams and students to use the VITAE Researcher Development Framework and expects all students and supervisory teams to have a Personal Development Plan. The PDP should contain a detailed record of all courses undertaken, conferences attended, presentations made, and other achievements such as the award of travel bursaries, studentships and prizes. Students are asked to reflect on these achievements and their training needs as part of the annual monitoring process. PDPs may be expanded to include a reflective diary as well as a record of courses attended, skills gained and plans for the development of skills for and beyond the PhD. They provide a valuable resource for developing professional Curriculum Vitae, making job applications and providing evidence of personal and professional development for professional bodies. Advice on PDPs and reflective practice is included in the induction programme. Further information about PDP can be found in the Code of Practice. 8.8 English Language Skills In the event of concerns being raised by tutors or supervisors about specific areas of weakness in language competence, for example at one of the key stages of the monitoring of progress, intensive language support and subsequent testing within a set period of time may be stipulated as a mandatory component of their subsequent teaching. In these circumstances, if a student does not achieve the required language levels within the set time period, their candidature will be terminated. 8.9 Guidance on format, word count, and binding of the thesis Full details of the required format of the thesis are laid down in Appendix 1 of the Code of Practice for Research Degrees to which reference should be made when preparing the work for submission. If there are any special aspects of the thesis or any special needs in relation to the examining process, these need to be flagged up as soon as possible with the supervisory team and the Research Degrees Committee. For information about the possibility of requesting a bar on access to the thesis, please see the relevant regulation in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. 24

25 8.10 Planning the Thesis The supervisory team is responsible for helping the research degree student to develop and draft the proposal and will comment and advise on that proposal until it is ready for submission to the Research Degrees Committee for approval. In addition, the supervisory team will be able to advise students on questions of ethics, risk assessment, intellectual property, and the inclusion of non-textual artefacts or published papers in research, if applicable. The Research Degrees Committee will be looking for clear evidence that the work proposed is soundly based and is likely to meet the criteria for the award of the degree the student is studying for. The full research proposal should provide: A comprehensive reflective analysis on progress and performance to date Clear aims and objectives; A method that is clearly mapped onto those objectives; A realistic time-scale for each of these objectives; Adequate referencing and context to the research; A detailed plan of work Aims and objectives The principal aim of the research programme should be to drive and direct a student s research. The aim should reflect a well-defined gap in current knowledge. Postgraduate research is expected to produce a significant contribution to knowledge so it is essential that the aim will direct you towards accomplishing this. The aim should be regularly referred to and reinforced to maintain focus and prevent unnecessary or irrelevant work. The principal objects of the research programme are the specific outcomes of your research. They are connected to the aim of your thesis but outline the particular targets you will achieve with the thesis. Objectives should be therefore well defined in terms of the content of your thesis and in light of your research area Literature review The literature review is usually the chapter after the introduction in any research study. The importance of the review cannot be overstated. It is the foundation of the entire study and a poor review may be difficult or impossible to recover from in the study period allowed. A wellconducted and timely review will lead to increased confidence and definite goals being set for the rest of the study. The review has many purposes. It should enable the research student to: develop a sound knowledge of the field of study; develop core research skills: reading, library, networking, interview and communication; develop an understanding of previous research and the research currently underway; identify key institutions and individuals in the field of study; identify gaps in the current knowledge that the study will address; develop reporting and writing skills. The literature review is one of the main methods for a student to demonstrate that they satisfy one of the criteria for the award of a doctoral degree Research methodology Research students should ensure that they have a good understanding of research methodologies used in their particular field and seek training where necessary. Students 25

26 should ensure that the scope of the intended project is manageable within the normal timescale of the study and this should be a part of the initial discussions with the supervisory team Timetable Postgraduate research students should discuss their timetable and programme of work with the supervisory team to ensure that the project can be divided into a number of achievable discrete tasks. Estimates should be conservative, as setting optimistic deadlines may cause problems later Organisation One of the outcomes of undertaking a research degree is to learn how to become a proficient and effective research student. Good organisation is the hallmark of a good research student. Postgraduate research students should ensure that their working environment is organised. Referencing programmes such as Endnote or RefWorks may help. Students should ensure that copies of important references are kept and filed carefully Keeping a logbook / PDP It is required that a PDP / logbook, journal or diary in either paper or electronic form is kept of all meetings, references and important facts relevant to the research Regular writing or record keeping It is important for any student to write up or keep a record as the research progresses. Many research degrees are not completed on time because students are not sufficiently disciplined at writing-up what they have done. Writing up first-draft chapters or parts of chapters should be an on-going task. Whilst students should not expect a first-draft write-up to accurately reflect what will appear in the final thesis, it will form the basis of it and will save time later. Students should not be overly concerned with the quality of the prose at this stage as their writing skills will mature and improve considerably during the research programme. It is also advisable for students to ask someone else to proof-read their work. What is exactly required will vary per discipline. Students in certain disciplines, such as the Creative Arts, may be required to keep a visual diary to record the progress of their research. Other students, for example in science-based subjects, will be required to keep detailed records of their laboratory findings. Supervisory teams will give guidance as to what is required in this respect Support Talking and discussion is as important as reading. The supervisor(s) should be able to help students contact the leading figures in their field, make arrangements to meet with other research students in the field, and attend useful conferences References and bibliography There should be a complete bibliography of all works that are referred to in the thesis, whether as part of the literature review or as sources of information. This should be done in a recognised standard format and students should confirm with your supervisory team the referencing format that is most suitable for your discipline. Take considerable care in the compilation of the bibliography and ensure that every work referred to in the texts is correctly 26

27 listed in the bibliography. The most important thing is to be consistent in your referencing style throughout and to that ensure all cited works are traceable Recommended reading Bell. J., Doing Your Research Project (5 th ed) London: Open University Press. Cryer, P The Research Student s Guide to Success (3 rd ed.), London: Open University Press. Fairbairn, G., and Winch, C., Reading, Writing and Reasoning: A Guide for Students, (5 th ed) London Open University Press. Phillips, E. and Pugh, D How to Get a PhD, London: Open University Press. The Vitae website: Vitae is the UK organisation that supports the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff in higher education institutions and research institutes. 9 Transferring from MPhil to PhD Research and from Part One to Part Two for Professional Doctorates The transfer from MPhil go PhD should take place during the second year of full-time study (third year for part-time candidates). It is advisable that initial applications for transfer are be made as early as possible during this year. Any application for transfer MUST be made within the 18 month period after enrolment for full-time candidates (30 months for part-time candidates), and you must have received approval to transfer within 2 years of enrolment (3 years for part-time students) or you will only be able to submit for the award of MPhil. Further details on the regulations for transfer can be found in the Academic Quality Handbook. Transfer is approved only after a student has demonstrated sufficient progress in their research development to allow to the University be confident that the student should be able to continue to complete their doctoral studies successfully. 9.1 Transfer from MPhil to PhD Stage one The student should discuss the transfer with the supervisory team and the appropriate forms should be submitted to the Research Degrees Committee to approve the transfer panel and start the setting up of the transfer meeting. Students should submit a reflective report on their progress made so far, on the appropriate transfer form. They may, if they wish, also include a sample chapter. The reflective report must in all cases provide: A comprehensive account and analysis of progress to date; A clear proposal, with time-line, for the PhD stage of candidature Stage two An independent chair, the supervisory team, plus an independent assessor will interview the candidate on the basis of this piece of work and a presentation based upon it. 27

28 For possible outcomes from the transfer process please see Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook Stage three Following the panel meeting, the student will be informed of the recommended outcome by the panel Chair. The submitted work, the reports from the transfer interview and the recommended outcome are submitted to the Research Degrees Committee (and, where appropriate, the University of Wales DAAB) for approval Stage four The candidate will be informed of the official outcome by the Postgraduate Research Office. If the outcome of i or ii were recommended, the student will be transferred to the PhD programme. In the event that the student disagrees with the decision of the panel, the student has the right to appeal the decision. Please note that a student can have a maximum of two attempts at transfer. 9.2 Transfer from Part One to Part Two of an MRes programme of study or a Professional Doctorate Candidates for an MRes programme of study will be examined in two parts. Part One will comprise credits of taught material; Part Two will comprise credits and be research focused and completed by the presentation of a thesis and any portfolio of supporting material embodying the methods and results of the research. Candidates for a Professional Doctorate will be examined in two parts. Part One will comprise 180 credits of taught material; Part Two will be research focused and completed by the presentation of a thesis and any portfolio of supporting material embodying the methods and results of the research Stage One Following successful competion of Part One, candidates for an MRes or Professional Doctorate must request to transfer to Part Two through their Programme Director. The candidate must submit a research proposal to their Programme Director who will also review the student s performance so far as well as the proposal and suggest a supervisory team. The paperwork will then be submitted to the Admission Sub-Committee Stage Two The student will be informed of the official outcome by the Postgraduate Research Office. If the outcome recommends the transfer, the student will be transferred to Part Two of the MRes or the Professional Doctorate and be assigned a supervisor / supervisory team. However, the Research Degrees Committee may withhold approval on academic grounds, including inadequate or inappropriate research methodology or facilities or available supervisory capacity or expertise. In the event that the student disagrees with the decision, a formal appeal may be made as per the regulations in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. 10 Employment 28

29 It is important that research degrees students do not take upon them levels of employment that mean that their performance is hindered to such an extent that they cannot show adequate progress at annual monitoring stages, cannot complete their thesis by their end date of candidature, and cannot develop work that is of the required standard. Detailed guidelines about the levels of work permitted and the consequence of working too many hours can be found in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Please note that the University may require students to study part-time if levels of employment are too high and that no student can be enrolled on a full-time degree while in full-time employment. International students on visas cannot work for more than they are legally allowed by the UKVI. Students on sponsorships must adhere to the requirements laid down by sponsors. 11 Changing a mode of study Students can request to change their mode of study (e.g. from full-time to part-time or vice versa) by completing the appropriate forms. These are available from the Postgraduate Research Office or the University s website. The decision to change the mode of study should be discussed with your supervisory team prior to completing the form. Both the Faculty and the Research Degrees Committee, and where appropriate the University of Wales DAAB, will need to approve the request before the change in mode can be formally made. 12 Extension or Suspension of Studies If a student has a health or personal problem that has significantly affected their progress of study, he/she may wish to temporarily suspend until the problems are resolved. If a suspension of studies is granted, the student will need to develop a plan in conjunction with their supervisors, in order to re-establish satisfactory progress. In the case of medical issues, the University may request a fitness to study note from a medical practitioner before studies are resumed. An extension to the period of candidature can only be given in very exceptional circumstances. Regulations concerning a suspension and extension of studies can be found Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. Forms for such requests can be found on the university website and should be sent to the Postgraduate Research Office together with the relevant evidence to support your request for processing. The Research Degrees Committee will need to approve the request. For students enrolled for a University of Wales award, all requests will additionally be approved by the University of Wales. It is important that students discuss suspension or extension of candidature fully with their supervisory team in order to ensure that they fully realise their options. For example, in certain circumstances, it may make more sense to temporarily withdraw from studies and then to apply at a later stage again asking for the research already completed to be taken into account than to apply for a suspension. Similarly, it is clear from paperwork submitted to the Research Degrees Committee that not all students realise the distinction between a suspension and an extension. Please ensure that you fully discuss such requests with your supervisory team or your Faculty s or Collaborative Partnership s Director of Research Degrees. It is crucial that evidence is attached to each request. If you are not sure what evidence is needed, please contact staff in the Postgraduate Research Office who will be able to assist. Forms are available on the website and through MyDay. 13 Submission and Oral Examination 29

30 13.1 Financial requirements All registration fees and debts owing to the university must be paid in full prior to the submission of the thesis. The thesis will not be examined until all outstanding fee/debts have been paid Submission of the thesis To be eligible to submit a thesis, research degree students must be enrolled on the degree for which submission is intended, have paid all fees due (including any re-examination fee required) and satisfied all other financial obligations. Approximately three months before the expected completion of the thesis the student and supervisors will be notified by the Postgraduate Research Office of the upcoming deadline. The student is then requested to submit an intention to submit a thesis for examination form. This form is available on the website and through MyDay. At this time the supervisory team will propose a suitable Examining Board (see below for details of the Examining Board). The nomination for the Examining Board must be submitted by the supervisory team to the Research Degrees Committee and, where appropriate, University of Wales DAAB for approval. Details of the submission process will be sent to you 3 months prior to your submission or are available on the website and through the Postgraduate Research Office. The thesis should be submitted to the Postgraduate Research Office on or before the final date of candidature. It is important to note that not only should the thesis be submitted on or before your end date, a student may not amend, add to, or delete from or the thesis after it has been submitted and prior to examination save with the consent of the Chair of the Examining Board. A student can withdraw the thesis after it has been submitted and prior to the examination, but once a thesis has been withdrawn it cannot be submitted again for the same degree. If a student finds that material has been left out of the copies of the thesis sent to the examiners, it is the decision of the Chair of the Examining Board on whether to permit the missing material to be sent to the examiners Early submission of thesis In some cases, a student may wish to submit their thesis before the official end date. You will still be required to pay the full fees for the minimum candidature period even if you submit your thesis within this period. Early submission is a decision that should be made only after serious consultation with your supervisory team. You should involve your Director of Studies with your decision to submit early, as early submission may affect the academic quality of your work. In addition, your supervisory team are responsible for arranging your Examining Board and will need reasonable time to put the Examining Board in place. If you decide to submit early, after consultation with your supervisory team, please inform the Postgraduate Research Office who will send you an Intention to submit form. The Postgraduate Research Office will also seek written confirmation from your Director of Studies that they are aware of your intention to submit early. If your supervisory team does not agree with your intention to submit early, they will write to you formally, outlining the potential consequences of such an action. Further guidelines with regard to early submission can be found in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. 30

31 If you are an international student who holds a Tier 4 (General) visa, you should be aware that an early thesis submission may impact on the duration of your visa and, if you have any concerns on this, please consult the International Office The Examining Board The Examining Board is normally made up of: Independent Chair; Internal Examiner; External Examiner. The Chair, who may not be a member of the supervisory team, will be an experienced member of UWTSD academic staff. It is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that the examination is conducted in an appropriate manner and according to established procedures. In some circumstances, there may be a variation to the Examining Board. For example, members of staff will have two (independent) external examiners. In all cases, students are informed of the members of the Examining Board prior to the examination. Students need to ensure that their supervisory team and Faculty or collaborative partnership institution are fully aware of any co-authored papers that they have published so as to avoid a potential conflict of interest in relation to the composition of their Examining Board. Members of the supervisory team are not eligible to be an examiner or a Chair, although with the student s agreement any member of the supervisory team may be present as an observer during the oral examination. The Examining Board nominations are considered by the Research Degrees Committee and, where appropriate, the University of Wales DAAB prior to the examination, to ensure that the members are appropriately qualified and that the overall composition of the Board adheres to the examining regulations. Once approved, the Postgraduate Research Office will inform the student, the Examining Board and the supervisory team of the Examining Board membership. Students should not contact members from the Examining Board during or after the examining process. The Postgraduate Research Office will make the arrangements for the oral examination in consultation with the Examining Board, and the student will then receive confirmation of the arrangements made. Detailed information about Examining Boards and examiners can be found in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook Oral examination On completion and submission of the thesis, all students for research degrees are assessed on the submitted thesis and by a oral examination. At the end of the candidature period, the candidate will submit two temporary bound copies of the theses and one electronic copy. These copies are sent to the two examiners for examination. For students within the area of the Creative and Performing Arts and for candidates submitting work for a PhD in Published Works guidelines are given in the regulations in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook and the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. For corrections students submit one temporary bound copy; for resubmissions two temporary bound copies are submitted. For requests to hold the oral examination by electronic means, please see the regulations and procedures in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. 31

32 The date of the examination is normally within twelve working weeks of the examiners receipt of the thesis. The examiners will prepare reports following the examination of the thesis and the oral defence. These reports, along with the recommended outcome, will be submitted to the Research Degrees Committee and, where appropriate (in the case of UW students), the University of Wales DAAB prior to the student being informed of the official outcome. Please note that DAAB only meets bi-monthly and that there can, as a result, be a significant period between the viva and the notification of the formal outcome. The student will then be sent the examination reports by the Postgraduate Research Office along with the official outcome of the examination. All oral examinations will be recorded unless students have explicitly opted out of this process. Students who do not wish their oral examination to be recorded forfeit their right to an appeal based on the conduct of the oral examination. For further information about the recording of oral examinations please see the Code of Practice for Research Degrees Examination of the thesis (prior to the oral examination) Prior to the oral examination, both examiners will write and submit an independent report to the Postgraduate Research Office on the thesis. These reports will form part of the examination report which will also consist of a joint report from the oral examination For protocols relating to the examination of theses including non-textual artefacts please consult the Code of Practice for Research Degrees The oral examination The oral examination is an oral defence of the thesis and its purpose can be summarised as follows: It is the means by which the awarding body determines whether the student has fulfilled the requirements for the award and that the thesis is of an appropriate standard. It provides a mechanism to ensure that the work is the student s own. It helps the examiners determine how far the student is able to talk about their research project and enables them to seek clarification on the research methods and findings. It gives the student the opportunity to explain any issues about their work that examiners might have identified. It provides a means of identifying any changes required to the thesis or further investigation required prior to completion. During the oral examination students are allowed: reference to a copy of their thesis. However, no other written material, including questions, notes, books or dictionaries can be taken in. For students in the Creative Arts, where the thesis may take the form of a portfolio of work in addition to a critical analysis, students are asked to consult with their supervisory team in relation to what would be appropriate to take with them. This will need to be approved by the Research Degrees Committee as part of the setting up of the Examining Board. to request that a member of their supervisory team attends as a silent observer. The Director of Studies or any other member of the supervisory team is not allowed to participate in the examination including asking or answering questions, but may take notes Preparing for an oral examination 32

33 It is recommended that all students should have a mock oral examination prior to the examination so that they know what to expect, including the format and type of questions that may be asked. The Director of Studies should organise this. It is important to remember however, that, although this is an official examination of the thesis, this is also the one opportunity that the student has, of talking about their research and interest to two very interested academics, who are experts within this field. It is important that students have thoroughly read and re-read the thesis, making notes as appropriate and that they are conversant with the work of others in the relevant and related fields of study and that they have kept up-to-date with research The oral examination process The examiners will ask students probing questions about the thesis; this is an important aspect of the examination process. These questions may be very specific, of a general character or indeed very complex. Students should take the time to answer the questions fully and to the best of their ability. In answering the examiners questions, students should aim to do the following: Try to remain calm, answering questions calmly and as clearly as possible. They may wish to take notes of a particular question, or jot down points. Demonstrate their understanding of research in the relevant field and of appropriate research methods, perhaps justifying the methods adopted. Seek clarification of the question if they are unclear. Students should defend their views or challenge those of the examiner if they have a different interpretation, but should ensure that their views can be substantiated by referencing appropriate evidence or literature. Students should avoid being confrontational. Raise any questions or concerns they may have. Once the examination is complete, the student will be asked to leave the room whilst the Examining Board discuss the various possible outcomes Possible outcomes There are a number of possible outcomes following the examination of a thesis which can be found in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook Notification of results The examiners will usually notify the student of the recommended outcome at the end of the examination process. However this outcome is only a recommended outcome and needs to be approved by the Research Degrees Committee and, for UW candidates, the University of Wales DAAB. This process can take some time and it may be several weeks before the student is officially notified of the result. The Research Degrees Committee may refer the paperwork back to the Examining Board for further consideration if the recommended outcome and the tenor of the reports do not match up. Students will receive a letter and a copy of the examination reports confirming the outcome of the examination. Where corrections and amendments are required, these will be detailed together with the deadline for receipt of thesis. If there are extenuating circumstances which are preventing the candidate from submitting their corrections and amendments by the deadline, or resubmitting their thesis by the deadline, students should notify the Postgraduate Research Office at the earliest opportunity, in advance of the (re)submission date and fill in an extension request form. 33

34 Corrections and Amendments to thesis If the official outcome of the examination was that there are a number of corrections and amendments to be worked on, the student must complete these and submit the thesis to the Postgraduate Research Office within the specified timeframe. The corrected thesis will then be sent to the examiner who has been appointed by the Examining Board to check the work done (usually the internal examiner). If the examiner is content that the corrections and amendments have been completed satisfactorily, the Examining Board is required to sign a form to confirm they are content with the corrections and amendments and for the degree to be awarded. In some cases, if the examiners are not satisfied that all the required work is done, they may require further period of 4 weeks to complete the corrections and amendments before they are approved. The form is submitted to the Research Degrees Committee and, where appropriate, the University of Wales DAAB for approval. The University will then request the certificate to be issued to the student. Please note, that, if the certificate is issued by the University of Wales, as the awarding body, it can take up to 8 weeks for the certificate to arrive Resubmission of thesis If the official outcome of the examination was a resubmission, the student must complete the recommended changes and resubmit two hard copies of the thesis and one electronic copy of the thesis within the specified time frame. Students will be expected to maintain close contact with their supervisory team throughout this process and have the required number of formal meetings as per the monitoring policy outlined in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Sometimes there will be a change of supervisory team for the resubmission process; students will be informed of such a change by the Postgraduate Research Office. The theses will then be sent to both examiners for re-examination. A second oral examination will be held unless after both examiners have submitted their independent reports, it is agreed by the Examining Board of the resubmission to waive the requirement for an oral examination. Please note that, in certain cases, as outlined in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook, it is mandatory to hold a second oral examination. It is also possible that the examiners may require additional corrections to be made to the resubmitted thesis before it is approved. Once the examiners are content that everything has been completed satisfactorily, the Examining Board is required to sign a form to this effect. The form is submitted to the Research Degrees Committee and, where appropriate, the University of Wales DAAB for approval. The university will then request the certificate to be issued to the student. Please note that if the certificate is issued by the University of Wales, as the awarding body, it can take up to 8 weeks to arrive. In addition, if the official outcome of an oral examination recommends an extended period of corrections and you are an international student on a Tier 4 (General) visa, you will be required to return to your home country after your existing visa expires to complete this work Submit as an MPhil (only in the case of a PhD submission) If the official outcome of the examination is that the thesis may be submitted or resubmitted as an MPhil, the student is expected to maintain close contact with their supervisory team throughout this process as per the monitoring policy outlined in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees Fail 34

35 This outcome is extremely rare and is not a decision that the Examining Board would make easily Permanent binding of thesis Following confirmation of the award from the Research Degrees Committee and, where appropriate, the University of Wales DAAB, students will be asked to make arrangements to submit the thesis in permanent binding. Information relating to the permanent binding of the thesis is contained in Appendix 1 of the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. 14 Unfair practice Unfair practice is passing off, or attempting to pass off, another s work as one s own. It includes copying the words, ideas, images or research results of another without acknowledgement, whether those words etc. are published or unpublished. It is unfair practice, for example, to copy the work of another student, of a member of staff or a published article without crediting the author. Persons who allow their work to be plagiarised are also guilty. Unfair practice is one of the worst offences in academic life and its consequences can be severe. It undermines the integrity of scholarship, research, and of the examination and assessment process. The guidance that follows explains what is meant by unfair practice, describes the University s regulations for dealing with it, and provides help in avoiding it. All students are asked to submit an electronic copy in PDF format along with the required number of hard copies. This is so that the work can be checked for unfair practice Unfair practice regulations for research degrees can be found in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook Avoiding unfair practice Although all thesis and creative works are presented as the student s own original work, a student will use the work of others; not only is this inevitable, it is expected, as all scholarship builds upon the work of others. However, these sources must always be acknowledged. Observe the following guidelines: Anything that is copied or quoted from another source, including electronic sources such as the internet, must be in quotation marks and attributed to the original author. This may be in the body of the text or as a footnote. Full details of a source may be contained in a bibliography. Whatever method is used, always acknowledge the source and give full details of it (i.e. title, author, page number). Synthesising the work of others involves paraphrasing another s ideas and should always be acknowledged. If the ideas or the way they are presented come from one or two main sources, students must make this clear. It is important that students do not claim originality where it does not exist, but indicate in general where information comes from. If in doubt, provide references. It is essential that you discuss any uncertainties you have with your Director of Studies, in particular with the method of citing books and articles, which may differ from subject to subject. There are no penalties for asking for advice and guidance; there are severe penalties for unfair practice! 14.2 Penalties for unfair practice 35

36 Plagiarism by students in theses will be dealt with according to the Unfair Practice regulations. These can be found in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. If unfair practice is detected in the thesis of a research degree student by one of the examiners, the oral examination process will be halted and a Committee of Inquiry will be set up. If unfair practice is detected by the supervisory team in drafts of the thesis, then this will be immediately discussed with the candidate and be taken into account in assessment of the student s performance during the annual review process. There are a range of penalties, varying in severity, available for consideration by the University s Committee of Inquiry. All supervisory teams and examiners are required to be vigilant in the detection of unfair practice and are required to take action in all cases where it is suspected. Please note that unfair practice of the work of another student is no different from taking material directly from published sources. If a student allows someone to plagiarise their work, that individual will also be subject to the application of penalties. Intellectual Property Rights means the ownership of any copyright, design rights, invention, discovery or improvement produced by a candidate during the course of their research. The Rights aim to protect the interests of both the candidate and the University and are to be interpreted in a spirit of reasonableness. The regulations for issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights are detailed in the University s policy on Student Intellectual Property Rights, a copy of which is available on the University s website and through MyDay. Research degree students are required to submit a statement stipulating that the thesis is their own original work. The research thesis will not be examined if the unfair practice statement is not included. This form is sent to the student prior to the submission process and is also available on the university website. 15 Research governance Good governance of research is intended to ensure that research projects are carried out properly and ethically and reported properly. All research students are responsible for ensuring that their conduct conforms to the standards required by UWTSD as outlined in the University s Research Integrity and Ethics policy which is available through the University s website and MyDay. Research students and supervisors of research students have additional responsibilities to conform to standards of good governance of research. Students need to keep their supervisors fully informed of all their activities and give them full access to their research materials so that they can properly fulfil their supervisory obligations. Supervisors have an obligation to ensure, as far as they reasonably can, that the student has carried out the research project in conformity with all the requirements for good research practice. 16 Research misconduct Misconduct whether deliberate, reckless or negligent may include: Deception in relation to research proposals Unfair practice, or dishonest use of unacknowledged sources; Fabrication or falsification of research data. 36

37 17 Appeals and Complaints 17.1 Appeals Students have the right to appeal against an outcome of the examination process a transfer decision or the outcome of the annual monitoring or any follow-up monitoring processes, in accordance with the procedures established for the purpose (see the Procedures for Academic Appeals for research degrees in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook). Appeals which question the academic or professional judgement of supervisors or examiners are not admissible. Appeals made on grounds that students are dissatisfied or disappointed with an assessment result or outcome are not admissible. In the event that students are not satisfied with the outcome of an appeal, they are entitled to take the issue to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education. Full details of the procedure are available from the OIA website: Complaints Students have a right to make a complaint about any specific concern about the provision of their Programme of Study, their supervision, or a related academic service. Informal complaints can be submitted to the Director of Studies, the Faculty s or Collaborative Partnership s Director of Research Degrees, the Head of School or the Dean of Faculty. They will first seek to resolve the complaint informally. If that is not possible, they will refer students to the University s processes and regulations for complaints for research degrees as contained in Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook. Full details of the complaints process for research degree provision can be found in the Procedure for Student Complaints in Chapter 8 of the AQH and in supporting documentation available on the intranet. Complaints must be put in writing for any formal stage of the procedure to be instigated. In the event that students are not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, they are entitled to take the issue to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education. Full details of the procedure are available from the OIA website: The Procedure for Student Complaints does not cover complaints about the behaviour of other students. If you wish to make a complaint of this nature you should instead direct it to the Director of Student Services. 18 Your conduct at the University In order to make your time at the University a safe and pleasant experience, the University has a framework of regulations. It is important that they are clear to all students whatever their level of study and so they need to be quite formal. For your information the regulations governing student conduct are set out below. For distance learning students, additional information can be found in the University s Distance Learning Student Guide General Regulations Students must observe all regulations that govern the effective organisation and management of specific areas of activity within the University. These include those relating to financial 37

38 requirements, health and safety, the use of learning, computing, child care, refreshment, sport and recreational facilities, any professional codes of practice pertaining to any element of the students programme of study and residential accommodation. There are also separate regulations pertaining to student use of Students Union facilities Appropriate Behaviour Whilst you are on the University campus, in University premises off campus or engaged in University activities, you must not: (a) commit physical assault, behave threateningly or engage in oral or written abuse to other students, staff or visitors to the University via any means of communication including social media; (b) make malicious allegations against other members of the University via any means of communication including social media; (c) damage University property or property of other students, staff or visitors; (d) misappropriate any University property, funds or assets; (e) act in any way which is likely to cause injury to any other person within the University community, including impairing the safety of premises or equipment and interfering with anything provided in the interests of Health and Safety at Work; (f) engage in any activity or behaviour which contravenes the University's Equality and Diversity policies, which are available on the University intranet; (g) behave in any way which unreasonably interferes with the legitimate freedoms of any other student, member of staff, or visitor, or which disrupts or interferes with activities properly carried out by the University; (h) commit any criminal act on or off of the University premises; (i) behave in such a way as may be reasonably deemed to harm or in any way undermine the reputation of the University or its relationship with the local community. This list is not exhaustive. Any behaviour that is considered to be unacceptable, inappropriate and which may bring the University into disrepute will be regarded as a breach of general regulations, and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action. Any behaviour that involves any form of police action and/or intervention on or off of University premises will automatically result in appropriate disciplinary action following a review by Student Services and the Faculty to which the student belongs Academic requirements You must ensure that you satisfy programme, supervisory contact, and any attendance requirements and should bear in mind that it is the University's responsibility to report unsatisfactory attendance to grant awarding authorities, and where appropriate, to employers or other sponsors. You are responsible for notifying the Director of Studies without delay of any prolonged absence. If you need to travel for research purposes or cannot continue your studies through illness or other unavoidable cause, you should contact the Postgraduate Research Office immediately and provide any necessary documentary evidence to support your absence. Procedures in relation to authorised absence are contained in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. You must not attempt to secure an unfair advantage over others in assessment, as detailed in the University procedures for dealing with allegations of unfair practice in assessment (see Chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook). 38

39 You are required to register during the official registration periods that are determined by the University. For international students there may be additional registration points during the year. You must make sure that you are aware of, and abide by, the regulations as specified in the University s policy on Intellectual Property Rights, a copy of which is available through MyDay, and in the University's policy on Ethics and Research Financial requirements Programme fees and registration fees are payable in full upon enrolment. If fees are to be paid by a sponsor, then you should produce documentary evidence of grant aid/sponsorship when registering. Programme fees are normally charged on an annual basis but in the event of a student discontinuing the programme, fees will be charged pro-rata up to the date at which the Postgraduate Research Office is informed in writing on the appropriate form that they have withdrawn. Accommodation charges are payable termly in full. Students who cause damage to University property will be required to pay for such damage, and students who lose University property will be required to pay for such loss. Students living in University accommodation will be held responsible for any damage to their individual rooms and to communal areas, and will be charged for any damage caused by them or by third parties both to private living areas and to communal areas. You must ensure that sufficient funds are available to honour any personal cheques presented as payment to the University Health and Safety The University Health and Safety policy can be found on the University intranet. Everyone has a responsibility for reading and adhering to the Health and Safety policy. Failure to observe any part could result in disciplinary and/or legal action being taken by the University against offenders. If you have any questions about Health and Safety procedures in relation to your studies, please contact your Programme Director or supervisory team in the first instance. For any concerns about the campus or its buildings, please contact the Estates Office. Information relating to health issues such as meningitis may also be obtained from the Director of Student Services. You must read and comply with all health, fire and safety regulations, and co-operate with all activities in respect of such regulations. Interfering with any safety equipment, for example, obscuring smoke alarms will be regarded as a serious disciplinary offence. You should note that it is a criminal offence to set off a fire alarm maliciously. Any student found to be guilty of such actions may be liable to criminal prosecution as well as disciplinary action. Students undertaking learning activities on campus must comply strictly with University regulations. 39

40 Students undertaking field work as part of their research are required to comply with any health and safety instructions given by tutors, supervisors, or other individuals involved with the organisation and operation of the course. Students who are undertaking research are required to comply with the health and safety regulations of the Faculty or collaborative partnership. Students on work placements are required to comply with the health and safety regulations of their allocated workplace setting. You must adhere to the University policy on smoking when you are on the University campus and on excursions and events organised by the University. Accidents must be notified promptly to the Programme Director or supervisory team to the Estates Office. You must keep away from areas that have been designated as out of bounds to students. These areas include: The roofs of all buildings whether academic or residential; Electrical substations, conduits and switching gear; Boiler houses; Lift and hoist control mechanisms; Sites where building or construction are taking place; Master controls for the alarm systems (as distinct from activating a fire alarm in an emergency); Areas used to store Estates machinery and consumables; IT and Comms areas; Kitchens other than those in student residencies; All areas signed with Staff Only, Permit to Work Required, Authorised Persons Only, Restricted Access and other signs of a similar nature. Students' vehicles, motor cycles and cycles must be parked in designated areas Regulations Governing the Use of Information Technology The rules for the use of IT at the University are contained in the Information Services Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), and other policy and procedural documents. These can be accessed through MyDay and be found at website/content-assets/documents/strategies-policies/2.0-its-acceptable-use-policy pdf. Each user is responsible for reading and adhering to the contents of these documents. Failure to observe any part could result in disciplinary and/or legal action being taken by the University against offenders. In addition, it is the responsibility of all users to familiarise themselves with current IT legislation, and act in accordance with it Liability for Loss or Damage The University is not liable for loss or damage to personal property brought on to or left on campus Student Debt to the University Details of the various mechanisms that are in place to help students manage their finances are available from Student Services or from the web-site. Students can apply for various academic 40

41 scholarships and bursaries to provide financial support during the course of their studies. It may also be possible for students to gain financial support for their studies from the Financial Contingency Fund. This fund is managed by the Financial Contingency Fund Committee and meets every two weeks during term time. Emergency applications are normally dealt with within 24 hours. Money Doctor Surgeries are held on a regular basis on each of the two campuses to provide advice and guidance for dealing with student debt; distance students are able to access this facility by phone through contacting Student Services. However, any student who is in debt to the University and who has not made acceptable arrangements to manage and repay the debt may be excluded from University services. In such cases, the University has the right not to accept work for examination and may not allow students to progress or transfer. No reference or award certificate will be provided for any student who is in debt to the University. In addition, the University may take appropriate steps to recover any outstanding debts and recover or replace any University property. Where a student no longer attends the University, and where the University receives no response from the student to communication in the form of letters, telephone calls or messages, the University may instigate legal proceedings to recover the debt. If a student is in debt, they are strongly advised to contact Student Services or the Finance Department for assistance in identifying a mechanism for dealing with the debt Disciplinary Issues The University has in place a series of regulations that govern disciplinary procedures. These can be found in the Chapters 8 and 13 of the Academic Quality Handbook. 19 Student Support The support service provides a professional support service with high quality information, advice, guidance, practical and emotional support to enable all students to reach their full potential Carmarthen Campus The Student Services unit at Carmarthen is based in Canolfan Myddfai, behind the Students' Union. The office is open between 9.00am pm Monday to Thursday and 9.00 am pm on Friday. Contact telephone number: [email protected] 19.2 Lampeter Campus The Student Services unit at Lampeter is based in the Canterbury Building where all studentfacing professional units are based. The offices are open from 9.00am-5.00pm Monday to Friday during term time. 41

42 Contact telephone number: London campus The University also has Student Services staff based at our London campus who can provide support to students who are studying programmes at our London campus. Contact telephone number: Swansea campus Contact telephone number: General Information 20.1 Contact information The University is committed to providing the best possible portfolio of services to its students. We would particularly draw your attention to the following individuals and services. They have been provided for your use, and you should avail yourselves of them when necessary. All Faculties and collaborative partnership institutions with research degrees provision have, depending on the number of research degree students that they have, at least one Faculty Director of Research Degrees. Your supervisory team will be able to let you know who your Faculty / Collaborative Partnership Director of Research Degrees is. For the most up-to-date contact information for a range of other support services, please see the relevant sections on the University website as detailed below. If you are not sure how to contact another service, please get in touch with the staff from the Postgraduate Research Office ([email protected]). Please use at all times the general Postgraduate Research Office addresses rather than the addresses of individual members of staff so that we can ensure that you receive a response to your queries as quickly as possible. For all general queries please use: [email protected] Useful Web addresses Academic Office (including the Postgraduate Research Office) Finance

43 General distance learning Information Services Learning Resources (LRR) Moodle Registry Research Innovation and Enterprise Services Student Services

44 Appendix 1 - Student Lifecycle STUDENT PROFILE/LIFECYCLE Full time MPhil / PhD Name Mode Full time DofS Student number Start date 2nd supervisor Route Minimum end date Maximum end date Year 1 - MPhil Date Sept 01 October October / PDP December/January January April/May July September Event Induction programme Commence studies Start Generic Skills Module Submit Initial Experience Questionnaire Full Research Proposal completed Annual Review Annual Graduate Summer School Re-enrolment process for the next academic year Completed For contact requirements please consult the monitoring policy in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees Year 2 Transfer to PhD Date October April April/May July September Event Application for transfer to PhD should commence Transfer process must have been completed Completed Annual monitoring review Annual Graduate Summer School Re-enrolment process for next academic year

45 Year 3, 4 or 5 (subject to taking optional continuation period) Date October April July July July September Event Continue work on the thesis Annual Monitoring Review Intention to submit form Nomination of the Examination Board to the Research Degrees Committee for approval Graduate Summer School mock viva Submit thesis end of study period Tentative submission timeline Date November/December December/January January/February Outcome for PhD: Event Oral examination Examiners reports to be submitted to the RDC and where appropriate the UW DAAB for approval before award can be confirmed. Examiners reports sent and outcome communicated to student For possible outcomes and associated time periods for revision please see chapter 8 of the Academic Quality Handbook 45

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