REGULATIONS FOR RESEARCH DEGREE PROGRAMMES. MPhil PhD PhD by Published Work Professional Doctorates Higher Doctorates

Transcription

1 REGULATIONS FOR RESEARCH DEGREE PROGRAMMES MPhil PhD PhD by Published Work Professional Doctorates Higher Doctorates May 2013

2 Contents Page 1. Principles 4 2. Master of Philosophy/Doctor of Philosophy 5-10 Admission Requirements 5 Registration Period 5 3. Postgraduate Certificate in Research Skills 6 4. Academic Progression for MPhil/PhD 6 Registration 6 1 st Progress Report 7 Annual Report 7 Transfer to PhD 7 Suspension of Registration 7 Extension of Registration 7 Withdrawal of Registration 7 Examination 8 Thesis 9 5. Professional Doctorates General Principles 11 Admission of Students 11 The Programme Structure 12 Coursework Component 12 Thesis Component 12 Registration Period 13 Academic Progression Registration 13 1 st Progress Report 13 Annual Report 13 Suspension of Registration 14 Extension of Registration 14 Withdrawal of Registration 14 Examination 14 Thesis PhD by Published Work Entry Requirements 17 Eligibility for Registration for the Award 17 Significant Connections 17 Publications to be Submitted 17 Role of the Director of Studies 18 Length of Registration 18 Submission of Work 18 Examination 18 Thesis 19 Confidentiality of PhD by Published Work 19 Page 2

3 7. Higher Doctorates Entry Requirements 20 Eligibility for Registration for the Award 20 Significant Connections 20 Publications to be Submitted 20 Applying for the Higher Doctorate 21 Role of the Supervisor/Adviser 21 Length of Registration 21 Examination 21 Role of the Examiners 22 Confidentiality of the Higher Doctorate 22 Page 3

4 Principles 1.1 London South Bank University (hereinafter referred to as 'the University') shall award to registered students who have successfully completed approved programmes of supervised research, the degrees of: Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Professional Doctorates Doctor of Philosophy by Published Work (PhD by PW) Higher Doctorates 1.2 Programmes of research may be proposed in any approved field of study subject to the requirement that the proposed programme is capable of leading to scholarly research and to its presentation for assessment by appropriate examiners. All proposed research programmes shall be considered for research degree registration on their academic merits and without reference to the concerns or interests of any associated funding body. The written thesis may be supplemented by material in other than written form. The research must obtain ethical approval where appropriate. 1.3 The University shall encourage co-operation with industrial, commercial, professional or research establishments for the purposes of research leading to research degree awards. Such co-operation shall be intended: a) to encourage outward-looking and relevant research; b) to extend the student's own experience and perspectives of the work; c) to provide a wider range of experience and expertise to assist in the development of the project; d) to be mutually beneficial; and, e) where appropriate, to enable the student to become a member of a specialist research community. 1.4 Co-operation may be formalised with one or more bodies external to the University. For the purpose of the research degree regulations these shall be referred to as Collaborating Establishments. Formal collaboration shall normally involve the student's use of facilities and other resources, including supervision, which are provided jointly by the University and the Collaborating Establishment. In such cases a formal letter from the Collaborating Establishment confirming the agreed arrangements should be submitted with the application, except where collaboration is an integral part of the project (as for instance with research council CASE awards). The name(s) of the Collaborating Establishment(s) shall normally appear on the student's thesis and degree certificate. 1.5 Registration as a student may only take place following: (i) enrolment as a research student of the University; and (ii) approval of the registration of the student, by the Research Degrees Committee or one of its Sub-Committees acting on behalf of the University. Since this approval requires appropriate academic judgement to be brought to bear on the viability of each research proposal, the Research Degrees Committee shall be composed of persons who are, or have recently been, engaged in research and who have appropriate experience of successful research degrees supervision 1.6 A student who does not progress satisfactorily may be withdrawn from their programme. Page 4

5 2 Master of Philosophy/Doctor of Philosophy 2.1 The MPhil shall be awarded to a candidate who, having critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic and demonstrated an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field, has presented and defended a thesis by oral examination to the satisfaction of the examiners. 2.2 The PhD shall be awarded to a candidate who, having critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic resulting in an independent and original contribution to knowledge, and demonstrated an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field, has presented and defended a thesis by oral examination to the satisfaction of the examiners. 2.3 Admission requirements 2.4 An applicant for the degree of MPhil, or MPhil with possibility of transfer to PhD, should normally hold a first or second class honours degree of a UK University, or a qualification which is regarded by the Research Degrees Committee as equivalent to such an honours degree. 2.5 An applicant holding qualifications other than those in paragraph 2.4 shall be considered on his/her merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the programme of work proposed. In considering an applicant in this category, the Research Degrees Committee shall look for evidence of the student's ability and background knowledge in relation to the proposed research. Professional experience, publications, written reports or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment shall be taken into consideration. The Research Degrees Committee may require an applicant to pass an externally assessed qualifying examination at final year honours degree level before registration is approved. An applicant wishing to be considered under this regulation shall include in the application the names of two suitable persons whom the University may consult concerning the student's academic attainment and fitness for research. 2.6 Direct registration for the degree of PhD may only be permitted exceptionally to an applicant who holds a Master s degree awarded a UK University, or an overseas Master s degree of an equivalent standard, provided that the Master s degree is in a discipline which is appropriate to the proposed research and that the Master s degree included training in research and in the execution of a research project and/or is part of a Research Council approved 1+3 research degree programme. 2.7 Overseas students are expected to have attained a certain level of English language both written and spoken, usually through a recognised English language qualification. The minimum requirement is normally IELTS 7.0; TOEFL 610; Cambridge Proficiency or Advanced Grade C or above. Page 5

6 2.8 Registration Period The minimum and maximum periods of registration shall be as follows: Minimum Maximum MPhil full-time 18 months 48 months part-time 30 months 72 months PhD [via transfer from MPhil registration and including that period of MPhil registration, or for a programme including formally assessed postgraduate study]. Full-time 33 months 72 months Part-time 45 months 108 months PhD [direct, without formally assessed postgraduate study] Full-time 25 months 60 months Part-time 36 months 72 months After the minimum period of registration has been reached, successful transfer to PhD and with the approval of the Director of Studies, a student may at the next enrolment elect to transfer to writing up. This will be the final year of registration for which a lower fee may apply. 3. Postgraduate Certificate in Research Skills (for Students who enrolled September 2009 onwards) 3.1 Students who enrolled from September 2009 onwards will work concurrently towards a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Skills that is an integral component of the MPhil/PhD programme. 3.2 Please refer to the Course Handbook and unit guides for further details on the certificate. 4. Academic Progression 4.1 Registration Registration is the process by which the proposed research project of an enrolled student is accepted by the Research Degrees Committee as a suitable subject for research at postgraduate level. Once students have been enrolled they have a probationary period, during which they are required to prepare their research proposal for registration. Students should ensure that ethical approval has been obtained for their research project (see Research Ethics on the Research Student s website). All students shall normally, within six months (Full-Time Students) or nine months (Part- Time students) of their enrolment, submit an application to the Research Degree Committee, to register for the degree of: a) MPhil; or b) MPhil/PhD; or, exceptionally, c) PhD Direct Page 6

7 4.2 1 st Progress Report All students shall, in their first year of enrolment and no later than 12 months after their enrolment, submit a 1 st progress report in accordance with the requirements laid down by the Faculty in which they are enrolled. Students shall submit their 1 st progress report to the Director of Postgraduate Research (or equivalent) who shall arrange for it to be assessed by the Faculty Research Committee (or equivalent) and shall issue a decision notice to the student and copy it to their Director of Studies (First Supervisor) and to the Research Degrees Committee. 4.3 Annual Report All students in subsequent years shall submit an annual report through their Director of Studies (First Supervisor) to the Director of Postgraduate Research (or equivalent). There shall not be an interval of more than twelve months, between the submission of a 1 st progress report assessed as satisfactory and the submission of an annual report, or between the submission of two consecutive annual reports. The annual report shall outline progress with the programme and key skills training during the year. The Director of Postgraduate Research (or equivalent) shall arrange for the annual report to be approved or deferred by the Faculty Research Committee (or equivalent), and shall issue a decision notice to the student and copy it to their Director of Studies (First Supervisor) and to the Research Degrees Committee. 4.4 Transfer to PhD A student who wishes to transfer to PhD and who registered initially for MPhil with possibility of transfer to PhD, must apply on the appropriate form to the Research Degrees Committee when they have made sufficient progress on the work to provide evidence of the development to PhD (normally after about months of full-time study or months of part-time study). 4.5 Suspension of Registration If a student has registered with the Research Degrees Committee but is prevented, by ill-health or other cause, from making progress with the research, the registration may be suspended by the Research Degrees Committee, normally for not more than one year at a time without review. The application for a period of suspension must normally be supported by written evidence produced by the student. 4.6 Extension of Registration The Research Degrees Committee may extend a student s period of registration, normally for not more than one year at a time. A student seeking such an extension shall normally apply on the appropriate form before the end of the original registration period. No extension of registration is possible once a student has transferred to writing up, unless there is an approved suspension during the writing up period. 4.7 Withdrawal of Registration A student can be asked to withdraw from the programme if progress is deemed unsatisfactory, and a special panel has met and agreed this course of action. A student will be deemed to have withdrawn from the programme if no response is received following communication from the University. A student who wishes to withdraw from the programme must complete a withdrawal form.. Page 7

8 4.8 Examination A student shall be examined by at least two and not more than three examiners, of whom at least one shall be an external examiner. Staff students usually require three examiners: two external examiners and one internal examiner. An Independent Chair will be appointed by the RDC to all examining panels. The independent chair will not participate in the examination itself, but will provide advice on procedures, guidelines and academic regulations, and will ensure that the interests of the students are protected An internal examiner shall normally be defined as an examiner who is: a) a member of academic staff at the University; b) experienced in the examination of MPhil and PhD students; c) knowledgeable of the field of study that the thesis falls within The external examiner shall normally have substantial experience (that is, three or more previous examinations at the appropriate level) of examining research degree students. An external examiner shall be independent both of the University and of the Collaborating Establishment and shall not have acted previously as the student's supervisor or adviser. An external examiner shall normally not be either a supervisor of another student or an external examiner on a taught course in the same academic department at the University. Former members of staff of the University shall normally not be approved as external examiners until three years after the termination of their employment with the University. Former external examiners shall normally not be approved as external examiners until two years after the previous examination with the University. No student for a MPhil and/or PhD degree shall act as an examiner for a research degree. Preliminary Examination Each examiner must read and examine the thesis, and submit an independent preliminary report, on the appropriate form to the University before any oral or alternative form of examination is held. In completing the preliminary report, each examiner must consider whether the thesis satisfies the requirements of the degree and where possible make an appropriate provisional recommendation subject to the outcome of any oral examination. Oral Examination There will normally be an oral examination; following the oral examination the examiners shall, where they are in agreement, submit, on the appropriate form, a joint report and recommendation relating to the award of the degree to the Research Degrees Committee. The preliminary reports and joint recommendation of the examiners shall together provide sufficiently detailed comments on the scope and quality of the work to enable the Research Degrees Committee to satisfy itself that the recommendation is correct. Page 8

9 Where the examiners are not in agreement, separate reports and recommendations shall be submitted. The recommendations shall be made on the appropriate form. Following the completion of the examination the examiners may recommend that: a) the student should be awarded the degree; b) the student should be awarded the degree subject to minor amendments (typically typographical or grammatical errors, inappropriate references or changes that do not affect the outcomes and findings of the thesis) being made to the thesis. The student will be normally allowed three months to resubmit the work; the amendments will be subject to approval by either the internal or external examiner or all examiners as deemed appropriate by the examining team. c) the student should not be awarded the degree, but shall be permitted to re-submit for the degree and be re-examined as follows: The thesis requires major revisions (typically, substantial changes in two or more chapters or elements) and should be revised and submitted for reexamination by all the examiners, with or without a further oral examination normally no later than one year from the date of the viva. A student may not be failed without oral examination with the exception of non-submission of the revised thesis. d) in the case of a PhD examination: the student should not be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy but be offered the award of Master of Philosophy subject to the presentation of the thesis amended to the satisfaction of the examiners. e) the student should not be awarded the degree and should not be permitted to be re-examined. The Examiners may indicate informally their recommendation on the result of the examination to the student, but shall make it clear that the decision rests with the Research Degrees Committee and Academic Board. It is the student s responsibility to ensure that all amendments, including typographical and grammatical corrections, are carried out. If the student does not submit the amendments and corrections within the deadline, the student will normally be deemed to have failed. 4.9 Thesis Except with the specific permission of the Research Degrees Committee the thesis shall be presented in English. The text of the thesis should normally not exceed the following length (excluding ancillary data): for a PhD in Science, Engineering, Computing, Art and Design 40,000 words for an MPhil in Science, Engineering, Computing, Art and Design 20,000 words for a PhD in Arts, Social Sciences, Business, Health and Education 80,000 words for an MPhil in Arts, Social Sciences, Business, Health and Education 40,000 words Where the thesis is accompanied by material in other than written form or the research involves creative writing or the preparation of a scholarly edition, the written thesis should normally be within the range given below: for a PhD 30,000-40,000 words for an MPhil 15,000-20,000 words The University library copy shall be bound as follows: a) in at least 25pt type the outside front sheet to bear the title of the work, the name and initials of the student, the qualification, and the year of submission; b) One electronic copy of the thesis in pdf format for the University library and the British Library Page 9

10 5 Professional Doctorates 5.1 General Principles The University will award Professional Doctorates for successful completion of approved programmes of taught coursework and supervised research. These awards shall be comparable in standard to other doctoral awards. The Professional Doctorate will be awarded to registered students who have successfully completed all components of the coursework programme, and who have presented and defended a thesis by oral examination to the satisfaction of the examiners. The Professional Doctorate is a generic award. Titles for specific Professional Doctorate awards will relate to the subject area and will be agreed by Academic Board. The thesis component of the Professional Doctorate award may be selected from any area within the general field of the doctorate programme, consistent with the professional context of the student. Formal co-operation may be with one or more external bodies, which will be referred to as Collaborating Establishments. Such formal collaboration may involve a student using facilities and other resources provided jointly by the institution and the Collaborating Establishment(s), and include joint supervision of the student. In such cases a formal letter from the Collaborating Establishment confirming the agreed arrangements should be submitted with the application. The name(s) of the Collaborating Establishment(s) will appear on the student s thesis and degree certificate. 5.2 Admission of Students Applicants for the Professional Doctorate programme will normally have a Masters degree in a relevant discipline awarded by a UK University (or overseas Masters degree of equivalent standard); applicants should normally have had at least three full years full-time experience (or equivalent) in a relevant professional area. Applicants who have not completed a Masters degree but who can successfully demonstrate equivalent experience and qualification will be considered for entry into the programme. Such applicants must demonstrate this equivalence by providing evidence, appropriate to their individual and other professional circumstances, such as publications, written reports, a portfolio of work, or other professional accomplishments. This may include additional work, such as a critical and reflective essay. They must also normally have at least four years of full-time experience (or equivalent). Overseas students are expected to have attained a certain level of English language both written and spoken, usually through a recognised English language qualification. The minimum requirement is normally IELTS 7.0; TOEFL 610; Cambridge Proficiency or Advanced Grade C or above. Page 10

11 5.3 The Programme Structure The balance of coursework and thesis components in the Professional Doctorate programme will be specified when the award is validated/reviewed. The thesis component must normally comprise one half of the award. The programme specification must include all requirements of the relevant Code of Practice for the attainment of professional development and key skills. 5.4 Coursework Component Students must follow a programme of studies for the attainment of competence in research methods and of knowledge related to their professional practice and proposed thesis. Normally, no less than 50% of this coursework will be at post- Masters level i.e. to meet the National Qualification Framework descriptors at level 8. Students who successfully complete the coursework only, but who do not progress to the thesis component of a professional doctorate programme may attain an exit award at Masters level. The exit award at Masters level for the taught component must meet the University s regulatory requirement of 180 credits, with at least 150 credits at level 7 or above, and must also meet the national qualification descriptors for awards at level Thesis Component Students who have successfully completed the taught courses may be considered for progression to the research component of the award. The relevant award and progression board will review each student s profile and will normally only recommend for progression those who have passed all courses in the taught component. In deciding whether to recommend the student s progression to the thesis component of the award, the Committee will take into account: a) The number of coursework re-submissions so far made by the student. b) The nature of the dissemination of the student s work, as well as the quality of feedback received on that work. c) An overview of the student s progress during the taught courses, based on tutor observation and written feedback. d) Any documented extenuating circumstances that may have affected performance. e) The external examiner(s) will be directly consulted about all decisions on progression. For the thesis component, students will be expected to demonstrate the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline and merit publication, so as to meet the national qualification descriptors at level 8. The student s proposed topic, methodology, and supervisory team must be approved by the Research Degrees Committee. This approval will be through review of a registration form (RES2C). This may be submitted as soon as the students progression to the thesis component of the award has been recommended by the Award and Progression Board. If the thesis component is to be part of a group project, the programme of research to be undertaken by the applicant should, in itself, be distinguishable for the purposes of assessment. A student seeking a change in a registered research programme will apply in writing to the Research Degrees Committee for approval. Page 11

12 5.6 Registration Period The maximum registration period for the Professional Doctorate will be 96 months (8 years). In part-time attendance mode Taught element Minimum: 25 months Maximum: 36 months Thesis element Minimum: 36 months Maximum: 60 months In full-time attendance mode, Taught element Minimum: 12 months Maximum: 25 months Thesis element Minimum: 25 months Maximum: 48 months 5.7 Academic Progression Taught Component Refer to Taught Regulations and Faculty Specific Course Handbooks Registration Registration is the process by which the proposed research project of an enrolled student is accepted by the Research Degrees Committee as a suitable subject for research at postgraduate level. Professional Doctorate students have to submit an application to register the research component of their degree on successful completion of the taught component. The students should ensure that ethical approval has been obtained for their research project (see Research Ethics on the Research Student s website) st Progress Report All students shall, in their first year of thesis component and no later than 12 months after transferring to the research component, submit a 1 st progress report in accordance with the requirements laid down by the Faculty in which they are enrolled. Students shall submit their 1 st progress report to the Director of Postgraduate Research (or equivalent) who shall arrange for it to be assessed by the Faculty Research Committee (or equivalent) and shall issue a decision notice to the student and copy it to their Director of Studies (First Supervisor) and to the Research Degrees Committee Annual Report All students in subsequent years shall submit an annual report through their Director of Studies (First Supervisor) to the Director of Postgraduate Research (or equivalent). There shall not be an interval of more than twelve months, between the submission of a 1 st progress report assessed as satisfactory and the submission of an annual report, or between the submission of two consecutive annual reports. The annual report shall outline progress with the programme and key skills training during the year. The Director of Postgraduate Research (or equivalent) shall arrange for the annual report to be approved or deferred by the Faculty Research Committee (or equivalent), and shall issue a decision notice to the student and copy it to their Director of Studies (First Supervisor) and to the Research Degrees Committee. Page 12

13 5.7.5 Suspension of Registration If a student has registered with the Research Degrees Committee but is prevented, by ill-health or other cause, from making progress with the research, the registration may be suspended by the Research Degrees Committee, normally for not more than one year at a time without review. The application for a period of suspension must normally be supported by written evidence produced by the student Extension of Registration The Research Degrees Committee may extend a student s period of registration, normally for not more than one year at a time. A student seeking such an extension shall normally apply on the appropriate form before the end of the original registration period. Page 13 No extension of registration is possible once a student has transferred to writing up, unless there is an approved suspension during the writing up period Withdrawal of Registration A student can be asked to withdraw from the programme if progress is deemed unsatisfactory, and a special panel has met and agreed this course of action. A student will be deemed to have withdrawn from the programme if no response is received following communication from the University. A student who wishes to withdraw from the programme must complete a withdrawal form. In the case of students who have registered with the Research Degrees Committee, a RES 7 form should be completed; in all other cases the student should complete the University withdrawal form available from the student gateway on the internet. 5.8 Examination A student shall be examined by at least two and not more than three examiners, of whom at least one shall be an external examiner. Staff students usually require three examiners: two external examiners and one internal examiner. An Independent Chair will be appointed by the RDC to all examining panels. The independent chair will not participate in the examination itself, but will provide advice on procedures, guidelines and academic regulations, and will ensure that the interests of the students are protected An internal examiner shall normally be defined as an examiner who is: a) a member of academic staff at the University; b) experienced in the examination of MPhil, PhD and/or Professional Doctorate students; c) knowledgeable of the field of study that the thesis falls within The external examiner shall normally have substantial experience (that is, three or more previous examinations at the appropriate level) of examining research degree students. An external examiner shall be independent both of the University and of the Collaborating Establishment and shall not have acted previously as the student's supervisor or adviser. An external examiner shall normally not be either a supervisor of another student or an external examiner on a taught course in the same academic department at the University. Former members of staff of the University shall normally not be approved as external examiners until three years after the

14 Page 14 termination of their employment with the University. Former external examiners shall normally not be approved as external examiners until two years after the previous examination with the University. No student for a MPhil, PhD and or Professional Doctorate degree shall act as an examiner for a research degree. Preliminary Examination Each examiner must read and examine the thesis, and submit an independent preliminary report, on the appropriate form to the University before any oral or alternative form of examination is held. In completing the preliminary report, each examiner must consider whether the thesis satisfies the requirements of the degree and where possible make an appropriate provisional recommendation subject to the outcome of any oral examination. Oral Examination There will normally be an oral examination; following the oral examination the examiners shall, where they are in agreement, submit, on the appropriate form, a joint report and recommendation relating to the award of the degree to the Research Degrees Committee. The preliminary reports and joint recommendation of the examiners shall together provide sufficiently detailed comments on the scope and quality of the work to enable the Research Degrees Committee to satisfy itself that the recommendation is correct. Where the examiners are not in agreement, separate reports and recommendations shall be submitted. The recommendations shall be made on the appropriate form. Following the completion of the examination the examiners may recommend that: a) the student should be awarded the degree; b) the student should be awarded the degree subject to minor amendments (typically typographical or grammatical errors, inappropriate references or changes that do not affect the outcomes and findings of the thesis) being made to the thesis. The student will be normally allowed three months to resubmit the work; the amendments will be subject to approval by either the internal or external examiner or all examiners as deemed appropriate by the examining team. c) the student should not be awarded the degree, but shall be permitted to resubmit for the degree and be re-examined as follows: The thesis requires major revisions (typically, substantial changes in two or more chapters or elements) and should be revised and submitted for reexamination by all the examiners, with or without a further oral examination normally no later than one year from the date of the viva. A student may not be failed without oral examination with the exception of non-submission of the revised thesis. d) in the case of a PhD examination: the student should not be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy but be offered the award of Masters of Arts or Masters of Science subject to the presentation of the thesis amended to the satisfaction of the examiners. e) the student should not be awarded the degree and should not be permitted to be re-examined. The Examiners may indicate informally their recommendation on the result of the examination to the student, but shall make it clear that the decision rests with the Research Degrees Committee and Academic Board.

15 It is the student s responsibility to ensure that all amendments, including typographical and grammatical corrections, are carried out. If the student does not submit the amendments and corrections within the deadline, the student will normally be deemed to have failed. 5.9 Thesis Except with the specific permission of the Research Degrees Committee the thesis shall be presented in English. The length of the thesis should normally be within the range given below (excluding ancillary data): For a Professional Doctorate in Education 40,000 50,000 words plus 2000 word report For a Professional Doctorate in Nursing 40,000 50,000 words For a Professional Doctorate in Allied Health Professions 40,000 50,000 words For a Professional Doctorate in Business Administration 40,000 50,000 words The University library copy shall be bound as follows: a) in at least 25pt type the outside front sheet to bear the title of the work, the name and initials of the student, the qualification, and the year of submission; b) One electronic copy of the thesis in pdf format for the library of the University and the British Library Page 15

16 6 PhD by Published Work The PhD by Published Work offers an alternative route to the award of a doctorate but in all other regards must meet the standards for a PhD as outlined above. 6.1 Entry Requirements An applicant for registration will normally have a first or second class honours degree, or qualification which is regarded as equivalent to an honours degree. 6.2 Eligibility for Registration for the Award Eligibility to register for the award of PhD by Published Work is restricted to those who have a significant connection with the University, meet the entry requirements and, most crucially, can produce evidence of appropriate published work. 6.3 Significant Connections Current academic members of staff of the University and affiliated institutions are the grouping for whom a significant connection is self-evident. Where affiliated institutions are capable of awarding a PhD, academic members of staff would not be eligible to apply. Alumni would also have a significant connection with the University, for example, previous staff or students. The University actively seeks to collaborate in research with industry, commerce and other professions and through links developed in this way a significant connection with London South Bank University could be established. 6.4 Publications to be Submitted The submitted work should normally consist of one or more of the following: a) a research-based completed book b) a series of research-based articles on a coherent theme c) research reports d) other media formats approved by the Research Degrees Committee together with the necessary written work The publications should not have been submitted for any previous award. Number of publications required: this varies between research areas; the important issue is the quality of the research and equivalence to a standard PhD. Ultimately, the examiners need to be convinced that the publications represent an original contribution to the field at an acceptable level and embodying an appropriate methodology. Multi-authored work: The primary or lead author must be identified in all cases. Where students are submitting applications based wholly or partly on multi-authored work, the student must provide evidence of their individual contribution to each phase of the work. The student will also be required to describe the steps taken to ensure that coauthors are aware that publications are to be used to support an application to register for a PhD by Published Work and that they are wholly supportive of the student s assessment of his or her own role in the investigation. The RDC may wish to contact co-authors before approving registration. In addition, the student must provide up-to-date contact addresses for all co-authors. The University may wish to contact some or all of the co-authors independently to ask for their views on the assessment made by the student of the student s role in collaborative research. Any information gathered in this way, will be made available to the Committee and the examiners. Page 16

17 6.5 Role of the Director of Studies The Director of Studies shall be a full-time academic member of staff of the University and normally have experience of supervising a minimum of two PhD students to successful completion. To determine whether the student meets the requirements for entry; To help the student prepare the prima facie application; To help the student prepare the application for admission to a research degree (RES 1); To help the student prepare the application to register for the degree (RES 2A); To offer guidance on the selection, coherence and quality of the student s published work to be submitted; To advise on the preparation of the case for support which must accompany the submission; To offer guidance on the preparation for the viva voce examination (this may involve the stage of a mock examination) To propose examiners to the Research Degrees Committee and to make arrangements for the oral examination. 6.6 Length of Registration Registration is from the date of the Research Degrees Committee which, approves the registration, and the student must be registered for at least one calendar year, prior to submission of the work for examination. 6.7 Submission of Work Along with the publications, the student is expected to produce a case for support (6,000-10,000 words) including the following: an abstract giving an account of the context of the student s work a discussion of how the work provides an independent and original contribution to knowledge an account of the themes that give the publications their defining coherence the impact of the submitted publications within the wider context of the field of research evidence of appropriate research training and elements that constitute an independent and original contribution to knowledge a discussion of how specific publications have been tailored for publication (through the editing out of experimental data, for example) a short assessment of multi-authorship if relevant reference section giving publications not presented as part of the submission. 6.8 Examination The examination of PhD by Published Work will consist of an independent report by the examiners and a viva voce, as is the case for a conventional PhD student. The submitted work will be assessed by two external examiners, not normally the assessors of the prima facie case, and one internal chair, nominated by the Director of Studies and appointed by the Research Degrees Committee The examiners may recommend one of the following: a) the award of PhD b) the award of PhD subject to minor amendments c) that the degree may not be awarded Page 17

18 Neither the award of MPhil nor a recommendation that the student be re-examined within 12 months are permitted under the PhD by Published Work regulations. Where the examiners recommend that the degree be not awarded, the student may not re-submit for a PhD by Published Work within a period of three years from the date of the original examination. Any further submission must include evidence of additional work. 6.9 Thesis Following the award of PhD by Published Work, the student shall submit one nonreturnable copy of the submitted work along with the following: a separate copy of the abstract, title page and contents page an electronic version of the thesis (pdf format) This submission and documentation is required before the certificate can be released to the student Confidentiality of PhD by Published Work The copies submitted for examination will remain the property of the University but the copyright in the thesis shall be vested in the student or other previous holder. If successful, one copy of the complete submission will be deposited on open access in the Library. Page 18

19 7 Higher Doctorates The work submitted for a Higher Doctorate must demonstrate a coherent theme, be of high distinction, must constitute an original and significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge or to the application of knowledge or to both; should constitute a coherent body of work and must establish that the applicant is a leading authority in the field or fields of study concerned. Applications may be made for the following higher doctorates: Doctor of Engineering (DEng) Doctor of Laws (LLD) Doctor of Letters (DLitt) Doctor of Science (DSc) Doctor of Technology (DTech) 7.1 Entry Requirements Applicants should normally be: a) holders, of at least seven years' standing, of a first degree awarded by a UK university or equivalent or of a qualification of equivalent standard: or b) holders, of at least four years' standing of a higher degree awarded by a UK university or equivalent or of a qualification of equivalent standard. 7.2 Eligibility for Registration for the Award Eligibility to register for the award of Higher Doctorate requires the applicant to meet the entry requirements and is restricted to those who have a significant connection with the University and, most crucially, can produce evidence of appropriate published work. 7.3 Significant Connections Current academic members of staff of the University and affiliated institutions are the grouping for whom a significant connection is self-evident. Where affiliated institutions are capable of awarding a higher doctorate, academic members of staff would not be eligible to apply. Alumni would also have a significant connection with the University, for example, previous staff or students. The University actively seeks to collaborate in research with industry, commerce and other professions and through links developed in this way a significant connection with London South Bank University could be established. 7.4 Publications to be Submitted The submission may take the form of : a) books b) contributions to journals c) patent specifications d) reports e) specifications and design studies f) other relevant evidence of original work. All material, other than books, must be secured in one hard-backed folder, or more if necessary, each containing a title and contents page. An applicant shall state which part of the submission, if any, has been submitted for another academic award. The contents of a submission must be in English unless specific permission to the contrary has been given by Research Degrees Committee. Page 19

20 The publications should not have been submitted for any previous award. Number of publications required: this varies between research areas; the important issue is the quality of the research and equivalence to a standard of higher doctorate. Ultimately, the examiners need to be convinced that the publications represent an original contribution to the field at an acceptable level and embodying an appropriate methodology. Multi-authored work: The primary or lead author must be identified in all cases. Where students are submitting applications based wholly or partly on multi-authored work, the student must provide evidence of their individual contribution to each phase of the work. The student will also be required to describe the steps taken to ensure that coauthors are aware that publications are to be used to support an application to register for a Higher Doctorate and that they are wholly supportive of the student s assessment of his or her own role in the investigation. The RDC may wish to contact co-authors before approving registration. In addition, the student must provide up-to-date contact addresses for all co-authors. The University may wish to contact some or all of the co-authors independently to ask for their views on the assessment made by the student of the student s role in collaborative research. Any information gathered in this way, will be made available to the Committee and the examiners. The application will in the first instance be used to establish a prima facie case, for approval for the applicant to register with the Research Degrees Committee. 7.5 Applying for the Higher Doctorate Applicants should complete the RES 1 Research Degree Application and RES 2B Application to Register for a Higher Doctorate and submit these along with the Prima Facie case. The University will identify a leading academic in the field to act as a sponsor/adviser. 7.6 Role of the Sponsor/Adviser The adviser must be a senior member of academic staff of the University and normally has had experience of supervising a minimum of two PhD students to successful completion. 7.7 Length of Registration The student is expected to enrol and pay relevant fees. Registration is from the date of the Research Degrees Committee approval and the student must be registered for at least one calendar year, prior to submission of the work for examination. 7.8 Examination The submitted work will be assessed by two external examiners, not normally the assessors of the prima facie case, and one internal chair, nominated by the Director of Studies. Each examiner will provide a written report and recommendation of one of the following: a) the award of Higher Doctorate b) the award of Higher Doctorate subject to minor amendments c) that the degree may not be awarded Neither the award of MPhil or PhD, nor a recommendation that the student be reexamined within 12 months are permitted under the Higher Doctorate route. Page 20

21 Where the examiners recommend that the degree be not awarded, the student may not submit for a Higher Doctorate within a period of three years from the date of the original examination. Any further submission must include evidence of additional work. 7.9 Role of the Examiners The main tasks of the examiners in the case of the Higher Doctorate are to: ensure that the criteria for the award are met establish coherence between the work evaluate the quality of the cited work assess the contribution to knowledge contained within these outputs evaluate the methodologies by which the research was conducted be aware of the state of knowledge and the state of supporting facilities at the time that the publications first appeared. assess the student s contribution to the research reported in multi-authored work 7.10 Confidentiality of the Higher Doctorate The copies submitted for examination will remain the property of the University but the copyright in the thesis shall be vested in the student or other previous holder. If successful, one copy of the complete submission will be deposited on open access in the Library.