Teaching Quality Assurance Manual

Postgraduate Research Handbook

Chapter 1: Provision of information by Faculties to students

  1. Introduction
  2. Responsibilities of Faculties
  3. Faculty Handbook Contents

Chapter 2 - Admission of students to a Postgraduate Research degree programme under off-campus arrangements

  1. Preamble
  2. Definitions
  3. Responsibilities
  4. Eligibility and Entry Requirements
  5. Full time and part time study
  6. Periods of study
  7. Periods of attendance at the University of Exeter (study visits)
  8. Transfer from MPhil to PhD/MD/MS/EngD
  9. Arrangements for research supervision
  10. Additional Costs
  11. Arrangements for provision of skills training
  12. Access to appropriate academic resources
  13. Partnerships
  14. Fees
  15. PGR Attendance Policy

Chapter 3 - Supervision of Postgraduate Research students

  1. Appointment of Postgraduate Research Supervisors
  2. Continuing Supervision of Postgraduate Research Students

Chapter 4 - Supervision of Postgraduate Research students

  1. Responsibilities of Supervisors
  2. Responsibilities of PGR Pastoral Tutors
  3. Responsibilities of Students
  4. Responsibilities of the Faculty

Chapter 5 - Periods of registration and changes to registration status for Postgraduate Research students

  1. Introduction
  2. Periods of Study (entry prior to the 2019-20 academic year)
  3. Periods of Study (entry from the 2019-20 academic year)
  4. Interruption of Studies 
  5. Temporary Visa Interruption (applicable only to students who are subject to immigration control)
  6. Annual Leave
  7. Changes to Mode of Attendance: Full-time and Part-time Status
  8. Continuation Status
  9. Extensions to study
  10. Withdrawal from study
  11. Students deemed Withdrawn
  12. Termination of Registration
  13. Reinstatement of Registration
  14. Appendix

Chapter 6 - PGR Liaison Forums - Code of Good Practice

  1. Introduction
  2. Principles
  3. Aims and Objectives of a PGRLF
  4. Faculty Process
  5. PGRLF membership
  6. PGRLF meetings
  7. Students' Guild and Students' Union (SU)
  8. Partner institutions

Chapter 7 - Annual monitoring review: Code of good practice

  1. The Purpose and Aims of the Annual Monitoring Review
  2. Procedures
  3. Faculty Review of Progression
  4. Further Action
  5. Completion of the process

Chapter 8 - Unsatisfactory Student Progress, Engagement and Attendance: Code of Good Practice (Please see Learning & Teaching Support Handbook Chapter 15: Unsatisfactory Student Progress, Engagement and Attendance: Code of Good Practice)

  1. Introduction
  2. Principles
  3. Responsibilities
  4. Identifying unsatisfactory progress
  5. Stage 1: Warnings
  6. Stage 2: Final Warning
  7. Stage 3: Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of Faculty's Action
  8. Stage 4: Dean's Action
  9. Concerns and Appeals
  10. Further Support for Students
  11. Timescales
  12. Reporting and Monitoring
  13. Annexes 1-8: Template letters
  14. Appendix 1: Signatories

Chapter 9 - Upgrade from MPhil, MA by Research or MSc by Research to Doctoral Study

  1. Regulations of the Doctor of Philosophy
  2. Application 
  3. Purpose of Upgrade
  4. Timing of Upgrade
  5. Submission Requirements
  6. Department Upgrade Committees
  7. Upgrade Outcomes 
  8. Health and Wellbeing and Upgrade
  9. Feedback to Students 
  10. Sponsorship Progress Reports 
  11. Final Authority
  12. Transfer of Registration from Doctoral to Masters Level

Chapter 10 - Professional Doctorate Postgraduate Research Programmes

  1. Assessment of Pre-Thesis/Dissertation Modules
  2. Programme Approval Arrangements
  3. Programme Accessibility
  4. Accreditation of Prior Learning

Chapter 11 - Presentation of theses/dissertations for Postgraduate Research degrees: statement of procedures

  1. Length of Theses/Dissertations
  2. Content of Thesis/Dissertation
  3. Thesis/Dissertation in an Alternative Format
  4. Language of Thesis
  5. Presentation and Arrangement of Theses/Dissertations
  6. Format of Submission for Examination
  7. Illustrations and Copyright Material
  8. Final Submission (Deposit) into ORE following Examination

Chapter 12 - Handbook for Examination of Postgraduate Research programmes

  1. Introduction
  2. Award Specific Information
  3. Assessing Candidates with Disabilities
  4. Nomination of the Board of Examiners and the Non-Examining Independent Chair
  5. Non-Examining Independent Chair
  6. Before the Examination
  7. The Examination
  8. After the Examination
  9. Confidential Feedback

Chapter 13 - Research Misconduct

  1. Introduction and General Principles
  2. Definitions of Research Misconduct
  3. References to Offices and Delegation of Powers
  4. Responsibilities
  5. Procedure for Dealing with Suspected Research Misconduct: Faculty Stage
  6. Procedure for Dealing with Suspected Research Misconduct: Discovered prior to an examination
  7. Procedure for Dealing with Suspected Research Misconduct: University Stage
  8. Procedure for Research Misconduct Panels
  9. Appeals
  10. Tables of Penalties
  11. Appendix: Statement on the use of Proof Reading Services

Chapter 14 - Chapter not currently in use

Chapter 15 - Student Pregnancy, Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Policy (Please see Learning & Teaching Support Handbook Chapter 25: Student Pregnancy, Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Policy)

  • Annex C: Maternity leave, paternity/maternity support leave and adoption leave - Policy for funded postgraduate research students
  • Annex E1: Co-Parental Leave for Postgraduate Research Students (PGRs)
  • Annex E2: Co-Parental Leave request form for Postgraduate Research Students (PGRs)

Chapter 16 - Visiting Postgraduate Research Students

  1. Introduction
  2. Visiting Student Information
  3. Visiting Research Student Procedures

Chapter 17 - Inclusive Practice within Teaching and Learning (Please see Learning and Teaching Support Handbook Chapter 26: Inclusive Practice within Learning & Teaching)

Chapter 18 - Postgraduate Research Student Absence Policy

  1. Introduction
  2. Submission of absence report
  3. Tier4/Student Visa Holders
  4. Absence from programme of study
  5. Return to the University following interruption on medical grounds
  6. Phased Return to study due to ill health
  7. Ability to study significantly affected by a severe, chronic, or fluctuating medical condition or disability
  8. Sickness during pregnancy
  9. Absence from clinical practice, industrial placement or other placement linked to their degree
  10. Professional Doctorate Taught elements only: submission deadline or assessment affected by absence
  11. Student absence before a viva voce examination
  12. Student absence during a viva voce examination
  13. Student absence before a deadline or milestone not including thesis submission (including upgrade submission or viva, USPE deadlines or deadlines agreed for supervisory meetings)
  14. Student absence after submission of the thesis/dissertation
  15. Unauthorised absence
  • Chapter 18 Annex A - Postgraduate Research Sickness Stipend Payments - Policy for University-funded postgraduate research students
  • Annex B - Maternity leave, paternity/maternity support leave and adoption leave stipend payments - Policy for funded postgraduate research students (Please see Learning & Teaching Support Handbook Chapter 25: Student Pregnancy, Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Policy, Annex C)

Chapter 19 - Employment of postgraduate students: code of good practice

  1. Introduction
  2. Responsibilities
  3. Scope
  4. Advertising, Recruitment and Selection
  5. Appointment
  6. Maximum hours of work
  7. Teaching duties
  8. Salary and payment
  9. Induction, training and support
  10. Ongoing support and mentoring
  11. Monitoring
  12. Grievance, Performance and Conduct Procedures

Chapter 20 - Faculty Management of Postgraduate Research: Code of Good Practice

Chapter 21 - PGR Aegrotat and Posthumous Awards

  1. Introduction
  2. Scope
  3. Definitions
  4. Eligibility
  5. Initiation of the Procedure
  6. Awards after Viva Examination or where a Viva is not an award requirement
  7. Awards after Thesis Submission and before Viva Examination
  8. Awards before Thesis Submission
  9. After the Examination
  10. Review of Outcomes if the examiners cannot agree on a final recommendation
  11. Outcome
  12. Final thesis submission
  13. Certification
  14. Graduation
  15. Confidentiality & GDPR

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