Calendar 2017/18

Regulations Governing Academic Programmes

2 Faculty of Graduate Research

2.8	Regulations Governing the Degree of Master of Arts by Research and Master of Science by Research by Publication
1	Eligibility
1.1	The following may apply for registration as candidates for the degree of Master of Arts by Research or Master of Science by Research (“Master by Research”):
	(a) Graduates of the University
	(b) Graduates of other Universities and Institutions of Higher Education approved by the Senate
	(c) Other persons who can satisfy the provisions of Ordinance 12.1
1.2	Applicants will normally be expected to have at least a Second Class Honours degree or to have reached an equivalent standard in a General or unclassified degree or other qualification.
1.3	Applicants whose native language is not English must provide evidence of competence in English Language sufficient for research study, and after admission to the University may be required to take additional instruction in English Language, normally at INTO University of Exeter.
2	Registration
2.1	Registration shall be effective not earlier than the beginning of the term in which the candidature is formally approved.
2.2	Subject to the approval of the Dean/ Associate Dean of the Faculty, candidates registered at the University for the degree of Master of Philosophy by publication may be allowed to transfer their registration to the degree of Master by Research by publication and to have all or part of the period of study completed under the original registration counted towards the period required under the new registration.
3	Conditions of Study
3.1	Candidates will be registered as full-time or as part-time students under supervisor(s) approved by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor & Executive Dean of College.
4	Continued Registration
4.1	Candidates will be expected to submit within one year of registration.
4.2	Candidates are required to submit a report on their research at the end of each academic year; failure to submit will normally result in termination of registration.
4.3	A candidate who fails to make satisfactory progress may be required to withdraw.
4.4	Each candidate is required to re-register at the beginning of each academic year until the required thesis has been submitted.
5	Process of Assessment
5.1	The candidate will be required to produce a 4,000 word chapter (maximum) which shall explain how the work forms a coherent whole, and explain how it meets the doctoral assessment criteria. This chapter along with the publications¹ shall be submitted in the prescribed form which shall not exceed 40,000 words excluding bibliography, appendices and abstract, and will normally be required to take a viva voce examination. Candidates may supplement the publications they included in their application portfolio with any work published subsequent to their registration so long as all items included in the thesis have been published at the point of submission.
5.2	Candidates must normally submit three copies (which shall include a summary of approximately 300 words) in the format prescribed by the ‘Presentation of Theses/Dissertations for Degrees in the Faculty of Graduate Research: Statement of Procedures’, or two copies for staff candidates, which shall become the property of the University.
5.3	When ready to apply for examination, each candidate shall submit an application form which shall make clear:
	i. that all the material in the thesis which is not the candidate's own work has been identified;
	ii. that the thesis does not include any material, which the candidate has previously submitted and had approved for the award of a degree;
	iii. the extent to which each work is based on independent study and the nature and extent of any collaboration with, or assistance given by, others, where that collaboration involves work submitted by a co-author for a degree of a University it must be clearly identified as such, and distinguishable from the candidate’s work for the purposes of examination.
5.4	The College shall recommend to the Dean/ Associate Dean acting on behalf of the Faculty Board, an internal examiner and two external examiners. In the case of candidates who hold positions within the academic job families in their College no internal examiner shall be appointed, however the Pro-Vice-Chancellor & Executive Dean of College shall identify a member of staff who will undertake those administrative duties, which would normally fall to the internal examiner.
5.5	In assessing the thesis, please see: 5.5.1 for students who commenced their studies prior to the 2016-17 academic year 5.5.2 for students who commended their studies, or re-registered following a period of interruption, from the 2016-17 academic year²
	5.5.1 For students who commenced their studies prior to the 2016-17 academic year: In assessing the thesis the examiners will require:
	(a) evidence that it extends the knowledge of the subject;
	(b) evidence of the candidate's ability to relate the subject matter of the thesis to the existing body of knowledge within the field;
	(c) a satisfactory level of literary presentation.
	5.5.2 For students who commenced their studies, or re-registered following a period of interruption, from the 2016-17 academic year: In assessing the thesis the examiners will require evidence of:
	(a) A systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice;
	(b) A comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship;
	(c) Originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline;
	(d) Conceptual understanding that enables the student: - to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; and - to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses;
	(e) a satisfactory level of literary presentation.
5.6	It shall be within the discretion of the examiners to make one of the following recommendations:
	(a) that the degree be awarded;
	(b) that the degree be awarded subject to the candidate making minor amendments to the integrated chapter to the satisfaction of one or more of the examiners as may be agreed between them.
	(c) that the degree of Master by Research be awarded subject to the candidate making major amendments to the integrated chapter to the satisfaction of one or more of the examiners as may be agreed between them.
	(d) that no degree be awarded.
5.7	The examiners are required, when making their final report to the Dean/ Associate Dean of Faculty, to indicate for the information of the candidate the reasons for their decision, and where amendments are required to indicate those aspects or parts of the thesis/dissertation which they regard as inadequate and the nature and extent of the re-writing required.


	¹In this context publication is taken to mean publicly available assessable outputs, comparable to the range of outputs defined by the Research Assessment Exercise 2008 (RAE 03/2005 - RAE2008: Guidance on submissions (June)) and any future research exercise and as deemed appropriate in a disciplinary context.
	²The assessment outcomes for awards within the Faculty of Graduate Research, as outlined in these Regulations, have been bought into line with the language used in the 'Credit and Qualifications Framework', a direct adoption of the language contained in the national ‘Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies’. The outcomes for students who commenced their studies prior to the 2016-17 academic year, also aligned with the national frameworks, but did so without direct adoption of the Framework language.