research students handbook 2011_12 (don't touch) (2)
TRANSCRIPT
SCHOOL OF ARTS
RESEARCH STUDENT
HANDBOOK
Academic Session 2011-2012
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CONTENTS WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL OF ARTS 6 SCHOOL OF ARTS STAFF 8 ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES 14 THE PROPOSAL 14 INDUCTION 15 Induction Checklist 15 YOUR SUPERVISOR 16 Responsibility of the Supervisor 17 Responsibility of the Student 17 Helping yourself – avoid the pitfalls 18 MONITORING YOUR PROGRESS 20 Recording of supervision meetings 20 Annual monitoring of progress 22 Procedure for upgrading from MPhil to PhD 24 TRANSFER PROCESS 24 Transfer Event Documentation 24 Practice based projects 25 Transfer Review Panel 25 Transfer Event 26 Recommendations of the Transfer review panel 26 Review Documentation 26
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Procedure for downgrading from PhD to MPhil 27 YOUR RESEARCH DEGREE 27 The first few months 27 The end of the first year 27 Procedure for requesting period of abeyance 28 Procedure for requesting extensions to the maximum period of registration 28 Procedure for requesting submission of Thesis in less than the Minimum period 29 A period of Continuation 26 MAKING YOUR VIEWS KNOWN 29 Representation and Feedback 29 Concerns and Complaints 30 YOUR THESIS 30 Introduction 31 Format of your thesis 31 Content of your thesis 32 Introductory pages 32 Abstract 33 Timing 33 Submitting your thesis 33
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THE EXAMINATION 35 Process 35 The Examiners 35 The Examination 36 The Viva Voce 36 The Recommendation of Examiners 37 Archiving your Thesis on BURA 39 Embargo Requests 40
Submission of an e-Thesis to the Library 40
Embargo Process 41
Depositing in BURA 41
Catalogue Entry and EThOS Harvesting 41
Contacts 42
PREPARING FOR SUCCESS 43 APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS 44 Appendix 1: PRACTICE AS RESEARCH: PROTOCOLS AND GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS, SUPERVISORS AND EXAMINERS 46 Creative Practice in a PhD 46 Undertaking Practice as research in the School of Arts 46 Applications, Admissions and Registration 47
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Supervision 48 Submission 49 Appendix 2: Record of Formal Research Meetings Form 50 Appendix 3: PGR Feedback Form (student) 51 Appendix 4: PGR Feedback form (supervisor) 52 Appendix 5: Request for Internal Resolution form 53 UNIVERSITY SUPPORT SERVICES 54 USEFUL WEBLINKS 58
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WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL OF ARTS We would like to take this opportunity to offer our research students a very warm welcome to the School of Arts at Brunel University. Unlike the largely directed nature of taught undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that you will be familiar with, a research degree requires of the student strong independence and self-motivation, but provides a greater freedom to explore and research a topic of your choice. Your journey from starting your research to its completion will inevitably be demanding and even difficult at times, both emotionally and intellectually, exposing you to stresses and strains that only other people who have carried out postgraduate research work can really understand. Nevertheless undertaking such postgraduate research is usually as exhilarating as it is daunting, especially in the context of the arts. For an extended period of time you have the inestimable privilege of doing “serious” research into topics that fascinate you. You can become an expert on your chosen topic and, even better, a scholar and/or a practitioner whose progress has been validated by the award of a research degree, equipping you with a wide range of highly desirable and widely applicable skills. It is our aim in the School of Arts to support you as best we can (and for you to allow us to) in this epic journey.
This handbook is intended to provide a guide to postgraduate research study within the School of Arts at Brunel University. It won‟t necessarily answer all your questions – discussions with your supervisor, academic and general staff and fellow research students will help clarify many other detailed aspects of postgraduate study – but it will provide a means whereby you can find out how to get your questions answered. More importantly, it is a guide for both student and supervisor as to what can be expected of both parties during the period of registered postgraduate research study.
The rules that govern the research degrees (both MPhils and PhDs) at Brunel University are passed by Senate, the University‟s governing body. It is important that you read and understand the requirements set out by the University‟s Senate about what a thesis is as you will be producing one:
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/rules/senateregs/sr5 (5.26 – 5.33).
It is important to note that the criteria used in the assessment of research work by examiners is rather less specific than that which is stipulated within the context of taught programmes. This is because work
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at research level is more diverse, innovative and groundbreaking, at least potentially, than that of taught programmes. In accordance with this context your work will be examined by academics who are authorities in your field from other institutions. In the light of academic diversity and rigour, you should expect that possibly your final examiners may legitimately place certain requirements on you after their examination of your thesis that might not be easily or readily predicted by either yourself or by your supervisors.
On behalf of the School and its staff we wish you a stimulating and rewarding journey towards gaining your own research degree.
Professor Philip Tew - Deputy Head (Research)
Professor Christopher Fox - Deputy Head (Research)
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SCHOOL OF ARTS STAFF (RESEARCH) Head of School Dr William Leahy [email protected] Room GB146; Tel: 01895 266553 Deputy Head (Research) Professor Philip Tew [email protected] Room GB138 Tel: 01895 267257 Deputy Head (Research) Professor Christopher Fox [email protected] Room GB133 Tel: 01895 267256 School Manager Diane Woodhead [email protected] Room No. GB002 Tel: 01895 266059 Senior School Administrator (Postgraduate/Research) Sue Ramus [email protected] Room GB010 Tel: 01895 266569 Research Administrator David McAndrews [email protected] Room GB011 Tel: 01895 267832
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SUBJECT RESEARCH CO-ORDINATORS Music Professor Christopher Fox [email protected] Room GB133 Tel: 01895 267256 Drama Professor Johannes Birringer [email protected] Room GB022 Tel: 01895 267343 Screen Media Professor Geoff King [email protected] Room GB111 Tel: 01895 265826 English Professor Philip Tew [email protected] Room GB128 Tel: 01895 267257 Journalism Professor Julian Petley [email protected] Room GB046 Tel: 01895 265479 SCHOOL OF ARTS ACADEMIC STAFF
NAME: email address: LOCATION
ANDERSON, JOEL
GB045
ATFIELD, ROSE
GB143
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BIRRINGER, JOHANNES
[email protected] GB022
BROADHURST, SUE [email protected] GB025
BRAYFIELD, CELIA [email protected] GB130
BREVINI, BENEDETTA [email protected] GB119
BROWN, DOUG
[email protected] GB107
CAMPBELL, ALYSON
GB045
CHOW, BRODERICK [email protected]
GB137
COX, JESSICA [email protected]
GB140
CROFT, JOHN [email protected] GB030
DICK, MURRAY [email protected] GB140
EDWARDS, BARRY [email protected] GB032
ELLIOTT, MERETTA [email protected] GB021
EVENDEN, ELIZABETH
[email protected] GB128
EVARISTO, BERNADINE
GB119
HARRISON, CARL FAIA
[email protected] GB110
FOX, CHRISTOPHER [email protected] GB133
FULTON, DAVID [email protected] GB122
GASTON, SEAN
[email protected] GB127
GERZINA, GRETCHEN
GB141
GILMORE, BOB [email protected]
GB139
GRIFFITH, FRANK [email protected] GB028
HOLMES, SEAN [email protected] GB131
HUBBLE, NICK [email protected] GB142
HUNT, LEON [email protected] GB101
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INGRAM, DAVID [email protected] GB143
KING, GEOFF
[email protected] GB111
KINNINGS, MAX [email protected] GB144
KNEPPER, WENDY [email protected]
GB104
KNOWLES, JAMES [email protected]
GB135
KRZYWINSKA, TANYA [email protected] GB107
LYNCH, CLAIRE [email protected]
GB104
LASHMAR, PAUL [email protected] GB112
LEAHY, WILLIAM [email protected] GB146
LEBOW, ALISA [email protected] GB113
MACHON, JO [email protected] GB031
MENDIK, XAVIER [email protected] GB106
MONDAL, ANSHUMAN
[email protected] GB125
MORGAN, IAN [email protected]
GB045
MORRISON, JAGO [email protected] GB129
MUENZ, HARALD [email protected] GB029
NIBLOCK, SARAH [email protected] GB109
NICOLLS, SARAH [email protected] GB139
PARSLER, JUSTIN [email protected] GB107
PENNY, SARAH [email protected] GB142
PETLEY, JULIAN [email protected] GB046
RICHARDS, MARY [email protected] GB023
RILEY, COLIN [email protected] GB026
SAVAGE, JULIAN [email protected] GB106
SCHILLER, GRETCHEN
[email protected] GB137
SELF, WILL [email protected] GB134
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SPURLIN, WILLIAM
GB044
STELARC [email protected]
GB006
TEMPLETON, FIONA [email protected] GB137
TEW, PHILIP [email protected] GB138
THORNE. MATT [email protected] GB144
WALSHE, JENNIFER [email protected] GB108
WATKIN, WILLIAM [email protected] GB126
WAYNE, MIKE [email protected] GB114
WELDON, FAY [email protected] GB123
WIEGOLD, PETER [email protected] GB027
WILLIAMSON, MILLY [email protected] GB101
WOOLRICH, JOHN
[email protected] GB030
XU, WILLIAM [email protected]
GB124
ZEPHANIAH, BENJAMIN
GB132
SCHOOL OF ARTS TECHNICAL STAFF Bill Forbes 01895 266566 [email protected] Graeme Shaw 01895 266575 [email protected] Paul Moody Tel: 01895 267601 [email protected] Malcolm Zammit [email protected]
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ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES All candidates should be interviewed wherever possible by the proposed supervisor/s for the project and another member of the academic staff. Candidates are normally required to register initially for the degree of MPhil. Upgrade to registration for the degree of PhD, normally takes place after between 12-18 months of full-time study and 3-4 years part-time study, requiring an upgrade document and a viva. THE PROPOSAL Critical-Analysis Based Projects In order to be considered for registration candidates are required to submit an outline of the proposed project of between 500 and 2,000 words including:
the topic to be investigated, in some specific detail (that is, not just a broad field such as 'gender' or 'postmodernism' but the particular issues or instances to be explored within such a field)
the key research questions and aims of the project
some suggestion of how the project will meet the PhD requirement of 'making an original contribution to the field'
some reference to existing scholarship on the subject, to demonstrate some familiarity with the field, including some bibliographic references
an outline of the key methodologies to be employed in the research (e.g. textual analysis, empirical research, etc)
a curriculum vitae. Practice Based Projects
In order to be considered for registration candidates are required to submit a statement of intent (750 words) indicating the following:
the topic or area to be investigated
the research questions and aims of the project
the relationship to current practices
the methodologies to be used to address the questions
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the conceptual framework
the proposed outcomes (specifying balance of and relationship between practical and written/documentary outcomes)
where appropriate the contribution to knowledge that might result from the research which makes it PhD level
a curriculum vitae. We will also require as appropriate:
a bibliography
a filmography
a portfolio of previous work (this can be in the format of a DVD, web documentation or printed material).
All research students will be required to conduct their research in compliance with the University's published Code of Research Ethics. INDUCTION The Senior Administrator for Research, Sue Ramus, is the first point of contact for any matter relating to School administrative matters and she is a fund of information on how to navigate one‟s way successfully through the School and the University. Your supervisor is your main academic contact and you will already have had some contact with them through the application process. You should discuss with your supervisor best modes of communication when you meet during the induction process. You should also agree with your supervisor how often you are to meet and for how long during these critical first few months. Clarify, too, the role of your second supervisor (see “You and Your Supervisor”) and, if not already done, the nature of your research project: you need to be sure that it can realistically be completed within the normal registration period. Induction Checklist for new research students:
Please ensure you have:
enrolled on-line
registered in Student Centre
contacted Senior Administrator, Sue Ramus
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Tel: 01895 266569)
Contacted your supervisor to arrange a first meeting
Visited the Computer Centre to set up your Brunel email account.
The School will:
Add you to the research email lists
Direct you to the School of Arts dedicated space for research students (Chadwick building CH10/11/12/13)
Invite you to the School‟s research seminars
Give you the contact details of the School‟s research student representative
Send you the School‟s Research Student Handbook
Send you a copy of the University‟s Senate Regulation (5) relating to research degrees
Arrange a tour with the library
Arrange a tour of the Graduate School. YOUR SUPERVISOR
All research students have a principal supervisor and an additional (second) supervisor. Typically you will have most contact with your principal supervisor with regular meetings on a one-to-one basis. You and your supervisor(s) discuss current research activities and plans for the future direction of your work. In addition to close working contact with your supervisor(s) you will have the opportunity to participate in research seminar programmes with other research students and academic staff.
Your relationship with your supervisor is very important, both to the success of your research and to your enjoyment of your time at Brunel. You will be assigned two supervisors, one of whom must be a member of the full-time staff of the University (or hold Recognised Supervisor status at one of the University‟s Associated Institutions).They will act as a team but their roles will vary according to their expertise and experience. The school will make it clear which supervisor you should contact first and see regularly. This will normally be the person in the school with the most relevant expertise in your area. Your second supervisor may just play the role of „long-stop‟, there to help you when your principal supervisor is away from the University, or he or she may have very detailed knowledge related to you subject area but have many other commitments which prevent him/her acting full-time
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as your research supervisor. If you are based in industry or away from the University you will have a local supervisor, who will have been recognised by the University as a suitable person to supervise research students, on the basis of their expertise. This local supervisor will be the person who oversees your work on a daily basis, but you are entitled to contact your supervisor at Brunel at any time.
Responsibilities of the supervisor
The supervisor is responsible for ensuring (within reason) that feedback is given on work undertaken, for judging the quality of your work and for advising the student on the plan of action. The supervisor is not responsible for setting up meetings with you. It is expected that the supervisor will meet with you regularly, particularly in the early stages of the research. It is also not the supervisors‟ responsibility to chase you for work. Different people have different needs so we do not issue hard guidelines on how often a supervisor and student will meet. As a rule of thumb, a meeting or some other form of communication can be expected every calendar month, but it may be the case that the work is such that it may be more or less. Email, Skype or other forms of communications may be used especially where a student lives away from campus. In most cases agreements are made between students and supervisors as to the mode, duration and frequency of contact. Your supervisor will keep a formal record of each of your supervisory sessions (and a record of non-attendance at such sessions) which will be collated by the School to ensure satisfactory and frequent supervision.
It is a regulation of the University that meetings are recorded 8 times a year for full-time students and 4 times a year for part-time students (see section on recorded supervision meetings).
Responsibilities of the student
You are responsible for setting up meetings with your supervisor and providing work for them to read on request. You are also responsible for your own work, time management and deadlines. It is not the supervisor who is being examined, but you and your work. Unlike taught programmes it is up to you to set deadlines for yourself and manage your project to ensure a successful outcome.
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HELPING YOURSELF – AVOIDING THE PITFALLS! Below is an essential checklist of non-academic elements that may be crucial to your progress in your MPhil/PhD programme in the School of Arts at Brunel.
Most supervisors will testify that many of the problems and barriers to completion come from issues that are nothing or little to do with your actual capacity to study, undertake research or write up the thesis, but more to do with creating a context in which you can do so. These matters are generally pragmatic and to do with logistical issues. You need to make sure that the following elements are addressed and satisfactorily planned.
Accommodation: adequate accommodation in a place where you can obtain sufficient rest, tranquillity and even a place to study. Try to avoid any environment with noisy or intrusive fellow house or flatmates or neighbours, or even family.
Funds: ensure you have sufficient funds to live and support your research, especially without having to work so much for these that time for your study is displaced and you cannot sustain research activities in your effort to pay your way and pay your fees. This may be exacerbated in the case of part-time students, but does apply to full-timers also.
Working Environment: find an environment where you can pursue your research happily, without major distractions. This might be a postgraduate room, library, spare room, or the British Library. Some people find it useful to switch between environments so as to avoid a sense of humdrum staleness or tedium.
Sufficient Research Hours: this will vary, but in order to finish a research degree most people studying full-time find they need to focus on research related activities (which are various) for 5 – 6 days a week, and often 5 – 9 hours daily. You need to pace yourself and try not to do everything at once. Two clichés come to mind. You can only take one step at a time. Plus a research degree is more akin to a marathon, rather than a sprint!
Planning the Working Week/Month: you need to plan your time, allocating sufficient hours for the various activities, and this might include such things as researching sources, assessing potential materials, reading, making notes, writing, working online, engaging in practical activities, undertaking interviews, or so forth. It includes whatever is
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required. Remember that everything takes time, even ordering books, after having searched bibliographical data for such sources etc.
Health and Well-being: research is tiring and sometimes stressful. You need to maintain all of the healthy practices you formerly sustained, or develop them. Keep up with good diet, exercise, some time for relaxation and meditation, engaging with others (essential for some as some research can be incredibly solitary). Break up the day with exercise, intake of good food, breaks. Generally it is a good thing to avoid excessive intake of alcohol, cigarettes, and other narcotics. Avoid stressful situations where possible.
Relationships: relationships of all kinds can be hard to sustain during the research process. Many people face difficulties when family members, partners or friends feel they are neglected because of the sheer volume of time taken by the research student on academic matters. This can be a big problem, and there are not always easy answers. Try to negotiate realistically before you start, and be open about the fact that it is a huge long-term commitment. If there are problems you may need counselling, marriage or partnership guidance, or some similar intervention. Keep your tutor informed, but there may be little they can do about such a problem, but will refer you elsewhere.
Good Relationship with Your Tutor: remember your tutor is a human being too, often busy and very likely with other students under their supervision. Your tutor is there to help you, but do respect them by making mutually agreeable appointments. Sometimes it may be sufficient to exchange ideas (and files) by email, telephone and Skype. They may legitimately expect you to prepare something prior to an academic meeting, so be prepared to write down the things you want to discuss, even if just using bullet points! Your tutor should offer eight consultations, but that might be three in the first two terms, and two in the summer term, but every research degree is different and organic, so it may vary!
Responsibility: the degree and the thesis is finally your responsibility and part of the assessment is your preparedness to take this on board and develop something original, which will include finding sources and developing some ideas or interpretations and so forth. Your tutor is there to help, but they cannot either undertake the research for you, or do the writing on your behalf! That would be unprofessional, and actually represents cheating. So do expect to work hard under guidance toward your degree.
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During your period of research it is likely that there will be times when you feel that you are not making as much progress as you had planned. The following list of indicators of progress may help you take stock of your achievements and to help you in planning your next steps: • Have you taken control of the project yourself and identified an implementation strategy? • Are you now putting forward your own ideas and are you able to defend them? • Have you got clear, accurate and detailed records of the work?
• Are you keeping abreast of the new literature and current debates in your area? Your supervisors should be helping you with this aspect of your work. • Have you written-up sections of your work to date? • Have you given an oral presentation of your work to other students or researchers in the area?
Finally, avoid a melodrama or even a tragedy…
always keep an up-to-date backup of your work!
MONITORING YOUR PROGRESS
You and your supervisor should be monitoring your progress at regular intervals. Each of you should draw attention to the other any perceived problems you are having as soon as possible after they arise: your supervisors should be able to help you - or know where you can get help; this includes personal counselling and guidance, not just advice about your academic studies.
Recording of Supervision Meetings
It is a Regulation of the University that in addition to the annual progress review and enrolment:
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8 supervision meetings are formally recorded for each 1 year period of study for all full-time research students
4 supervision meetings are formally recorded for each 1 year period of study of all part-time research students
4 supervision meetings are formally recorded for students in continuation status (reduced pro-rata for students who submit during the 12 months continuation period)
4 supervision meetings are formally recorded for students carrying out major corrections to a thesis required by examiners (reduced pro-rata for students who re-submit their thesis within the 12 months rewrite period).
For research students who are enrolled full-time or part time at least half of these meetings should be face-to-face and will require brief notes to be taken and signed off by student and supervisor, using a standard report form HDS4 (APPENDIX 2). In exceptional cases these „meetings‟ may be carried out by email correspondence but in such cases there should be an exchange of emails; the student should provide written evidence of the progress they are making and the supervisor should provide a critical assessment of the work submitted. The emails will have to be printed and saved with the report form. For research students who are in continuation status it is encouraged that the meetings should be face-to-face where possible. For research students carrying out major corrections to their thesis as required by the examiners, it is not a requirement that the meetings are face-to-face, they can be via electronic means or by telephone. Supervisors will be required to inform the University, via the Postgraduate office, of students who do not attend the formal supervision meetings. This will enable the University to be more pro-active in monitoring research students‟ progress and will also enable the University to fulfil its statutory obligations in reporting to the UKBA those students, with visas, who are not attending. The report of the supervision meeting need not be long; it simply has to demonstrate the student is making academic progress and is still attending the University. These reports will be held in Schools but the date of the meetings and a record of attendance of students will be held on the University SITS database.
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Annual Monitoring of Progress
The University requires you and your supervisors to compile a report on your progress at least once per year. This is called the „HD/P1‟ or the “pink form”. If you are a sponsored student you may have to submit written progress reports more frequently. The HD/P1 report is intended to provide: • A check at the School level that you are receiving adequate supervision and making appropriate academic progress; • a formal opportunity for you to demonstrate and discuss your progress with your supervisors and at least one other member of the School. Where an interview is impractical, you and your supervisor will still need to make individual written reports.
The Process:
1. An HD/P1 form for each enrolled student (who has not yet submitted their thesis) will be sent to schools.
2. Research students should then be asked, by the school, to undertake a self assessment of their progress since beginning their programme or the previous annual review and prepare a detailed report (Appendix 3) to be submitted by a deadline set by the School. Your supervisors can advise you on preparing for the annual review of progress, but should not unduly influence what you write. As part of your self assessment you should be asked to identify your achievements, any difficulties you have encountered and how you resolved them, and to comment on your progress against targets previously set. You should also be asked to review and update deadlines for completion of each stage of your degree based on progress so far. As part of the exercise you should also be asked to review any research skills and training programmes you have undertaken and to plan for further development and needs. The report should be submitted to the School by a specified date.
3. The research student and supervisor should meet to assign a JACS code to the research being undertaken. Up to two JACS codes may be assigned, if more than one JACS code is used a % weighting should be included.
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4. The student and review panel should meet to undertake the formal
review. The review panel should comprise (as a minimum) a member of the supervisory team and an independent member of academic staff with relevant subject knowledge. If a face-to-face interview cannot take place because, for example, the student is based overseas then the review should be carried out by email or telephone contact. Local supervisors should take part in the review of students based wholly overseas. Following the review meeting the panel should prepare a report on the student‟s progress and include details of targets achieved and the new set of targets agreed with the student (APPENDIX 4).
5. Following the review meeting the progress form (HD/P1) should be completed indicating the recommended registration status for the student in the following year. The student‟s report, the review panel report and the HD/P1 form, which should be signed by the review panel members and the student, should then be submitted to the Senior Administrator in the School by an agreed date (to be set by the School). Any recommendations on your enrolment status must be authorised by your Head of School or his/her nominee. It is as a result of your annual review of progress that you may be confirmed in your registration for a PhD or re-graded to MPhil. If your performance is very unsatisfactory you may be asked to withdraw. You will be given a copy of the form and any attachments.
6. The Deputy Head of Research is asked to approve the
recommendation of the review panel, by signing the HD/P1 form, or to ensure any issues arising from the review are resolved. Action to be taken as a result of the review should be indicated on the HD/P1 form, which should be sent to Registry by the given dead-line in August.
7. Registry will amend the student record, progress the student
record to the next academic year and take any necessary action to carry out the recommendations of the School.
8. The student enrols for the next academic year.
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PROCEDURE FOR UPGRADING STUDENTS FROM MPHIL TO PHD
The transfer of research students registered on the MPhil Programme to the PhD programme may take place at any time but it is recommended that the transfer review takes place within 10 and 18 months of the initial registration of the student. This time scale allows the student to complete the MPhil within the maximum period allowed for the programme should they not be successful at the transfer event. The MPhil to PhD transfer may take place in conjunction with the annual review of progress. TRANSFER PROCESS Following discussion with their supervisor(s) a research student registered on an MPhil programme will be invited to submit documentation and to present themselves at an MPhil/PhD transfer event. The date of the transfer event will be set by the student‟s main supervisor in consultation with the Transfer Event Panel and the research student. The research student should be given at least 6 week‟s notice in order to allow sufficient time to prepare the required documentation.
Transfer Event Documentation Critical based projects The transfer event documentation will be submitted by the student to the Supervisor at least 10 days before the date of the transfer event. The submitted transfer document will be between 6000 and 12,000 words in length and may typically include the following:
A literature review
Details of the methodology
Scope of the research
A reference section
Plans for future work
A justification that the work is of PhD standard
An appendix detailing the skills training undertaken.
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Practice based projects The transfer event documentation will be submitted by the student to the Supervisor at least 10 days before the date of the transfer event. For Music Projects the submitted transfer document will consist of a portfolio of works completed to date, details of works in progress and a critical commentary of between 1000 and 1500 words. For Drama Projects the submitted transfer document will consist of a performance portfolio and critical commentary of between 1500 and 2500 words. The critical commentary for practice-based projects might typically include:
A literature review
Details of the methodology
Scope of the research
A reference section
Plans for future work
Evidence that the student has a developed and realistic plan for the work at PhD level
An appendix detailing the skills training undertaken.
Transfer Review Panel A transfer review panel will be appointed by the Supervisor and will comprise of at least one member of the supervisory team and one independent member of academic staff who have not been involved in the supervision of the student. A Review Panel Chair will be appointed from the members of the panel by the Deputy Head of School (Research) or appointed nominee. It will be the responsibility of the Review Panel Chair to ensure that members of the Panel and the student are aware of transfer regulations and procedural requirements. It will also be the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that decisions and detailed feedback are related to the student in a timely and appropriate manner and that where the student has been successful the MPhil to PhD transfer recommendation is reported to Senate within 7 days of the decision being taken, using the appropriate paperwork (form HDS10 available on the University‟s SCPRD webpages): http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/registry/minutes/cqstl/scpgrd/home.shtml
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The Transfer Event will take the form of viva voce at which the Review Panel Members will discuss and question the student about their research progress. The School may require the student to make a presentation to the Review Panel and may also require the student to make a presentation to their peers and other members of academic staff.
. Recommendations of the Transfer Review Panel The Panel may recommend one of the following:
Transfer to PhD studies with no conditions
Transfer to PhD, subject to revisions to be made to the transfer documentation within 3 months of the transfer event. The revisions to be checked and signed off by the Chair of the Transfer Review Panel
Transfer to PhD is not recommended but the student may re-submit the transfer documentation to the same Transfer Review Panel within 6 months of the date of the transfer event. The Panel may/may not require a second transfer review event
Remain registered for an MPhil.
Members of the Transfer Panel will produce a joint report outlining the justification for their decision. The report will be made available to the student.
Where students are transferred from MPhil to PhD the time already spent in MPhil registration will be counted as part of the maximum PhD registration period.
Students will be able to appeal against the decision of the Review Panel by following the University‟s standard appeals procedures detailed in Senate Regulation 6. Review Documentation
Where the review panel recommends to Senate the transfer of a student from MPhil to PhD form HDS10 (joint report of review panel members)
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should be completed (by the Panel) and signed by the Deputy Head of School (Research) and returned to the PG Senior Administrator together with the transfer review documentation submitted by the student. The Student record will then be amended.
Procedure for Downgrading students from PhD to MPhil
Through the Annual Review process it is possible for a student to be downgraded if the work is deemed not to fulfil the criteria for a PhD. Students will be assessed by the supervisor and second supervisor (or substitute) and will be notified along with a report from the annual review meeting.
YOUR RESEARCH DEGREE The First Few Months During this time you should be communicating with your supervisor regularly as you work on your plan of research and define your research questions. This may mean undertaking a literature review, attending relevant courses, mastering any technical vocabulary or following a programme on research methodologies and skills. You should begin writing as soon as possible in order to clarify your thinking about the project and to check with your supervisor the suitability of your style, tone and presentation. If you are a sponsored student you may well have to produce a written report on your progress at 3, 4 or 6 monthly intervals. This is good preparation for a subsequent career and, if not required by your supervisor, may still be good practice for you. The End of your First Year Your progress will be formally reviewed by September following your initial registration if this was between 1 October and 1 April. If your initial registration was between 1 April and 1 September your progress will be formally reviewed 12-18 months after initial registration. In the annual review process, you will need to be able to present a written report on your progress and evidence of any other work that was agreed by your supervisor, you should undertake during the initial stages of your
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programme of research. This material will form the basis of an interview between you, your supervisor and at least one other member of the School, as specified by the School. It is at this stage that any decision to re-grade your registration from MPhil to PhD, or vice versa, will be taken. Your supervisor will define for you what will be required for you to be „upgraded‟ from MPhil registration to PhD registration (ordinarily expected to be at the end of your first year if you studying full-time and registered for MPhil).
Procedures for Requesting Periods of Abeyance
It is possible, because life has a habit of being unpredictable, that you might need to postpone your studies for a time. This is what is called a period of abeyance. If this is a requirement for you because of your circumstances then talk first to your supervisor and next obtain the appropriate form (HDS/1) from the Senior Administrator to request abeyance. The form will have to be signed off by your supervisor and the Deputy Head of Research. Registry will write to you confirming the details of your abeyance. You can go into abeyance for a maximum period of one year for a full-time student and for two years if you are studying on a part-time basis.
Procedures for Requesting Extensions to the Maximum Period of Registration
If, for various reasons, you want to extend the maximum period of your registration for an MPhil or PhD, then you should first discuss your situation with your supervisor. If they agree that an extension would be appropriate then they will submit a Request for Extension form (HDS5) to the Deputy Head for research, who will then let the Senior Administrator know of the agreed decision. The written request and Deputy Head‟s agreement will be sent to the Chair of the University‟s Sub-committee for Postgraduate Research Degrees (SCPGRD), who will confirm in writing to the School and the student whether this has been accepted. Please note that you will be charged full or part-time fees depending on your status.
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Procedure for submission of Thesis in less than the Minimum period
If you are making considerable progress, your supervisor may suggest that permission be sought for you to submit your thesis in less than the minimum period. For reductions in the registration period a case has to be made by your supervisors to the Chair of the Sub-Committee for Postgraduate Research Degrees (SCPGRD).
SCPGRD has to be convinced that you will produce a submission for the PhD or MPhil that will be of a high enough standard to pass and that you will be able to successfully defend your work in a viva voce. The supervisor will need to back up the recommendation with evidence of why you should be allowed to submit your PhD or MPhil within a shorter period. A Period of Continuation Once you are ready for the final stage of your PhD, i.e. your writing up period, you should request a change of status to a period of continuation using form HDS6. You will discuss this first with your supervisor and if agreed appropriate the form would be sent to the Senior Administrator and Deputy Head for Research, who will forward it to Registry. Registry will notify you in writing whether this has been agreed. The advantage of this arrangement is that a lower fee is charged, although you will not formally be given the same level of supervision as during the normal registration and extension period. MAKING YOUR VIEWS KNOWN
The University believes that it has set in place procedures for ensuring that you receive good supervision and appropriate support and facilities for your studies. It is reliant on you using the feedback mechanisms in place at School and University levels to raise any issues of concern.
Representation and Feedback Research students are represented on the School‟s Research
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Committee, the School Board on the Graduate School Board, on Sub-Committee Postgraduate Research Degrees (SCPGRD) and, through the Union of Brunel Students, on the Senate of the University.
The School of Arts has one PGR student representative who will bring issues you may have to the Research Committee.
Your School, or the Graduate School may also seek feedback from you about your experience as a research student through questionnaires or formal or informal meetings. There is an email group for research students. To join the list, please email the list owner [email protected]. Periodically SCPGRD will issue a questionnaire specifically for research students and will also arrange to meet groups of students by School. The School will be asked to respond to any issues raised in the form of a report which will be circulated to all research students within the School.
Each year the Sub-Committee requests a report from each school on its provision for research students. You should be given an opportunity, within the School, to comment on that report.
Concerns or Complaints You may have more difficult concerns you wish to raise, for example about your relationship with your supervisor. You should not feel discouraged from raising such issues: by the time you reach your viva voce it will be too late to set things right. If it is something you cannot talk to your supervisor about then seek advice from the Deputy Head of School (Research), or the Head of School, or the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Graduate Studies. If you are unsure what to do, you might wish to talk informally to the School Senior Administrator for Research or to an administrative officer in the Registry or the Vice-President Education & Welfare in the UBS. Please follow the link below to The University‟s formal complaints procedures:
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/appeals-and-complaints
YOUR THESIS Senate Regulations 5.26 to 5.33 gives information about what a thesis is. Your thesis must conform to University Guidelines.
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Introduction As a candidate for a research degree, you must submit a thesis on a topic approved by an authorised member of staff. Your thesis must be a substantial piece of written work in which you demonstrate a sound knowledge and critical appreciation of your discipline and of associated research techniques and show that these techniques have been successfully applied. You must organise and present the material in your thesis adequately, demonstrating clarity of expression and an appropriate literary style. The thesis must be in English and suitable for publication, either as submitted or suitably abridged. You should ensure that you do not stray from the main objectives of your research programme by undertaking too much other work, whether related to your thesis or not, as this may adversely affect your agreed completion date. If you and your supervisors do agree to modify your thesis timetable, your supervisors should record the reasons why, together with details of any impact the change will have on the nature of the project and the date for its completion. If these changes are significant, you should seek the approval of the Head of School or designated officer, as well as that of any collaborating organisation. Your supervisors will advise you about when, in their opinion, your thesis is ready for submission, although you are not required to adhere to this guidance.
In the case of a written thesis, the word count will between 75,000 and 90,000 words. Format of your thesis
You should consult British Standard 4821: Recommendations for the Presentation of Theses and Dissertations: 1990. BSI has officially withdrawn this standard, but it should still be consulted as it provides best guidance in the presentation of theses. Essential points of this Standard are that: • The copy must be legible
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• the size of character used in the main text, including displayed matter and notes, should be not less than 2.0mm for capitals and 1.5mm for x-height (height of lowercase x) • paper should be size A4, white, acid-free, and within the range 70g/m2 to 100g/m2 • text should be single sided, right hand pages only • line spacing should be 1.5, with a 40mm margin at the binding edge and other margins not less than 15mm - margins should not include the page number. It is also important to check that any tables, diagrams, photographs etc also have suitable margins. Your thesis should be in 'Perfect Binding'; the Print Room can arrange to do this for you. Your supervisors will advise you about the number of copies which you must ask to have prepared.
Content of your thesis Your thesis must conform to Brunel University guidelines. It may include work which you have already published, with other collaborators or as the sole author, but you must acknowledge this in the text and bind all such work at the end of the thesis. Work which you have submitted for an award of Brunel or any other University or award-granting body can also be included, but this too must be clearly indicated in the text and should not make up a substantial part of the thesis. The University has clearly defined rules on plagiarism, which are set out in Senate Regulation 6. You must clearly indicate all work included in the thesis that is not your own to avoid any risk of breaking these rules. Your supervisors will advise you on your School‟s guidelines for what constitutes plagiarism in its academic disciplines.
Introductory Pages Title pages should be laid out as shown below. The name of your supervisors may be included in the acknowledgments but should not be mentioned on the title page. The order of introductory pages is: title page, abstract (discussed in the next section), contents, acknowledgments.
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Example title page:
INVESTIGATION INTO
LITERACY OF PhD STUDENTS
A thesis submitted for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
by
John Augustus Smith
School of Arts Brunel University
May 2005
Abstract Your thesis should contain an abstract, which may be edited by your supervisors. It should be on one side of A4 and no more than 300 words in length. The abstract should be bound after the title page and in a form suitable for separate publication since the University may publish it without further reference to you.
Timing You must have completed the major part of the thesis, including the written material, during your period of registration with the University, under supervision arrangements approved by the University. Submitting your thesis When you have agreed with your supervisor that you are ready to submit your thesis for examination, a soft bound copy of your thesis should be submitted to the Senior Administrator. Your principal supervisor will tell
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you how many copies of your thesis you will need to hand in. This will vary according to the number of examiners but will normally be at least two. You should also keep an unbound copy of your thesis to take with you to your viva voce examination.
Note: The University reserves the right to require the submission of an electronic version of your thesis, which will be subject to checks for originality and plagiarism. Please see Senate Regulations 5.26-5.33: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/rules/senateregs/sr5
The Chair of the Learning and Teaching Committee may approve the submission and examination of a thesis before the end of the minimum period of registration if the Head of School and principal supervisor make a formal recommendation using form HDE1.
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THE EXAMINATION
Process
Once you have decided to submit your thesis for examination your supervisor and the Deputy Head of School must certify that you have completed the required study for the degree on Form HD/E1. At the point of submitting your thesis, you should check in person with the Student Centre that all tuition fees for which you are liable have been paid.
Note: The University reserves the right to require the submission of an electronic version of your thesis, which will be subject to checks for originality and plagiarism.
Since each student takes a unique period of time to reach the point of submitting a thesis, it is sometimes the case that corrections to tuition fees due need to be applied at this stage. This could imply either an increase or a decrease. A check at this stage should avoid the possibility of your being presented with a last-minute additional bill to be paid at short-notice before you can be recommended for award.
The Examiners
The appointment of the Board of Examiners and the arrangements for viva voce examinations are subject to the approval of the SCPGRD. Full-time and part-time candidates will be examined by at least two examiners. These will be an External Examiner appointed by the University and an Internal Examiner, normally a member of the academic staff of the school, nominated by the Head of School. But for candidates who are current members of staff or who have been employed by the University during the preceding three years, two External Examiners must be appointed, as well as an internal examiner.
The examiners are selected by the University. Each External Examiner for a research degree normally holds a position in a UK university as Professor, Reader or Senior Lecturer and should possess appropriate, current specialist knowledge. A special case may be made by the Head of School/first supervisor for the appointment of an External Examiner who does not hold such a position.
The External Examiner should not be someone personally known to you, for example the referee for your application to the University. Any prior relationship between you and the External Examiner(s) or any prior knowledge the Examiner may have of your work must be declared on Form HD/E1. The University does not normally ask the same person to
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serve as External Examiner for a school more than twice within a 12 month period.
A former member of Brunel staff may not be appointed as an External Examiner for a research degree of the University before a period of at least three years has elapsed since s/he was a member of staff of the University. Former members of staff of the University may not be appointed as External Examiners for a research degree of the University if they were in post in the school when you were a student or member of staff, or if they were otherwise known to you. If the External Examiner is to be a former member of staff then it is likely that a second External Examiner appointment will be required.
Your principal supervisor may not normally act as one of your examiners, but in some circumstances your second supervisor may do so, for example where s/he has had little formal contact with you. If, for exceptional reasons, your principal supervisor is to act as your examiner a second external examiner must be appointed.
An independent chair, who holds the position of Professor, Reader, or Senior Lecturer of the University will be appointed. The Independent Chair will oversee the examination process but will not act as an examiner.
Following the appointment of an external examiner the examination fee will be raised and you will be sent an invoice. All research students have to pay an examination fee.
The Examination
Your School will send a copy of your thesis to your External Examiner(s), and to your Internal Examiner.
Each External and Internal Examiner completes a preliminary written report prior to the viva voce examination, or, in cases where a viva is not to be held, prior to the determination by the Examiners of the award to be recommended. At this stage these reports are confidential as they will indicate the main lines of the further enquiry to be followed if a viva voce is to be held or set out reasons why no viva voce should be held. The reports will be available to all Examiners before the start of the viva voce.
The Viva Voce
A viva voce is held for all research degrees. It is an opportunity for you to defend your thesis and to demonstrate the breadth and depth of your
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knowledge. The date for the viva voce will be arranged by the Head of School or one of your supervisors in consultation with you and the examiners.
The viva voce is normally held on a campus of the University or on a campus of an associated or accredited institution. With the permission of the Chair of the SCPGRD and your Head of School the viva voce may be held away from the University if you and all the examiners so agree, but the Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee may require another, experienced, member of staff to be present.
One of your supervisors may be present at the viva voce, if you invite them to do so. You will be sent a form, in your examination pack, which you will need to complete in order to invite your supervisor to attend your viva voce. He or she may only speak during the viva voce if invited to do so by the Examiners.
The viva voce is held in private in the presence of the examiners (and maybe your supervisor and Independent Chair).
The Recommendations of the Examiners
After the viva voce, the examiners will determine their recommendations to Senate in private.
Before recommending that a candidate be awarded the appropriate degree, the Examiners are required to certify
a. that they have satisfied themselves that the thesis is a satisfactory record of research undertaken by the candidate and is genuinely the work of the candidate;
b. that, for a doctoral degree, the thesis forms a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the subject;
c. that the candidate has given evidence of a broad knowledge and understanding of the discipline and of associated research techniques, and has shown that they have been successfully applied;
d. that the thesis is satisfactory in its literary presentation;
e. that the thesis is suitable for publication (by being held electronically in the Brunel University Research Archive) as a work approved for a higher degree of Brunel University.
Separate additional criteria apply to doctoral and to Master candidates. A candidate for a doctoral degree (PhD) must also show a satisfactory
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record of research and a thorough knowledge of the field of scholarship. The candidate is required to demonstrate a broad knowledge and understanding of his/her discipline and of associated research techniques and to show that they have been successfully applied. The thesis shall form a distinct and original contribution to knowledge in the discipline.
A candidate for a Master‟s degree (MPhil) is also required to demonstrate a satisfactory record of research, a broad knowledge and understanding of the field of study and of associated research techniques and to show that they have been successfully applied. The thesis should also include a critical survey of knowledge in the approved field of study. The award of a Master‟s degree does not require candidates to demonstrate a distinct and original contribution to knowledge in that discipline.
A candidate for any research degree is required to show appropriate ability in the organisation and presentation of his/her material in the thesis, which must demonstrate clarity of expression and appropriate literary style. It must be in the English language, and must be suitable for publication, either as submitted or suitably abridged.
Then the examiners may recommend one of the following:
The Examiners shall make a joint written report to Senate on the examination of the candidate and may make any of the following recommendations:
a. If the candidate has met the criteria as specified by Senate set out above, and in paragraphs 5.1-5.4 of the regulations for postgraduate research degree programmes, the thesis is adequate, and the candidate has satisfied the Examiners at the viva voce examination, the Examiners may recommend the award of the relevant degree
b. If the thesis is otherwise adequate but requires minor amendments and if the candidate satisfies the Examiners in all other parts of the examination, the Examiners may, in writing, require the candidate to make such corrections to the thesis as will satisfy them (or one of their number as they decide). The Examiners shall specify the time available for making such corrections, up to a maximum period of four months, taking into account so far as is possible the candidate‟s personal circumstances. In the event that a candidate is unable to complete the minor corrections within in the time period specified by the Examiners, an extension of up to two months may be approved by the Chair of SCPGRD
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c. The degree not be awarded but that the candidate be allowed to resubmit the thesis in a revised form for re-examination within twelve months, either with or without a further viva voce examination as stipulated in the examiners report
d. If the thesis is judged by the Examiners to be satisfactory, but the candidate fails to satisfy the Examiners at the viva voce examination, the candidate may be allowed to present the same thesis at a second viva voce examination within six months
e. In the case of a viva voce for a doctoral award, if the thesis is judged by the Examiners to be of an insufficient standard for a doctoral award, the candidate should not be awarded the degree of Doctor, but should be re-examined, with or without a viva voce, on a resubmitted thesis, following appropriate revisions, for the award of MPhil. A report to this effect should be made and a date should be set for re-examination of the thesis within a period of not less than two months and not more than six months. A further Examiners‟ report form will be required in respect of any re-examination of the thesis whether or not a viva voce takes place
f. The Examiners may, upon consideration of the thesis and the candidate's performance at the viva voce, make the recommendation that the degree not be awarded.
Once you have submitted your thesis you may not be assessed for an award on more than two occasions. The first formal assessment is counted as the examination of the thesis and its defence by viva voce (if required).
You will be given a copy of the main report of the Examiners. If your Examiners disagree they will prepare separate reports and the disagreement will be reported to the Senate, which will, after taking advice from the Learning and Teaching Committee or its Chair, make such arrangements as are necessary to resolve the disagreement.
Notification of any result or award will be withheld if you are in debt to the University.
Archiving your Thesis on BURA
At its meeting on 16th October 2007, Senate approved an amendment
to the Research Degrees Senate Regulation (SR5) requiring that from
the beginning of the 2008/9 academic session, all research students
should provide the Library with an electronic version of their successful
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thesis. The only exceptions to this requirement are submissions for PhD
by the Published Works route and submissions for higher doctorates.
On successful completion of the examination process the Library should
be provided with an electronic version of the thesis following the process
outlined below.
Embargo Requests
If applicable, the student‟s principal supervisor sends a request to
Registry for a thesis to be embargoed using the form provided in the
Student‟s examination pack. The Chair of the Sub-Committee for
Postgraduate Research Degrees (SCPGRD) agrees/denies the embargo
request, and Registry notifies the Library and the supervisor. The
supervisor/student will also send notification of the approved embargo to
the Library when submitting the electronic thesis.
Submission of an e-Thesis to the Library
The student or their principal supervisor will send the Library the
following:
Full text thesis on CD/DVD
Signed Brunel University Research Archive (BURA) deposit
agreement form
Copy of student‟s award letter
Advice regarding any agreed embargo request, including its
duration.
Specifications for the thesis and CD/DVD are as follows:
The thesis should be the final version after any corrections have
been made
The thesis including any supplements should be a single file on the
CD/DVD
The thesis may be written using any word processor
The CD/DVD should be carefully labelled with the student‟s name
and thesis title, so it‟s easily identifiable
Memory sticks should not be used as their labelling would be
difficult.
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Embargo Process
On receiving an approved thesis embargo request from the student or
their principal supervisor, the Library will place the CD/DVD in a secure
location. The Library‟s Copyright & Digital Resources Officer will liaise
with the Research Support and Development Office about any
embargoed theses. The embargoed thesis will remain in the secure
location for the duration of the embargo, which may occasionally be
extended. At the end of the embargo period, the thesis will be deposited
into BURA, assuming that no request has been received for the
embargo to be extended. It is the responsibility of the student or
supervisor to gain approval from Registry for an extension of an
embargo. They must also notify the Library in good time if an embargo
extension has been approved.
Depositing in BURA
Before depositing a thesis in BURA, the Library will check for plagiarism
and third party copyright using Turnitin software.
Assuming that the Turnitin check for plagiarism and third party copyright
is satisfactory, the Library will deposit the thesis in BURA. Metadata will
be entered using data in the thesis itself, together with five descriptive
keywords or short phrases as supplied on the BURA deposit agreement
form. The first and where applicable the second supervisors‟ names will
be included in the metadata.
Catalogue Entry and EThOS Harvesting
Following deposition in BURA, a record will be created in the Library‟s
catalogue, which will contain a link to the full thesis text in BURA. Also
the theses will be harvested from BURA by the British Library for
inclusion in their database of British universities theses, EThOS
(Electronic Theses Online Service).
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Contacts
The student or their principal supervisor should send or deliver their full
text thesis CD/DVD and other required items (as listed above) to Jo-Ann
Nash in the Library. Enquiries about the thesis delivery process should
be directed to Jo-Ann Nash. Enquiries about thesis copyright and BURA
should be directed to Monique Ritchie and John Aanonson respectively.
Anne Emmett, Senior Information Assistant, Resources Development
Email: [email protected]
Tel. ext. 66174
Monique Ritchie, Copyright & Digital Resources Officer
Email: [email protected]
Tel. ext. 66169
John Aanonson, BURA/Research Manager
Email: [email protected]
Tel. ext. 66139
For information on Copyright and your thesis:
http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/research_handbook/2010/archiving.html
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PREPARING FOR SUCCESS Whether you are a full-time or part-time student you should be conscious of how you intend to use your research when it is successfully completed. There are many things that are a natural part of your studies that can be drawn upon to enhance your employability or forward your existing career afterwards. In addition to your enhanced expertise in your subject you will also have practised many of the higher level transferable skills that employers look for: self-reliance, independent and self-critical thinking, data-analysis, presentation and communication skills of all sorts. You may have developed your ability to work as a member of a team and you should certainly be able to demonstrate project and time management and self-discipline. The Placement and Careers Centre can advise you on how best to present yourself through your CV and at interview. They also hold many datasets and information packs on career opportunities. The staff can also advise you on what extra-curricular activities you might engage in to strengthen your CV. You may wish to continue your career in the academic world. If so, you should ask your school about any opportunities to undertake light teaching or demonstrating duties. The University provides training for research students who are new to teaching at this level and you will be given a formal contract of employment. Normally you may not undertake more than 180 hours of teaching or demonstrating, including any associated duties, within an academic session. (For further guidance see Guidelines on the Participation of Research Students in the Delivery of Teaching and Learning). During your period of registration you may be offered work outside the University which you may wish to take up. You should seek the advice of your supervisor(s) who may recommend that you be granted leave of absence. Periods of official leave of absence do not count.
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APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES
The University has various procedures that you will need to follow depending on the nature of the complaint.
An academic appeal is a procedure that allows you to challenge a decision of the Board of Examiners.
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with any other aspect of University provision.
If you wish to make an academic appeal or a complaint , you will need to follow the University‟s Appeals and Complaints Procedures:
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/appeals-and-complaints APPEALS This procedure must be followed if you are dissatisfied with a decision made by the School (including decisions taken by Board of Examiners) However, please be aware that in accordance with Senate Regulation 6.6 “No appeal shall be allowed on the grounds that although the decision of the Examiners was properly made, the Board of Examiners is alleged to have erred in its judgement of the academic standard achieved by the student”
1. You should obtain and complete a copy of the REQUEST FOR INTERNAL RESOLUTION form from the PG School of Arts Office (GB010/11).
2. The completed form (with any supporting documents attached)
must be returned to the – Deputy Head (Research).
3. The Deputy Head for Research will ensure that every part of the form has been completed (i.e., with no blanks). S(he) will be unable to accept a form if it is incomplete.
4. Receipt of this form will initiate an investigative process, and you
will receive a written response. We will normally aim to respond to students‟ requests for internal resolution within a maximum period
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of 14 days. An interview may also be arranged to discuss the appeal. If an interview does take place, a record of the interview details and its outcome will be made. The student must be asked there and then to confirm (by signing on the record) that the record is an accurate account of what has taken place at the interview.
4. The Deputy Head for Research will make a decision on the appeal
in conjunction with the Senior Research Administrator. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may then take the matter through the University‟s appeals processes.
COMPLAINTS The Complaints procedure may be used by students to complain about any aspect of provision but may not be used to appeal against a decision of a Board of Examiners (See Senate Regulation 6 for further information). INFORMAL STAGE Firstly, students are encouraged to raise issues with academic, administrative or support staff or through student representation that can be taken to School Committees where student issues are a standing item. Students are also encouraged to discuss issues with one of their two supervisors, or if they prefer, students can approach the Deputy Head for Research. If the issue is one that is time-sensitive, concerning an exam or other activity, and needs a prompt decision, students should approach the School Manager immediately. FORMAL STAGE The Head of School is formally responsible for all activities within the School but he has delegated responsibility for investigating complaints to the School Manager. A formal written complaint using the Complaint Action Form obtainable from the UG and PG Admin Office should be completed by the student and submitted to the School Manager.
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Complaints need to be clear and to the point and address the following issues: • The nature of the complaint and how its effect on the student • The action taken to try to resolve the complaint with details • Evidence offered in support of the complaint. • An indication of the desired outcome if the complaint is upheld. Full details should be given and only appropriate evidence provided Students are advised to keep copies of all relevant documentation being submitted. The complaint will be acknowledged by the School Manager within a 7 day period. Depending on the nature of the complaint the School Manager may arrange to meet the Student within 21 days. Students may bring a representative but need to give 7 days notice of that fact (further information about who they are permitted to accompany them is available via the UBS). The School Manager may also ask for another staff member to be present at that meeting but will give full information about who this is in advance of the meeting The School Manager will, if possible, informally communicate the School response to the complaint, as soon as is reasonably practicable and a written response confirming the decision will normally be sent within 21 days. If the School Manager decides your complaint was well founded in whole or in part, a form of redress may be granted but if the complaint is not upheld, then the Student will be given reasons for this decision. FINAL REVIEW - STUDENT COMPLAINTS OFFICER Should a Student complaint not be addressed to the Student‟s satisfaction within the School, a request can be made by the Student to refer the complaint to the Student Complaints Officer in writing within 21 days of receiving notification of the outcome from the School.
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The Student Complaints Officer who is based within the Student Life Office will consider the complaint and investigate options for a mutually acceptable resolution. Follow this link for further information on the Final Review Stage: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/appeals-and-complaints MEDIATION At any stage of the Complaints Procedure students may be offered mediation by the School or the Student Complaints Officer. With a student‟s agreement the complaint will be referred to one of the 5 team of Student Mediators, who are members of staff experienced in dealing with student problems and trained in mediation. The Mediator‟s task is to help the student and the School or individuals about whom the complaint is made, together to find a resolution to the problem. The Mediator will hold separate preliminary meetings with both parties, and then meet the parties together. The mediator will remain impartial throughout the process. If the complaint is resolved through mediation, the Mediator may at the request of the parties put any agreement reached in writing for their benefit. This agreement is not legally binding. What is discussed at mediation is confidential and cannot be used in any complaint procedures or legal processes. If the complaint remains unresolved, the Mediator will take no further part in the complaint process, and you may continue to pursue your complaint through the University‟s Complaints Procedure. Further information about mediation can be obtained from the Student Complaints Officer or the Advice and Representation Centre of the UBS. Annex A Contact Help Available General Advice Advice and Representation Centre Union of Brunel Students
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Direct line - 01895 269169 Email: [email protected]
For general support and advice relating to complaints and appeals. Disability and DyslexiaService Tel: 01895 265213 Ext: 65213 E-mail: [email protected] For advice regarding disability and dyslexia issues. Operation of theComplaints Process Student Complaints Officer Tel: 01895 267336 Ext: 67336 E-mail: [email protected] For general advice on complaints process and advice on the University‟s mechanisms for external review of complaints.
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APPENDIX 1 PRACTICE AS RESEARCH: PROTOCOLS AND GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS, SUPERVISORS AND EXAMINERS This section is intended as guidelines for students undertaking Practice as Research, MPhil and PhD projects at Brunel, their supervisors and examiners, to be read alongside and in addition to the Brunel University Senate Regulations 5 for MPhil/PhD Research upon which these guidelines build. This document section draws directly on national guidelines for Practice as Research published by PALANTINE; consultations over a period of years with practitioners of Practice as Research in Music, Dance, and Performance Studies; and consultation with supervisory staff at Brunel. Creative Practice in a PhD The admission of creative practice in a Practice as Research PhD context is premised on the notion that research questions in the performing arts can be rigorously worked through in a range of practices (of which writing is only one). Where creative work forms a significant outcome of the research project, references to „thesis‟ are understood to denote the totality of the submission (including practical research components such as performances, exhibitions, installations, etc.) without privileging any of the submitted components.
Reflective Arts Practice with a clear research agenda has been accepted for several years by both Universities and the Arts and Humanities Research Council as a methodological process of research inquiry in its own right, and an appropriate mode of dissemination of research as a component of a PhD submission.
Undertaking Practice as Research at Brunel in the School of Arts You must consider whether your proposed project fits within Senate Regulations and Brunel Drama guidelines. Where relevant, prospective you may negotiate details of the guidelines with your Supervisory Team, in negotiation with the Postgraduate panel.
Practice as Research involves time and resources that may be limited for postgraduate degree students. Practical projects may demand an
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extended period of planning, rehearsal sessions. Funding for practical projects intended for submission will need to be secured by students from external sources (Arts Council England, etc). Research schedules need to take account of the time constraints imposed by the above. The Research Committee will make funding considerations clear to students at the point of application as and when appropriate.
To keep yourself abreast with developments in the field, you are encouraged to establish connections with other local, regional, national or international networks which are examining this developing mode of research practice http://www.lancs.ac.uk/palatine, www.bris.ac.uk/parip, http://www.herts.ac.uk/artdes/research. www.ahrc.ac.uk). You are also strongly encouraged to attend conferences, workshops, seminars and research groups organised by other universities, organisations such as PARIP, PALATINE, and other institutions, debating issues relevant to Practice as Research. All postgraduate students are strongly encouraged to participate in the School of Arts research events and in the Graduate School events and training programme. Balance between written and practical components Students should agree the weighting of practice and written work with their Supervisory Team when submitting their application, along with a projection of what the final PhD will comprise. It is understood that details of the weighting may change during the course of the research. Any thesis submission must involve a research inquiry and demonstrate an appropriate level of skill in the manipulation of the materials of production which are relevant to the artistic project. Any thesis submission should include the following: i) Contextualization of the project, a retrospective analysis of
the process and outcomes; ii) reflection on chosen research methodologies and production
processes and the relation between them; iii) an examination of the practice from an appropriate
theoretical perspective.
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Supervision
A minimum of two supervisors (who become the Supervisory Team) will be allocated to each student. The Supervisory Team and the relation between the members of this team should be established at the outset by the Supervisory Panel. Their role is to give feedback on process and practice using the normal tutorial process. Candidates are required to give supervisors (and examiners where appropriate) reasonable access to their working processes with respect to their practice. Research students should normally expect to have regular contact and feedback from their supervisor/s; this will be negotiated on an individual basis. Students based away from the University must have a local supervisor and a further supervisor either based at the University or at an Associated Institution. The progress of research students will be reviewed on an annual basis. However, if the Supervisory Team judge it necessary, more frequent reviews may be made in order to assess satisfactory progress.
Submission Students should ensure they produce practical research that will be accessible and retrievable to examiners in a form that will be negotiated with the Supervisory Team. The times and places of access by examiners to artistic process or practical research in progress must be broadly established as soon as possible after registration for MPhil/PhD studies. The presentation of any formally examinable practice should be negotiated with the Supervisory Team. Submissions in which practice constitutes the primary mode of assessment should include evidence in the form of practical performance, which exemplifies and illustrates the ideas contained in the written part of the thesis. A practical research submission would normally include: a substantial thesis which examines in depth the theoretical
concerns which have emerged from or with the practical
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research. This thesis will normally be approximately 40,000 words unless otherwise agreed with both Supervisors, the Research Co-coordinator and a further member of the subject team.
The thesis will be of a standard of presentation commensurate with established HEI protocols for PhDs and Brunel Regulations and guidelines. The submission, if deemed to of an appropriate standard by the examiners as a whole, will be the subject of a viva voce examination.
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APPENDIX 2 Sub-Committee for Postgraduate Research Degrees RECORD OF FORMAL SUPERVISION MEETINGS (HDS4) RESEARCH STUDENTS
Full name of research student
Supervisor
Student ID number
School
Arts
In addition to the annual progress review and enrolment, the number of formally recorded supervision meetings held over a period of 1 year should be:
8 for full-time research students
4 for part-time research students
4 for students in continuation (reduced pro-rata for students who submit their thesis during the 12 month continuation period)
4 for students carrying out major corrections to a submitted thesis (reduced pro-rata for students who re-submit their thesis within the 12 month re-write period)
Date of Meeting
**Please complete a nil report if student does not attend a meeting. The University is required by Law to report to the UKBA those students (who have visa requirements) who do not attend a prescribed number of supervision meetings.
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APPENDIX 3 PGR FEEDBACK FORM (STUDENT) (available from Sue Ramus – [email protected])
STUDENT NAME: (part-time)
(full-time)
SUPERVISOR (S):
TITLE OR TOPIC OF THESIS:
ASSESS YOUR PROGRESS OVER THE YEAR AND IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEMS YOU
HAVE HAD IN PURSUING YOUR RESEARCH.
IDENTIFY YOUR GOALS FOR THE FORTHCOMING YEAR. WHAT
SKILLS/TRAINING/ADVICE DO YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS?
PLEASE GIVE DETAILS OF ANY RESEARCH CONFERENCES ATTENDED AND
PRESENTATIONS MADE
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APPENDIX 4 PGR FEEDBACK FORM (SUPERVISOR) (available from Sue Ramus – [email protected])
STUDENT NAME: (part-time)
(full-time)
SUPERVISOR:
REGISTRATION DATE: COMPLETION DATE:
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE LAST 12 MONTHS
AIMS FOR THE FORTHCOMING YEAR and TRAINING OR SKILLS REQUIRED
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APPENDIX 5 REQUEST FOR INTERNAL RESOLUTION
(All sections must be completed; continue on a separate sheet if necessary; attach all supporting documents)
Print name in full:
___________________________________________________________________
Student Number: _______________________________ Email address:
A. What decision are you appealing against? Please note that in accordance with Senate Regulation 6.6 “No appeal shall be allowed on the grounds that although the decision of the Examiners was properly made, the Board of Examiners is alleged to have erred in its judgement of the academic standard achieved by the student.”
B. What are your grounds/reasons for appealing?
C. What outcome are you seeking from this appeal?
Signed: …..………………………………………………………. Date: PLEASE RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO PROFESSOR PHILIP TEW – DEPUTY HEAD OF SCHOOL (RESEARCH)
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UNIVERSITY STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
The Graduate School is a place where you can meet other postgraduate students, find a quiet place to study, unwind in the social area and make the most out of your postgraduate experience. The Graduate School has a team of academic and administrative staff who work very closely with student groups, academic schools and service departments across the University to enhance the postgraduate student experience. We provide free skills training, tailored to the needs of students at different stages of postgraduate study, from planning a Master's dissertation to writing a PhD thesis. Our provision includes a combination of two day research modules, seminars, workshops and online training programmes. The Graduate School itself is centrally located at the front of the Halsbury Building, presenting a welcoming environment to meet other postgraduate students, study or just take a break. The Graduate School is a dedicated postgraduate facility with 24 hour access, which includes a kitchen; a quiet study room; a common room plus a laptop loan service and lockers. A dedicated Postgraduate Study Centre is located in the Bannerman Centre (Room 213) with 40 PCs, laptop plug-in points, printer and lounge area. A number of social events are organized by the Graduate School throughout the year, including a Welcome Party in October. Coffee mornings every Tuesday give another opportunity to network with other Brunel University postgraduate students. The Postgraduate Society also organizes events for postgraduate students, as well as offering a network for support and advice. Further information about the Graduate School, including the seminar and training programmes, details of the Vice-Chancellor‟s prizes for students, and contact details for the Graduate School‟s staff, can be found at www.brunel.ac.uk/graduateschool
Dr Kate Hone
Director of the Graduate School
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The postgraduate common room
Counselling Service The Brunel University Counselling Service is entirely confidential. Full details of the service, including contact details are on the University web site at: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/life/welfare/coun. Disability and Dyslexia Service The Disability and Dyslexia Service provides a confidential advice and support service to students with a full range of needs including dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties; mental health; mobility and sensory impairments and unseen conditions. Full details of the service, including contact details are on the University web site at: http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/disability/ Student Centre The Student Centre is located in the Bannerman Centre and provides a wide range of support services to students. If offers information, guidance and advice through a team of student advisors on areas such as, student status letters, council tax letters, tuition fees, student loans, student access/ID cards, accommodation, registration and parking. Full details of the Centre, including contact details are on the University web site at: http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/stuentcenrtre/ Library services The library offers a full orientation programme at the beginning of each academic year. Postgraduate students, like undergraduates, are
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encouraged to take the tape tour of the library to ensure that they have a solid overview of the services that are available to them. Where departments wish to include them as part of an induction programme or taught course, the library is willing to provide sessions on database searching and other facilities.
http://www/intranet/brunel.ac.uk/library
Research Commons Brunel Research Commons is a dedicated space within the Library for Postgraduate Researchers and Research Staff, providing individual workspace, meeting rooms, and a relaxed seating area looking out over the campus. At over 600 square metres, the Commons is a significant physical representation of the support provided to researchers at Brunel, alongside BURA (the University's digital repository) which now contains over 5000 full text articles, BRAD (the internal publications database) and the Open Access publishing fund. The Research Commons was created as part of the 2011 Library refurbishment programme, which saw over £750k being spent on providing new heating, lighting and carpeting for the original 1970's building in a project that involved stripping out the entire structure across the summer, rotating all the shelving by 90 degrees, and staying open with resources accessible throughout - a particularly significant feat considering all stock remained on site during the project. Alongside the development of this new facility, the Research Commons also provides a home to the Library's expanding Special Collections (http://www.brunel.ac.uk/services/library/research/special-collections). All PhD students and academic staff have automatic swipe card access to the space, which is currently available between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Computing services As soon as they have registered, students are able to apply for a username and password which will give them access to the full range of computing facilities available on campus hardware, networking, printing, and central software, such as electronic mail and word-processing programmes. Computing Services has produced a range of self-learning
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packages that are available to all students at a nominal fee. Union of Brunel students The Union of Brunel Students does not provide an orientation programme that is designed specifically for postgraduate students. As part of its mission to improve resources and services for all students over all campuses, however, it is very active in postgraduate affairs and encourages postgraduates to play a full role in university life and to represent their fellow students on committees at every level of the university hierarchy. It also provides students, undergraduate and postgraduate alike, with a range of services, including an information and advice centre. Other services available to students The university‟s ecumenical chaplaincy, based in the Meeting House on the Uxbridge Campus, offers weekly services for Christians and Muslims as well as a place where students can relax, enjoy refreshments and meet friends. The Uxbridge Medical Centre houses a general NHS practice that provides health services for all students who have registered with it and emergency treatment to those who have not. The Counselling Service is able to provide confidential assistance in coping with personal and emotional problems.
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USEFUL WEBLINKS
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES
http://www.brunelstudents.com/studentreps
ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION CENTRE
www.brunelstudents.com
APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/appeals-and-complaints
DATA PROTECTION
http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/research_handbook/2008/dataprotection.shtml
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/research_handbook/2008/intellectualproperty.shtml
COPYRIGHT
http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/research_handbook/2008/copyright.shtml
RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE
http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/registry/minutes/researchethics/home.shtml
UNIVERSITY RULES AND REGULATIONS
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/rules.bspx