research students handbook

7/31/2019 Research Students Handbook

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/research-students-handbook 1/28

RESEARCH STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK

HUMANITIES

2012 –13



Humanities Research Students Handbook

Welcome

Welcome to Imperial College London. We hope you feel at home here and that your period of study with us will be successful and enjoyable. This handbook describesthe support that will be available to you and explains some of the proceduresgoverning research degrees. It should be read in conjunction with the College's ownregulations and publications.

The College supports humanities research in four distinct fields: the history of science, science communication, translation studies, and languages. As a researchstudent at imperial, you will be working in a lively environment where you will makeimportant contacts and friendships which will last into your future career.

You will have access to an excellent network of support including supervisors,postgraduate tutors and administrators. You will also have opportunities to meetother researchers and hear about their work. Imperial College itself is a dynamic,hard-working institution that prides itself on the achievements of its postgraduatestudents. All postgraduate students are members of Imperial's thriving GraduateSchool which aims to support students in their studies and in their transition intosubsequent employment.

As well as being a world-class research institution, Imperial College enjoys itsproximity to the South Kensington museums which offer useful resources and enrichthe student experience. We hope you take advantage of these and the many other

opportunities that London affords.

Enjoy your time with us. I wish you the very best with your studies.

Dr Felicity MellorDirector of Postgraduate Studies, Humanities




CONTENTS

1. Humanities at Imperial ……………........................................ 1

What we doWho we are

2. Progressing through a PhD ............................................. 3

Summary timeline for full-time PhD students Summary timeline for part-time PhD students Registration Research plan confirmation

Assessment stages – students registered before Jan 2011 Assessment stages – students registered from Jan 2011 Entry to Examination Submission of thesis Viva

3. Supervision and support .................................................... 10

Responsibilities of the principal supervisor Responsibilities of the second supervisor

Responsibilities of the student Training Seminar programmes The research student administrator The postgraduate tutor The assessor The director of postgraduate studies The college tutors

4. Facilities ........................................................................................... 15

Study rooms Resources Libraries Careers advice Student Counselling Service




5. Management of postgraduate research ............... 17

Postgraduate Studies Committee Graduate School

6. The Graduate School ............................................................. 19

Introduction from the Graduate School Director Transferable skills courses Other resourcesGraduate School eventsContact

7. Health and safety ..................................................................... 23

8. Further sources of information ..................................... 24

College websites and online information Contacts




– 1 –

1. Humanities at Imperial

What we do

Humanities research is carried out in four units:

The Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHoSTM)The Science Communication UnitTranslation Studies UnitLanguages Unit

In addition to research, our staff are involved in teaching at both postgraduate andundergraduate levels. We offer five masters degrees: the History of Science,Medicine and Technology; Science, Technology, Medicine and Society; Science

Communication; Science Media Production; and Scientific, Technical and MedicalTranslation with Translation Technology. Some PhD students may benefit fromauditing modules on these courses. If you think this would be helpful to you, dodiscuss it with your supervisor and the relevant course tutor.

We also offer College-wide credit courses to undergraduate students in languagesand humanities, combined degree programmes in French, German or Spanish withBiology or Chemistry, non-credit evening courses for students and staff, aprogramme of stand-alone one day courses in translation technology, and summer courses on audiovisual translation.

Who we are

Director of Postgraduate Studies Dr Felicity Mellor

Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHoSTM)Professor David Edgerton (Head and Postgraduate Tutor)Dr Jean-Baptiste FressozDr Abigail Woods

Science Communication Unit Dr Stephen Webster (Director and Postgraduate Tutor)Giskin DayDr Felicity Mellor Gareth MitchellRachel SouhamiDr Robert Sternberg

Translation Studies Unit Mark Shuttleworth (Director)Christophe DeclercqDr Jorge Diaz-Cintas (Postgraduate Tutor)Dr Juan LalagunaDr Rocío Baños-Piñero




– 2 –

Languages Unit Professor Charmian Brinson (Director and Postgraduate Tutor)Professor Charles DrageDr Ruth HerdDr Juan LalagunaDr Sheila Lecoeur

Administration Centre Managers Maggie Causley & Claire StapleyResearch students administrator Liam WatsonCHoSTM administrator Anne-laure VieilleLanguages administrator Jackie TwitchettScience Communication administrator Liam WatsonTranslation administrator Naomi Anderson-Eyles




– 3 –

2. Progressing through a PhD

A PhD is a significant piece of original research undertaken by an independent

scholar. In the course of your doctoral studies, you will conduct an in-depth study of aspecific topic, engaging in critical analyses of the relevant literature and providingoriginal insights based on your own analysis of primary source material. In addition tobecoming expert in your chosen topic, you will also develop a number of transferableskills such as organisational skills and communication skills.

A doctoral thesis must form a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the subjectand afford evidence of originality shown by the discovery of new facts and/or by theexercise of independent critical power. Although the minimum period of registrationfor completion of a PhD is two years, the College will normally expect a student to beenrolled full-time for three years of registration (or the equivalent in part-time studies)before presentation of the thesis.

During this time you will need to be self-motivating and able to initiate your ownresearch. You will have access to research training and you will be assigned twosupervisors – a principal supervisor and a second supervisor – who will provide youwith advice and guidance at regular meetings (see Section 3 below). However, as anindependent piece of work, the planning and execution of your research will be your responsibility. To help structure your programme of study and to ensure that you aremaking adequate progress, you will pass through a number of assessment stagesduring the course of your PhD. This section describes these stages, together withsome other administrative requirements, in the order in which they occur. In additionto the requirements set out here, your supervisors may ask you to produce essays,draft chapters and seminar or conference papers. All the work you submit during your

studies must be your own and must be properly referenced. (See here for theCollege position on plagiarism.)

In the vast majority of cases, students progress through their studies at anappropriate pace and are able to meet all the requirements outlined below within theset time limits. However, in some cases a student may be faced with a personalemergency which means they cannot continue with their studies for a time. In suchcircumstances, it is possible to apply to interrupt your studies using form IC/B. Thisallows you to suspend your registration for a time. No fees are payable during such aperiod. If you think you may need to interrupt your studies, you should discuss thesituation with one of your supervisors or your postgraduate tutor first. The StudentCounselling Service may also be able to offer support in such circumstances.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/exams/examoffences



http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/researchdegrees








– 4 –

Summary timeline for full-time PhD students

Month 1: Registration; Enrolment; Project proposal/research plan (if not alreadycompleted on application).

Month 9: First assessment for students registered from Jan 2011.Month 9-15: MPhil/PhD transfer for students registered before Jan 2011.Month 18: Second assessment for students registered from Jan 2011.Month 18: Earliest date for submission of Entry to Examination form.Month 44: Latest date for submission of Entry to Examination form.Month 48: Latest date for submission of thesis.

Summary timeline for part-time PhD students

Month 1: Registration; Enrolment; Project proposal/research plan (if not already

completed on application).Month 18: Latest date for first assessment for students registered from Jan 2011.Month 30: Latest date for MPhil/PhD transfer for students registered before Jan

2011.Month 36: Latest date for second assessment for students registered from Jan

2011.Month 42: Earliest date for submission of Entry to Examination form.Month 68: Latest date for submission of Entry to Examination form.Month 72: Latest date for submission of thesis.

Registration

When: Before, or immediately upon, arriving and at the start of each academic year thereafter.What: Online enrolment.

You should enrol online via the Student e-Service facility as soon as possible after arriving if you have not done so already. Your log-on for Student e-Service is your College Identifier number (CID) which has been quoted in the correspondence youhave received from Registry during the application process. You should also receivean email giving you a password. When you log on to enrol, you will be asked toselect your area of interest; you should select the ‘Science, Engineering and

Medicine’ option.

Enrolment with College Registry ensures that your student records are correct. Itentitles you to access facilities such as accommodation, council tax exemption andother concessions, and allows those students paid from a studentship to receive their stipend.

Within the Student e-Service facility you can also upload a recent photograph of yourself (conforming to passport standards) for your College Identity Card. You willneed this card to gain access to some College buildings and it also serves as your library card and entitles you to discounts at some of the Campus shops andcanteens.

https://centsso.ad.ic.ac.uk/sso/pages/IClogin.jsp?site2pstoretoken=v1.2~976910EB~78D6896067232F6244180074EB9B5A6730E693180D942702D1B763781DDA6FC49D92D5F607CD7E09CC018D51F522A7CA5A16968D781F426E81F33BB306333BE7307EEB4096D71FE17F8DB09FC522FD4DA5629C1D0167867







– 5 –

Continuing research students need to re-enrol online each academic year, prior tothe start of term, to confirm your attendance.

Once enrolment is completed, all overseas students, including EU students, mustcontact the English Language Support Programme (ELSP) either to take theCollege’s internal Initial English Language Test or to complete an exemption form.Please note that this test is in addition to the PG1 test required for admission andenrolment. Depending on the result, you may be offered support classes by ELSP,and you may also need to take a second test at the time of your first and/or secondyear assessments. A score of 60 in the ELSP Initial Test is required in order that thefurther Transfer Test is not required. (See the ELSP website for further details aboutthe tests and who may qualify for exemption.)

Research plan confirmation

When: Within 12 weeks of start of registration.What: Outline of intended project.Length : approximately 1000 words.

As part of the admission process you will have submitted a project proposal whichwill have been approved by your supervisor and postgraduate tutor. A third member of staff will also assess your proposal. This research plan must be your own workand describe studies to cover the entire duration of the intended degree. It should setout the topic of your research, what research questions you hope to address, themethodological approach you expect to adopt, and the primary sources on which youwill draw. Since you will refine your ideas about your project once you start your studies, your supervisor may ask you to submit a revised version of your proposal

once your studies are under way. Your supervisor must confirm that an acceptableproposal has been submitted within 12 weeks of the start of your registration.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/humanities/englishlanguagesupport/postgraduateenglishrequirement







– 6 –

Assessment stages – students registered before Jan 2011

Students whose registration began before January 2011 are assessed through six-monthly reports and the MPhil/PhD transfer. Students whose registration began inJanuary 2011 or later, please see the next section for how you will be assessed.

Six monthly reports

When: 31st October and 30th April each year.What: Completed progress report.Length: Three page form.

Every six months, both you and your principal supervisor will receive a form by e-mailfrom the postgraduate administrator requesting details of progress. These forms arein two parts – your supervisor completes Part A and you complete Part B. All forms

must be completed and returned promptly to the postgraduate administrator beforethe appropriate deadline (31st October or 30th April).

You may return your completed form in confidence whilst your supervisor mustdiscuss their comments with you prior to return. All returns will be reviewed by thepostgraduate tutor (or director of postgraduate studies where the postgraduate tutor is the supervisor) and placed on record. If any significant issues have beenhighlighted, these will be raised at the Postgraduate Studies Committee.

Where the first report deadline falls within 3 months of your start date, there is noneed to submit a report at this time. You will submit progress reports at everysubsequent deadline until submission of your thesis.

MPhil/PhD transfer

When: normally 9 to 15 months after start date for full-time students; normally within30 months after start date for part-time students.What: Literature review; outline of thesis or research plan; sample chapter or reporton progress to date.Length: approximately 10,000 words.

The transfer from MPhil to PhD is a particularly important assessment, whichnormally takes place at the end of the first year. Since the research cover includesseveral different disciplines, the precise documents required for the transfer

assessment vary. However, in most cases you will be required to submit: 1) acomprehensive literature review; 2) a chapter outline of your proposed thesis and/or a detailed research plan; and 3) either a sample chapter or a report on your progressand findings to date. Your supervisor will inform you what precisely you shouldsubmit.

You will be examined orally on your transfer documents by two members of staff other than your principal supervisor, one of whom will normally be the assessor whoreviewed your initial project proposal. The assessor is selected by the postgraduatetutor and approved by the Postgraduate Studies Committee.

If the decision is made that you are not yet ready to transfer your registration fromMPhil to PhD, you will have three months to re-submit your report. Alternatively, youmay choose to complete an MPhil degree rather than a PhD.




– 7 –

Assessment stages – students registered from Jan 2011

Students whose registration began in January 2011 or later are formally monitoredthrough two assessments – one after 9 months (18 months for part-time students)

and one in after 18 months (36 months for part-time students). Students whoseregistration began before January 2011, please see the previous section for details of your assessment stages.

The possible outcomes for both the early stage assessment and the late stageassessment are: progression; resubmission of the assessment; transfer of registration to MPhil; or withdrawal. Where an outcome other than progression isrecommended as a result of an assessment, the final outcome will be decided inconsultation with the supervisor(s) and the relevant Postgraduate Tutor and/or theDirector of Postgraduate Studies.

In addition to the assessment stages, you may at any time submit a report in

confidence to the relevant Postgraduate Tutor and/or the Director of PostgraduateStudies if there are any aspects of your studies that concern you and that you wouldprefer not to raise directly with your supervisor. You do not need to fill in a specialform for this; simply send your comments by email with the subject heading ‘inconfidence’.

Early stage assessment

When: 9 months after start date for full-time students; within 18 months of start datefor part-time students.What: Literature review; outline of thesis or research plan; sample chapter or reporton progress to date.

Length: approximately 10,000 words

The early stage assessment considers your knowledge of your field of research andthe viability of your planned research in order to determine whether you have thepotential to complete a PhD. You will submit: 1) a comprehensive literature review; 2)a chapter outline of your proposed thesis and/or a detailed research plan; and 3)either a sample chapter or a report on your progress and findings to date. Your supervisor will inform you what precisely you should submit.

You will be examined orally on your submission by two members of staff, at least oneof whom is not one of your supervisors. This will normally be the assessor whoreviewed your initial project proposal. The assessor is selected by the postgraduatetutor and approved by the Postgraduate Studies Committee.

Where resubmission of the early stage is recommended, this must be completedwithin 11 months of the start of your registration.

Late stage assessment

When: normally 18 to 24 months after start date for full-time students; normally within36 months of start date for part-time students.What: Either, a seminar or conference presentation, accompanied by a writtenversion of the paper; or, an updated literature review and sample chapters.

Length: at least 3,000 words for written version of presentation; approximately 10,000words for updated literature review and sample chapters.




– 8 –

The purpose of the late stage assessment is to review your understanding of theresearch problem and critical awareness of the literature on the subject, and toconfirm that you have made sufficient progress to be able to complete the PhD withinthe remaining time.

You should discuss and agree with your supervisor which of the two assessmentoptions is most suitable for you. If you take the seminar or conference option, at leastone member of academic staff from your unit must be among the audience. If youtake the second option, at least one of the sample chapters submitted at this stageshould not have been submitted for the early stage assessment.

Your written submission will be examined by two members of staff, at least one of whom is not one of your supervisors. The assessor is selected by the postgraduatetutor and approved by the Postgraduate Studies Committee. For those giving aseminar or conference talk, at least one of the assessors must have been present atthe presentation.

Where resubmission of the late stage is recommended, this must be completedwithin three months of the first attempt.

Entry to Examination

When: Between six and four months before thesis submission; and, for full-timestudents, no later than 44 months after start date or, for part-time students, no later than 68 months after start date.What: Complete three forms giving candidate details, title and abstract of thesis.Length: Approximately 300 words for the abstract.

When you are nearing completion of your thesis, you must complete threeExamination Entry forms: Nomination of Examiners & Examination Entry Form;Description of Thesis Form; and Declaration Concerning Reproduction of Theses. Onthe Description of Thesis Form you will provide a one-page abstract of you thesis.You will also need to estimate the date you will submit the thesis. When you havecompleted the required parts of the forms, hand them to you supervisor who willnominate two examiners to conduct your viva. Your supervisor will then forward theforms to the director of postgraduate studies prior to submission to Registry for approval of the choice of examiners.

If you have not yet completed your thesis at the end of your registration period, youmay apply for Writing Up status. This allows you access to all College facilities for asmall fee. An Examination Entry form must be submitted at, or before, the start of theWriting Up period and the Writing Up period cannot be extended beyond six months.You may continue to work on your thesis after this period but you will not haveaccess to the library and other College facilities and you must submit your thesisbefore the expiry of the Examination Entry (18 months after submission of the form).

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/exams/examentryforms






– 9 –

Submission of the thesis

When: No later than 48 months after start date for full-time students; no later than 72months after start date for part-time students.

What: The thesis and two forms.Length: 100,000 words maximum including footnotes but excluding bibliography andappendices.

The thesis is the culmination of your studies and stands as your original contributionto knowledge in your field. Your supervisor will advise you whether your thesis isready for submission, but the decision to submit rests with you alone. If you have notsubmitted your thesis within 18 months of submission of the Entry for Examinationforms, you entry will be cancelled. You should submit the thesis electronically (seehttp://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/exams/thesisandvivas for the link and for further information); you order the bound copies of your thesis on submission to this site.(See here for further instructions about the format and submission of theses.) You

must also submit to Registry completed Abstract of Thesis and Declaration of Number of Words forms.

Viva

When: Normally within three months of submission of the thesis.What: Oral examination.Length: No fixed duration but typically about two hours.

The viva is the oral examination in which you defend your thesis. PhD vivas arenormally conducted by one internal examiner from within Imperial College and oneexternal examiner from another university. However, because of the small size of our research units, it is possible that an internal examiner will need to be appointed whodoes not have expertise in your precise subject area. In such instances, two externalexaminers will be appointed to provide the necessary subject expertise. In addition,you may also ask your supervisor to attend but they will not be allowed to contributeto the proceedings unless invited to do so by the examiners.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/exams/thesisandvivas


http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/pls/portallive/docs/1/22461701.DOC


















– 10 –

3. Supervision and support

Responsibilities of the principal supervisor

Your principal supervisor will be your main source of advice and support throughoutyour PhD. Supervisors are appointed on the basis of expertise by the postgraduatetutor, with the approval of the head of section (i.e., the director of the relevant unit).The member of the academic staff appointed as your principal supervisor will havethe following responsibilities:

a) Giving guidance about the nature of research and the standard expected, theplanning of the research programme, relevant literature and sources, how toavoid plagiarism, attendance at taught classes, and requisite training (includingfor example, arranging for instruction in language or computing where

necessary).

b) Maintaining contact through regular supervision meetings. The timing of supervision meetings may vary during the course of your studies, but willnormally take place once a month on average.

c) Being accessible at other appropriate times when you may need advice.

d) Giving detailed advice on the necessary completion dates of successive stagesof your work so that the whole may be submitted within the scheduled time.

e) Requesting written work as appropriate, and returning such work withconstructive criticism and in reasonable time.

f) Arranging as appropriate for you to talk about your research at graduateseminars, and to have practice in oral examinations.

g) Ensuring that you are aware if your progress is inadequate or if standards of work are below that generally expected.

h) Advising you on the need for and timing of any fieldwork, including visitsoverseas.

i) Advising you on, and ensuring arrangements are in place for, the formalassessments you are required to take during the course of your studies.

j) Providing pastoral support and advice when requested.

Responsibilities of the second supervisor

In addition to a principal supervisor, you may also be assigned a second supervisor who will be able to provide additional advice about your research. The secondsupervisor will have the following responsibilities:

a) Meeting with students as needed, including at least once in the first term. Beingavailable for consultation about any aspect of your work.




– 11 –

b) Taking over the responsibilities of the supervisor when the supervisor is on leaveor away from College.

Responsibilities of the student

Since a PhD consists of independent study, to a large extent you will need tomanage your own time and establish those routines of work which you find mostproductive. Your responsibilities include:

a) Discussing with your supervisor the type of guidance and comment you findmost helpful, and agreeing a schedule of meetings.

b) Taking the initiative in raising problems or difficulties, however elementary theymay seem.

c) Maintaining the progress of the work in accordance with the stage agreed withyour supervisor, including in particular the presentation of written material asrequired in sufficient time to allow for comments and discussion beforeproceeding to the next stage.

d) Ensuring that work is written and presented to an adequate standard.

e) Ensuring that the paperwork for your assessment stages is submitted on time.

f) Ensuring that the final draft of your thesis is in proper form and deciding whenyou wish to submit it, taking due account of University regulations and of your supervisor ’s opinion, which is, however, advisory only.

g) Participating in the postgraduate seminar programme and attending taughtcourses as advised by your supervisor.

h) Consulting with your supervisor before accepting invitations to give externalseminars, applying to attend conferences or publishing your work.

i) Keeping your supervisor informed about any factors which may be affecting your ability to pursue your studies.

Training

In addition to attending regular supervision meetings, you may be required, or choose, to attend research workshops, subject-specific taught modules, or transferable skills courses. What is appropriate for you will depend on your researchfield and your background. You should discuss your needs with your supervisors.

All research students are welcome to attend the transferable skills programme run bythe Graduate School (see Section 6 below). Students commencing study fromOctober 2010 are required to attend a number of these courses.




– 12 –

Seminar programmes

Research students are strongly encouraged to attend our seminar programmes,which include the Humanities Research Seminar series, the Science Communication

Unit Seminars, the Translation Studies Research Seminars and the CHoSTMSeminar .

The research student administrator

Each unit has an administrator who is responsible, among other things, for day-to-day administration relating to research students. In addition, there is a researchstudent administrator who provides support for all humanities research students. Theresearch student administrator will be able to help you if you need to liaise withRegistry or a funding body and will inform you when your assessments are due.

The postgraduate tutor

Each unit has a member of academic staff who acts as the postgraduate tutor for thatunit. In most cases, the postgraduate tutor is the unit director or head. Thepostgraduate tutor will be able to advise you about College procedures, give generaladvice about studying for a PhD, and provide pastoral support in addition to your supervisors. Your postgraduate tutor will review your six-monthly progress reports(where applicable) and has responsibility for ensuring that any concerns raised thereare considered by the unit. The vast majority of students are happy with thesupervision they receive. However, if you have any concerns about the quality of

your supervision or your relationship with your supervisors, you should raise thesewith your postgraduate tutor or the director of postgraduate studies.

The assessor

An independent assessor will review key stages of your studies. The assessor isselected by the postgraduate tutor and approved by the Postgraduate StudiesCommittee. The assessor will be an academic who has the appropriate expertise to judge progress and offer advice on your project. The assessor will read and commenton your initial project proposal prior to your registration as a research student and onyour formal assessments.

On the basis of your project proposal, the assessor will decide whether:

• You have the potential to undertake such a project.• A suitable supervisor has been identified.• The necessary resources are available.• Appropriate methodology is to be used.• There are clear and focussed research questions.• There is a realistic research plan.

Taking all the above into account the assessor will make a recommendation as towhether you may register for a PhD. This decision will normally be taken prior tomaking you an offer of a place.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/humanities/eventsresearchseminars



http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/humanities/sciencecommunicationgroup/masters/seminars




http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/humanities/translationgroup/guestspeakers



http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/historyofscience/events













– 13 –

Similarly the assessor will assess your written submissions and oral presentation for your MPhil/PhD transfer (for students registered before Jan 2011) or your early stageand late stage assessments (for students registered from Jan 2011). In addition tothe above points, the assessor will look at:

• Whether you have demonstrated the capability to conduct the research.• Whether you have made sufficient progress.• Whether you have an in depth understanding of your field of research and

the associated literature.• Whether you have a clear and realistic plan of future work.• Given the plan of future work and your current rate of progress, whether you

are likely to be able to submit a thesis for a PhD within the remaining timeavailable.

Taking all the above into account, the assessor will make a recommendation as towhether you may progress. The assessor may also be able to provide additional

input into your project, with suggestions for specific methodologies or potential newdirections for your research project.

The director of postgraduate studies

The director of postgraduate studies has overall responsibility for research studentsand is Chair of the Humanities Postgraduate Studies Committee and thePostgraduate Research Staff/Student Committee. You will normally meet the director of postgraduate studies during the induction session at the start of your first year andmay make an appointment to see her during the course of your studies if you haveany concerns or queries about your progress or the quality of your supervision. The

director of postgraduate studies will be informed of any serious problems raised inthe six-monthly reports.

The college tutors

In addition to the support offered within the department, all students have access, allstudents also have confidential access to the College Tutors regarding academicissues and all aspects of pastoral care and discipline within the College. The CollegeTutors can be contacted through the web page:http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/students/collegetutors.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/students/collegetutors






– 14 –

4. Facilities

Study rooms

Research students have use of three study rooms. Rooms S219 and S220 are bothrooms located within the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicineon Level 2 of the Central Library. Keys are available from the CHoSTM Administrator.There is a charge if keys get lost or stolen and have to be replaced. Both rooms havecomputing facilities. Room S312E is a smaller room located on level 3 of theSherfield Building. A small kitchen is available for use by all research students inroom S219 and research students may also use the kitchen facilities in the mainhumanities area on level 3 of Sherfield.

When there is no class taking place there, translation students also have access to

the Translation Lab (room S309) and Language Lab 2, both in the main humanitiesarea on level 3 of the Sherfield Building. These labs are equipped with computerswith the latest translation software.

Resources

In addition to computers, each study room has a telephone which you may use for calls related to your research. Likewise, we will cover reasonable research-relatedpostal costs. When sending external mail by post, you need to write a code on theenvelope. Your administrator will tell you the code for your unit.

Your unit administrator will also provide you with stationery on request. Photocopiersare available in CHoSTM and in the main humanities area. Your administrator willinform you of the code for operating the photocopiers.

Please remember that we have to pay for all such resources. Only reasonable usenecessary to your research will be supported.

Libraries

As a research student you will make extensive use of a number of libraries. TheCentral Library has a small collection of Humanities books, mostly shelved on level 5,and access to a number of journals and databases. The Humanities Librarian isHeather Lincoln. Heather will be happy to help with any queries you may have aboutlibrary resources.

Your Imperial College library card also gives you access to the Science MuseumLibrary which is housed on level 3 of the Central Library. The Science MuseumLibrary has an extensive collection of texts on the history of science, sciencecommunication and other areas of science and technology studies. It also has anumber of archival resources. The Imperial College Library catalogue covers theScience Museum Library as well as the collections of all the College libraries. Some

of the Science Museum Library’s collection is housed off -site and needs to beordered in advance.

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/library/resources/cataccess.htm







– 15 –

The Central Library also provides online advice on topics such as avoiding plagiarismand offers training courses in reference management software packages such asEndnote and Refworks.

In addition to making use of the campus libraries, it is likely that you will need tomake regular visits to the British Library at St Pancras. As a copyright library, theBritish Library holds most modern books and journals published in English and it isalso home to considerable archival resources. It is, however, not a lending library, sotexts have to be consulted on site. On your first visit to the British Library you willneed to register for a Reader Pass. You will find instructions on how to register onthe British Library website.

Imperial College students have access to Senate House Library on Malet Street inBloomsbury, including borrowing rights and onsite access to all the Library’s onlineresources. You may need to get the Imperial Library to sign off an application formbefore you can register at Senate House.

As a research student you are also able to apply for access to a number of other libraries. Conditions for access vary from place to place and will usually be explainedon the library’s website. For access to all university libraries and national libraries inthe UK, you should register for a SCONUL Access card (see here for details).

For books or journal articles not available through other means, the Central Libraryoperates an Interlibrary Loan system. Interlibrary Loans should only be used for materials not available in London libraries. Please note that we are charged for eachloan request. In most cases, the texts you require will be available at the BritishLibrary and should be consulted there.

Careers advice

For those of you hoping to stay in academia after the completion of your degree, your supervisors will be able to offer some advice on where to look for jobs and how tobuild up your CV. For those of you intending to leave academia, the Imperial CollegeCareers Advisory Service can offer advice on possible career paths.

The Careers Advisory Service is also able to help with CV writing, job applicationsand interview technique. The service is available whilst you are a student and for three years after you graduate. The Careers Advisory Service is based on level 5 of the Sherfield Building and can be contacted at [email protected].

Student Counselling Service

Counsellors are available to any student who would like to talk confidentially aboutany personal issue, such as study difficulties, loneliness, anxiety, depression,relationship issues, bereavement, or sexuality. There are both male and femalecounsellors. Telephone 020 7594 9637 or email [email protected] toarrange an appointment.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/library/subjectsandsupport



http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/inrrooms/stp/register/stpregister.html



http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/library/usethelibrary/membership/sconul









– 16 –

5. Management of postgraduate research

Postgraduate Studies Committee

The Postgraduate Studies Committee oversees the delivery of humanitiespostgraduate programmes, including: the general progress of research students;PhD admissions; and the selection of independent assessors. Membership consistsof the postgraduate tutor for each section, two student representatives, and thedirector of postgraduate studies. The committee meets at least twice a year, normallyin December and June, and is chaired by the director of postgraduate studies.

Graduate School

At the College level, our higher degree programmes are overseen by the GraduateSchool. The Graduate School monitors internal standards and procedures for research degrees and disseminates best practice across the College.




– 17 –

6. The Graduate School

As a research student you are a member of the College’s Graduate School. One of

the functions of the Graduate School is to provide postgraduate training ininterdisciplinary and transferable skills. The training offered is designed to enhancegraduates’ job prospects as well as supporting students through their studies. TheGraduate School also organises a number of events of general interest and providesan important means for you to meet students from different departments.

Introduction from the Graduate School Director

Welcome to the Graduate School. At Imperial we aim for our doctoral students notonly to have an excellent research experience, and to make contributions to their scientific field, but also to develop other skills that will enhance their effectiveness as

scientists. The Graduate School therefore provides a large number of courses todevelop your transferable skills. These range from short workshops to the Research Skills Development course, which is a residential course that encompasses teambuilding, research planning, communication and creativity, and also offers a greatopportunity to meet fellow students from other parts of the College and establishcontacts and friends that will remain with you throughout your time here. The skillsdeveloped during these courses are highly valued in the job market.

We also run a number of events during the year which are an opportunity to broadenyour knowledge and to meet other students. We will be hosting a number of lectures,as well as organising social events. I would encourage you to take part in these –

there are times when it can feel lonely as a research student and these events are anopportunity to be part of the wider community of doctoral students. In addition, manyof the advances in science and engineering happen at the boundaries betweendisciplines, and meeting students from other departments and faculties offersopportunities to enrich your research.

The Graduate School also ensures the quality of the doctoral programmes atImperial, and makes sure that you are appropriately supported to maximise thechance of success. Most of this important work happens behind the scenes, but thereare opportunities for you to get involved, through the Graduate Students’ Association(GSA) who not only provide representation for the student body but also run their own programme of social events.

I hope that you will enjoy your postgraduate research here at Imperial, and I wish youwell in your time with us.

Professor Andrew GeorgeDirector of the Graduate School




– 18 –

Transferable skills courses

The Graduate School offers a comprehensive training programme for MRes anddoctoral students to enhance your research, professional and personal development

skills. Our workshops run throughout the year and are designed to support youthroughout your studies. They can also show you how to communicate your work to avariety of audiences and consider the wider application of your work. The coursesare also a social opportunity to interact with students from other parts of the College.

Transferable skills requirement

In order to ensure that you develop generic research, personal and professional skillsin addition to the subject-specific training you receive within your research groups, allstudents are required to complete a minimum number of graduate school courses.The programme is divided into several different skills categories.

For students starting on or after 1st October 2012, the minimum attendancerequirement is four individual workshops from four different skills categories OR theResearch Skills Development residential course plus one other workshop. Therequisite number of courses must be completed by the time of the Early Stage Assessment (9 months for full time students, 18 months for part time students).

For students registering between 1st January 2011 and 1st October 2012, therequisite number of courses must be completed by the time of the Late Stage Assessment (18 months for full time students, 36 months for part time students).

The courses we offer

Our courses are divided into skill categories, grouping related courses together andmaking it easier for you to find courses relevant to your skill-base.

• Residential Courses – including the Research Skills Development (RSD)course

• Personal Effectiveness• Presentation Skills• Research Effectiveness• Information Skills• Ethics• Statistics• Writing Skills• Business, Enterprise & Commercialisation• Mini MBA courses• Information Skills• Completing the Research Degree• Careers• Science in Context

The full programme can be viewed at:http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/transferableskillsprogramme/transferableskillscourses

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/transferableskillsprogramme/transferableskillscourses






– 19 –

To best plan your development, we recommend that you discuss your choice of workshops with your supervisor. When choosing courses, always read the full coursedescription on the Graduate School website as this will tell you the course contentand guide you to the most appropriate time to attend the course. You should applyonly for the workshops recommended for your current stage of study.

Where to find information on the courses

Course information can be found on the Graduate School website atwww.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/transferableskillsprogramme

You should follow the “Humanities, Life Sciences and Medicine” [HLSM] route for appropriate courses. Dates of workshops are given on each of the coursedescription pages. The majority of courses will run on the South Kensington and theHammersmith Campuses.

How to book

In order to book your place on a course, please complete the appropriate on-linebooking form. Details can be found on the Graduate School website as above.Places are allocated on a first come first served basis and the course venue will besent in a confirmation email.

Cancellation charges

There is a charge for late cancellations and non-attendance of courses. For our shortcourses, we ask for at least three working days’ notice of cancellation. Cancellationperiods for residential and longer courses can vary. Please see the Graduate School

website for full details of the cancellation policy and charges.

Credit for prior learning

We acknowledge the diversity of experience amongst our students and this is whywe offer a mechanism for recognising external training or experience. If you haveattended a course you think may be equivalent to a Graduate School workshop, or if you have significant work experience, we recommend that you discuss this with your Director of Postgraduate Studies. They can make an application to the GraduateSchool on your behalf, to recognise your previous training.

Normally a maximum of two courses can be claimed as equivalent, to encourage all

students to engage with the programme during their time at Imperial.

There are also a number of courses offered in Departments that are alreadyrecognised as equivalent to the Graduate School programme.

Full details of equivalent courses and how to apply for exemption can be found at www.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/transferableskillsprogramme

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/transferableskillsprogramme









– 20 –

Other resources

Help sheets

The Graduate School has a number of help sheets which provide guidance and tips.These include advice on literature reviews, poster presentations and career planning. All of these can be found on the Graduate School website as above.

Mathematics Advisory Service

The Mathematics Advisory Service, funded by the Graduate School, is free for allresearch students and offers technical help to overcome mathematical problems youmay encounter in your research. The Service is informal, friendly and effective. For details, follow the link to the Mathematics Advisory Service from:www.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/transferableskillsprogramme

Online Courses

The Graduate School provides a number of online courses and resources. Thefollowing courses are available to all research students:

• Attending Conferences, Presenting and Networking• Career Planning in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences• Career Planning in the Sciences• Getting Published in the Arts• Getting Published in the Sciences• Intellectual Property in the Research Context

• IT and Statistics Basics• Project Management in the Research Context• Research Ethics: Good Ethics Practice• Research Ethics: Working with Human Subjects

Online courses are hosted on the Graduate School Blackboard VLE :http://learn.imperial.ac.uk

Graduate School events

All postgraduate students at Imperial, whether following taught or researchprogrammes, belong to the Graduate School. Membership means you immediatelybecome part of a wider postgraduate community, broadening and enriching your academic and social experience whilst at Imperial. The Graduate School provides afocus for opportunities to meet each other and exchange ideas across disciplinesthrough attendance at guest lectures and other similar academic (combined withsocial) activities.

Attending the different activities and events will give you the opportunity to meetother postgraduates in your field and from other parts of the College, and have thechance to share knowledge and experience. An important part of these events arethe receptions afterwards, which provide an opportunity for you to meet with the

speaker(s) and presenter(s) and with each other. This enables you to make


http://learn.imperial.ac.uk/







– 21 –

rewarding contacts outside of your laboratory or department, bringing you intocontact with graduates from different backgrounds to your own.

There are a number of social and academic events throughout the year, includingdistinguished guest lectures, at which you will be able to hear top national andinternational speakers. Other regular events include the extremely popular Ig Nobel Awards Tour Show in March and the exhibition chemistry show in May. TheGraduate School Research Symposium in July includes the opportunity to viewposters presented by research students across the College, a keynote lecture andreception.

In addition to the many events which are now well established in the GraduateSchool calendar, you are encouraged you to contact the Graduate School with your suggestions for popular speakers, issues for debates and ideas for other interdisciplinary events.

See the website for our events programmewww.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/events

Contact

By email at [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter – follow @ImperialGradSch for news, events and highlightsFind us on Facebook at Imperial College Graduate School.Visit the Graduate School website: www.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool.

We are based in the Registry, Level 3, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus – accessible via the Student Hub.

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool/events


mailto:[email protected]



http://twitter.com/ImperialGradSch?utm_campaign=welcome20100914phx&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=email&utm_source=welcome


http://www.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool










– 22 –

7. Health and safety

As a humanities student it is unlikely that you will be operating dangerous machinery

or undertaking procedures that require risk assessments. However, you should stillpay attention to health and safety issues. In particular, make sure that you are knowwhere the nearest emergency exit is for your study room and that you aware of thecorrect procedures in case of fire.

Wherever possible, try to mix work using computer screens with other work, tominimise the risk of eye strain, headache, or aches and pains in your hands, wrists,arms, neck, shoulders or back. If long periods of screen-based work are unavoidable:

• Take regular, short breaks.• Change your posture as often as possible.• Look away from the screen frequently to allow your eyes to relax.

• Ensure that when working at a computer you do the following things: – Adjust the chair so that your arms are approximately horizontal and

your eyes at the same height as the top of the monitor casing. – Ensure that your legs can move freely under the work surface; remove

any boxes or equipment that may be in the way. – Don’t bend your hands at the wrists while typing. – Try to keep a soft touch on the keys and don’t overstretch your fingers. – Make sure you have enough space for the documents you need.

If you experience any health problems which you believe may result from workingwith computer screens, the College Occupational Health Service will be able to offer advice in the first instance.

Further details about safety issues can be found here.

The College has a 24-hour emergency phone line: 020 7589 1000.

The extension number for College security on the South Kensington Campus is4444.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/safety







– 23 –

8. Further sources of information

College websites and online information

Languages Unit, Science Communication Unit and Translation Unithttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/humanities

Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicinehttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/historyofscience

Careers Advisory Servicehttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers

Graduate Schoolhttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool

Graduate School, Learning to Research Guidehttp://workspace.imperial.ac.uk/communications/public/learningtoresearch.pdf

Imperial College Student Charter http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/students/ourprinciples

Library Cataloguehttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/library/resources/cataccess.htm

Library, Support for Studentshttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/library/learningandsupport

Registry, Information for Research Studentshttp://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/researchdegrees

Registry, Regulations for the Award of MPhil and PhDhttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/proceduresandregulations/regulations

Registry, Thesis Submission and Vivashttp://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/exams/thesisandvivas

Student Counselling Servicehttp://www.imperial.ac.uk/counselling

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/humanities


http://www.imperial.ac.uk/historyofscience


http://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers




http://workspace.imperial.ac.uk/communications/public/learningtoresearch.pdf


http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/students/ourprinciples




http://www.imperial.ac.uk/library/learningandsupport




http://www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/proceduresandregulations/regulations




http://www.imperial.ac.uk/counselling

















Contacts

Liam Watson ........................................................... [email protected] (Research Student Administrator and Science Communication Unit administrator)

Naomi Anderson-Eyles ............................................ [email protected] (Translation Unit Administrator) 020 7594 8757

Jackie Twitchett......................................................... [email protected] (Languages Unit Administrator) 020 7594 8753

Anne-laure Vieille ..................................................... [email protected] (CHoSTM Administrator) 020 7594 5220

Dr Felicity Mellor ....................................................... [email protected] (Director of Postgraduate Studies)

Professor Charmian Brinson .................................... [email protected] (Postgraduate Tutor for Languages)

Dr Jorge Diaz-Cintas ................................................ [email protected] (Postgraduate Tutor for Translation)

Professor David Edgerton ........................................ [email protected] (Postgraduate Tutor for CHoSTM)

Dr Stephen Webster ................................................. [email protected] (Postgraduate Tutor for Science Communication)

Heather Lincoln ........................................................ [email protected] (Humanities Librarian)

Science Museum Library .......................................... [email protected]

Careers Advisory Service ......................................... [email protected]

Graduate School ....................................................... [email protected]

Registry General Enquiries ....................................... [email protected]

Student Records ....................................................... [email protected]

Student Counselling Service [email protected] 020 7594 9637































































research students handbook

Documents