| Award of the Degree |
| 1. |
These Regulations apply to all research students at the University of Southampton (including those at the University of Chichester*) registered for the degrees of:
- Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
- Doctor of Clinical Practice (DClinP)
- Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych)
- Doctor of Educational Psychology (DEdPsych)
- Doctor of Medicine (DM)
- Professional Doctor of Education (EdD)
- Engineering Doctorate (EngD)
- Master of Philosophy (Research Methodology) [MPhil (Res Meth)]
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*The University of Chichester is an Accredited Institution of the University of Southampton. It was granted research degree awarding powers in September 2014. Although research students registering from this date onwards will, on successful completion of their studies, receive a degree from the University of Chichester, a number of students have opted to remain in candidature at the University of Southampton. The External Research Degrees Committee (ERDC), which reports to the Academic Standards and Quality Committee, may recommend the award of degrees to Senate. |
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These regulations will also apply to research students funded by Mayflower Scholarships unless stated otherwise. |
| 2. |
The Senate may award the degree to research students who have successfully pursued a course of study as detailed within these regulations to the satisfaction of the Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1. Any additions, exemptions and variations to these regulations will be stated in the academic regulations in Sections VI to XIII of the University Calendar |
| 3. |
These regulations must be read in conjunction with:
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| Definition of Terms |
| 4. |
The following definition of terms apply to Section V: Regulations for Research Degrees and Higher Doctorates |
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| TERM |
DEFINITION |
| Faculty Programmes Committee (FPC) |
Within a Faculty, FPC is the committee charged with overseeing quality assurance, academic standards and the recommendation of awards for both postgraduate and undergraduate programmes (as delegated by Senate in the Statement of the Senate's Primary Responsibilities and delegated and related matters). |
| Faculty Graduate School Directorate |
The structure within a Faculty with the responsibility for overseeing the support and training of postgraduate research (PGR) students. The Faculty Graduate School has responsibility for administration of all PGR student matters including enquiries from prospective students, applications and support for current students. The Faculty Graduate School has oversight of PGR training within the Faculty, ensuring that this is carried out to acceptable levels at a local level. |
| Director of the Faculty Graduate School |
The Dean's nominee with overall responsibility for quality assurance in PGR matters. The Director is a member of the Faculty Programmes Committee. |
| Faculty Graduate School Directorate |
Individuals within a Faculty who have been nominated by the Dean to have responsibility for the tasks/processes outlined within Section V: Regulations for Research Degrees and Higher Doctorates. Individuals within the Faculty Graduate School Directorate may include academic leads for graduate studies at academic unit level and/or directors of specific PGR programmes or Doctoral Training Centres. Faculties should have structures in place to ensure that the Director of the Faculty Graduate School can effectively monitor the actions of the Faculty Graduate School Directorate. Some responsibilities of the Faculty Graduate School directorate may be delegated to appropriate committees, but Faculties should have clear policies in place describing which activities are devolved to which committees and how oversight will be maintained at a Faculty level. |
| Doctoral College |
The Doctoral College provides a focal point for doctoral training and researcher development within the University. The Training and Development Subcommittee is responsible for the delivery and enhancement of the Doctoral College Professional Development Programme. The PGR Quality Monitoring and Enhancement Subcommittee is a subcommittee of AQSC responsible for institution-wide postgraduate research matters, and also reports to the Doctoral College Board. |
| Independent Mentor |
A person outside of the supervisory team who provides support to a PGR student. This may include pastoral support, guidance on training and development or careers advice. Independent mentors may be appointed by the Faculty Graduate School Directorate or may be sought out by the student or supervisor. |
| Academic Mentor |
A person appointed to provide informal guidance during the preparation of the candidate's thesis or published works in circumstances where the student is not registered for a degree but submission is permitted. |
| Independent Assessor |
An academic member of University of Southampton staff who is appointed as an assessor for a Progression Review. In order to allow an objective assessment of the candidate, the independent assessor should have had no involvement with the project. In addition, the independent assessor should not have provided any significant pastoral support to the student prior to the review process - as such those undertaking the role of independent mentor should not act as the independent assessor for a student. |
| Independent Chair |
An individual who has had no involvement with either the student or the project who chairs a second attempt at a Progression Review viva or a final viva voce examination. An Independent Chair has no role in the academic assessment of the candidate, but ensures that the viva is fair and follows University of Southampton practices. |
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| Admission |
| 5. |
This section must be applied in conjunction with:
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| 6. |
Applicants for a research degree shall hold an undergraduate or Masters degree in a suitable subject of any approved university or whatever award/range of experience might be deemed equivalent by the Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 using agreed University AP[E/C]L guidelines as set out in Paragraph 13 of the University's Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision. Applications from candidates with other non-standard qualifications must be approved by the appropriate Faculty/ERDC1 on a case by case basis. Candidates may be admitted on transfer from another university (with or without their supervisor) according to the guidelines set out in paragraphs 20 to 23 of the University's Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision. |
| 7. |
Applicants satisfying the requirement for candidature may be admitted provided the Faculty Graduate School Directorate/ERDC1 is satisfied with their chosen subject for research, that there is access to appropriate resources and facilities, and that there are satisfactory supervisory arrangements in place. |
| 8. |
In approving candidature the Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 shall state the effective starting date which may not normally be backdated beyond three months. |
| 9. |
For the purposes of these regulations the University shall be deemed to include any institutions where the Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 is satisfied that University staff can arrange proper supervision of a research student. |
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| Candidature |
| 10. |
The programme to be followed shall be one of supervised study, including research and generic skills training, and may be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis as specified in paragraph 18 below. The programme shall be pursued in the University or Accredited Institution except in the case of research students for whom joint supervisory arrangements have been approved in accordance with Regulation 12 below, or in other special cases where the Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 permits a period to be spent elsewhere. |
| 11. |
Mayflower Scholars will also spend 25% of their time undertaking a teaching apprenticeship consisting of appropriate professional development and educational experience such as acting as a teaching assistant. |
| 12. |
The Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 may approve arrangements for an individual research student to receive supervision provided jointly by the University and another institution. In such cases, the Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 may permit a period or periods of study to be undertaken at the other institution. The minimum period of full-time study at the University shall be twelve months for research students of jointly-supervised research degrees with approved institutions. |
| 13. |
The University may from time to time formally admit an appropriate institution to a special relationship for the purpose of furthering co-operation in teaching and research. A person holding an appointment in such a link institution may be registered in part-time candidature for a research degree. If a research student so registered leaves the employment of the link institution, candidature shall be reviewed by the Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 and, if permission is given for its continuance, the general provisions for part-time candidature shall normally apply. |
| 14. |
With the approval of the Faculty Programmes Committee, a member of staff may be admitted to candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Research students who are also members of staff must, in addition to these Regulations, fulfil the requirements of the Regulations for members of staff in candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. |
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| Additional requirements for research degrees with a major taught component |
| 15. |
Research degrees with a major taught component, including: Doctor of Education [EdD], Master of Philosophy (Research Methodology) [MPhil (Res Meth)], Doctor of Clinical Psychology [DClinPsych], Doctor of Educational Psychology [DEdPsych], Doctor of Clinical Practice [DClinP], and the Engineering Doctorate [EngD], shall additionally contain a combination of taught compulsory and/or elective units/modules and individual and/or group projects. The combination of these elements, including specific pass marks, are detailed in the academic regulations in Section VI to XIII of the University Calendar. Research students who fail to complete the requirements as set out in the academic regulations will, subject to appeal, be deemed by the relevant Faculty Programmes Committee to have failed the programme. |
| 16. |
Paragraph 12 of the University’s Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision refers to the structure and levels for taught/professional doctorates, together with the QAA's underpinning Framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ), August 2008. |
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| Additional requirements for Integrated PhDs in Named Subjects |
| 17. |
Integrated PhDs in Named subjects are normally structured as follows, with any specific additional requirements detailed in the academic regulations in Sections VI to XIII of the University Calendar:
- In the first year, research students will be required to follow a prescribed programme of units which will be taught in the University. Research students who complete these units and pass the required examinations at an appropriate standard at the end of the first year will be permitted to proceed to the second year of the programme. This may also lead to the award of MA, MSc or MRes as defined in the relevant academic regulations in Section VI to XIII of the University Calendar. Research students who fail to reach the required standard will be permitted to resit the first year units on one occasion only. In the event of failure to achieve the required standard at resit, their programme will be terminated, and such research students will be considered by the Faculty for transfer to a relevant diploma or masters level programme for the award of a Diploma or Masters Degree, as appropriate.
- In the second and third years, research students will complete prescribed units, supervised research, and skills training sessions leading to the preparation of a thesis.
- The research student's fourth year will be devoted to supervised research and preparation of a thesis.
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| Duration of Research Programmes |
| 18. |
The duration of research degree programmes is set out in the following table. |
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| Programme |
Minimum Length of Candidature |
Maximum Length of Candidature |
| Full-time |
Part-time |
Full-time |
Part-time |
| Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) |
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| PhD - standard route |
24 months |
36 months |
48 months |
84 months |
| PhD - standard route (registered concurrently on PCAP)* |
36 months |
- |
48 months |
- |
| PhD - Integrated route |
48 months |
72 months |
60 months |
96 months |
| PhD - Mayflower Scholar |
24 months |
- |
60 monhs |
- |
| PhD - Mayflower Scholar (registered concurrently on PCAP)* |
36 months |
- |
60 months |
- |
| Professional Doctorates |
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| Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) |
- |
36 months |
- |
84 months |
| Doctor of Clinical Practice (DClinP) |
36 months |
48 months |
48 months |
84 months |
| Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) |
36 months |
- |
60 months |
- |
| Doctor of Educational Psychology (DEdPsych) |
36 months |
- |
60 months |
- |
| Professional Doctor of Education (EdD) |
36 months |
48 months |
48 months |
84 months |
| Engineering Doctorate (EngD) |
48 months |
48 months |
48 months |
84 months |
| Doctor of Medicine (DM) |
- |
24 months |
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48 months |
| Master of Philosophy (MPhil) |
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| MPhil - standard route |
12 months |
24 months |
48 months |
84 months |
| MPhil - standard route (registered concurrently on PCAP)* |
24 months |
- |
48 months |
- |
| MPhil - Mayflower Scholar |
12 months |
- |
60 months |
- |
| MPhil - Mayflower Scholar (registered concurrently on PCAP)* |
24 months |
- |
60 months |
- |
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* With the permission of the Faculty Graduate School directorate, a research student registered for a research degree may be permitted to register concurrently for a Postgraduate certificate of Academic Practice (PCAP). Students who register solely for the Postgraduate Induction to Learning and Teaching (PILT) can do so in either full- or part-time candidature and the period of supervised study/minimum candidature will not be increased. |
| 19. |
The period of study for a research degree ends when the thesis is submitted. The table above states the minimum and maximum period of candidature. |
| 20 |
In practice, the period of candidature will usually be longer than the minimum period. In exceptional circumstances, and for academic reasons only, a student may be permitted to submit a thesis earlier than the specified minimum period of candidature. In such a case, the request must be made by the main supervisor to the Faculty Graduate School directorate for recommendation to the Faculty Programmes Committee for approval. In the case of the Accredited Institutions, a recommendation must be made to ERDC1. |
| 21. |
A research student who fails to submit a thesis by the end of the maximum period of study shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the course. |
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| Confirmation of Doctoral Candidature |
| 22. |
A research student registered at doctoral level must successfully complete the required confirmation process to the satisfaction of the Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 according to the procedures specified in the Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision. A research student who does not successfully complete the required confirmation process may be offered the opportunity to transfer onto the degree of MPhil, or an alternative as detailed in the academic regulations in Section VI to XIII of the University Calendar. |
| 23. |
In the case of a research student transferring from another institution into the Faculty/Accredited Institution, submission of the thesis is not normally permitted earlier than 12 months from the date of transfer, even if the research student has already had their doctoral status confirmed at his or her previous institution. |
| 24. |
A research student for the degree of PhD may be permitted at any time prior to submission of the thesis to transfer to a course leading to the degree of MPhil. The period spent in candidature up to the point of transfer will be counted towards the period of candidature required for the degree to which the transfer is made. Details of permission to transfer for other programmes will be detailed in the academic regulations in Section VI to XIII of the University Calendar. |
| 25. |
If the performance of a research student funded by a Mayflower Scholarship in their teaching apprenticeship does not meet the agreed expectations or they do not wish to continue, they may transfer to a standard MPhil/PhD programme subject to adequate funding being available. |
| 26. |
With regards to transfer of programme, the University will comply with its obligations under the relevant immigration legislation which may be updated from time to time. A student who is concerned about his/her entitlement to remain in the UK following a failure to progress should seek urgent advice from the Student Visa Guidance Service. |
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| Supervision |
| 27. |
Every research student shall be allocated to a supervisory team by the Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 on the recommendation of the research student's Director of the Faculty Graduate School. The supervisory team shall consist of at least two supervisors from the University of Southampton. At least one of these (co-ordinating supervisor) must be an academic member of staff of the University. Paragraph 40 of the Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision sets out the responsibilities of the supervisory team. |
| 28. |
Every research student by a Mayflower Scholarship will be allocated a team responsible for providing mentoring, delivering the appropriate professional development, and managing the setting expectations in relation to the teaching undertaken by the Mayflower Scholar. The person responsible for managing the teaching will not normally be part of the supervisory team responsible for the research of the candidate. |
| 29. |
The main supervisor will be an academic member of University of Southampton staff, or a senior member of honorary clinical staff in the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Health Sciences, members of staff employed by the Natural Environment Research Council at the National Oceanography Centre, or a visiting academic. Members of academically-related staff, an academic member of staff on probation, or a professor emeritus may not be appointed as main or co-ordinating supervisor. The main supervisor has responsibility for the supervision of the design and progress of the student's research project and for providing academic advice to the research student. The main supervisor should be available to provide guidance and direction on a regular basis. |
| 30. |
The supervisory team shall also include a named 'co-ordinating supervisor', who will normally also undertake the role of 'main supervisor'. The co-ordinating supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the administrative processes are completed in a timely manner throughout a student's candidature. The co-ordinating supervisor must be a member of academic staff within the University of Southampton. |
| 31. |
Second or co-supervisors may either be University academics or be affiliated to the University through working in organisations such as the NHS or NERC. Supervisors affiliated with the University should have a visitor contract or honorary contract, and should be approved by the Faculty Programmes Committee as having close links with the University and the student's programme of study. |
| 32. |
Supervisors working for organisations with less strong links to the University should be considered as external supervisors. External supervisors can be added to the supervisory team in order to provide specialist expertise or if a funding body/sponsor requires it. |
| 33. |
Candidates undertaking research programmes which include taught elements will be assigned appropriate tutor(s) as relevant to the particular programme, during the coursework phase of the programme. These tutors may also form part of the research supervisory team. |
| 34. |
Every research student will take part in an individualised assessment of their research training needs with their supervisor(s) at the commencement of their candidature, or at the commencement of the supervised section of their studies as appropriate. Research students are required to take part in a postgraduate student research training programme which addresses research/generic/transferable skills and may include a range of compulsory and optional elements, the former as determined by the Faculty Graduate School directorate or the Accredited Institution. |
| 35. |
Every research student funded by a Mayflower Scholarship will take part in an individualised assessment of their training needs with regard to teaching at the commencement of their postgraduate studies. |
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| Progression |
| 36. |
Every research student will be required to undertake Progression Reviews at fixed points during the course of their candidature as specified in the Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision. If, following a second attempt at a Progression Review, progress is deemed unsatisfactory, the Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 may recommend termination of candidature to Senate. The Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 may also at any other time review the progress of an individual research student. If this is unsatisfactory and if, after due warning, there is insufficient improvement, the Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 may recommend termination of candidature to Senate in line with the Procedures for Circumstances that may lead to Withdrawal or Termination. The research student may appeal against the decision by using the procedure set out in Section IV: Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students. |
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| Nominal Registration |
| 37. |
The Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 may allow transfer to nominal registration for both full and part-time research students for a period not exceeding twelve months in the first instance. The supervisor(s) must confirm that the minimum period of candidature, as detailed in paragraph 18, has been completed, any taught modules have been successfully completed as required in the academic regulations in Section VI to XIII in the Calendar, confirmation has taken place (in the case of a doctoral level student), research is substantially complete as determined by the Faculty Graduate School Directorate/ERDC1, and the thesis is being written up. If a research student is on nominal registration for longer than six months, a fee becomes payable (see Section IV of the University Calendar or the relevant Accredited Institution for fees information). A research student may be permitted to suspend their candidature when in nominal registration (see Regulation 41 'Suspension of Candidature'). |
| 38. |
Research students retain access to library and computing facilities until their thesis is examined and, where appropriate, any revisions requested by the examiners have been made. Access to other facilities (eg: office space) may be extended at the discretion of the research student's Faculty or by the Accredited Institution. |
| 39. |
A research student may apply to extend the period of nominal registration beyond twelve months, taking account where applicable of Regulations 43 and 44 below regarding extension of candidature. |
| 40. |
Periods of nominal registration count towards the maximum period of candidature. |
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| Suspension of Candidature |
| 41. |
Research students must continue in registration for the degree until such time as they submit their thesis or withdraw, except where a suspension of candidature is permitted in accordance with the Regulations Governing Special Considerations and suspension of candidature for Postgraduate Research students. The maximum period of suspension should be stipulated in accordance with University of Southampton regulations (Section IV of the University Calendar). In the case of Research Council or sponsor-funded research students, due regard should be given to Research Council or sponsor rules governing suspension. Periods of temporary suspension shall not count towards the maximum period of study. |
| 42. |
Suspended students should not receive supervision and normally should not have access to services. However, where a Faculty/Accredited Institution judges that there is a need, access to services can be granted on an individual student basis through the student administration system. |
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| Extension of Candidature |
| 43. |
The minimum and maximum periods of candidature should be strictly adhered to. Extensions of candidature beyond the maximum period of time will be permitted only in accordance with the Regulations Governing Special Considerations and suspension of candidature for Postgraduate Research students. |
| 44. |
Due regard should also be given to limits or conditions placed on extensions by Research Councils or sponsors and any penalty which may apply if funded students extend their study period. The relevant fee will be charged in accordance with the research student's registration status; ie: whether in candidature or in nominal registration. |
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| Submission of Thesis |
| 45. |
After completion of the necessary period of study, a thesis shall be submitted for examination in accordance with the instructions in the document Completion of Research Degree Candidature (available via Quality Handbook - Completion of Research Degree Candidature or from the Accredited Institution). |
| 46. |
Alternative formats of thesis submission may be permitted in certain disciplines as detailed in paragraphs 8-10 of the Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision. |
| 47. |
A research student who is about to submit a thesis shall give at least two months' prior notice in writing (using the Intention to Submit form) to the Faculty Student Office or the Accredited Institution which shall include the full title of the thesis. The two months' notice must be in active registration, periods of suspension must not count towards this period. Such notice of intention to submit a thesis shall be given not later than 31 January if the research student seeks award of the degree by the following July. |
| 48. |
The submission shall be made within the maximum length of candidature permitted from the programme, excluding periods of suspension. In cases where there have been periods of full-time and part-time candidature, the maximum permitted period of candidature shall be determined by the Faculty Student Office/Accredited Institution, and agreed by the Faculty Graduate School directorate, on the basis that periods of part-time candidature shall be deemed to be equivalent to four-sevenths of an equal period of full-time candidature. Where periods of extension are approved in accordance with the Regulations Governing Special Considerations and suspension of candidature for Postgraduate Research students, these will be added to the maximum period of candidature. |
| 49. |
With the exception of restrictions on access as defined in Regulation 50 below, research work submitted as a thesis for a research degree shall be openly available and subject neither to security classification nor to restriction on access. Research students may publish the whole or part of their work prior to its submission as a thesis, provided that in the published work it is nowhere stated that it is in consideration for a research degree. |
| 50. |
In exceptional circumstances access to a thesis may be restricted by the relevant Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1, on behalf of Senate, where such restriction is regarded as desirable on commercial grounds or pending patent applications, or as necessary to maintain confidentiality. The period of restriction shall be determined by the relevant Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 but shall normally not exceed three years from the date of examination. After three years the period of restriction may be subject to review in some circumstances. Each instance of Faculty Programmes Committee/ERDC1 approval of restriction of access to a thesis should be reported to the University Library who will maintain a master list to be presented annually to the Doctoral College Board. |
| 51. |
On submission of a thesis a research student shall be required to sign two documents:
- A form of consent that the thesis, if successful, will be made available electronically via the University's Institutional Repository from a date stipulated (subject to the law of copyright)*.
- A declaration, bound into the thesis, stating: that the thesis is the result of work done wholly or mainly while the research student was in registered candidature; that where the thesis is based on work done by the research student jointly with others, a substantial part is the original work of the research student; the extent to which the thesis incorporates material already submitted for another degree.
*Paragraph 51(a) not applicable to the Accredited Institution.
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| 52. |
A thesis may not exceed 75,000 words in length in the case of a PhD, or 50,000 words in the case of an MPhil, unless prior permission to exceed this length has been given by the Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 on the recommendation of the supervisor. Alternative formats of thesis submission may be permitted in certain disciplines as detailed in paragraphs 8-10 of the Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision. Where appropriate, the Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 may determine a higher word limit for a specific discipline. Research students who exceed this limit without Faculty Graduate School directorate/ERDC1 permission will normally be required by the examiners to resubmit in a form which does not exceed the stipulated length. The maximum length does not include supporting material or evidence which may be bound in as appendices. Appendices should be clearly marked as such and listed on the contents page. If appendices are submitted in separate volumes, they must be prepared and bound in the same style as the thesis. All supporting material or evidence will be available to the examiners and will form part of the record. |
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Research students should also refer to the Code of Practice for Research Candidature and Supervision regarding research data management. |
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| Examination |
| 53. |
For each research student, normally one internal and one external examiner shall be appointed to examine the thesis; in exceptional cases, one additional external examiner may be appointed. No member of the supervisory team may be appointed as an internal examiner, nor may they take part in the judgement of the thesis under consideration in any other way. In addition, other researchers who have had any co-authoring or collaborative involvement in the research student's work, or whose own work is the focus of the research project such that there would be a conflict of interest or potential lack of objectivity, may not be appointed as internal or external examiners. Members of staff who have had pastoral involvement with the research student such that objectivity would potentially be affected may also not be appointed to the examining team. However, at the request of the research student, one member of the supervisory team may be invited to the viva voce, but a supervisor who is requested to attend by the research student will not play an active role in the examination. Where the research student wishes a supervisor to be invited, a request should be made in writing to the Faculty Graduate School Office. One examiner, either the internal or the external, may be drawn from the confirmation panel or committee (eg: the internal member of staff who acted in the role of independent 'assessor' or an external 'assessor' if used) provided that he/she has had no further material contact with the research project since the confirmation and that the other examiner is entirely new to the project. |
| 54. |
Research students will be required to attend for an oral examination. In conducting the oral examination, arrangements will be made, where necessary, to accommodate the requirements of students with special communication needs. |
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| Outcomes of the Examination |
| 55. |
The examiners for each research student shall recommend one of the following courses of action. For research students studying for a research degree with a major taught component, recommendations (a) to (f) will also be subject to the satisfactory completion of the taught element of the programme.
- That the degree for which the research student has submitted a thesis be awarded.
- That the degree for which the research student has submitted a thesis be awarded subject if necessary to minor amendments to the thesis being made by a date specified (minor amendments include: minor omissions of substance, typographical errors, occasional stylistic or grammatical flaws, corrections to references, addition/modification of one or two figures, and minor changes to layout, and require no new research. These changes need only be certified by the internal examiner). The date specified for the submission of such minor amendments should normally be no later than three months after the formal notification to the research student.
- That the degree for which the research student has submitted a thesis be awarded subject to the correction of modest errors/omissions of substance being made, by a date specified. Such amendments may require limited further analysis but will not affect the originality of the central thesis. They will be of a scale to require certification by both the internal and external examiners, though normally not so extensive that an oral is required. The date specified for the submission of such intermediate amendments should normally be no later than six months, although examiners may request a specified date of up to nine months, after the formal notification to the research student.
- That the research student be required to attend for a further oral examination.
- That the research student be permitted to submit by a date specified a revised thesis for the same degree for re-examination, including a further oral examination, on one subsequent occasion. The date specified for submission of the revised thesis should normally be no later than twelve months after the formal notification to the research student. As a fee is payable, the Fees Office should be informed when a research student has been asked to submit a revised thesis.
- That, the research student is permitted be considered for an MPhil, or alternative award as detailed in the academic regulations in Section VI to XIII of the University Calendar, within a specific time frame. This is not available for candidatures for the MPhil. Submission for an alternative award may be allowed without re-examination, subject to any minor amendment of the thesis which may be required by the examiners. Or, at the request of the examiners, submission of a revised thesis may be subject to re-examination, including a viva voce.
- That the degree be not awarded and that resubmission of the thesis be not permitted.
Where the viva voce is following a resubmission of a thesis (outcome as set out in paragraph d. and e.), the outcomes set out in paragraph d. and e. may not be selected. |
| 56. |
A research student who fails to submit a corrected or revised thesis by the date set by the examiners shall normally be regarded as having failed the examination and the recommendations of the examiners shall lapse. A revised date for submitting corrections may be approved in accordance with the Regulations Governing Special Considerations and suspension of candidature for Postgraduate Research students. |
| 57. |
Where the examiners recommend that the degree be not awarded and that submission of a revised thesis be not permitted, the research student may ask for the case to be reviewed in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Senate. A copy of the Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students may be obtained from Section IV of the University Calendar. |
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