Teaching Quality Assurance Manual

Postgraduate Research Handbook

Chapter 1 - Provision of information by Faculties to students

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

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

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

Chapter 3 - Supervision of Postgraduate Research students

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

Chapter 4 - Supervision of Postgraduate Research students

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

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

  1. Introduction
  2. Periods of Study (entry before the 2019-20 academic year)
  3. Periods of Study (entry from the 2019-20 academic year)
  4. Interruption of Studies 
  5. Temporary Visa Interruption 
  6. Annual Leave
  7. Changes to Mode of Attendance: Full-time and Part-time Status
  8. Continuation Status
  9. Extensions to study
  10. Withdrawal from study
  11. Students deemed Withdrawn
  12. Termination of Registration
  13. Reinstatement of Registration
  14. Appendix (periods of study for students starting before October 2009)

Chapter 6 - PGR Student Voice Partnership: Code of Good Practice

  1. Introduction & Principles
  2. Purpose of a Student Voice Action Plan
  3. Department Process
  4. Faculty Process
  5. Doctoral College Process
  6. Student Representation
  7. Partner institutions

Chapter 7 - Annual monitoring review: Code of good practice

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

Chapter 8 - Unsatisfactory Student Progress, Engagement and Attendance: Code of Good Practice

  1. Introduction
  2. Principles
  3. Responsibilities
  4. Identifying unsatisfactory progress
  5. Stage 1: Initial Warnings
  6. Stage 2: Final Warning
  7. Stage 3: Pro-Vice Chancellor of Faculty's Action
  8. Stage 4: Dean's Action
  9. Concerns and Appeals
  10. Further Support for Students
  11. Timescales
  12. Reporting and Monitoring
  • Annex 1 - Authorities (and delegated authority) for each stage 
  • Annex 2 - USPEA flow chart

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

  1. Regulations of the Doctor of Philosophy
  2. Application to Upgrade
  3. Purpose & Assessment Criteria for Upgrade
  4. Timing of Upgrade
  5. Submission Requirements
  6. Generative AI (GenAI) Statement
  7. Department Upgrade Committees
  8. The Upgrade Viva
  9. Upgrade Outcomes 
  10. Health and Wellbeing and Upgrade
  11. Feedback to Students 
  12. Sponsorship Progress Reports 
  13. Final Authority & Quality Check
  14. Transfer of Registration from Doctoral to Masters Level (Downgrade)

Chapter 10 - Professional Doctorate Postgraduate Research Programmes

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

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

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

Chapter 12 - Handbook for Examination of Postgraduate Research programmes

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

Chapter 13 - Research Misconduct

  1. General Principles
  2. Definitions of Research Misconduct
  3. References to Persons & Offices
  4. Responsibilities
  5. Procedure for Dealing with Suspected Research Misconduct: Faculty Research Misconduct Panel 
  6. Procedure for Dealing with Suspected Research Misconduct if identified by the Board of Examiners
  7. Procedure for Dealing with Suspected Research Misconduct: University Stage
  8. Procedure for a University Research Misconduct Panel
  9. Appeals
  10. Tables of Actions

Chapter 14 - Chapter not currently in use

Chapter 15 - Student Pregnancy & Family Leave Policy

  1. Introduction 
  2. Scope 
  3. Principles 
  4. Responsibilities of the Student 
  5. Responsibilities of University Staff 
  6. Pregnancy, Maternity & New Parent Support and Adjustments Plan 
  7. Sickness during Pregnancy 
  8. Phased return to study 
  9. Keeping in Touch (KIT) days (PGR only) 
  10. Arrangements for Partners (including same sex partners) 
  11. Arrangements for Adoption 
  12. Neonatal Care leave 
  13. Difficulties in Pregnancy; termination, Miscarriage and Stillbirth 
  14. Death of a birth parent/primary adopter during the maternity, adoption or family leave period 

Chapter 16 - Visiting Postgraduate Research Students

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

Chapter 17 - Inclusive Practice within Learning & Teaching

  1. Introduction 
  2. Definitions Referred to within this Policy 
  3. Definitions of Reasonable Adjustments and Competence Standards 
  4. Reasonable Adjustments 
  5. Roles and Responsibilities 
  6. Summary of the Process of getting an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) 
  7. Students who are on courses leading to professional qualifications 
  8. Postgraduate Research Students 
  9. Students who are on Study Abroad placements 
  10. Students who have a Temporary/Transitory Illness 
  11. Clarifying the Nature and Content of Individual Learning Plans 
  12. Monitoring 

Chapter 18 - Postgraduate Research Student Absence Policy

  1. Introduction
  2. Submission of absence report
  3. Student Visa Holders
  4. Absence from programme of study
  5. Return to the University following interruption on medical grounds
  6. Phased Return to study 
  7. Ability to study significantly affected by a chronic medical condition or disability
  8. Sickness during pregnancy
  9. Parental Leave
  10. Absence from clinical practice, industrial placement or other placement linked to their degree
  11. Professional Doctorate Taught elements only: submission deadline or assessment affected by absence
  12. Student absence before a viva voce examination
  13. Student absence during a viva voce examination
  14. Student absence before a deadline or milestone not including thesis submission 
  15. Student absence after submission of the thesis/dissertation
  16. Unauthorised absence

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

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

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

Chapter 21 - PGR Aegrotat and Posthumous Awards

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

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