The Medical School
Higher Degree Review Scheme
Recruitment Form – to be completed by all supervisors of PGR students.
Please note that unless you complete all of the following sections, this form will
be returned to you unprocessed
Section 1: The Student
Candidate’s Name:
Proposed Start Date:
Higher degree choice (please tick):
☐
MPhil only
☐
MD only
☐
PhD only
☐
PhD by publication (further details)
☐
PhD with Integrated Studies
☐
Remote location (PT) (see appendix I)
First Supervisor Name#:
Second Supervisor Name*#:
* The individual named must be able to take over the supervision of the student in the event that
this is required.
# Please refer to notes regarding supervisor duties accompanying this form
Please note: The first Supervisor must be a permanent member of University Staff. Second and
subsequent supervisors can be FTC, honorary or STH members of staff
Have the supervisors visited the “Supervisor Portal”?
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First Supervisor
☐
Yes
Second Supervisor
☐
Yes
Have the Supervisors attended a Supervisor training session within the last 2
years? (if yes please state which and when)
First Supervisor
☐
Yes
Second Supervisor
☐
Yes
Date attended training session
First Supervisor ________________ Second Supervisor __________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Section 2: The Project (maximum of 2 pages):
Project Title:
Has the project been externally reviewed and judged suitable for a studentship?
If so, provide a copy of the successful project. If not, provide a summary for
internal review hereunder the following headings:
Purpose/aims: Presented in the form of testable hypotheses.
Background: Brief summary to allow assignment to appropriate internal
reviewers in field.
Research Plan: Including detail of experiments to be undertaken in the first year
and a list of expected deliverables at 6 and 12 months plus a general outline of
expected direction of project in years 2 and 3 if a PhD is anticipated.
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Suggestions for reviewers: Please provide the names and e-mail addresses of at
least two potential internal reviewers for your project (if there is someone you do not
wish to review your project, please indicate so here)
_________________________________________________________________________
Section 3: Immunisations
Will the student be involved with any invasive procedures or handling of any
unfixed human tissue?
☐ YES
☐ NO
If yes, will the candidate require vaccination against Hepatitis B, and a hepatitis B
‘e’Antigen test?
☐ YES
☐ NO
Will the candidate require vaccination against any other infectious agents, or
tests for immunisation?
☐ YES
☐ NO
If YES, please provide further details.
Please note that these vaccinations do not authorize students to take blood as
part of their research.
________________________________________________________________________
Section 4: Biological Services Unit & BMS Aquaria – Pa-SS checks
All students requiring access to the Biological Services Unit and the BMS Aquaria
require a security check. Students will not have access until checks have been
passed. Checks are carried out by an external provider and requested by Human
Resources.
HR are making a charge of £78 per check so please ensure that this
cost is built into any grant or funding application you make.
Further information.
Will the student need access to these facilities?
☐ YES – BSU
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☐ YES – BMS Aquaria
☐ NO
If your project should change in the future and your student requires access to
the facilities please contact Paula Blackwell who will advise you on the process for
undertaking the necessary security checks.
_________________________________________________________________________
Section 5: Ethics and Research Governance
Does the project require Ethics or Research Governance approval at any time
during its course? If so, what provisions have been made for this?
☐ YES
☐ NO
________________________________________________________________________
Section 6: The Funding
How will the student be funded (tick box)?
☐
Research grant
☐
University studentship
☐
External studentship/overseas Government funded
☐
MDH Faculty Collaborative Studentship (50% funding from MDH; 50%
funding from collaborating industry or external partner). Faculty
Collaborative Studentship form and company support letter to be returned
with this Higher Degree Review Scheme Graduate Recruitment form.
☐
Discretionary/departmental funds
☐
Self-funding
☐
Staff candidate
☐
Please tick if your project has 4 years funding (please note for all 4 year
funded projects students are still expected to submit in 4 years).
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Please state funding source and separately state funds allocated to a) living costs,
b) fees (identify funding sources for the home and overseas fee components), (c)
lab project costs
For self-funded students
Please attach a letter, which is signed by the student and states that sufficient
funds will be available for a potential 3-4 year period and that these funds will be
used to support the costs of University fees and living expenses during the
course of their studies. State amounts being allocated to a) living costs and b)
fees (including home and overseas components) (If the student is international, they
should note that they will be required to demonstrate to the Immigration Officer when they enter
the UK that they have sufficient funds to pay for their fees and support themselves throughout
their course).
For staff candidates
Please state how the project costs are to be covered and provide award letters
where appropriate.
________________________________________________________________________
Section 7: Clinically based research
Is this project clinical or non-clinical (please tick as appropriate)
☐ Clinical **☐ Non-Clinical
(For information, to be classed as clinical, the focus of the research must be in a
clinical environment and the lead supervisor should be a clinical academic)
If the student holds a medical degree, and the research project is clinically based,
please provide details of the arrangements that are/will be in place to allow the
student sufficient time to undertake and complete the project in a timely fashion.
** Please be aware that students undertaking research which involves
research in the NHS will need a Research Passport
________________________________________________________________________
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Section 8: Recruitment
How was the student recruited (tick box)?
☐
Responded to advertised post and selected at interview
☐
Approached School/Unit directly
If the student was not selected by competitive interview alongside other
candidates provide:
1)
a statement justifying the choice of student and the decision not to
interview competitively
2)
an assessment of the ability of the student to complete his/her higher
degree choice (i.e. PhD, MD, MPhil) in the prescribed time for that degree.
_________________________________________________________________________
Section 9: Supervisory experience
Please list how many PGR students you have been primary supervisor to in the
past 5 years (including current ones) and either their current stage or date of
conferment.
List of students
Current stage
Date of conferment
Please list how many PGR students you have been second supervisor to in the
past 5 years (including current ones) and their stage/date of conferment.
List of students
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Current stage
Date of conferment
Please list your involvement with other PGR students in the past 5 years (ie this
should include details of all the confirmation reviews, literature reviews,
assessment of presentations, personal tutees etc.)
List of students
Details
_________________________________________________________________________
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Notes regarding Supervisor duties
Primary Supervisor
The Primary Supervisor is responsible for the day to day supervision of the
student’s research. They are expected to provide guidance on the nature of the
research project and the standard expected, the planning and timing of the
successive stages of the research project, literature and sources, research
methods and techniques. They should also guide the student as to appropriate
courses to attend to meet their training needs and offer guidance and advice on
the preparation of their thesis.
Second Supervisor
All students will have a second supervisor, and in some cases more than two
supervisors will be appointed. The role of the second supervisor and their input
into the day to day supervision will vary from one student to another. However,
in all cases, the second supervisor will act as the monitor of the student’s
training plan and will be responsible for commenting on their training progress
and for formally approving their portfolio as part of the transfer process. The
second supervisor will also comment on the student’s personal development
plan during formal supervisory meetings and they will sign a transcript of their
portfolio annually, and as part of the annual progress report. While the primary
supervisor will be closely involved with the development of a student’s training
plan, it is the second supervisor who will hold primary responsibility for
monitoring its implementation.
Important information about student attendance and progress monitoring
In addition to the informal chats and lab or team meetings that students will
have with their supervisor(s), all students are required to have at least nine
formal, documented meetings with their supervisor(s) per annum, solely
focussing on their progress. The student will receive reminders about these
meetings but will be expected to arrange them themselves. The aim of these
meetings will be to discuss their progress, the problems they have faced and the
objectives to be reached before the next meeting. A record of the meeting
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should be made and submitted using the supervisory meeting form via pebble
pad after the meeting.
We are required by the University Senate to confirm that these meetings have
taken place by uploading attendance data centrally in the University at
predetermined intervals throughout the year. This is to ensure that students are
being regularly monitored and any problems identified at early
stage. Additionally, the University is required to report unauthorized absence of
any students who are in Sheffield on tier 4 visas to the UK Border Agency.
Records of student attendance may be requested by the UK Border Agency
during a compliance visit. Failure to record these meetings could result in the
University’s Approved Sponsor Licence being withdrawn and loss of the
approval of the University to recruit and retain students on tier 4 visas. It is
therefore imperative that these meetings take place.
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Declaration
We declare that the information we have provided in this Recruitment Form is
correct to the best of our knowledge. We further undertake to inform the School
of any changes in circumstances that relate to the information provided
concerning the student named in this document during his/her postgraduate
studies in Sheffield.
Signature of Student:
Signature of Supervisor(s):
Date:
_________________________________________________________________________
Please return your completed form to:
Ms Paula Blackwell, PhD & MD Admissions Administrator
Email: med-pgradmissions@sheffield.ac.uk
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Appendix I
Notes regarding students on the Remote Location Programme
The Remote Location Programme is intended for part-time candidates who
would like to study towards an MPhil/PhD at an approved overseas remote
location.
Candidates undertake the majority of their programme of research at the remote
site, but are required to attend this University in order to meet a number of
statutory requirements. These include all viva voce examinations. The
candidate's progress is monitored via Departmental and Faculty procedures.
These arrangements are more difficult to manage than standard postgraduate
degrees. There are issues with access to courses and facilities in Sheffield when
the student is not here and there can be real problems in transferring/acquiring
materials to/in the remote location. These need to be thoroughly assessed before
the student is registered for a higher degree in Sheffield and a clear schedule
developed to see the student through to completion within an acceptable
timescale. This is very important, as there may be real logistical problems that
could cause the project to overrun.
In practice, supervisors of students on the remote location programme will be
expected to take a lead role in delivering guidance on the research, monitoring
progress, and signing off records of work. Weekly Skype (or similar) conferences
will be required to keep the momentum going for both the project and general
monitoring of activities. It is also advisable to appoint a second supervisor in the
remote location to assist with the DDP, and to help with ‘mirroring’ at the
remote location other expected DDP provision that would be provided in
Sheffield if the student was here.
For further information about the provision for candidates on the remote
location programme please refer to:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/medicine/current/postgraduates/remotelocation
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Responsibilities of the supervisor
Guiding Principles:
The guidance of a supervisor is the single most important influence in the career
development of a postgraduate student. Those taking on this role must realise that
they are taking responsibility for initiating and shaping an individual’s career and
that students are not just ‘an extra pair of hands’ in a research area. The Medical
School expects postgraduate supervision to be conscientiously undertaken in line
with the principles set out in this document. Failures in this area, resulting in
breakdown in the supervisor/student relationship, can be very damaging, both
financially and academically and the School is determined to avoid such situations.
Supervisors recognising and adhering to the principles and guidance set out in this
document is one way to achieve this, but the School also provides supervisortraining sessions, that are compulsory for new supervisors, which also aim to
address this objective. These sessions are open to all supervisors and attendance
is encouraged so that all can be updated re: developments in postgraduate
provision.
Starting a higher degree is often the first time a student will have a direct, one-toone interaction with a senior academic in their careers and this places particular
responsibilities on the supervisor. From the outset, supervisors must be aware that
students will see them as their superiors and are likely to defer to their judgement,
often without question. This places supervisors in a powerful position. It is
important they understand this and are able to strike a fair balance between their
own research interests and that of the student and their career progression.
Students will be reticent to challenge the direction of their project or to say ‘no’
to work that is not directly related to it. In the pressure of an active research
programme, supervisors need to remember this and not impose extra work on
students ‘because they can’.
The supervisory role should therefore be one of nurturing and directing academic
talent to a successful higher degree submission, well within the timescales set
down for higher degrees. This will involve regular meetings with the student,
strongly directing research in its early stages and steering the project as the
student gains in confidence and contributes more to the intellectual direction of
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their own work. It also includes mentoring the student in the process of scientific
writing and in their career decisions as they reach the end of their project.
Recruitment:
It is obvious that students who are more academically and practically capable are
likely to progress more easily than those who are less able. Good students will also
contribute novelty to the research in which they are involved. The best way to
recruit such students is by competitive interview from a pool of candidates and not
by an ad hoc approach where students approach potential supervisors who then
take them on because they seem OK and there is some funding in place. The latter
approach is currently acceptable to the University but it is strongly recommended
that supervisors advertise projects and select the best students from a pool of
candidates. Once selection has been made and the student has accepted the
supervisor-student relationship needs to be rapidly developed for the student to
be well supported from the beginning of their project.
Induction:

The first priority for all new students in the Medical School is that they are
introduced to the PGR team on L-floor RHH, where they will be advised of
the documentation and induction procedures they need to complete to start
their postgraduate studies. The latter will involve either enrolment on an
induction course or a one-to-one discussion with the Departmental
Postgraduate Tutor.

At the earliest opportunity after the student arrives in the Medical School if
not before, the supervisor should provide them with a detailed written
description of the project that includes the central hypothesis/aims of the
study. The supervisor will give guidance on the nature of the research and
the standard expected; the planning and timing of the successive stages of
the research programme; literature and sources; research methods and
instrumental techniques; attendance at appropriate courses; avoidance of
plagiarism and respect for copyright. The supervisor should also ensure that
the student has a clear understanding in general terms of the main aspects
of graduate research: the concept of originality; the different kinds of
research; the form and structure of the thesis (including the appropriate
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forms of referencing); the necessary standards to be achieved; the
importance of planning and time management; the procedures for
monitoring and reporting progress.

At the outset of the research, the supervisor should explore in detail the
student's academic background in order to identify any areas in which
further training (including language training) is required. In particular the
supervisor should advise the student in the choice of subject-specific
knowledge and skills training required. Supervisors should be aware of the
particular difficulties that may face international students who may in the
early stages require more frequent contact and advice.

The supervisor should introduce the student to other members of the
supervisory team including the second supervisor whose role is to ensure
that students have a thorough understanding of the DDP and its benefits in
order to ensure students make the most appropriate choice of units. An
academic tutor will also be appointed, whose role is to ensure that the
student-supervisor relationship is developing well and that the student is
able to study effectively, free from adverse pastoral issues. The academic
tutor is the first contact for the student in the event of problems with
supervision. This does not mean that the tutor should interfere with the
direction of the project but that they should sensitively explore the issues
that have arisen that are causing problems and try to get the supervisorstudent relationship functioning normally. This can be difficult and tutors
should refer difficulties to the Dept. Postgraduate Tutors at an early stage
for consultation and discussion.

The supervisor should ensure that the student is aware of the University's
Good Research Practice (GRP) Standards. In addition, the supervisor should
ensure that the student has a clear understanding in general terms of
'research ethics', where this is relevant (i.e. if they are undertaking research
that involves contact with human participants and/or with human data
and/or human tissue) and a clear understanding of 'research governance',
where this is relevant. The GRP Standards and guidance on research ethics
and governance are available online.

The supervisor should work with the student to establish an effective
supervisory relationship, thereby supporting the student. This should
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include an agreement on the frequency of progress meetings and the
arrangements for keeping records (e.g. written or electronic).

The supervisor should set a target date for Confirmation Review and a target
submission date at induction to ensure that all parties acknowledge the
length of time available for each stage of the project.
An Induction Checklist for Supervisors of new research students is available at the
start of each academic year. This checklist provides advice on procedures to be
followed when dealing with new research students and complements the Induction
Passport which is available to students.
Supervision:

The supervisor should ensure that the research project can be completed
fully, including preparation of a thesis, within the time available, and advise
the student accordingly.

The supervisor must ensure that a clear agreement is made with the student
on the frequency and nature of the supervisory contact required at any
particular stage of the project. Supervisory sessions should be uninterrupted
as far as possible by telephone calls, personal callers and departmental
business. The frequency of such sessions should be every four to six weeks
as a minimum (pro-rata for part-time); the frequency may depend on the
nature of the research (e.g. whether laboratory work is involved) and the
particular research project. The length of sessions will also vary, from student
to student, across time and between disciplines.

The supervisor should comply with the attendance monitoring requirements
of the department/University.

Written or electronic records of supervisory sessions should be kept by both
the student and supervisor.

Both the supervisor and student should keep a file of all correspondence,
including emails (this is especially relevant to students registered on the
Remote Location programme who are effectively studying via distance
learning).

The student and supervisor must have an agreed procedure for dealing with
urgent problems regarding the research project (e.g. by telephone, e-mail
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and/or the arrangement of additional meetings at short notice). This will
normally be a verbal agreement but may be documented as written
agreements on the supervisory monitoring forms. The latter may be updated
as required and availability of supervision ‘out of hours’ agreed.

The supervisor should, in discussion with the student, establish and maintain
a satisfactory timetable for the research, including the necessary completion
dates for each stage, so that the thesis may be submitted within the
scheduled time. This planning should take into account the requirements of
the relevant funding body in relation, for example, to upgrading and
submission.

The supervisor should read all the written work submitted within a
reasonable and appropriate time frame, in accordance with the agreed
timetable and provide constructive and timely criticism.

The supervisor should arrange, as appropriate, (in many departments it is a
requirement) for the student to present work to staff or graduate seminars
and should take an active part in introducing the student to meetings of
learned societies and to other researchers in the field. The supervisor should
provide advice on writing up the research, or parts of it, for publication.

The supervisor should advise the student well in advance (at least one week)
of any planned periods of absence from the University. If the period of
absence is significant (more than the length of time (4-6 weeks) between
supervisory meetings), the supervisor should ensure that appropriate
arrangements for alternative supervision are made and that the student is
informed of them.

The supervisor should take note of feedback from the student.
Academic progress:

At the end of the first year, the student will be required to produce a
Literature Review and a document for assessment at a formal Confirmation
Interview. The latter will normally be a combination of the Literature Review,
a description of the aims of the project plus Methods/Results to date and a
brief discussion, presented in the form of a mini-thesis. It is expected that
the supervisor will help the student in the construction of these documents
including advising on content/structure, reading and commenting on
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several iterations of the documents and agreeing the final submission. These
interactions should not be used as an opportunity to test the writing abilities
of the student but are an integral part of the supervisory process, designed
to enable the student to gain a clear understanding the rigours of scientific
writing under the guidance of the supervisor. Assessments of each
document are therefore indicators of the success of the supervisor-student
relationship in progressing the project to timely completion rather than tests
of the students writing abilities.

The supervisor should ensure that the student is informed of any inadequacy
of standards of work below that generally expected from research students
and should suggest remedial action as appropriate.

The supervisor will be required from time to time by both the University and
external funding bodies to provide a detailed written record of the student's
progress and should ensure that all departmental and/or faculty
requirements concerning the submission of progress reports are complied
with. In particular it is essential that the Annual Progress Report form,
supplied by Research & Innovation Services, is completed and returned
within the specified timescale. The supervisor should discuss the completion
of the Annual Progress Report with the student and it is essential that the
student signs the form to acknowledge that s/he has seen and understood
the contents of the completed report.
The final stages:

The supervisor should initiate the procedures for the appointment of
examiners well in advance of the thesis being submitted.

The supervisor should read and comment on a draft of the complete thesis.

The supervisor should ensure that the student understands the procedures
for the submission and examination of theses and should assist the student
in preparing for the oral examination, including offering a mock viva.

Supervisors who believe their student will not complete within the allotted
time limit should make early provision for applying for an extension.

Should the student be asked to resubmit, the supervisor will be responsible
for continuing to provide support and supervision throughout the
resubmission period.
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