Research Student Induction
College of Humanities
Programme
Day 1 (Wednesday 24th September) Amory Building, Room C501
10:00 – 10:45 Registration and Coffee morning with current students (Queen’s Building SCR)
11:00 – 11:15 General Introduction
11:15 – 12:00 Introduction to procedures and requirements
12:00 – 12:20 Introduction from Library
12:20 – 12:30 Current student presentations and questions
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 14:00 Part 2 procedures and requirements - MyPGR
14:00 – 14:30 Open Access
14:30 – 15:00 Ethics Approval
15:00 – 15:30 Refreshment Break
15:30 – 16:45 Current student presentations /student panel/ wash up of day and questions
Some aims for the day
• To understand better what it means to be a research student
• To introduce you to the research community in your College and
in your discipline
• To share information about research training
• To start networking with others
• To point you towards sources of support
• To get you thinking!
Introductions
Graduate School
• Catherine Dawson
Assistant College Manager – Graduate and Partnership
• Morwenna Hussey
Senior Administrator – Graduate Studies
• Cathryn Baker
PGR Student Support Administrator
• Dr Matt Barber
Postgraduate Admissions and Graduate School Support
• Lizzie Underhill
Graduate School Assistant
Graduate School Office
• Room J, East Wing, Queen’s Building
• humanities-gradschool@exeter.ac.uk
• 01392 72 2635 (ext 2635)
• 01392 72 2636 (ext 2636)
• Registration queries / changes
• Personal allowances
• Progression
• Examination administration
Directors of Postgraduate Research
• Archaeology: Dr Linda Hurcombe
• Classics and Ancient History: Dr Richard Flower
• Drama: Dr Jerri Daboo
• English: Dr Laura Salisbury
• History: Dr Stacey Hynd
• Modern Languages: Professor Gert Vonhoff
• Theology and Religion: Dr David Tollerton
• Humanities Penryn: Dr Alex Murray
Research Students and the College
Professor Jane Spencer
Associate Dean for Research
College of Humanities
Professor Will Higbee
Deputy Director of the Graduate School
College of Humanities
Research Degrees in the Humanities:
requirements and procedures
Catherine Dawson
Morwenna Hussey
College Graduate School
Discussion Points
• Student Handbook & Intranet
• Supervisory Teams and meetings
• Attendance and workloads
• Support
• Study desks and research support
• Requirements of a research thesis
• Annual Progress Monitoring
• Transfer from MPhil to PhD
• Registration and Changes to Status
• Insurance for Research Undertaken Outside the UK
• MyPGR demonstration
• Research Data Management and Open Access
Student Handbook & Intranet
• Central resource of key information
• We will be updating the handbook periodically so you should
revisit the intranet if you need to consult the handbook, to
ensure you receive the most accurate and up to date
information.
http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/humanities/studying/postgraduaterese
arch/handbook/
Supervisory Teams
Supervisory teams normally consist of:
• Lead Supervisor
• Second or Co-Supervisor
• Mentor
Supervision Meetings
• Frequency and range
• Role of the Mentor
• Student’s responsibility to keep records of meetings via MyPGR
• Mode of contact
• First meeting each year to review training needs and complete
supervision agreement
• Termly progression discussion
Your supervisor(s) should . . .
• Give guidance about:
- the nature of research
- the standard expected
- planning
- relevant literature and sources
- research methods and instrumental techniques
• Direct you to particular training programmes and modules
Your supervisor(s) should also . . .
• Identify any areas, during your studies, in which further training
(including language training) is required
• Guide you about the form of the thesis
• Ensure that your project can be completed fully, including
preparation of a thesis, within the time available and advise you
accordingly
Your responsibilities include . . .
• Planning carefully. Take a list of written questions, and/or email
these to your supervisor in advance
• Being clear with your supervisor about what you would like to get out
of the meeting
• Taking notes, especially notes of agreed ‘next steps’ for your research
• After the session, writing these up and posting them on MyPGR, for your
supervisor to agree with and/or comment
In summary:
• Your supervisor is there to guide and advise...
• ... but it’s your research and your degree, and the work is
ultimately up to you
Attendance and Workloads
• Full time students – at least 44 weeks a year
• Part time students – at least 22 weeks a year
• Attendance in Exeter or Penryn expected unless specific permission
given otherwise
• You must ensure that any employment undertaken during your studies
is not detrimental to your studies. Full time students are advised to limit
their total employment to no more than 180 hours per year.
• You are allowed to take up to 8 weeks annual leave a year, pro rata for
part-time students, inclusive of public holidays and University closure
days.
• International students – visa requirements
Requirements of a Research Thesis
• Master of Arts by Research (MbyRes)
• Maximum 40,000 words
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
• Maximum 60,000 words
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Maximum of 100,000 words
• Must demonstrate evidence of originality
Two Definitions:
• Submission date: (FT = 3 years)
the deadline by which you need to have handed in your thesis
for examination
• Completion date: (FT = 4 years)
the deadline by which all of your work is completed and the
university has approved the award of your degree
Annual Progress Monitoring
• Compulsory progress monitoring each year
• Continued registration dependent on satisfactory report on
progress
• Opportunity to reflect on your own progress and to raise any
problems
Transfer from MPhil to PhD
• Transfer from MPhil to PhD normally takes place in 4th term of
full time study
• Transfer process is normally a mini viva with two members of
academic staff (independent from your supervisory team), on
the basis of 15-20,000 words of thesis, chapter-by-chapter
outline of thesis and timetable to completion
Changes to Registration Status
• Full-time to Part-time (or vice versa)
• Continuation status
• Interruption of study
• Withdrawal
• Extension to period of study
Research Misconduct
• The University expects its staff and students to maintain the highest
standards for the conduct of research. You are expected to review the
University’s procedures relating to academic/research conduct for
graduate research students, and ensure that you understand your
responsibilities under this Procedure, and the definitions of misconduct.
• Research Misconduct (2014/15) – Procedure for Graduate Research
Students suspected of Research Misconduct
Advice and Support
• Humanities Graduate School Office
• Students’ Guild / Postgraduate Union
• Students’ Advice Centre
• AccessAbility
• International Students Support Office
• English language support available from INTO
Desks and Social Space
• College designated desks for full-time campus based students
• Discipline-specific desk and office space
• Research Commons- bookable desks
• Senior common rooms
Research Student Allowances
• £200 per annum for full-time students and £100 for part-time
students.
• For expenses such as attending conferences, travel to libraries
and other archives, conference registration fees…
• Must first incur the expense and then submit a claim for
reimbursement via the Humanities Graduate School Office
Other Research Support
• An allowance of 20 free interlibrary loans per year for full-time
students and 10 free interlibrary loans per year for part-time
students.
• Full-time research students with £50 worth of printing credit, on
request. Part-time students receive £25 worth of printing credit.
Insurance for Research Undertaken
Outside the UK
• We have travel insurance for research students going abroad to
conduct research
• Cover includes unlimited medical expenses, medical repatriation,
loss of personal belongings, travel cancellation, alteration and
delay…
• Free for registered students
• Before you travel you must complete the online International
Travel Form
MyPGR
http://utils.exeter.ac.uk/acadsys/sits/mypgr/demo/
Open Access
Dr Gareth Cole
Data Curation Officer
Ethics Approval
Dr Francesco Goglia
College Ethics Officer
Research Ethics:
procedures and approval
• Who?
- Projects requiring ethical review typically involve
interviews, questionnaires or observation of people
• Why?
- Research integrity; well-being; legal aspects
• What?
- See College PGR handbook
Student Panel
Karen O’Donnell, Richard Wells, Sam Hayes,
Lori Oates, Michelle Webb, Andrew Binding, Mia
Dormer, Paschalis Gkortsilas, Clare Maudling,
Richard Carter, James Villalard
Contact us:
humanities-gradschool@exeter.ac.uk