RTC 14/15 2C College of Science and Engineering POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAMME PROPOSAL “PhD with Integrated Study in Mathematical Analysis and its Applications” The College Research and Training Committee is asked to approve the new programme of ‘PhD with Integrated Study in Mathematical Analysis and its Applications’. Rationale The University recently approved the degree title of “PhD with Integrated Study” for which the regulatory framework is given in Appendix 1. This paper contains a proposal for an award, “PhD with Integrated Study in Mathematical Analysis and its Applications”, together with suitable exit qualifications. The degrees are jointly overseen and jointly awarded by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University. In order to meet the requirement that the programme have the same name at both institutions, it shall be known as “PhD in Mathematical Analysis and its Applications”. This award is related to the funding of an EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Mathematical Analysis and its Applications: Maxwell Institute Graduate School in Analysis & Applications (MIGSAA), a collaboration between the School of Mathematics at UoE, and the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at Heriot-Watt University within the context of the Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences (MI) and the Edinburgh Research Partnership in Engineering and Mathematics. The University of Edinburgh is the Lead University. Structure of the programme Admission and matriculation arrangements Incoming students will be expected to have an M-level (MMath, MSci, MSc, Cambridge Part 3) qualification or a very strong Bachelor’s degree in a mathematical subject. The MIGSAA admissions group (to include the Director, Deputy Director and Mathematical Sciences PG admissions tutors from both UoE and HWU) will consider applications. Administration for admissions will be handled by UoE in accordance with its usual procedures. Students will matriculate at both UoE and HWU. Taught Element inc. First Year Training Each student will take eight assessed 15 credit modules over semester 1 and 2 and a 60 credit project over the spring and summer. RTC 14/15 2C Compulsory modules: Course Title SCQF Credits SCQF Level MIGSAA Research Skills 15 12 MIGSAA Taster Project 15 12 MIGSAA Extended Project 60 12 RTC 14/15 2C Optional modules: Students must normally take 6 of the following 13 available modules: Course title MIGSAA Applied Analysis and PDEs 1: Dynamical Systems MIGSAA Applied Analysis and PDEs 2: PDEs and Finite Elements MIGSAA Applied Mathematics Methods 1: Asymptotic Methods MIGSAA Applied Mathematics Methods 2: Numerical Methods MIGSAA Pure Analysis 1: Measure and Integration MIGSAA Pure Analysis 2: Functional Analysis MIGSAA Probability 1: Introduction MIGSAA Probability 2: Applications MIGSAA Advanced PDE1 MIGSAA Advanced PDE2 MIGSAA Geometry and topology 1 MIGSAA Geometry and topology 2 MIGSAA Applied Mathematics Models 1: Continuum Mechanics SCQF credits SCQF level 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 11 11 11 Delivery of the majority of these modules will be by the Scottish Mathematical Sciences Training Centre (SMSTC) team with support from potential supervisors and other researchers within the Maxwell Institute. Assessment will be by the SMSTC team with moderation by the MIGSAA Progression Board. Advanced PDE1 and Advanced PDE2 will be delivered and assessed by MI academics. Assessment of all modules is consistent with established SMSTC procedures (see Appendix 2). Where it is agreed with the MIGSAA Director, students may on occasion substitute other suitable courses in accordance with established EPSRC procedures. Equivalence will also be determined in accordance with these procedures. Quality assurance Quality assurance is ultimately the responsibility of the MIGSAA Cohort Director in conjunction with the Management Group. Relevant procedures include the following: For courses that will be delivered via SMSTC, the SMSTC course approval process is followed, which contains quality-assurance measures. For new courses, the Management Group directly approves the proposed syllabus and course materials. The course programme is periodically reviewed by the MIGSAA Management Group, which monitors the overall effectiveness of the suite available. Feedback from the students is gathered by the Cohort Director and communicated directly to the lecturers concerned; in addition, a periodic update is given by the Cohort Director to the Management Group. Most MIGSAA courses are continuously assessed. Grades are recorded by the MIGSAA administrator. Each year every student is issued with a summary of their progress through the programme.Progression Requirements RTC 14/15 2C The student will have to complete the first-year MIGSAA training consisting of the requisite number of courses including research skills, taster project and extended project, all to a standard indicative of the desirability of continuing on to a PhD research project. First year training will be assessed and the results monitored by the Cohort Director in conjunction with the Director of Training. A full progression board held at the end of the first year will decide if students should continue to the full PhD programme. Subsequent progression will be as per the existing regulations of either UoE and HWU depending on where the student’s lead supervisor is based. Progression will be monitored by the MIGSAA Management Group. Information that feeds into the end of Year 1 progression board decision will be: Grades for the Year 1 courses that the student has taken Taster project grade and report by supervisor(s) / examiner(s) Extended project grade and report by supervisor(s) Feedback from Cohort Director on other relevant aspects of training If a student has not passed the relevant compulsory courses and completed 180 credits by the end of the first year, a tailored plan of remedial action is determined by the Cohort Director, in consultation (where appropriate) with the MIGSAA Progression Board. If failure is persistent, the first exit point listed below may be invoked. Supervisory Team Year 1: Lead supervisor: Director of MIGSAA (currently Professor Anthony Carbery, School of Mathematics, University of Edinburgh) Co-supervisor: Deputy Director of MIGSAA (currently Professor Dugald Duncan, School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot--Watt Univeristy) Year 2-4: Lead and Co-supervisor to be confirmed before Year 2 commences. Normally the supervisors will be affiliated with different Partner Universities. MIGSAA will be responsible for arrangements for monitoring progress in Year 1 and thereafter the arrangements for monitoring progress on the student’s research project and other programme requirements will be those of the Partner University of the Lead supervisor. Regulations In the first year the academic regulations of UoE will apply. In subsequent years the regulations of the institution of the lead supervisor will apply. Where the first supervisor is an Edinburgh academic then there will be a second supervisor from Heriot-Watt (and vice-versa). Training in subsequent years RTC 14/15 2C The project for the PhD dissertation (540 credits) will begin in Year 2 and may build on the Year 1 extended project. Over years 2-4 students will also be expected to undertake 90 credits of advanced level courses and other research activities from a list to be approved periodically by the MIGSAA Management Committee and Advisory Board, and which is adjusted to represent the interests of students and staff. Additionally, students will be required to attend training in generic skills and to participate in MIGSAA activities throughout their period of study. All training will be recorded on the CDT training log by the MIGSAA Administrator. Determination of final award To be eligible for award of the PhD, students must have completed the required 90 credits of advanced level courses and have attended the required generic skills training and MIGSAA activities, in addition to having their PhD dissertation approved according to the regulations of the institution of the lead supervisor. Exit awards In the unlikely event that a student does not progress to Year 2 of study but nevertheless passes 60 / 120 / 180 credits from the MIGSAA first year training programme, they shall be eligible for the award of a General Postgraduate Certificate / General PostgraduateDiploma or Master of Science by Research (MScR). Fees The standard PhD fees rate of UoE, as the lead institution, will apply. Fees will be distributed as per Memorandum of Agreement. Additional costs, including the costs of providing the taught courses and other MIGSAA events plus additional managerial and administrative support, are covered by the MIGSAA grants, EPSRC ref EP/L016508/1 and SFC ref 242635599. To ensure parity between institutions, there will be an equal number of overseas match-funded students at each institution over the period of the CDT. RTC 14/15 2C Appendix 1: Regulatory framework for the PhD with Integrated Study The degree programme should comprise a total of 720 credits, of which at least 540 should be at SCQF level 12 (thus equivalent to the PhD) and at least 690 at SCQF level 11 or above (thus ensuring that taught components are consistent with the requirements for Masters). The prescribed period should be for four years with a further “writing-up” period of up to 12 months (pro-rata for part-time study), where permitted by the external sponsor. (For EPSRC only, the submission due date for student theses is calculated as end date of funding plus one year.) The programme PhD with Integrated Study should be available, subject to approval by the relevant College Committee, to a cohort of students following a programme which requires a structured programme of study which integrates research with assessed taught postgraduate training in a range of skills and subject focused modules, up to a maximum of 180 credits. The outcome of the assessment of the training and skills component may be used in determining progression on the programme, or eligibility for an exit award at Masters/Diploma/Certificate level, providing that the student has attained the requirements for the award as set out in the University regulations. For the award of PhD with Integrated Study, the research component must meet the assessment criteria for a PhD in the current University regulations. RTC 14/15 2C Appendix 2: SMSTC Assessment Procedures Excerpted from SCOTTISH MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES TRAINING CENTRE – SMSTC: Notes for Lecturers and Stream Leaders – revised September 2014 SMSTC provides 16 modules, each headed by a Stream Leader, and the material is taught "live" by a team of lecturers by videoconferencing in two 10-week terms during the season October–April. Lectures are based on comprehensive printed notes, which are available to download from the module pages, and each module is assessed independently. Each module's assessment regime consists of 1 or 2 assignments, taking an expected total of 10-12 hours of work.