Faculty Postgraduate Plan 2008-9
Faculty Aims
The Faculty believes a strong postgraduate community forms part of the University’s
commitment to be a top research University in the UK, and an institution that is world
class in terms of teaching and research. A healthy postgraduate body also underpins
both the future development of academic disciplines in the UK and the University
itself.
The overall objectives on the postgraduate side of the Faculty are to:
 Provide a clear vision/direction for postgraduate studies
 Working closely with the Graduate School (and Office) to enhance the student
educational experience, and quality assure postgraduate education
 Improve commitment to Faculty goals by engaging effectively with staff in the
Faculty, and working towards a common identity and team working.
This year the Faculty Plan consists of an outline of the key challenges and associated
actions followed by a more detailed outline of activities over the previous year in an
Appendix.
Main Challenges in Faculty Postgraduate Plan
Challenge 1: Internationalisation and Recruitment
The University cost base is increasing by 7% which means we need to increase PG student
numbers to cover this. The increasingly internationalised, competitive and commodified
higher education requires the Faculty to be more sensitive to market signals to recruit
students.
Recent Actions
 Encouraged university-wide review of Masters Programmes (the main recruitment
problem).
 Resisted unsustainable increases in postgraduate fees.
 Actions to improve the performance of International Office.
 Developed target setting process: established NUBS and ECLS ‘working group’ to
promote closer working relationship with largest Schools to achieve recruitment
targets. Made income flows more transparent.
 Responding to the needs of international students eg International Student Induction,
Skills Enhancement programme, Community Involvement Day etc.
 Supporting work done by Schools such as NUBS and ECLS internationalising the
curriculum.
 Collaborative ventures - supporting international partnerships.
Current Issues
 To implement the masters review and promote recruitment including Schools to
review their portfolio of masters programmes introducing greater flexibility and
communality in their operation, reducing the number of modules and programmes
with few students on them. We also need to increase the financial incentives for
School’s to recruit.
 Think masters in our discussions of improving quality of taught programmes – many
of the same problems about assessment, contact and feedback apply.
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The economic outlook is uncertain but requires us to be more competitive in our fee
levels.
The Faculty needs a clearer internationalisation project. Evidence from Schools is
internationalisation is fairly superficial. Need to deepen and extend the collaborations
initiated by NUBS in Henan and Xiamen - Malaysia?
Managing our relationship with INTO and how to get a more strategic approach from
the International Office. Argue for an INTO Liaison Officer.
Managing the increase of applications more successfully in the Graduate School.
Challenge 2: Professionalisation of PGR Education
The national Code of Practice is now well established and pressures are increasing to
improve the quality of the student experience (league tables).
Recent Actions
 Improve the robustness of quality assurance for PGRs in the run up to Institutional
audit
 Using the PRES Survey to promote improvements in teaching quality.
 Supervisory updating sessions in all Schools each year, supervisor survey and FRTP
road show.
 Closer national monitoring of PGR submission and completion rates means that HaSS
in particular needs to improve our performance. Introduced a thesis word length, been
more rigorous in policing extensions and targeted Research Council students’
submission. Introducing changes in fee regime to promote submission/completion.
 Improved progression procedures – APR conducted with all students in 2008 and
tougher extension form.
 Improving documentation on non-traditional research degrees.
 Incorporated AMR in HaSS Faculty PG Research Training.
Current Issues
 Improving supervisor training and their engagement with university and national
agendas, passing on good practice. Organise a good practice event for supervisors as
part of Learning and Teaching Strategy. Supervisory updating RECAPed from 20089.
 Implementation of new QA procedures in early New Year
 Ensuring staff workload models include PGRs effectively as part of Institutional
Audit arrangements.
 Checking arrangements concerning postgraduates who teach again as part of
Institutional audit.
Challenge 3: Changing National Context for Postgraduate Research Training and
Skills Development
Significant changes in Research Council operation requires a more strategically planned and
managed approach by the Faculty
Recent Actions
 Both ESRC and AHRC have passed studentship administration on to the University
without additional resource putting pressure on the HaSS Graduate School Office.
 ESRC review of 1+3 and AHRC Block Grant Partnership Scheme required a more
co-ordinated Faculty approach to application for studentships. Established
Steering/Management Group for BGP building on the processes of Faculty scrutiny.
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Challenge to make training more meaningful and attractive to all students and
respond to the needs of students not regularly present on campus – introduced
RECAP lecture capture, electronic booking/attendance monitoring, and intensive
catch up sessions for part-time students.
Audited Roberts skills to make sure we deliver on the national agenda.
University Researcher Skills Development Steering Group established and
introducing a top slice.
Current Issues
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Review of Graduate School Office operations (again).
Connecting research strategy and BGP actions.
Implement PG Certificate.
Prepare for the BGP and review the operation of Faculty Studentships in the light of
changes in Research Council operation.
Appoint a new Robert’s person.
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APPENDIX: DETAILED OUTLINE
Actions 2007-8
Student Recruitment and Marketing
HaSS sought to achieve modest growth in Faculty student postgraduate numbers by
establishing realistic targets and making sure Schools have plans in place to meet
them.
 Revised the Target setting process to support Schools in their target setting.
 Expanded Marketing Team encouraged and supported CRM and marketing
activity in Schools.
 Worked closely with the International Office to increase the promotional
activity for our programmes.
As a consequence PG numbers increased by 7% this year but PGR international has
not done as well as in recent years.
Research Councils
For Research Council students we have:
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Conducted sessions to promote applications and a scrutiny committee to
improve quality of applications. Focused on smaller number of higher quality
applications to Open Competition, encouraged applications to joint Research
Council schemes, collaborative schemes and to adding PGs into research
projects.
Supported by investment in Faculty studentships.
Monitor and progress chase Research Council studentships to improve
submission rates, and support this with funding in 4th year.
This year the number of Research Council awards is down on the previous year (32
compared to 43 last year), reflecting the cut in AHRC student numbers nationally
(1,000 compared to 1500), but we have maintained our national AHRC ‘market share’
though our performance is better for masters than PhD awards. ESRC numbers
remain a little depressed relative to our long term trend, particularly as a result of a
poor performance in the ESRC Open Competition.
Though it was not part of the original Faculty Plan the AHRC BGP scheme was a
significant part of our Research Council effort this year. We ultimately produced a bid
for 16 subject areas, and introduced significant changes in the Faculty research
Training Programme.
Internationalisation
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Established International Induction for Masters Students and Community
Involvement Day for international students.
Mainstreamed internationalisation in the planning process eg incorporated
internationalisation in programme and module approval.
Developed and enhanced the International Student Skills Enhancement
programme for International Masters students to support their studies and
integrated it with the Faculty Research Training Programme to make the latter
sensitive to the needs of International Students. This year in co-operation with
SAgE also running a two day intensive session on International Field work.
The feedback on the CID and the SEP is good but the latter is dominated by ECLS
International Students.
Faculty Research Training Programme
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Increasing training for Arts and Humanities students.
Greater response to student demand in delivery, increased student
involvement, more intensive delivery.
Supervisor and student surveys to get feedback on programme.
Keep staff informed about the programme eg periodic Road Show events.
A significant expansion of Arts and Humanities activities has occurred linked to the
BGP bid. A NICER knowledge programme will be introduced to meet the
requirements for Roberts skills training. RECAP was introduced to Managing the PhD
successfully and will be further extended.
Taking the Faculty out to Schools
HaSS engaged with staff in the Faculty primarily by:
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Supervisory Updating sessions in all Schools involving both Faculty Office
and Graduate School Office staff.
An annual PG support staff event for staff in the Faculty run in co-operation
with the HaSS Graduate School Office.
Taking Graduate School Committee out to individual Schools.
Communication and engagement has been pursued vigorously but there is much more
to do.
Actions 2006-7
Engagement with Schools
 Conducted Supervisory Updating sessions in most Schools: themes - PhD
examinations; handling the viva; granting of extensions and dealing with
problem cases; new ESRC administrative arrangements; Research Council
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Studentships; problems with submission rates (again) and ESRC/AHRC
monitoring; publicise supervisory timeline. Importance of supervisor
engagement with Code of Practice, Faculty Training, submission in 4 years
etc.
Linguistics collaboration – working towards a joint application for ESRC
recognition between English and SML. Meetings held and draft masters
produced, possibility of a cross School Centre for Linguistics.
Take Graduate School Committee out to Schools – periodically hold meetings
in individual Schools preceded by an opportunity to meet the Faculty team and
also include postgraduate support from the School in the meeting. Been to
APL, and will continue the practice.
Faculty Postgraduate Training
Faculty Research Training Programme
Further reform to include:
 Respond to the outcome of the Road Show - decided to do a supervisor survey
to increase engagement with supervisors; hard copies of handbook to all staff
from 2007.
 Examine the balance of generic and disciplinary skills in the programme –
increased the involvement of staff from subject areas under-represented in the
programme (eg Politics) so students see the relevance to their discipline;
 Making interdisciplinarity more real in the programme – RDI bid to progress
this failed, consider whether we can take some elements of this on within the
existing programme
 Review the teaching of advanced methodology and especially quantitative and
qualitative skills – RDI project on qualitative methods successful and revisions
to quantitative methods teaching introduced
 Progress the introduction of a stronger distance learning component to the
FRTP – Lectopia being introduced in Managing the PhD in October 2007
 Explore possibilities for collaboration with Durham and possibly other
regional Universities. Preliminary discussions held with Durham and they
participated in our failed RDI bid, collaboration in areas such as ethics training
continues
 Modified Managing a PhD in response to student feedback, to include more
focussed sessions, targeted student involvement.
 Explore how to handle creative PhDs more effectively (eg find out about the
guidelines at School level, alter assessment in programme). Discovered that
further documentation needed which has been passed on to Linda Anderson as
Associate Dean
 Improved information provided on eportfolio but usage is still below that in
other Faculties
Roberts Agenda and Postgraduate Development
 Closer co-operation with SAgE in the delivery of the Roberts training – on ice
due to John Gibbin’s departure
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Conduct a training needs analysis of the FRTP to ensure we are meeting the
Roberts skills requirements – passed on to QUILT following John Gibbin’s
departure
Better co-ordination with Roberts training for ECRs – co-ordination meetings
held.
Conducted two catch-up sessions for part-time students.
Make internationalisation of ‘home’ students more of a theme by drawing on
the resource of international students and making for a more multi-cultural
experience – more international students used as TAs on programme and made
the programme more sensitive to needs of international students.
Research Councils
 Responded to the AHRC Review of the Competition and the ESRC 1+3
review outcome not disclosed yet.
 Maintain numbers of ESRC studentships – these declined because of loss of
quota and poor performance in CASE
 Improve AHRC studentship performance – increased to 18 PGRs.
 Provide sticks and carrots to ensure we achieve Research Council 4 year
submission rates including:
Write to all year 1 Research Council students
Write to all supervisors where the student does not submit on time asking them
why and what lessons are to be learnt.
Hold a meeting with supervisors of year 4 Research Council students to encourage
submission.
Monitoring of student progress by Faculty needs to be tighter.
Consider withdrawal of Faculty studentships where sanctions occurs and
introduction of a submission fund for 4th year Research Council students.
As a result of all these actions no School is in danger of sanctions this year.
Internationalisation
To prosecute internationalisation enthusiastically by:
 Benchmarking us against others – Sue Robson did a benchmarking exercise
for us.
 Encourage University to conduct an international conference – not taken up.
 Incorporate Internationalisation more fully on the Faculty web site – Faculty
now has a web officer Emma Birmingham but heavily committed – little
progress.
 Pass on best practice in terms of internationalisation – Held a HoS event on
internationalisation
 Did ‘What Internationalisation Means for You’ seminar as part of the SDU
programme
 FTLC did an Internationalisation of the Curriculum themed meeting.
 Spotlighted internationalisation in the Faculty newsletter
Graduate School Office
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Updated progress and other related forms.
Changed administration arrangements for ESRC students – training provided
by ESRC – implemented new administrative arrangements. AHRC also
devolved payments to the University without additional resource but unlike
ESRC kept responsibility for other parts of the administration
Continued Engagement with Schools – organised another PG workshop for
PG support staff across the Faculty.
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Quality Assurance
 Completed Code of Practice paperwork much earlier this year ie better
performance by time of report to UTLC.
 Review of Masters teaching – take only the first preliminary steps here ie get a
picture of the numbers of students on modules. This now incorporated in a
wider University Review.
 Helped bed down new Programme Approval procedures for Masters
Programmes. These proved too onerous and have been streamlined by UG
Dean
Recruitment, Marketing and Targets etc
 Targets – again make these realistic but to achieve modest growth.
 International Marketing and Recruitment plans – incorporate outcomes of
these in the Student numbers sessions in Schools.
 Contribute to International Marketing and Recruitment Committee.
 Enhanced Central and Faculty support for brochures
 Review Faculty English Language Policy.
 Improve Faculty/Graduate School web site.
 Ensure the additional marketing resource provided by the Faculty is
effectively utilised by the Schools.
Though all these actions were taken the Faculty will miss its recruitment targets
and suffer a reduction in PG student numbers of about 7%. The reasons for this
include over-optimism, high fees, increased international competition, changes in
the International Office and the fact that School/IO recruitment activity is not fully
joined up. The actions taken in response are: Reorganisation in IO, more activity
by Marketing Team, working closely with NUBS a critical school for targets,
extending this arrangement to ECLS, changes in the way in which Target Setting
Meetings operate, improve cross-School co-operation re admissions.
Outstanding Issues
 Conduct an Away Half Day on transferring best practice between the Schools
- delayed due to staffing constraints.
 Contribute to the evaluation of and improvement in the operation of
University Scholarships. The Faculty element of this process has been speeded
up significantly but little progress has been made in other aspects.
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Actions 2005-6
The specific targets achieved and matters outstanding for 2005-6 are outlined below.
Faculty Research Training Programme
Development of the Faculty Research Training Programme to include:
 More Arts and Humanities material including revised ART800.
 Greater response to student demand and increased student involvement
including piloting more intensive delivery.
 Reform of Social Science masters modules including taking out overlap and
improving consistency.
 Revised Handbook introduced.
 Road Show to inform supervisors about changes.
Code of Practice and Related work on Submission/Completion Rates
 Contributed to the revision of the Code of Practice and associated
documentation including making the Code more concise and the forms simpler
and more focused. Incorporated discussion of Code in Supervisory Updating
sessions. More work needed on some of the supporting forms.
 Established the Skills Enhancement Programme for Masters students.
E2R and other Processing
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Progress chase E2R turn round times - these are significantly improved.
Galvanise CRM activity which has happened but there are some outstanding
issues round the extent of CRM and the use of E2R to provide it (need to
spread best practice in the future).
Student Recruitment and Target Numbers
 Faculty Target Student Numbers to be more modest but achievable – overall
6% growth - International, Home, PGT, PGR. Conducted two rounds of
meetings in Schools to establish realistic targets and make sure Schools have
plans in place to meet targets.
 Outcome we have more students registered this year than last and by the
December census date we will be close to our fairly modest recruitment
targets. Thanks to everyone for their efforts! We will need to work even harder
to attract international students in the forthcoming year.
Research Councils
 Increased numbers of Collaborative studentships – highest level in the country
(7 ESRC/4 AHRC).
 Numbers of ESRC studentships increased – 19 (last 3 years average 14pa).
 AHRC 22 Masters/PhD studentships (increase of 2 from last year).
 Overall highest number of Research Council studentships since restructuring.
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Ran collaborative studentship workshop to promote further applications.
Following this up with a question and answer session to help applicants.
Scrutiny Committee set up for collaborative studentships to improve quality of
applications.
Focused AHRC Open Competition applications on smaller number of higher
quality applications.
For ESRC encouraged applications to joint Research Council schemes.
Monitoring and progress chasing of Research Council studentships introduced
to improve submission rates; issue included in our Supervisory Updating
sessions to ensure we meet submission requirements – especially improved
submission rates required by AHRC. Further work will be required in 2006-7.
Session conducted to inform Schools without recognition about the Interim
Recognition exercise at ESRC.
Faculty Studentships
Reviewed historical use of money and the relevance of studentships in the light of
reduction in ESRC Open Competition - agreed to fund half studentships with matched
funding coming from the Schools. Funding made subject to completion of Code of
Practice paperwork for 2004-5 which was ultimately completed.
Budgetary Planning
More planned approach to budgets – will bring these to these to Graduate School
Committee during 2006-7. To include a clear plan for Roberts expenditure and FRTP
more generally. Done most of this.
Internationalisation
 Promoted internationalisation in the 2005-6 planning process.
 Incorporated internationalisation in the programme and module process.
 Reviewed and revised the International Student Skills Enhancement
programme and integrated it with the Faculty Research Training Programme.
 Run a community involvement seminar for international Masters students.
Taking the Faculty out to Schools
 All Schools visited for a ‘get to know you’ session.
 In addition conducted Supervisory Updating sessions in all Schools.
 Conducted an event for PG support staff in the Faculty to promote better
understanding and stronger collaboration between the Graduate School and
Schools.
Unexpected
 ESRC announced studentship administration to be passed on to the Graduate
School Office which we will need to respond to in 2006-7. This will have very
serious administrative consequences. We are intending to monitor the
implications.
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ESRC review of 1+3 – Faculty response produced as well as academics
responded individually.
AHRC review of the Open Competition – outcome just communicated.
Responded to review of Professional Doctorate by AHRC.
Contributed to the revision of Programme Approval procedures for Masters
programmes.
Qualifications and Credit Framework – more work on Masters programmes
needed.
Contributed to the review of the IPHD in the light of the above. The 3 year 4
year length of the programme clarified with the latter requiring a Masters
qualification and the thesis being made 50,000 words.
Outstanding
 Faculty Postgraduate Student Newsletter published in October and to be
conducted on an annual basis.
 Assessment of the impact of concessions – work on this due before Christmas.
Done and shows that concessions do not result in a higher failure rate but do
have a lower class of masters degree
JNM/25.11.08
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