Research Student Handbook
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
2011/12
Welcome to the Department of Theology and Religious Studies from the
Postgraduate Advisor
May I welcome you (or welcome you back) to the Department of Theology and
Religious Studies. I act as postgraduate advisor. Most of the advice you require
will come from your supervisor (if you are a research student) or from your
‘lecturer’ or Dr Alison Milbank, if you are taking one of the taught MAs. But
sometimes it can be useful to speak to someone independent and that is where
the postgraduate advisor comes in. So if you have a problem which your
supervisor cannot solve, do contact me (my room is B4, Highfield House).
This handbook is intended to provide you with some of the basic information you
will need while you are here. It also includes some details of the MA modules and
research students are welcome to attend any of these (but please speak with the
relevant lecturer beforehand).
I hope that your time at Nottingham will prove to be an enjoyable and a fruitful
one. Life as a postgraduate in ‘arts’ subjects can be lonely (especially for research
students) and it can be tempting just to work on your own. Solitude can of course
aid creative thinking but we can all learn from one another and I hope you will all
make an effort to get to know other postgraduate students. Departmental
seminars together with other events form the focus of collective life in the
department, so do come along to enrich your education.
So I wish you all a happy and creative year.
Professor Roland Deines
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Contents
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
The Department
Staff
Departmental Office and Notice Boards
Departmental Research Seminars and Postgraduate Spring Seminar
Study room and pigeon holes
Student Staff Feedback Committee/Postgraduate Representation
Photocopying and Interlibrary loan
Theosoc
Academic Year and Key Dates 2009-10
Fire Procedure
2
Supervision and Progression of Postgraduates
3
Training in Research Methods
4
4.1
MA modules
Portal
5
MA by Research
6
Important Sources of Information
7
Useful Contacts
8
Student Services Centre
9
Arts Graduate Centre
10
Completion Times
11
External contacts: Conferences and visits to external
libraries
12
Teaching and Invigilating
13
Careers
Appendices: Plagiarism; Disability, Example forms
The Department
3
1.1.
Staff
Academic staff
Dr Karen Kilby
Karen.Kilby@nottingham.ac.uk
Head of Department
Associate Professor, Systematic
Theology
Dr Alison Milbank
Alison.Milbank@nottingham.ac.uk
MA Co-ordinator
Associate Professor, Religion and
Literature
Dr Simon Oliver
Simon.Oliver@nottingham.ac.uk
MA Assessment Officer
Associate Professor, Systematic and
Philosophical Theology
Professor Agata Bielik-Robson
Agata.Bielik-Robson@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Jewish Studies
Professor Richard Bell
Richard.Bell@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Theology
Dr Carly Crouch
Carly.Crouch@nottingham.ac.uk
Lecturer, Hebrew Bible
Dr Conor Cunningham
Conor.Cunningham@nottingham.ac.uk
Lecturer, Theology and Religious
Studies
Dr Mary Cunningham
Mary.Cunningham@nottingham.ac.uk
Lecturer, Historical Theology
Professor Roland Deines
Roland.Deines@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor in New Testament
Professor Alan Ford
Alan.Ford@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor in Church History
Professor Philip Goodchild
Philip.Goodchild@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Religion and Philosophy
Dr Jon Hoover, Lecturer
Jon.Hoover@nottingham.ac.uk
Lecturer in Islamic Studies
Dr Frances Knight
Frances.Knight@nottingham.ac.uk
Associate Professor in the History of
Modern Christianity
Professor John Milbank
John.Milbank@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor in Religion, Politics and Ethics
Director of the Centre of Theology and
Philosophy
Professor Tom O’Loughlin
Tom.OLoughlin@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Historical Theology
Dr Holger Zellentin
Holger.Zellentin@nottingham.ac.uk
1.2. School and Research Office
Lecturer in Religious Studies
4
Please contact the School and Research Office in the School of Humanities for any
administrative queries you have regarding your studies.
The School and Research Office is located on the ground floor of the Humanities
Building.
Or contact them by email on Theology-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk or phone on
+44 (0)115 9514766
1.3.
Departmental Research Seminars and the Postgraduate Spring
Seminar
Departmental seminars normally take place about every two weeks on
Wednesday afternoons and take the form of a presentation followed by
discussion. Papers are presented by a member of staff, a visiting lecturer (e.g.
someone visiting Nottingham as part of the European Union’s SOCRATES
exchange scheme), a specially invited guest or a postgraduate student.
Full-time postgraduates are expected to attend regularly and it is hoped that
part-time postgraduates will attend as frequently as they are able. You will
receive details of the programme when it has been finalised, and with respect to
future planning it is perfectly possible for you to make suggestions (to the Head
of Department or MA Co-ordinator) of speakers.
Spring Postgraduate Seminar 24 - 26 April 2012: The Department’s graduate
community will gather for a series of lectures, seminars and workshops covering
the key areas of Systematic Theology, Biblical Studies and Church History. This
will be an opportunity for residential and distance learning students to share their
learning and research. There will be a guest lecture and social events in the
evenings. A full programme and timetable will be issued in January.
1.4.
Study Area and Pigeonholes
There are computers available for Research students on C Floor of the Humanities
Building. Please contact the School and Research Office for further details.
The Hallward Library also provides rooms on Level 1 which can be booked
through UNLOC. The Library also has some bookable carrels.
Student pigeonholes are located in the Atrium of the Humanities Building.
1.5
Email
Please ensure that you check your Nottingham university email address
(which will be set up when you register) regularly. The Department will
communicate with you mainly through email.
1.6
Learning Community Forum and Postgraduate Representation
The Department runs a Learning Community Forum, which meets once a term in
order to provide a forum for students to offer suggestions and air any concerns
they might have. This is an important element in the running of the department,
and provides a formal channel for students to raise any issues they may wish
about their programmes.
5
There will be each year two postgraduate representatives, one from the taught
postgraduates and one from the research students. Any issues you would like to
have raised at the Learning Community Forum you should bring to the attention
of the relevant representative. The postgraduate representatives also sit on the
Departmental Board, which meets at the beginning and at the end of each term.
Further information on the Learning Community Forum may be found on
workspace (accessible through the Student Portal) here:
http://workspace.nottingham.ac.uk/display/LCForum/Theology
1.4
Library rights, Photocopying and interlibrary loan
Research students may borrow up to 40 books from the Library.
Research students in the department are entitled to financial support from the
School of Humanities for Photocopying and Inter-Library Loan vouchers.
Current rates are:
Full-time students:
£50 per year – photocopying
£40 per year (August – July) – Inter-Library Loan
vouchers
Part-time students: £25 per year – photocopying
£20 per year (August – July) – Inter-Library loan
vouchers
These may be obtained from the School and Research Office.
1.5
Theosoc
Theosoc is an undergraduate society which organizes social events, debates and
excursions to places of interest. They welcome postgraduate participation. We
hope to keep you informed of events by e-mail. There is also a section on the
notice boards in the Theology and Religious Studies Department.
1.6
Academic Year and Key Dates
Term Dates



Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
Semester Dates
 Autumn Semester
 Spring Semester
Other key dates





27
11
18
24
September
October
October
– 26 April
May
26 September - 16 December 2011
16 January – 30 March 2012
30 April - 22 June 2012
26 September - 27 January 2012
30 January – 22 June 2012
Week One Induction
Library Skills Training I
Library Skills Training II
Annual Postgraduate Residential
Seminar
Prepare for Annual Review
6

2.
July
Complete Annual Review
Supervision and Progression of Postgraduates
University Regulations specify a minimum number of formal meetings between
research students and their supervisors each year:


at least 10 times per year for full-time students
at least 6 times p.a. for part-time students
The University requires that we keep careful records of all meetings
between postgraduate students and their supervisors.
You can do this
either by using a supervision form (enclosed with this pack) or email a summary
of your supervision to your supervisor, copied to the theologyenquiries@nottingham.ac.uk Your supervisor will comment on your supervision,
either on the form or in response to the email.
It is your responsibility to
make sure there is a record of each supervision, either by taking a
supervision form to your supervision meetings, or by emailing your supervisor
after your supervision. You may wish to discuss how you manage the record of
your supervisions with your supervisor to find which way works best for both of
you.
In addition to the official supervisions postgraduate research students are
encouraged to speak informally to any member of staff in the department
regarding their research.
Annual Review
Once a year, normally in June, you will be required to do an annual review (which
is called the ‘confirmation review’ after your first year and the ones to follow are
called `progression review’, see below) so that the required completion of the
Annual Report Form can be processed (see appendix). The following material
needs to be provided by the student at the beginning of June:
1.
2.
3.
a written report by the student on his/her progress (1-2 pages)
including a research plan (including a dissertation chapter plan) and
details of any research training undertaken (see Section 3)
a bibliography for the dissertation
a sample of your written work (around 5,000 words)
(please do not submit longer sections of work, or if necessary indicate
which part is to be read for the purposes of Annual Review)
During the first year of registration, the status of PhD students as doctoral
candidates is probationary and confirmation is subject to Confirmation Review by
this process. For registration reasons it is highly advisable to have the
Confirmation Review done by the end of June/July. It is your obligation and in
your interest to arrange dates for the annual review with your internal assessor
as early as possible.
Yr 1 Confirmation Review (UoN Quality Manual)
The minimum elements of Confirmation Review are as follows:
• Production of a written report by the student on his/her progress.
• In response to the student's written report, a commentary by the
principal supervisor on the student's progress and attendance
7
• Confirmation by the principal supervisor that the required minimum
number of supervision sessions has taken place and that Supervision
Records are available
• An interview of the student by an Internal Assessor and (if the School
wishes) other staff who have not previously been closely associated with
the student's work. The Internal Assessor must not be the student's
supervisor or joint supervisor
• Provision of evidence to the Internal Assessor that the student has
attended any modules and passed any assessments which form a
compulsory part of his/her research programme
• In light of all of the above, a recommendation to the student's Head of
Department agreed jointly by the Internal Assessor and the principal
supervisor as to the outcome of the review
Progression Review
At the end of their second year of study, PhD students are subject to Progression
Review. The minimum elements of Progression Review are as follows:
• Production of a written report by the student on his/her progress.
• In response to the student's written report, a commentary by the
principal supervisor on the student's progress and attendance
• Confirmation by the principal supervisor that the required minimum
number of supervision sessions has taken place and that Supervision
Records are available
• Provision of evidence to the principal supervisor that the student has
attended any modules and passed any assessments which form a
compulsory part of his/her research programme
• In light of all of the above, a recommendation to the student's Head of
School from the principal supervisor as to the outcome of the review
In year three again the same procedure is followed unless you are about to
submit your dissertation. You must demonstrate that you will be able to submit
your dissertation within four years (for full-time PhD students).
The department will nominate two internal assessors. One or both will read the
material you are required to provide for the annual review (see above) and meet
with you for an informal oral examination. One or both will then meet with your
supervisor and a report will be submitted to the Head of Department and
Postgraduate Advisor; they will make a recommendation concerning your
progress (e.g. issues of upgrading from MPhil to PhD).
The procedure for annual review applies also to part-time students.
Useful information regarding practices and procedures, including the Annual
Review, can be found in The University of Nottingham’s Quality Manual
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/research-students/student-progress.htm
Thesis Submission
The Quality Manual also gives guidance on submission of your thesis and layout
etc for MPhil/PhD and also MA by Research:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/research-students/assessment-procedure.htm
The University now offers eligible students the opportunity to register for the one
year thesis pending period. The registration fee is £100 for the whole year. The
8
option is now offered to current full-time final year students who are entitled to a
thesis pending period, and benefits will be exemption from payment of Council
Tax; use of University Counselling and Academic Support facilities; use of library
and IT facilities; half of the number of supervisions to which you are entitled
during the registered period of study.
3.
Training in Research Methods
There are three main providers of training in research methods.
4.

A core module of the Taught MAs is ‘Research Methods and Resources’. All
Taught MA students will be doing this module, but research students are
welcome to speak to Dr Alison Milbank, who runs the module, about
attending sessions which they believe will be of use to them. Below is also
a full list of all the other MA modules which MA by Research and PhD
students might wish to attend.

Information Services gives an introduction to their services (including the
Hallward Library) and run a number of useful teaching sessions on
literature searches etc. Details can be found in the Hallward Library.

The Graduate School
It is recommended that all full time research postgraduates on MA or MPhil
levels take one of the training courses in ‘Communication Skills’ in their
first year.
For all full time PhD candidates it is obligatory to successfully complete the
units offered by the Graduate School as "Compulsory Element Early
Stage", which comprises of 3 days during the first semester (October to
November). For 2nd year full time students the modules on "Writing" and
"Networking and Conferences" are compulsory as well. Evidence for this
has to be submitted with the paperwork for the annual review.
MA modules 2011/12
FULL YEAR
9
Research Methods and Resources
Module Convenor: Dr Alison Milbank
This module introduces skills and resources students will need for academic
research, writing and oral presentation at postgraduate level, and introduces
students to methodological and theoretical issues which arise in many areas of
theology and religious studies. Topics to be covered may include IT skills, library
resources, use of the web, the development of arguments, academic style and
sensitivity to language, formatting and referencing, presentation skills, the
relationship between academic research and religious commitment, introduction
to notions of postmodernism and of hermeneutics.
AUTUMN SEMESTER
Old Testament Interpretation in History, Theology and Practice
Module Convenor: tbc
Close reading of a range of Old Testament texts in English and/or in Hebrew
(normally including narrative, wisdom, psalmody, and prophecy), in interaction
with aspects of the history of Old Testament interpretation, contemporary
theology, and literary theory.
Continental Philosophy of Religion
Module Convenor: Professor Philip Goodchild
Weekly study of significant texts by major figures in the ‘Continental’ tradition of
philosophy who have subjected both reason and religion to radical critique: e.g.
Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Levinas, Derrida, Irigaray, and Deleuze.
Representative responses by religious thinkers will also be studied, such as
Caputo, Jantzen, and others.
Central Issues in New Testament Theology
Module Convenor: Professor Richard Bell
A central issue in New Testament theology will be investigated.
Methodology and History of Jesus Research
Module Convenor: Professor Roland Deines
The module will give an introduction into the so-called three Jesus-quests, their
achievements and failures. The different methodological tools in the exegesis of
the New Testament (textual criticism, source criticism) will be introduced,
discussed critically, rehearsed and questioned regarding their adequacy with
respect to Jesus (which can serve here as a model for other founders of a religion
as well). One New Testament exegesis handbook will be used and discussed
during the module.
Theology, Philosophy and Language from Plato to Hegel
Module Convenor: Dr Karen Kilby
This module examines some of the central texts in the Western tradition, from
Plato to Hegel, concerning theology, philosophy and the relation between sign
and reality. Texts will vary from year to year, but may include works by Plato,
Aristotle, Augustine, Proclus, the pseudo-Dionysius, Aquinas, Nicholas of Cusa,
Descartes, Pascal, Kant and Hegel.
Darwinism
Module Convenor: Dr Conor Cunningham
This module will seek to explore what the philosopher Daniel Dennett calls
'Darwin's dangerous idea'; an idea he likens to a universal acid that cuts through
the realities we inhabit, leaving them changed beyond recognition. Darwinism will
be introduced from a historical perspective, outlining its development, and the
10
various debates that have shaped its formation, up to the present day, after
which this theory's application in terms of Social-Darwinism, Sociobiology, and
Evolutionary Psychology will be investigated and the consequences this might
have for our own self-understanding, and for how we interpret the world. The
main questions posed by the module are: What is Darwinism? May there be more
than one? Is it metaphysics, a philosophy, or is it merely science? Does it entail
atheism, or does it suggest nihilism? Or is it neutral with regard to the question of
religion and value? Might indeed it be accommodating to theism?
Doing Theology with Richard Wagner
Module Convenor: Professor Richard Bell
This module will involve a study of Wagner's last stage work, Parsifal. The place
of this work in Wagner's career and in his intellectual, artistic, philosophical and
religious development will be investigated. Themes to be studied will include: 1.
Historical, theological, philosophical and musical background to Parsifal. 2. How
the main characters of Parsifal encounter Christ. 3. Theological reflections on
Parsifal: Christology, atonement, predestination, free will, conversion, eucharist
etc. 4. Parsifal, Judaism and the Jewish people. 5. Parsifal and 'regeneration'. 6.
Parsifal and the listener/viewer.
SPRING SEMESTER
Jewish Readings of Greek Tragedy
Module Convenor: Professor Agata Bielik-Robson
Weekly study of major modern Jewish texts devoted to the concept of Greek
tragedy (Cohen, Lukacs, Rosenzweig, Benjamin, Kafka, Adorno, Freud,
Blumenberg). The aim of the course will be to explore the specific character of
this cross-cultural dialogue in which Jewish thinkers attempt a new, 'messianic'
interpretation of Greek tragedy against the background of its traditional
reception, from Aristotle to Hegel.
20th Century Theology: Barth, Rahner and Balthasar
Module Convenor: Dr Karen Kilby
In this module we will approach the study of 20th Century theology through an in
depth examination of the work of one major Protestant theologian (Karl Barth)
and two major Roman Catholic theologians (Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von
Balthasar). The focus will be the study of central and exemplary texts by each,
though some attention will also be given to the interpretive debates attaching to
each thinker in the secondary literature.
Dante, Religion and Culture
Module Convenor: Dr Alison Milbank
This module offers students the opportunity to read most of the important Italian
poet and lay-theologian Dante Alighieri's works in translation, as well as his
sources in medieval theology, philosophy and mystical writings. The cultural
background in music, art and politics of the period will also be addressed. Primary
texts will include the 'Vita Nuova' (his poetic autobiography), 'Convivio' (invitation
to a philosophic banquet), 'Commedia' (his journey to hell, purgatory and
heaven)and 'Monarchia' (political theory), and writings by Bonaventure, Thomas
Aquinas, Hugh of St Victor, Bernard of Clairvaux, Mechtild, Aristotle and Dionysus
the Areopagite as well as contemporary scholarship.
The Theology of Paul
Module Convenor: Professor Richard Bell
This module will concentrate on the Theology of Paul as found in the seven letters
which are generally considered to be genuine. The great themes such as
11
reconciliation, justification, grace, faith, baptism, ecclesiology and eschatology
will be explored.
Grace and Nature: from Blondel to Balthasar
Dr Conor Cunningham
What is nature, and what is grace? Likewise, what is natural and what is
supernatural? This module will explore how theologians (Catholic, Protestant, and
Orthodox) have articulated this division and the many profound consequences
that have arisen from such attempts. One central question will be how theology
speaks of a Creator and of creation, what their relation is, and how we are to
understand the difference between them. Should we speak of an analogy of being
(for example, as Balthasar does) or is such an idea idolatrous (as Barth thinks it
is), instead speaking of an analogy of faith. It is theologicallly legitimate to posit a
pure nature with its own independent telos or end to which grace is extrinsic, or
is nature already imbued with a natural desire for grace? This module will trace
the development of various heated debates that tackled the above questions and
in so doing influenced the shape of twentieth century theology, the idea of
secularism, the relation between philosophy and theology, and lastly, between
theology and science.
Justice
Professor John Milbank
The module will provide a postgraduate-level introduction to the history of the
main philosophical and theological theories of justice, up until the present day.
The focus will be mainly on a critical assessment of the truth and viability of these
theories.
Biblical Languages
V81103
V81204
Introduction to Biblical Hebrew followed by
Biblical Hebrew Readings
V81105
V81206
Introduction to Biblical Greek (1) followed by
Introduction to Biblical Greek (2)
4.1
Portal
The University’s intranet Portal enables students to access details about
themselves, together with links to the Libraries etc. Fees can be paid via the
Portal; changes made to addresses etc.
5.
MA by Research
The MA by Research is a full-time course of one academic year or two to four
years on a part-time basis. Students are required to submit a dissertation
between 30,000 – 35,000 words by 1 October. As with MPhil/PhD students, you
should meet with your supervisor on a regular basis and complete supervision
records. The Postgraduate Registry will contact students approximately three
months before submission dates with details on how to submit (you are required
to complete a Notice of Intention to Submit form prior to submission). It is not
usual for a viva voce examination to be required for MA by Research. Details on
layout, binding and submission can be found in the University of Nottingham
Quality Manual on the University of Nottingham website.
12
6.
Important Sources of Information for Postgraduate Research
Students
Two important sources of information for Postgraduate Research Students are:

Research Students and Supervisors: a Guide.
This handbook can be found at
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/education/information-forstudents/research-handbook/guidance-support.phtml
This is the most comprehensive statement concerning postgraduate study
in Nottingham, including as it does both some very useful advice about the
mechanics of doing research (e.g. Registering for your Studies, Facilities
and Resources, the Responsibilities of Students and Supervisors, Progress,
Submission and Examination), and the University’s Regulations for
Research Degrees.

The University’s Quality Manual
www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual
This has a section specially concerned with research students, which
contains further detail concerning the roles of students and supervisors,
and also much helpful detail of what to do if, for example, you wish to
suspend your studies for a period:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/studyregulations/suspension.htm
or to submit your thesis
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/forms/thesissubmission-guidelines.doc
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/forms/notificationto-submit-thesis.doc
Rules regarding the use of postgraduates for teaching:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/researchstudents/students-for-teaching.htm
As mentioned previously, further clarification on the Annual Review
process can be found on the quality Manual.
7.
Useful Contacts
Two key resources for all postgraduates in the University are:

Graduate School which as well providing much useful advice concerning
such matters as funding also runs a very valuable series of courses for its
Research Training Programme
www.nottingham.ac.uk/gradschool

Hallward Library which contains much material that is valuable for
research, including both published (i.e. books and journals) and electronic
material
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/libraries/index.aspx
Other useful points of contact are:
13

University of Nottingham Postgraduate Students Association which
provides social, sporting, and other facilities:
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/~postgrad/

International Office which provides support and guidance specifically for
international students.
www.nottingham.ac.uk/international

Student Services Centre
The Student Services Centre is your first port of call for information and support
throughout your student life on the following range of services.










Student Loans and Grants
University Bursary Scheme
Access to Learning Funds
A range of Financial Support Funds
Payment of Fees
IT support sessions
Production of documentation (letters and transcripts etc)
Disability support
Academic Support (study support, dyslexia support, ACCESS Centre)
Student Portal and ‘Ask Nottingham’: online information and selfservice facilities
Staff in the Centre are approachable, knowledgeable and there to help. The
Centre can be found on B Floor, Portland Building on University Park Campus.
Tel: (0115) 9513710; e-mail: ssc@nottingham.ac.uk
Other services you may find useful:
Accommodation Services: Cherry Tree Hill, University Park
0115 9513697
pgaccommodation@nottingham.ac.uk
Cashiers (for cash payments including tuition fees cash payments)
Room E123 Portland Building, University Park
0115 8466770
Careers and Employability Service
Level D West, Portland Building, University Park
0115 9513680
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/index.aspx
Information Services
Location and opening times for computer rooms/areas, library sites, IT service
points: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/locations/index.phtml
Student IT Helpline: 0115 9513333
Student–IT-Helpline@nottingham.ac.uk
University Card Enquiries
Security Office, Rear of the Hallward Library, University Park
0115 9515759
Email: universitycard-enquries@nottingham.ac.uk
University Counselling Service
Trent Building, University Park Campus
14
9.
Arts Graduate Centre
There is an Arts Graduate Centre located in the Trent Building. The AGC provides
careers events, professional development events, and skills training specifically
tailored to postgraduate students in the Faculty of Arts. It is located in the
Gallery Floor of the Graduate School and comprises a social area and seminar
area. For more information and to receive listings for this year’s events, please
e-mail agc@nottingham.ac.uk. The Centre is accessible 24/7. We strongly
encourage our PG students to enlist their profiles on the ‘Researcher Profiles and
searchable database’ of the Centre:
10. Completion Times
The University places great emphasis on ‘completion time’. Full-time PhD
students should submit their thesis within four years and part-time students
should submit within eight years. For the MPhil the times are three years for
full-time students and six years for part-time students.
A significant number of part-time students do experience problems in meeting
these deadlines. If you think you are going to have problems with the completion
time you should speak to your supervisor. Also, if as a part-time student you find
that you are not able to do regular work on your research (e.g. because of your
main employment) you should consider suspending your studies.
11.
External contacts: Conferences and visits to external libraries
Conferences can be a great aid to research but they should be chosen carefully
and in conjunction with your supervisor. The Graduate School has some funding
available to help cover the cost of conferences, when students deliver papers
(and visits to libraries outside Nottingham). The Department of Theology and
Religious Studies also welcomes applications to assist towards conference
expenses.
12.
Teaching and Invigilating
Opportunities can arise for postgraduate research students to teach. If you are
interested you should discuss this with your supervisor at the earliest
opportunity.
The University emphasises that if postgraduate students do teach they should
receive appropriate training. The Graduate School offers suitable courses.
However, teaching should not be undertaken if this is going to disrupt your
research.
There are also opportunities to invigilate examinations and training is given for
this.
13.
Careers
The University has a Careers and Employability Service, which you may find
helpful as you think about what to do next, after the research degree. This centre
offers a range of services, including a Quick Query desk, a reference and
15
information section, and a careers counselling service (for which you will need to
make an appointment).
Careers and Employability Service
Level D West, Portland Building, University Park
0115 9513680
16
Appendix A
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
PLAGIARISM INFORMATION
Presenting another person’s work as your own is a serious academic offence, known
as plagiarism. It is incompatible with your personal academic development and
constitutes a violation of the intellectual property rights of others.
Consequently, you must take all measures to avoid plagiarism. Passages paraphrased
from books, articles or other sources, including web sources (whether published or
unpublished) MUST be acknowledged by a footnote (at the foot of the page), endnote
(at the end of the chapter or essay), or by a reference incorporated in a sentence. If
you transcribe word for word into an essay or dissertation a passage from a book,
article or other source, electronic or printed, it is ESSENTIAL that you indicate this
by the use of quotation marks around the extract, and that you cite the source. Be
especially careful when taking notes that you may later use again in your essay.
Plagiarism often occurs when students are experiencing difficulties in their work. It is
not a solution to those difficulties, however, and will always make them worse.
Instead, discuss your problems with the module convenor or your personal tutor.
Cases of plagiarism are extremely easy to detect
Examiners generally find it easy to detect work transcribed from published sources
through its character and style.
Most journal articles and many books are now published electronically on the internet
and so can be located easily. Anything that appears on the internet can be located by
putting a sample sentence into a search engine.
Some web sites now allow students to share essays for a membership fee. A sample
sentence in a search engine will identify the site and we can pay the membership fee
to find the particular essay.
Some web sites offer to write essays to order for a large fee, though implausibly say
that the essays are not intended to be used for cheating. Independent investigations
have shown that the essays sold in this way are well below that academic standard
they purport to be. The site will not provide a refund as you will have violated their
rules by submitting the essay.
The penalties for plagiarism are severe
The official University definition of plagiarism is that, ‘It is an academic offence to
present someone else’s work as being one’s own’.
If plagiarism is suspected the student will be called to a meeting with the Head of
Department. If the Head of Department is satisfied that the academic offence of
plagiarism has been committed, one of the following penalties may be imposed;
1
2
3
No mark for the specific material which is the subject of the academic offence
A mark of zero for the entire piece of coursework
A mark of zero for the entire module
In especially serious cases the matter may be referred to the University’s Academic
Offences Committee, which may impose more severe penalties.
For more information on the University’s policy and procedures in respect of
plagiarism and other academic offences, see Academic Policy and Procedures at:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/assessment/offences.htm
17
Appendix B
Services for students who have a disability, dyslexia and/or a long-term
medical condition
The University is strongly committed to equality of opportunity in its provision for
all students. It is committed to providing on-going support with the focus on
providing accessible services and supporting students in completing their courses
to their potential.
The University’s Disability Equality Scheme and the Disability Action Plan for
Students are available at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices together with
information on the range of support and services available for students.
Disclosure and confidentiality
It is your responsibility to ensure that the University is aware of your situation.
You can alert the University to your requirements by:



direct contact with appropriate services such as Academic Support or
Disability Support
indicating disability on the annual registration forms
direct contact with appropriate staff eg the DLO for your School or your
personal tutor
Early disclosure to the University is essential to ensure the timely provision of
appropriate support services.
The information you give will be processed and held in the University
administration systems and used for the administration of your academic related
support and any other legitimate University purpose. In doing so, the University
will observe at all times the data protection principles embodied in the Data
Protection Act 1998.
Our Disclosure and Confidentiality Policy can be found at:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/supportforyourstudies/disabilitysupport
What we can offer you…
Academic Support (AS) and Disability Support (DS)
Academic Support (comprising Dyslexia Support and Study Support) and the
Disability Support Team are located in the Student Services Centre (SSC), in
Portland Building on University Park, and by appointment on our Jubilee and
Sutton Bonington campuses, as well as other teaching sites.
We can assist with queries regarding:


admissions and registration
assessments in relation to disability and dyslexia and recommendations to
academic staff about reasonable adjustments in the learning, teaching and
assessment environments
18









for home students, assessment for and access to Disabled Students’
Allowances (DSA) which can provide equipment and support from trained nonmedical helpers
recommendations for adjustments to arrangements for examination and
assessment
timetabling arrangements
access to alternative formats such as Braille and large print
individual specialist support for students with dyslexia or other Specific
Learning Difficulties
access to specialist technology in libraries
liaison with libraries for enhanced services such as extended loans
residential accommodation – adapted study bedrooms
accessible transport around and between our Nottingham campuses
Academic Support also provides study support (academic writing skills, time
management etc) to students.
If you would like to contact us please phone the Student Services Centre on
(0115) 9513710
or email
or
disability-support@nottingham.ac.uk
dyslexia-support@nottingham.ac.uk
The University of Nottingham ACCESS Centre (UNAC), in the Student Services
Centre, provides assessments for students who have applied for Disabled
Students' Allowances.
Disability Liaison Officers (DLO)
The School appoints Disability Liaison Officers, who provide a point of reference,
advice and guidance for members of staff and students in the School about
student disability issues and support. The DLOs are part of a network that meets
regularly to share information and good practice. DLOs liaise with both the
Academic Support and the Disability Support Teams, as necessary, in relation to
individual students and general policies and procedures.
If you have any requirements or concerns talk in the first instance to your DLO or contact your personal tutor.
School Disability Liaison Officer (DLO)
The DLO for the School of Humanities is Ruth Hickling.
Tel:
Email:
+44 (0) 115 958467212
ruth.hickling@nottingham.ac.uk
To access these services, you must:


be a registered student at the University of Nottingham
provide documentary evidence of your condition or impairment, such as a
letter from your GP or specialist
If you have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, you must:

provide evidence in the form of a post-16 diagnostic assessment, in
English, from an educational psychologist or suitably qualified specialist
teacher
19
Appendix C
Attendance Procedures
General
1. Students must attend all teaching activities necessary for the pursuit of their
studies, undertake all associated assessments and attend meetings and other
activities as required by their School or the University. Where students face
difficulty in attending any such sessions or undertaking such assessments, it is
their responsibility to inform their School of this fact and to provide a satisfactory
explanation. Where students wish to suspend their registration, they should
follow without delay the University's procedure on voluntary suspension of
registration
(see
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/qualitymanual/attendance/suspension.htm). No retrospective suspension of registration
is permitted.
Taught course students: Non-attendance of one or more modules
2. This section of the procedure applies only where:
students have been informed in writing of a particular attendance requirement (or
requirement to submit formative assessments) for the module or for the course of
which the module forms a part; and a formal means exists of recording
attendance (or submission of formative assessments).
3. If a student is not attending the requisite timetabled sessions and/or not
undertaking the requisite formative assessments, the module convenor should
inform the student's Head of School or a member of that School's staff with
delegated responsibility. The School should take appropriate steps, including
interviewing the student, to ascertain the reason for non-attendance. If the
School does not receive a satisfactory explanation for absence or non-completion
of work, the School should send a written warning to the student, stating the
course of action (described in 4 below) that will occur if the situation does not
sufficiently improve.
4. The School should ask the module convenor to report again if the warning does
not have the desired effect and 3 above remains the case. If such a report is
received, the School should inform the student that a mark of 0% has been
awarded for all remaining assessments (including examinations) on the module.
Where this action leads to the module being failed, the School can recommend
that the module be reassessed with or without attendance the following session,
rather than arranging a reassessment for the student in September.
Research students: Non-attendance of supervisions and other activities
5. This section of the procedure applies where:
the student is missing or cancelling supervision meetings to the extent that, if
continued, it is unlikely that the minimum number of supervisions (10 for a fulltime student, 6 for a part-time student) will take place in the session, or
the student is not attending satisfactorily such other activities (e.g. laboratory
sessions) deemed by the supervisor as requisite to the student's research studies.
6. Where 5 above is the case, the supervisor should inform the student's Head of
School or a member of that School's staff with delegated responsibility. The
20
School should take appropriate steps, including interviewing the student, to
ascertain the reason for non-attendance. If the School does not receive a
satisfactory explanation for absence, the School should send a written warning to
the student that the non-attendance will feature in the student's annual review
and may influence the outcome of the review; possibly with the result that the
student's course will be terminated.
All students: Total Absence
7. If reports to the School indicate that a student is not attending any modules or
supervisions and the student provides no explanation for this non-attendance
when invited to do so, the matter should be referred to the Registry. The Registry
will write to the student stating that they will be deemed to have withdrawn from
the University unless a reply to the contrary is received within a specified time
period.
8. Where a student does provide either the School or the Registry with an
explanation for their absence, the School must determine whether the
explanation provides good cause for the absence. If the explanation offered does
not establish good cause, the student should be dealt with under the procedure
contained in 2-4 above in respect to all modules, or under 5 and 6 above if a
research student.
9. If a student has zero attendance and the School has no knowledge at all as to
the student's whereabouts, in addition to the steps described in 7 above the
School should also write to the relevant Hall Warden (if there is one), sponsor (if
there is one), and the student's emergency contact expressing concern and
asking for assurances as to the health and well-being of the student
21
Appendix D
Preparing Footnotes and Bibliographies
Why is referencing important?
In many professions we are required to produce formal pieces of writing which
are the result of research and reflection. Whether you are a student writing an
essay, an academic writing a book, a Civil Servant preparing a document for
government, a teacher writing a textbook or a consultant preparing a report
for a client, it is essential to indicate your sources clearly and accurately.
Why? For three reasons. First, so that your reader can benefit from your
knowledge and assessment of the field of study by seeing what you’ve read,
therefore gaining some appreciation through your references of the important
books or articles in the field. Your references provide a kind of ‘map of the
field’ which is covered by your essay, and your reader can use this map to find
her way around. Secondly, by identifying through your references which ideas
you’ve derived from other sources, your reader can better judge the nature of
your particular contribution to the field. Thirdly, references are important so
that you acknowledge appropriately the work and thought of others without
claiming it as your own.
There are many different systems for referencing. Some
endnotes while others simply provide a reference to a
appears at the end of an article or book. Typically, any
provide some or all of the following information which
track down the referenced work easily:






use footnotes, some use
long bibliography which
system of reference will
would allow a reader to
The author’s name;
The title of the book (in italics);
The place of the book’s publication (usually the city where the publisher is
based, e.g. Cambridge);
The publisher’s name (e.g. ‘Continuum’ or ‘Cambridge University Press’);
The date (i.e. year) of publication;
The page number, if applicable.
With articles from journals, the information required is slightly different:





The author’s name;
The title of the article (in inverted commas or quotation marks);
The journal name (in italics);
The volume and sometimes edition of the journal in which the article
appears;
The page number(s).
The Department of Theology and Religious Studies requires students to
use the ‘Chicago-humanities’ system of referencing. It is a traditional
22
form of footnote referencing used in the Humanities. It is described in
detail here:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
This web page contains examples of all the main forms of reference you
are likely to use. It will even tell you how to reference a text message. It
is an invaluable point of reference. If you are in any doubt about how to
reference, please refer to this guide.
Let’s begin with a very straightforward example of a footnote reference using the
Chicago-humanities system. This note includes (in the following order) the
author’s name, the title of the book, the place of publication, the publisher, the
date of publication, and the page number:
Robert Smith, Studying Christian Theology (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1999), 36.
Referencing and Quoting Books in Footnotes
Full bibliographical details are given when a book, article etc. is mentioned for
the first time in your essay.
All future references to the same item are referred to only with author’s name,
short title (your own abbreviation is fine, for example ‘Crucible’ as an
abbreviation of the book title ‘The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale and
the Rise of Animals’), page number(s).
The full bibliographical detail will be repeated at the end of your essay in the
bibliography.
Here is an example of a footnote to page 35 of a work by S. J. D. Cohen. This
book is part of a book series entitled ‘Library of Early Christianity’ and it’s
useful to include this information too.
S. J. D. Cohen, From the Maccabees to the Mishnah (Library of Early
Christianity 7) (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1987), 35.
Further references to Cohen’s book need not repeat all this information, but
would provide the following brief information if you are quoting from page 48
of the book:
Cohen, Maccabees, 48.
Referencing and Quoting from Journals in Footnotes
Here’s an example of a reference to an article in the journal ‘Modern Theology’,
volume 93, published in 1999, to be found on pages 33 to 54:
John Smith, “Why Theology Matters,” Modern Theology 93 (1999): 33-54.
If you refer to this article again (say, page 35), you need only provide brief
information as follows:
Smith, “Why Theology Matters,” 35.
23
Please note that, unlike references to books, a reference to a journal article does
NOT include information regarding publisher or place of publication.
Referencing Web Sites
Increasingly, students and researchers use web sites. You should provide the
following information:




The
The
The
The
page’s title;
date the page was last modified (if available);
web address;
date you accessed the site.
Here’s how to reference these sites.
“Google
Privacy
Policy,”
last
modified
11th
March,
2009,
http://www.google.com/intl/en/privacypolicy.html, accessed 14th July 2010.
Later references to web sites in your essay need only mention the page’s title. For
example:
“Google Privacy Policy”
Where do I find all this information about the books I am using?
The first three or four pages of any book will include the following information:
 The book’s title
 The author’s name
 The date of publication
 The place of publication
 The publisher
There will be a single page towards the beginning of the book which gives the
British Library (UK) and Library of Congress (US) cataloguing data. You will find
most or all of the information you require on this page. This might include, for
example, the publisher’s address which will obviously provide you with the place
(city) of publication.
Quoting/referencing biblical verses or other ancient literature (primary sources)
Here is an example of a typical essay footnote where ‘NRSV’ refers to the
particular translation of the Bible you are using (New Revised Standard
Version):
NRSV, Mark 7:3, 5; Galatians 1:14.
When referencing the Bible, here are some useful pointers:


There is no need to give biblical references in a footnote. Place it in the
text adjacent to the relevant passages.
Only if you have more than three biblical references is a footnote
recommended.
24

“NRSV” need not to be mentioned. It is enough to say when you quote
a biblical text for the first time in a footnote: “Here and in the following
all biblical references are taken from the NRSV” or a similar phrase.

Biblical books, like most ancient sources, are normally quoted by their
standard abbreviations, e.g. Gen for Genesis, Num for Numbers, Gal for
Galations etc.
For biblical and related studies you should consult P. H. Alexander et
al., eds. The SBL Handbook of Style for Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical,
and Early Christian Studies (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson 1999). For
abbreviations of primary sources see esp. § 8.3 (pp. 73-89).

http://library.concordia.ab.ca/services/The%20SBL%20Handbook%20of%20st
yle.pdf
http://www.sbl-site.org/assets/pdfs/SBLHSrevised2_09.pdf


If you refer to a biblical book in the text, abbreviations are not to be
used, e.g. “In Isaiah 40 a new historical setting is presupposed” (not:
“In Is 40 …”)
Do NOT refer to a Biblical verse or passage in the following way: “John
chapter five verse eight” (this should be: John 5:8).
Bibliography
Every essay you write as part of your course should include a full bibliography
at the end. Note that the bibliography is not included in the word limit of your
essay. Footnotes are included. Please note that the format for bibliographical
references is slightly different to that for footnote references. See the detailed
description of the Chicago system here:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
In the bibliography, works which you’ve used in your research (regardless of
whether or not you’ve referenced them in your footnotes) should appear in the
alphabetical list with the surname name first:
Cohen, Shaye J. D. From the Maccabees to the Mishnah (Library of Early
Christianity 7). Philadelphia: Westminster, 1987.
Please note that the bibliography does NOT include only those pages or parts of
works you’ve read, cited or quoted. It should refer to whole works.
Here are some basic rules.
Single authored book:
Elliott, Mark Adam, The Survivors of Israel: A Reconsideration of the Theology of
Pre-Christian Judaism. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2000.
Note: in the bibliography the publisher, place of publication and date of
publication do not appear in brackets.
Chapter in a book:
The following examples of an article by Tov are published in the Netherlands
(Assen) and the US (Minneapolis). Both places of publication are given.
25
Tov, Emanuel, “The Septuagint.” In Mikra: Text, Translation, Reading and
Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity,
edited by M. J. Mulder and H. Sysling, 161-188. Assen: van Gorcum; Minneapolis:
Fortress, 1990.
The following is a more straightforward and common example.
Kelly, John D. “Seeing Red: Mao Fetishism, Pax Americana, and the Moral
Economy of War.” In Anthropology and Global Counterinsurgency, edited by John
D. Kelly, Beatrice Jauregui, Sean T. Mitchell, and Jeremy Walton, 67–83. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 2010.
Journal article:
Berlin, Andrea M. “Jewish Life Before the Revolt: The Archaeological Evidence.”
Journal for the Study of Judaism 36 (2005): 417-70.
Article from a dictionary:
Arnold, C. E. “Magical Papyri.” Dictionary of New Testament Background, edited
by Craig E. Evans and Stanley E. Porter, 666-679. Downers Grove, Illin.: IVP
2000.
Unusual Examples: Quoting a Quote
You may wish to include a very unusual kind of reference. In these cases, you
should think about how to convey accurately and succinctly your source or
sources. For example, imagine that you are reading an article by Professor Deines
and he quotes a work by Pope Benedict XVI. You want to quote the Pope’s words
as they are given in Deines’s article. This is bad scholarly practice, but sometimes
it’s unavoidable. This is the passage from Deines’s article which you are reading.
The little bit by the Pope which you want to quote is in bold:
To sharpen his point, Ratzinger argues that the Christ of faith and the historical
Jesus are inseparably one, not just from the perspective of faith, but out of
historical reasons as well (e.g. 300–3). What the Christian faith confesses about
Jesus’ intimate closeness and relatedness with the Father during his earthly life
(based on his being with him before it), is true also in a historical sense, which
means that Jesus’ ‘communion with the Father …is the true center of his
personality; without it, we cannot understand him at all’ (xiv). The phrase
consubstantial (homooúsios), coined by the Nicean Creed, is in line with, and an
adequate rendering of the way in which Jesus was ‘putting himself on an equal
footing with the living God himself’ (303), which was already visible for the
disciples before Easter ‘in Jesus’ way of speaking with the Father’, which was
‘incomparably new and different’ from all others (355).
You want to quote in the following way:
Pope Benedict claims that “the communion with the Father … is the true center of
his [i.e. Jesus’] personality”4 and needs to be taken serious in a historical enquiry
about Jesus.
Your footnote 4 should look like this:
26
4
J. Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the
Jordan to the Transfiguration (London: Bloomsbury, 2007), xiv, as quoted in R.
Deines, “Can the ‘Real’ Jesus be Identified with the Historical Jesus? A Review of
the Pope’s Challenge to Biblical Scholarship and the Various Reactions it
Provoked,” Didaskalia: Revista da Faculdade de Teologia / Lisboa 39 (2009): 1146 (15).
The number ‘15’ at the end of this footnote indicates the page in Deines’s article
where the quotation of the Pope’s book appears.
In this example of the quotation of a quote, the Pope’s book will not be listed in
the bibliography at the end of your essay because you accessed it only via
Deines’s article.
Some common and useful abbreviations
In referencing, some Latin abbreviations are commonly used. Here are some
examples.
If you are not directly quoting from the book, but merely referring to a comment
or some information in the book, it is best to indicate this in the following way. In
this example, you will have already included a full reference to Cohen’s book in
an earlier footnote.
Cf. Cohen, Maccabees, 48-50.
‘Cf.’ is an abbreviation of the Latin ‘confer’ meaning ‘compare’. By using ‘Cf.’ you
are inviting your reader to refer to, or compare, the work you are citing.
Another useful referencing term is ‘ibid.’. This is an abbreviation of the Latin
‘ibidem’ meaning ‘the same place’. So, if you reference a work more than once,
rather than writing out the reference multiple times you can use ‘ibid.’ in the
following way. Here, you are referencing first page 35, then page 37 of the same
book in footnotes 23 and 24 respectively:
23
John Smith, Writing for the Academy (London: Routledge, 1999), 35.
Ibid., 37.
24
‘et al.’ is the abbreviation of the Latin ‘et alii’ meaning ‘and others’. In a footnote
reference (but not the bibliography), if you are citing a work which has four or
more authors, rather than write out all four names, it is best to use ‘et al.’ (and
others) in the following way:
Dana Barnes et al., Plastics: Essays on American Corporate Ascendance in the
1960s (London: Routledge, 1982), 68.
27
APPENDIX E
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT LIBRARY SERVICES AND RESOURCES
1. Portal
The best way to access electronic library resources is via the library tab on the
Intranet
portal.
Having
logged
onto
the
Intranet
portal
at
http://my.nottingham.ac.uk with your University username and password, you
should be able to access most resources. In some cases, you may be presented
with an “Athens” log-in page. If this happens, please locate the “Alternative” or
“Institutional” log-in link. You will then be guided through to a University of
Nottingham log-in page where you will need to re-enter your University username
and password. You should only ever need to use the one username and
password to access all resources.
2. UNLOC
UNLOC is the University of Nottingham’s library online catalogue. You can access
the catalogue via the Library tab on the Intranet portal. To help you use the
library catalogue, click on the Help link for some key search tips.
3. Online Reading Lists
The link to online reading lists can also be found via the Library tab on the
Intranet portal. By entering the lecturer’s name, module name or code you will
find the reading list for this module. Each link within the list will take you directly
to the specific entry in UNLOC or to a digitised extract or webpage.
4. eLibrary Gateway
The library’s collection of electronic information sources, including ebook
packages, ejournals, subject gateways and bibliographic databases can all be
accessed via the eLibrary Gateway on the Intranet portal. JSTOR is one of the
many electronic resources available.
5. Services for Part-time and Distance Learning Students
A Postal Loan service is available to all distance learners at the University of
Nottingham. This service allows you to request ordinary loan items to be
posted direct to your UK address.
The Copy Scan Direct service allows you to request scanned or photocopied
journal articles or book chapters from items in stock in the participating libraries.
For further information about these services, please visit the library web pages at
www.nottingham.ac.uk/library and choose Part-time and distance learners
from the menu.
6. Arts Team in the Hallward Library
Your department is supported by the Arts Faculty Team, based in the Hallward
Library. If you have any subject enquiries, please contact the team at libraryarts-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can contact Neil Smyth
(0115 95 14584; neil.smyth@nottingham.ac.uk) and Elizabeth Newall (0115 95
14584; elizabeth.newall@nottingham.ac.uk) within the team, directly.
28
EXAMPLE
UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
MPhil/PhD Supervision Record
(A minimum number of formal meetings between research students and their
supervisors is stipulated by the University's Regulations: at least 10 times pa for fulltime students and at least 6 times pa for part-time students. For each of these sessions
a Supervision Record must be completed.
Name of student:
School:
Mode of study (FT/PT):
Title of project:
Date of supervisory meeting
Current Registration (PhD/MPhil)
Principal
(name/School/Division):
supervisor
Additional
(name/School/Division):
supervisors
Supervisor(s) comments: (include an agreed plan for the next research period)
Signed:
(Supervisor) Date:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Student's comments:
Signed:
(Student)
Date:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PLEASE LODGE THE COMPLETED AND SIGNED FORM IN THE STUDENT’S
SCHOOL/DIVISIONAL FILE, WHERE IT MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR
29
MONITORING AND APPEALS PURPOSES, IF REQUIRED
SUPERVISOR/COPY TO STUDENT)
(ORIGINAL TO
30
EXAMPLE
UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
School Research Student Annual Review Form
(This form must be completed as part of the annual review of the progress of research
students and lodged in the student's School/Divisional file where it must be available
for monitoring and appeals purposes).
Name of student:
Date of initial registration:
Current registration (PhD/M Phil):
Year of study:
Mode of study (FT/PT):
Title of project:
Main supervisor (name/School/Division):
Additional supervisor(s)(name/School/Division):
Internal Assessor(s)(name/School/Division):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Internal Assessor's report: (please comment specifically on EACH element of the
annual review, eg the student's written report and the viva voce, and include the date
of any viva voce examination. Detailed comment is required on any inadequacies in
the student's performance):
Student's comments on progress: (please complete and sign this section and return it
the form to your Internal Assessor):
Signed:
(Student)
Date:
31
(continued) …
Supervisor's comments: (please comment on the student's written report, on his/her
general progress and attendance, and on the Internal Assessor's report):

How many documented progress meetings between student and supervisor
have taken place in the past 12 months?:

Have you discussed the Internal Assessor's report with the student?:

Have you agreed an appropriate research plan in the light of the Internal
Assessor's comments?:
I recommend: (please delete as appropriate*)

that the student be upgraded from MPhil to PhD status;

that the student's current MPhil/PhD registration be confirmed;

that a further review should take place within . . . . months;
indicate here the action required on the part of the student: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..........................................................

that the student's current PhD registration be altered to M Phil;

that the student’s course be terminated.
Signed:
(Principal Supervisor) Date:
(Internal Assessor(s)) Date:
PLEASE FORWARD THE COMPLETED FORM TO THE HEAD OF
SCHOOL/HEAD OF DIVISION.
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