Contents
Page
1
Contents
2
Welcome and Introduction
3
Key Staff and Contact Details
4
Registration
6
Student Support
9
Student Responsibilities
10
School Responsibilities
11
Research Conduct and Ethics
13
Supervision, Training, Assessment Monitoring
and Progression (STAMP)
15
Study Programmes
24
Postgraduate Study – Other Aspects
25
Postgraduate Research Training Programme
27
Frequently Asked Questions
29
Appendix I: Useful Links
Postgraduate Courses Handbook
1
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Welcome and Introduction
Welcome to the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham. Firstly, a word
of clarification about our School name. On August 1st 2013 the University restructured its
Medical and Science Faculties and this resulted in the merger of the old Schools of
Biology, Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Medical Sciences into a new School of Life
Sciences. The merger results in the creation of one of the largest Schools in the
University with a presence at both University Park and at the QMC. There are well over
100 academics and you join a postgraduate research student cohort of approximately
300 people. Of those, about a quarter are MRes students, and the remaining three
quarters are mostly PhD students.
Our cohort of PGR students is a local community, but it is also a global community. Many
of you will be joining us from overseas, and many more of you will find that your training
in Nottingham will give you the skills to move to a position anywhere in the world
(whether in scientific research or otherwise). That is one of my key goals – to ensure
that we provide you with the opportunities you need to fully realise your potential here,
and help you achieve your future career goal.
Over the next pages you will find – hopefully – all of the information you will need as a
PGR student in Nottingham; from the contact information of key individuals, through to
notes about programme regulations, and details about central support if you find
yourself in difficult circumstances. We think it contains all the information you need – but
if you think it omits something valuable then let us know as it is always under revision!
You join the School at an exciting time – its inception is also your start date as a
Postgraduate Research student and I sincerely hope that your successes will be one of
our successes over the next few years. I wish you the very best of times here in
Nottingham and look forward to hearing about your progress.
Dr Ian Kerr,
Director of Postgraduate Research
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Key Staff and Contact Details
ACADEMIC STAFF
Name
Role and Where
they are based
Prof Ian
MacDonald
Dr Ian Kerr
Head of School (Medical
School)
Academic Lead for PGR
(Medical School)
PGR Deputy Director
(UP)
School Postgraduate
Student Advisor (Medical
School)
School Postgraduate
Student Advisor (UP)
School Postgraduate
Student Advisor (Life
Sciences)
School Postgraduate
Student Advisor (Medical
School)
School Postgraduate
Student Advisor (UP)
Prof Miguel
Cámara
Dr Andrew
Bennett
Dr Steve Diggle
Dr Markus
Eichhorn
Dr Marios
Georgiou
Dr Kim Hardie
Dr Rob
Layfield
Dr Luisa
MartinezPomares
SoLS IT
Support
Email
Phone
Ext.
ian.macdonald@nottingham.ac.uk
30119
ian.kerr@nottingham.ac.uk
30122
miguel.camara@nottingham.ac.uk
15036
andrew.bennett@nottingham.ac.uk
30113
steve.diggle@nottingham.ac.uk
84267
markus.eichhorn@nottingham.ac.uk
13214
marios.georgiou@nottingham.ac.uk
30115
kim.hardie@nottingham.ac.uk
67958
School Postgraduate
Student Advisor (Medical
School)
School Postgraduate
Student Advisor (Medical
School)
robert.layfield@nottingham.ac.uk
30107
luisa.m@nottingham.ac.uk
30772
Life Sciences IT Team
mb-web-apps-team@nottingham.ac.uk
84088
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Mrs Amanda
Losinski
Ms Leanne
Mitchell
Ms Susan
Stelmak
PGR Manager (Medical
School)
Postgraduate
Research
Administrators
(Medical School)
amanda.losinski@nottingham.ac.uk
30075
30774
life-sciences-pgr@nottingham.ac.uk
life-sciences-pgr-mres@nottingham.ac.uk
Ms Elizabeth
Wilson
Your PGR Student Representative(s) are: Jordan Lane, Adrian Haywood,
Othman Othman, Daniel Scott, Holly Black and Jennifer England.
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Registration
You must register within two weeks of your arrival in Nottingham with both the
University and the School of Life Sciences Administration Office located on E-Floor of the
Medical School
Student Services Centre
If you are joining the Faculty at the start of the academic year in September you will
register on-line and in the University Sports Centre.
If you are joining the Faculty at any other time of the year, you should register online
and at the University Student Services Centre, B-Floor, Portland Building.
IMPORTANT: You need to register online before you can register in person.
Registration details can also be found at:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/Academicservices/CurrentStudents/Registration/Registration.asp
x
Students may be asked to provide a form of identification before they are able to
register, so please make sure you take a valid form of identity along with you.
International students may also be asked for their visa and funding information when
registering in person with the University of Nottingham at the Student services Centre,
so it is best to take these documents with you.
Once you have registered with the University as a new student, at the start of each new
academic year (usually after 1st August) you will register on-line as a returning student.
Reminders will be sent. Please ensure that you register each year as failure to register
will disable your IT and library access. Please make sure that you provide up to date
details – you may have changed your name, address, e-mail address or telephone
number.
University Card
Details about how to get your University Card can be found by accessing the following
link:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/universitycard
This card serves as your University identity card, your library card, and entry “key” to
some of the University buildings and secure cycle compounds. If your card is lost you
may request a replacement, please also report any lost or stolen cards to the Security
Office. A replacement card will cost you £15.00.
If you experience any problems contact the Security Office behind the Hallward Library.
Tel: 0115 95 15759
User ID
A University IT account will be automatically issued to you as part of the online
registration process. If you have a problem logging on please go to the Information
Services website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/is
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Please note: students MUST use their University of Nottingham email address
for ALL correspondence with the university. Students must also check their
university email address regularly.
Fees
Information about current fees can be found at www.nottingham.ac.uk/fees
You can check your fee account and pay online via the Portal. See
https://my.nottingham.ac.uk
For advice and information about payment of fees please contact the University Finance
department. Details at www.nottingham.ac.uk/finance
Please note that non-payment of fees will result in suspension of your studies and
supervision, and withdrawal of library and IT access.
Code of Discipline
The University of Nottingham requires that all staff and students maintain the highest
level of integrity throughout. The Code of Discipline for Students below should be
adhered to at all times. Any misconduct under this code is an offence and will be taken
very seriously.
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/governance/documents/code-of-discipline.pdf
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Student Support
Computing facilities
All Postgraduate Research Students (PhD/MPhil/MRes) will be issued with a laptop for the
duration of their study. The University wireless network can be accessed with your laptop
on any of the University campuses
Desk space
If you have any queries regarding desk space please speak to your supervisor or the
lead academic for your Research Group.
IT assistance
If you have a computer and/or access problem, contact details can be found at the
following link:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/index.aspx
Alternatively, if you are encountering technical problems with the PGR-Web, please
direct your query to mb-web-apps-team@nottingham.ac.uk
Using IT Facilities
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/student/ebook/GreenFlash/Default.html
Fact sheets including: Using Library Lending Services; Using print and Photocopy
Services, Top IT Helpdesk Questions; Using Short Loan Collections; and Using Self
Service are available at:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/uon/knowledgebase/top_guides.php and via the IS
website student home page at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/student/student.php
(bottom right corner of the page)
Students living in halls will have an IS 'Starter Pack' waiting for them in their study
bedrooms, containing:
 Student Network Service (SNS) cable
 Print copy of the new student's guide
 Fact sheet to help them to start using SNS
 Fact sheet about the IT Support Tutor sessions available to them
 Publicity flyer advertising the 'freeview' internet TV and telephony service
provided by INUK.
Accessing your University Emails
Postgraduate students are given a username and password once they have completed
the ‘Online Registration’ process. Using this password, you can then login to your email
account by going to http://email.nottingham.ac.uk
(Please note: your email may take up to 24 hours to become active)
Photocopying
Photocopiers are available for use in your local work area. You will require your
University card to gain access to all photocopiers.
Finding your way Around Nottingham Campuses
Please use the following links to view the various Campus Maps.
University Park:
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http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sharedresources/documents/mapuniversitypar
k.pdf
Jubilee:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sharedresources/documents/mapjubileecampu
s.pdf
Kings Meadow:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sharedresources/documents/mapkingsmeadow
campus.pdf
Sutton Bonington:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sharedresources/documents/mapsuttonboning
ton.pdf
Car parking
Parking space is extremely limited and not generally available for PGR students. Please
note that the University operates a workplace levy for car parking spaces – staff working
at the University have to pay for the parking permits displayed in their cars. If you do
not have the relevant permit your car will be either clamped or you will receive a fine.
Information is available from the Security Office, rear of Hallward Library or at:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/estates/security/carparking.aspx
Alternative parking can be found at the Queens Drive Park and Ride. Location, prices and
opening times can be found via the following link:
http://nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=14299
Services for students who have a disability, dyslexia and/or a long-term
medical condition
The University of Nottingham is committed to promoting access for students who have a
disability, dyslexia and/or a long-term medical condition. Services provided aim to
enable students to fulfil the inherent requirements of the course as independently as
possible.
The University’s Disability Plan for Students: The University’s [dis]Ability Directory,
which lists the provision available at the University, can be accessed from the Disability
Policy Advisory Unit:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/disability/
What we need you to do ….
It is your responsibility to ensure that the University is aware of your individual
requirements. If you have a disability, specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) or
long-term medical condition, you are urged to inform the School’s Disability Liaison
Officer (see below) and/or your personal tutor. The School has a Disability Disclosure
and Confidentiality Policy through which you can choose what level of disclosure you
wish to authorise. You will be asked to sign a Disability Disclosure Form that either
requests that information concerning your circumstances remains confidential between
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yourself and the staff member to whom you disclose or that authorises staff to share
information on a need to know basis, in order to extend support to you. Letting us know
what you might need at an early stage will help us to help you.
What we can offer you …..
Once you contact your DLO or personal tutor you will be referred to Academic Support –
with your permission as stated above. Academic Support, in Student Services, includes
the Disability and Dyslexia Support teams, and offers a range of academic and practical
support for all students. It incorporates a recognised ASSESSMENT Centre for those who
wish to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances, carrying out the assessments required
by your LEA or funding body. Academic Support is also responsible for making
recommendations for alternative arrangements such as those required in examinations,
assessments and for timetabling. Assistance can also be given with regard to queries
about adapted accommodation and University provision of accessible transport.
Contact details are:
Tel:
+44 (0) 115 951 3710
Fax:
+44 (0) 115 951 4376
Email:
studentservices@nottingham.ac.uk
Web:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/as
School Disability Liaison Officer (DLO)
The DLO for the School of Life Sciences is Gail Gomez.
Extenuating Circumstances – Sometimes there may be unexpected circumstances that
may affect your ability to work as normal, such as serious illness, accidents or family
problems. While we hope that these will not occur during your degree, the university has
procedures to allow students to complete their studies without being put at a
disadvantage. We are more than happy to assist you, but please be aware that the
University will not consider extenuating circumstances in retrospect so it is essential to
submit documentary evidence at the time of any problem. In the event of unsatisfactory
performance/attendance in the course it is not possible to claim extenuating
circumstances unless they have been recorded at the time. Please discuss any
extenuating circumstances with your supervisor or Postgraduate Student Advisor.
Students’ Union
The Students' Union Students with Disabilities Association exists to represent the
interests of students with disabilities at The University of Nottingham. Its aims are to
promote equality of opportunity and to ensure that students with disabilities can
participate in all aspects of University life. The association also provides information,
support and advice as well as organising a range of social, sporting and other activities
during the year. If you would like further information, want to join or get involved
please contact us at:
Tel:
Ext:
Email:
+44 (0) 115 846 8771
68771 (internal)
suswd@nottingham.ac.uk
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Student Responsibilities
We expect you to become an integral member of the School during your studies. We aim
to train you in the appropriate skills to become an independent researcher, but you have
a major responsibility for your progress. We expect you to be present in the School on a
daily basis, and to inform your supervisor of any absence. A failure to comply with these
regulations may result in downwards registration from PhD to MPhil or ultimately
termination of your studies. Furthermore, as a postgraduate student we expect you to
develop and maintain a professional attitude to scientific research. This includes:
1. Maintaining your experimental record - This should be an up-to-date record of
your experimental results/experimental procedure which is easily understandable.
Many students are currently using an electronic lab book (eWorkbooks) in addition
to their paper lab books and you will receive training for this software as well.
2. Carrying out your research within the ‘Code of Research Conduct’ of the
University of Nottingham. This is a lengthy document – indeed it runs to 15
pages, but we have distilled the key components on the next two pages.
3. Your data must be recorded in a durable form, and be available for inspection
by your supervisor or other responsible academic (eg HoS or PG Tutor) at any
time. You must provide your supervisor with the original data when required,
and leave this for archiving after your studies are completed. You can be
prevented from graduating if this is not the case.
4. Conducting your work in a professional manner such that none of it is plagiarised.
Your Personal Academic Record contains a declaration which you must sign stating
that you have understood the academic offence of plagiarism. Software for
checking plagiarism will be made available and may be used on any of your
written work.
5. Maintaining your Progress Report forms - This is an essential mechanism to enable
you or your supervisor to address any potential problems with your programme of
study at an early stage. You should arrange these meetings on a regular basis
and keep a record of these meetings via the School’s computer-based PGR – Web
programme. All new Research students will be required to use this programme.
6. Maintaining a Personal Skills Portfolio - This is essential for your training and
personal development and is also handled through the PGR-Web system of study.
7. Participate in Graduate School Training Courses and other training courses as
required by your programme of study The Faculty runs a series of courses in
transferable/generic skills that you must attend. The Graduate School runs other
courses on generic aspects of scientific training. One of your initial tasks is to
discuss and formulate a training plan with your supervisor.
8. Attending School Seminars. We attach great importance to our Seminar
Programme, which includes both internal and external presenters. A register is
kept of your attendance at School Seminars. You record your attendance through
the PGR-Web system and this is one of the factors against which progress of
students is judged at the annual review.
9. Meeting deadlines. At various stages throughout your course of study you will be
asked to submit work for review or you will be asked to complete documents or
tasks by your supervisor or other members of the School. You must ensure that
the deadlines set are met. If you have extenuating circumstances which mean
you are unable to meet a particular deadline, you must make this known to your
supervisor at the earliest opportunity.
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School Responsibilities
The University is committed to ensuring that all students receive appropriate
supervision, assessment, review and pastoral care during their postgraduate studies.
Within the School, a number of support mechanisms exist.
Supervision
All PGR students are allocated two research supervisors. You will undoubtedly already
know the main supervisor from visits to the lab, and from email contact before you have
started. The other supervisor may be someone you have yet to meet. The role of the
second supervisor varies from project to project. In some cases the research supervision
is split fairly equally between the different supervisors. In some instances you may find
the second supervisor to have a more “back-seat” role. If the latter is the case, then I
advise you that the second supervisor can be invaluable at many stages of the project,
so I would suggest you get to know his/her research strengths, and invite him/her to
your supervision meetings so that he/she gets to know your project.
Director of Postgraduate Research
The School’s Director of Postgraduate Research is Dr Ian Kerr
(Ian.Kerr@nottingham.ac.uk).
School Postgraduate Student Advisors (SPSAs)
School Postgraduate Student Advisors (SPSAs)are available to offer independent advice
and support to you if you have any queries about University, Faculty or School
regulations and procedures, or if you have concerns about the progress of your research
work and the availability of facilities or resources, or if you have difficulties with your
supervisory relationship. Any matter of discussion between you and the Postgraduate
Tutor will be held in the strictest confidence. Furthermore, the Head of School (HoS) will
be pleased to see you at any time, to discuss work or any other matter about which you
need help or advice.The Head of School (HoS) will be available if there are any serious
concerns/matters.
Postgraduate Research Committee
The Postgraduate Research Committee exists to discuss and promote career
development activities for postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers. There
are three postgraduate students who are members of this committee. Their role is to
bring to this forum any matters raised by postgraduate students and to disseminate the
outcome of the Postgraduate Research Committee meetings.
Informal Progress Reviews
To ensure you are progressing well with your work, and in addition to regular
supervisory meetings, your academic progress will be informally reviewed by the one of
the School Postgraduate Student Advisors and another academic colleague on an annual
basis.
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Research Conduct and Ethics
This is a highly distilled version of the document that can be found in this page on the
Workspace (https://workspace.nottingham.ac.uk/display/ResG/Introduction).
This describes in full the appropriate framework for research at the UoN.
The Code is broken down into 14 sections and in the following I summarise the content
of each section for convenience, although this does not replace the need to review those
sections in full if they apply to you. For most research students that would be sections 2,
3, 4 and 9. I have not attempted to distil Section 9 – if your work involves humans or
other animals then you must read this in full and consult with supervisors.
1. The Code applies to all PhD/MPhil/MRes students
2. That this is part of a national framework of regulations and general good practice,
and that this framework continues to develop. Research students should ensure on
an annual basis that the version of the Code of Conduct they have is the current
version.
3. The general principles of the Code of Conduct are that there is a responsibility of all
involved in research to its funders, to society, and to other researchers that all work
carried out and disseminated is
a. Honest, lawful and ethical.
b. Carried out with regard to appropriate safety legislation
c. Observes appropriate data access and data management guidelines (see
4).
d. Is recorded accurately and securely (see 4)
4. Guidelines on Data
a. Personal data i.e. data which pertains to the identity of individuals in a
study must be handled according to the Data Protection Act.
b. Research data including the RAW, UNPROCESSED DATA must be stored in
a durable form for 7 years – see 4c for the responsibility for this.
c. Schools have a duty to securely store research data of PhD students and
must have processes in place for this.
In the School of Life Sciences our interpretation of this is that your data must be
recorded in a durable form, and be available for inspection by your supervisor or
other responsible academic (eg HoS or Director of PG Research) at any time. You
must provide your supervisor with the original data when required, and leave the
original data for archiving after your studies are completed. You can be prevented
from graduating if this is not the case.
5. Publications
This section describes the appropriate procedures for author inclusion on
manuscripts, the need to acknowledge all funders in publications that their
funding has enabled and other factors.
6. Intellectual Property (IP) and Data Sharing
This section describes the University policy on “ownership” of IP and the
responsibility of publicly funded researchers to make their data available to the
public.
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7. Supervision
This section – which is heavily reliant on the Quality Manual – describes
responsibilities for people who supervise researchers, and for those involved in
work with children and vulnerable adults.
8. Conflict of Interest
This section is unlikely to be of relevance to most PhD students as it describes the
policy on undertaking external work.
9. Ethical Review
If you are undertaking work involving humans or other animals then you must
read this section in full.
13. Procedures for dealing with research misconduct
This section describes briefly what would constitute misconduct in research, and for
research students refers to the Quality Manual for a description of the processes that
might come into effect.
Sections that are not mentioned are unlikely to be appropriate for research students, but
their omission does not imply that you do not need to consult the full Code of Research
Conduct to make your own decision about whether these sections do apply.
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SUPERVISION, TRAINING, ASSESSMENT, MONITORING
and PROGRESSION (STAMP)
The Quality Manual stipulates how all PGR students at the University should be subjected
to periodic reviews to ensure that they are progressing as one would expect, and also
lays down guidelines for Schools to ensure effective supervision and training of PGR
students. The local interpretation of this is very much up to individual Schools. In SoLS
the implementation is as follows:
The PGR Student Database: The School’s PGR Student Web-database (PGR-Web) MUST
be used to record and monitor supervision meetings, annual reviews, seminar
attendance and skills portfolio development. This is a secure web-based database with
separate student and staff links. Access to the database for each of these usercategories:
Staff - https://molpgr2.nottingham.ac.uk/PGRStaff
Student - https://molpgr1.nottingham.ac.uk/PGRStudents
At the start of each academic year the Chair of the PGR Committee or the School’s PGR
Admin team will provide a demonstration of PGR-Web. Students or staff who are unable
to attend these sessions should make alternative arrangements for a demonstration.
If you persistently encounter problems accessing the PGR-Web, or have other technical
issues which are not resolved by using a different computer and/or a different internet
browser, then please contact the School’s Admin Team at your earliest convenience to
report your problem at MB-PGRWeb@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk.
The School does not allow the use of hard copies of Supervision, Annual Review Training
Record for students who started their studies after January 2012 (if you started before
this date then other procedures may have been in place and you can persist with these if
you wish). The PGR-Web MUST be used by all staff and students at record Meetings,
Progression and Training.
The database is used to track:
Supervision (S) Record supervision meetings – the section provides space for you and
your supervisors to comment on your progress in the past month against any objectives
that may have been set.
Training (T) You can record your skills training acquisition / portfolio development,
evidencing this either with certificates of attendance, or uploading files showing how the
skills acquired have been put into action. You can also record seminar attendance, which
is another fundamental aspect of postgraduate researcher development.
Assessment (A) You and your assessors will use the PGR-Web to manage the annual
review process, including the upload of your reports and their assessment of these, and
comments on subsequent viva-like discussions. Assessor’s recommendations and
supervisors comments on your annual progression and also recorded through this area
of PGR-Web. Additionally, the system can be used to make arrangements for your final
viva.
Monitoring (M) It is important that supervision records are uploaded regularly for
attendance monitoring (a University and Border Agency requirement). The Postgraduate
Research Administrators have to submit records for every PGR student. Therefore if
students face difficulty in attending supervision meetings it is their responsibility to
communicate this as soon as possible to their supervisor and the school’s postgraduate
research administrators and provide satisfactory explanation. Please see:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/studyregulations/rocedur
es.aspx
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for further details on attendance regulations at the University. Unauthorised absences
are reported to Student Administration. If students are absent without authorisation, to
the point that it is not possible to continue with the course, Student Administration will
write to the student stating that they will be deemed to have withdrawn from the
University and their student record will be amended to show that they have withdrawn.
Where required the University will report non-attendance to appropriate authorities
including the UK Border Agency.
Progression (P) The exact process adopted by the School for monitoring the progress
of PGR Students is dictated by their degree programme. The majority of PGR Students in
the School are enrolled on full-time PhD programmes and the relevant monitoring and
assessment process adopted by the School is described below. These sections highlight
the assessment and monitoring system applicable to students registered on the 3-year
PhD programme and variations on this theme are subsequently described for other
research degree programmes.
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Study Programmes
3 or 4 YEAR PhD PROGRAMME
Supervision
It is expected that students will have regular meetings with their supervisors, who will
offer academic and pastoral advice and guidance, as necessary. Training needs and
portfolio development and identification of appropriate and relevant training courses
should be agreed between the student and supervisor. It is the student’s
responsibility to arrange supervision meetings at mutually agreeable and
convenient times. As a minimum, there should be 10 database records of meetings
between supervisor and student, although in reality there will be significantly more
meetings than this! It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that sufficient
progress meetings have been completed and are recorded on the PGR-Web.
Core and Generic Skills Training: Skills Portfolio
Acquisition of discipline-specific and generic (transferable) skills is an important element
of Postgraduate study. This is achieved through a variety of routes, which include at-thebench training and internal and external courses and workshops. Identification of
training needs can be both student and supervisor driven and will take place as part of
the formal supervision meetings. The School has also identified a set of skills that are
deemed essential and it is expected that all students will be able to demonstrate
competency within the timescale indicated in the School’s Core and Generic Skills
programme. This programme forms the framework for portfolio development. It is
accepted that students will have different starting points and existing proficiencies;
therefore attendance at most of the training courses and workshops is not compulsory.
However, a student must have an appropriate evidence indicator to show competence in
the specific skills before this can be signed off by the supervisor.
Audits of PGR training show that attendance at School/University seminars by PGR
Students is sporadic - this is unacceptable and may result in a refusal to award a travel
grant for instance! Therefore, ALL students MUST attend at least 10 seminars per
year. Seminar attendance must be recorded on the PGR-Web.
End of Year 1 Assessment
(Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web)
Annual Report: Eight calendar months after commencing their studies, each PGR
Student must submit two items for assessment: a research paper and a review article,
both in a style appropriate for journal submission.
The Research Paper: will outline the background to their research, methodology (to be
used), results to date and expected future directions. The report should be prepared in
the style expected for a submission to Journal of Biological Chemistry
(http://www.jbc.org/) or similar journal in their field. A declaration should be included
immediately before the summary section stating that the work presented is entirely the
author’s work, except where stated.
The report should be no more than 6,000 words (not including figures, table legends or
references) and the abstract no longer than 300 words. Figures and tables should be
embedded within the text and be supported by full legends. There is no limit on the
number of citations, and evidence of thorough review of relevant literature is expected.
Future directions / experimentation should be included in the discussion section.
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The Review Article: should constitute a critical review of the current scientific literature
and an appraisal of current ideas and thinking relevant to your chosen research project.
Where possible primary references, i.e. recent journal articles rather than standard
texts, should be used as the prime sources of information. The review article should be
no greater than 5,000 words.
The review and the report should be uploaded to the PGR-Web by the date specified.
(Please note: Uploaded reports and any supporting documents should NOT be
uploaded using bmp or tif format)
Viva voce Examination: As part of the 1st year assessment, all students will be
expected to attend a viva voce examination, which will be conducted by their nominated
Internal Assessor. The format of the viva examination is at the discretion of the Internal
Assessor. The examination will centre on the submitted report, although the assessor is
entitled to ask questions of a wider more generic nature. Following the viva voce
examination, the Internal Assessor and Supervisor will complete the 1st Year Review and
Registration Status Review forms. This must be completed by the end of the student’s
tenth month of study.
It is the responsibility of the Internal Assessor to ensure that a suitable
location is chosen, and booked for the viva voce, and that all those required to
attend are informed of the location, date and time in good time.
School PGR Symposium
All first year research students are expected to attend the School Research Day. This
is an annual event and is usually held in June/July. First year students do not have to
present their research findings at the research day, however it is a compulsory element
of their research degree and students must register and attend.
Faculty PGR Symposium
Finally, all first year research students are expected to attend the Faculty Research
Day. This is an annual event and is usually held in June/July. First year students have to
present their research findings at the research day usually in the form of a poster.
If you are not able to attend either Symposium due to exceptional circumstances, you
must first seek permission from the Chair of the PGR Committee via the PGR
Administration team before you can be excused.
End of Year 2 Assessment
(Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web)
Written Report and Poster Presentation: Twenty months after commencing
postgraduate study, each student will be required to produce a poster (A1 size) for
presentation at the Schools annual PGR day. A copy (A4 or electronic) of this poster,
together with an updated version of the year 1 Research paper (6,000 word), updated to
contain Research Progress made during year 2, should be submitted via the PGR-Web.
The Internal Assessor and supervisor will complete the 2nd year review and registration
status review online via the PGR-Web by the end of their 22nd calendar month of study
If the PGR student is unable to present the poster at Schools annual PGR day, due to
exceptional circumstances, he/she will have to notify a PGR Administrator in advance
who will seek approval from the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee. Once approval
has been granted, the student will have to arrange a viva voce examination with the
Internal Assessor to discuss the poster and the progress report for the second year of
the PhD. This can be arranged in person or via video conferencing such as Skype. The
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reporting from this viva will be done in the usual way using the PGR-Web and the whole
process must be completed by the 22nd calendar month of study.
Viva voce Examination: In exceptional circumstances (for example, in cases where it
is necessary for the internal examiner to seek further clarification from the student about
aspects of their progress etc.) the student may be required to attend a viva voce
examination.
If this is the case, then it is the responsibility of the Internal Assessor to ensure that a
suitable location is chosen, and booked for the viva voce, and that all those required to
attend are informed of the location, date and time in good time.
THESIS PLAN: At month 24 of their PhD, all full time PGR students will be requested to
submit a thesis plan via the PGR-Web. This thesis plan should consist of a structured list
of headings and subheadings for the different chapters of their thesis, including
introduction, materials and methods, results and discussion. The sections already
achieved should be clearly distinguished from those remaining to be achieved in the final
year of their PhD. The use of a colour code would be strongly recommended eg. black for
those sections achieved and red for those remaining to be achieved. The student will be
given the chance to upload updated versions of the thesis plan throughout year 3. The
thesis plan will have to be approved by supervisors and, during the supervision meetings
of year 3, the student will be expected to comment on the progress of the thesis plan in
the appropriate section of the PGR-Web supervision reports.
End of Year 3 Assessment
Oral presentation: Before the end of their 36th month of study, each student will be
expected to make an oral presentation of their research findings at the School PGR Day.
Each student must upload their presentation to the PGR-Web prior to the PGR Day at
which their presentation will be delivered.
If the PGR student is unable to give an oral presentation at the School PGR Day, due to
exceptional circumstances, he/she must notify a PGR Administrator in advance who will
seek approval from the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee. Once approval has been
granted, the student should arrange a meeting with his/her research supervisor to go
through the oral presentation. This can be arranged in person or via video conferencing
such as Skype. The presentation will then have to be uploaded into the PGR-Web, as
part of the third year assessment, and the PGR Administrator informed, by the PGR
student, of the date when the meeting with the supervisor took place. This process
MUST be completed before the start of the 36th calendar month of study.
Thesis plan: Thirty two months after commencing their studies, each student will be
required to produce a detailed updated thesis plan including the any experimental
work remaining and timelines for completion. This thesis plan must be uploaded onto the
PGR-Web in preparation for their supervisor(s) comments and feedback.
The student’s supervisor(s) will assess both the thesis plan and oral presentation,
provide suitable comments on the PGR-Web, and confirm progression where appropriate.
Skills Portfolio and Supervision Record Audit in all years
Each year of the portfolio programme prescribes the expected skills acquisition to be
achieved by the end of that year. An audit of the Portfolio and Supervision Meeting
records will be a key part of each end of year assessment. Failing to complete the
portfolio will result in the PGR student not being able to progress onto the next year or
being awarded a PhD if in their final year. The portfolio is accessible via the PGR-Web.
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Please note: each ‘Generic Skill’ has been assigned a year in which it should be
completed, however skills can be acquired in advance of the specified year if the student
wishes, providing that they are completed by the end of the specified year at the latest.
Assessment Outcomes
Any issues arising from the Internal Assessor’s and Supervisor’s reports, Training
Portfolio Record and Supervision Records will be reviewed by the PGR Committee.
Satisfactory assessment: Those students who successfully complete an end of year
assessment will have their degree registration confirmed and will be allowed to register
for the next year of study.
Unsatisfactory assessment: If a student’s performance in an annual assessment or
general progress throughout the year is deemed unsatisfactory then this will be recorded
on the online annual review form. Also, if a student fails to meet the necessary skills
acquisition (as stated in the Portfolio Programme and evidenced by the Portfolio Record)
or failed to complete the necessary Supervision meeting records, then this student will
be asked to attend a remedial meeting with the Chair of the PGR Committee, SPSA,
Internal assessor, the supervisor(s) and the PGR Administrator. The Head of School may
also be asked to attend. The purpose of this meeting is to explain to the student why
their performance is deemed unsatisfactory and to decide the most appropriate course of
action. The possible outcomes are:
 Agreement of an action plan, which both Supervisor and Student must agree on
and sign up to
 Downgrading the current degree registration (e.g. PhD to MPhil), upon the
opportunity for an early assessment or re-assessment, as appropriate.
 Termination of studies also upon the opportunity for an early assessment or reassessment, as appropriate.
(Where an action plan is deemed the most suitable solution, this plan must include a
date by which the student’s progress is re-assessed and how it will be assessed)
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THE PORTFOLIO
The School of Life Sciences is committed to providing its PGR students with the
opportunity to gain essential and desirable generic and transferable skills training, in
addition to acquiring leading edge discipline-specific skills and knowledge. To enable the
student to benefit fully from the training and education available, the School has adopted
a reflective portfolio approach to identifying training and skills needs and then meeting
these needs (where possible) by provision or access to the most appropriate training
courses, workshops, “at-the-bench” instruction or placement. Details of some of the
courses available, and how to reserve a place, can be found at
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/traininganddevelopment/index.aspx
Please Note: we DO NOT operate a credit system. Rather, we expected you to
demonstrate acquisition of the core compulsory skills as detailed on the School’s PGRWeb.
The School recognises that you will have different levels of baseline skills and
understanding compared to others in your cohort and that you will have a unique
training requirement. For this reason, your participation on the majority of courses is not
mandatory. However, we do expect students to take advantage of the training on offer
within the School, Faculty and University (Graduate School). Therefore, all PGR students
registered in Life Sciences will regularly reflect on their skills training acquisition and
needs and review this with their Supervisor during the requisite supervision meetings.
There will also be an opportunity to review this with their Internal Assessor during the
annual review process. Where a training need has been identified you will be expected to
make the necessary efforts to enrol and participate on an appropriate course, workshop,
placement etc. as appropriate.
The portfolio will be completed online via the School’s PGR-Web. This details a list of
generic and subject-specific core and optional skills, against which you will claim
competency by uploading supporting evidence, or more usually, evidences (e.g. course
attendance certificates, work exemplifying the use / acquisition of the relevant skill etc.)
that describe how the relevant skills have been acquired. The portfolio can then be
reviewed during each supervision meeting and the student’s skills progression discussed
and career development plan updated. The portfolio will help in CV writing, and can also
be used during annual reviews and interviews etc. to demonstrate to assessors and
prospective employer’s etc. skills acquired by them either before or during their research
studies.
Whilst we expect students to take advantage of training and education offered locally
this may not adequately meet all training needs. Therefore, participation on external
courses, workshops and conferences is encouraged, although you will have to discuss
with your Supervisor ways in which participation at an external event can be funded.
Finally, it is expected that ALL students registered within the School will show
competency in the entire core skills listed and described as “Generic Skills”. ALL students
must have acquired each skill by the end of the year specified on the PGR-Web to enable
them to progress. A formal audit of the acquisition of training and skills will be carried
out during each annual review.
We trust that you will benefit from the skills training available to you during your
studies, and that the process of portfolio development will be a positive experience and
help you develop reflective practice. However, if you have any comments to make on
how the portfolio can be improved then please let your respective student representative
or student advisor know!
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MPhil DEGREE PROGRAMME
Supervision
Supervision requirements are identical to those outlined for the full time 3 year PhD
programme described above.
Core and Generic Skills Training: Skills Portfolio:
See relevant section in the 3 or 4 year PhD programme above.
Assessment Process and Outcomes
Assessment for years 1 and 2 are identical with those described for the 3 or 4 year PhD
programme with the exception of the thesis plan, which for MPhil students is due
in month 18.
DM DEGREE PROGRAMME
The Supervision, Training and Portfolio development and Assessment methods
are identical to those outlined for the 3 or 4 year full-time PhD programme,
described above.
MRes DEGREE PROGRAMME
This is a one year programme consisting of two elements:
20 credits of non-assessed, but compulsory, generic training
160 credits of assessed work
Students have the choice of the following options for the 160 credits of
assessed work; the majority of students use option 1.
Option 1:
The student completes a research project worth 160 credits with a maximum word count
for their write up of 35,000 words.
Option 2*:
The student completes a research project worth 140 credits and takes 20 credits worth
of level 4 (or very exceptionally level 3) taught modules. Any taught modules taken
have to be assessed, and passed, in order for the student to complete their MRes.
Modules must be chosen in consultation with the supervisor and must be relevant to the
student’s research project.
Option 3*:
The student completes a research project worth 120 credits and takes 40 credits worth
of level 4 (or very exceptionally level 3) taught modules. Any taught modules taken have
to be assessed, and passed, in order for the student to complete their MRes. Modules
must be chosen in consultation with the supervisor and must be relevant to the student’s
research project.
Please note: Exceptionally, and at the discretion of the Examiners, a fail mark in one or
more of the taught modules may be compensated as long as the candidate has obtained
an overall average in the taught modules taken of at least 50% and has no mark below
40%.
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*For options 2 and 3, the maximum word count for the research project can be reduced
accordingly if the student and/or supervisor request it.
Course Timetable
End September and early October
End October
Admission and Induction
The SPSA of your supervisor’s research grouping
will see all students individually.
Within 6 weeks of commencing
study
Students should write an outline research
proposal.
This should be a concise summary (<2 pages) of
the main research theme, objectives and
methodology, and should be discussed with the
supervisor and other appropriate members of the
lab/group.
It is recommended that students give an internal
(to own lab/group) presentation outlining their
research.
This provides an opportunity for new students to
present their plans more widely and receive
immediate feedback. It will also raise awareness of
individual projects within each lab/group.
Initial project report to supervisor. To include
an outline literature review, preliminary data and
analyses, and the objectives and timeline for the
remainder of the research programme.
An intention to submit form should be completed,
signed off by your supervisor and submitted to the
Registry. Form can be downloaded from Quality
Manual on web, example also in Appendix.
Complete final version of thesis for review by
supervisor.
Submit thesis to Registry for Examination.
Within 8 weeks
By start of January
End July
August
Early September
(deadline to be advised)
Early-Mid September
- date to be arranged
MRes min-conference.
All students present their research findings to the
School.
Supervision
Supervision requirements are essentially identical to those outlined for the full time 3
year PhD programme described above. There should be a minimum of 10 recorded
meetings per year for full time students and 6 for part time.
Core and Generic Skills Training:
Skills Portfolio
This component requires the satisfactory completion of generic training equivalent to 20
credits (non-assessed). These credits can be accumulated from courses offered within
either the Research Training Programme run by the Graduate School, specialised units
offering generic training within the University or from within any other generic training
courses run within individual Schools. The generic training courses will be selected in
consultation with the student’s supervisor(s) and should be cognate with the student's
research topic. The selection of these modules is at the discretion of the student's
School. Guidance on the appropriateness of the content of modules is available from the
Graduate School.
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Assessment
In addition to the generic training programme, candidates are required to undertake
assessed work to the equivalent of 160 credits. These credits can be obtained entirely
from a research project in a subject within the scope of the School concerned. The
candidate will be required to present a dissertation with a maximum length of 35,000
words (ie inclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables, and bibliography). The dissertation
should embody the result of the candidate's advanced study and research. The
dissertation must be presented within one year of the start of the course in the case of
full-time study or up to two years in the case of part-time study.
If, the student chooses, with the agreement of the supervisor, to take up to 40 credits of
taught modules the students must pass the assessments for these modules. At the
discretion of the School, when students take taught credits as part of their MRes degree,
the word limit for the dissertation can be reduced.
The dissertation will be examined by an External Examiner and one Internal Assessor.
The student might also be required to attend viva voce examination.
If this is the case, then it is the responsibility of the Internal Assessor to ensure
that a suitable location is chosen for the viva voce, and that all those required
to attend are informed of the location, date and time in good time.
The examiner and assessor should also be provided with a copy of the students Training
Portfolio record, so that they are aware of the proportion of the student’s overall studies
that the project represents, giving due regard to the sum of any taught modules
undertaken.
The dissertation and Research Training Portfolio should be completed and submitted to
the University 12 calendar months following registration (24 months for part-time
students). The external examiner and internal assessor will then be responsible for
determining whether or not the candidate has reached an overall standard worthy of the
degree. In the event of a failure re-examination will be permitted in accordance with the
degree regulations.
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/studyregulations/regulati
ons-for-master-of-research.aspx
The entire assessment procedure, including the submission and examination of the
dissertation, should be completed within one year for full time and within an equivalent
period for part time students.
School of Life Sciences criteria for the award of MRes with Merit or Distinction
Candidates for an MRes may be considered for an award with merit if, in the opinion of
both the external and internal examiner, they fulfil at least one of the following criteria:
(a) The thesis represents a substantial contribution to the field of study which could form
part of a publication in a reputable international journal or a grant proposal.
(b) The research presented is the product of a large amount of effort and application.
Although the thesis need not have generated novel conclusions, evidence of intellectual
input in the collection of data and its interpretation should be clear.
(c) For those students who sit taught modules as part of their course, it is expected that
they will have been awarded an overall grade of at least 60%, or that the thesis
compensates for any shortfall.
Criteria for MRes with distinction
Candidates for an MRes may be considered for a distinction if, in the opinion of both the
external and internal examiner, they fulfil at least one of the following criteria:
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22
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(a) The thesis represents a significant and novel contribution to the field of study which
would merit publication in a reputable international journal. Evidence of prior publication
of thesis material may be taken into account when making a decision.
(b) The research presented is the product of an exceptional amount of effort and
application. Although the thesis need not have generated novel conclusions, evidence of
intellectual input in the collection of data and its interpretation should be clear.
(c) For those students who sit taught modules as part of their course, it is expected that
they will have been awarded an overall grade of at least 70%.
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Postgraduate Study – Other Aspects
Membership of a Scientific Society
The School will also pay the annual subscription fee for student membership of a
relevant scientific society. Please contact life-sciences-pgr@nottingham.ac.uk for
information on how to go about this.
PG Travel Fund
Students are invited to apply for support from the PG Travel Fund. The Fund is designed
to support students who wish to present at conferences and to visit laboratories in
universities or institutes as part of their PhD research programme, particularly to access
a technique/facility not available in their home laboratory. You will be sent periodic
reminders about how to apply for this, or can request the form at life-sciencespgr@nottingham.ac.uk.
Laboratory Safety
You must read the Safety Handbook, attend a Safety Training Course and make yourself
familiar with safety procedures, particularly those regarding first aid, injuries to the eye,
fire and the handling of toxic chemicals and drugs and radioisotopes. You must observe
all COSHH regulations. You should complete the School's Safety Checklist. Access to
work in the Biomedical Services Unit will be contingent upon regular health screening
undertaken by Occupational Health. Anyone visiting the Biomedical Services Unit is
required to complete a questionnaire regarding animal allergies. You should also
consider any need for Hepatitis B immunisation before starting your lab work. White
coats should be worn in the laboratories. Appropriate footwear must be worn at all times
(do not wear open sandals in laboratories). Food and drink must not be taken into
laboratories.
Teaching in UG Laboratory Classes
You may be invited to demonstrate in laboratory classes during each academic year.
The demonstrating is remunerable at a set hourly rate for those on studentships;
research assistants receiving a full salary are expected to play a full part as
demonstrators without additional payment, recognising that most funding bodies allow
for up to 6 hours per week of salaried time being spent in this or similar teaching
activities. Instructions on the preparation required for demonstrating generally, and on
any individual class, will be provided. All new postgraduate students will also be
required to attend a course relating to demonstrating skills and duties that will be run as
an additional session to the Postgraduate Training and Development Course.
Out of Hours Working
If you need to undertake such work, it requires the permission of your supervisor, you
must be accompanied and you must register your presence by signing the Late Working
Register in the building which you are entering.
Graduate Centre
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Graduate Centre is located on C Floor in the
Medical School. This provides a social and study space for postgraduate students in the
Faculty. The Graduate Centre Manager organises the Faculty Training Programme and
other research training and career development activities for postgraduate students. You
are also entitled to use other Graduate Centres across the campuses (for instance the
Engineering and Science graduate school on University Park).
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Postgraduate Research Training Programme
The following courses will help you provide the evidence that your skills portfolio is
developing as required. Remember, that when you have attended a course you can
update your Portfolio on the PGR-Web and this will ensure that your personal
development programme is up to date.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Faculty Staff from the Faculty
GS Graduate School
IS Information Services
CES Career and Employability Service
PD Professional Development
CTU Clinical Trials Unit
Workshop
Contributor
Conducting your PhD/DM/MPhil
Nature of the doctorate and the supervision process
Getting going on your thesis
Getting into the habit of writing
Finishing your thesis
Preparing for the viva
GS
GS
GS
GS
GS
Transferable skills
Induction to library services for the new researcher
Essential information skills for the new researcher in
Medicine and Health Sciences
Keeping up to date with news and research in
Engineering, Medicine & Health Sciences and
Science
Information Technology skills
Referencing for researchers
Planning your research
An Introduction to clinical research
Good Clinical Practice training
Ethics of human tissue and animal studies in
research
Exploring ethics in research
PGs who teach -Preparing for your teaching sessions
Meet the editors (M&HS)
Equality and Diversity in Practice – online training
Faculty Postgraduate Research Forum
IS/GS
IS/GS
IS/GS
IS/GS
GS
GS
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
PD
GS
PD
Faculty
Data Analysis
Mathematics in the lab
Basic statistics (with SPSS)
Advanced statistics in SPSS
Introduction to SPSS (online)
Introduction to Stata for epidemiological analyses
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25
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
GS
Faculty
Academic Year 2013-14
Communication Skills
Presentation skills for researchers
Further presentation skills for researchers
Preparing your first year report and writing scientific
abstracts
Using posters to communicate research
Creating a poster in PowerPoint
Applying for jobs outside academia - PhD students
Interviews - and how to survive them
What do I want to get out of a conference - and how
do I do it?
Introduction to the skills of assertiveness and
negotiation (on line)
GS
GS
Faculty
GS
IS
CES
GS
GS
GS
Research Techniques
Laboratory practice 1
(basic practice, health & safety)
Laboratory practice 2 (Basic techniques)
Critical Appraisal of scientific literature 1 (nonclinical)
Faculty
Faculty
a) Faculty
b) Coursework
Evidence Based Medicine
Critical Appraisal of the Literature 2 (clinical)
Systematic Review
Clinical Trials – the basics
An Introduction to Health Economics
Qualitative Observational Studies
Faculty
Faculty
CTU
Faculty
Faculty
For a complete copy of the booklet along with further information about each training
programme, please visit webpage provided below:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/documents/mhsgc/facultyprogramme1112
handbook.pdf
Courses can be booked by visiting the following webpage:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/csc
We must stress the importance of attending any course(s) that you register for and
would strongly encourage you to:



Only book on courses that you know you are available to attend
Read all the emails sent to you carefully – noting the venue, room number, start
time, end time etc.
Cancel any course in good time if you are unable to attend. The confirmation and
reminder emails contain details on how to cancel courses and it is your
responsibility to ensure that you do.
Please note that if you fail to attend 2 or more training courses you will be no
longer eligible to apply for travel funding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I go to if I am having a scientific problem and my supervisor is
unavailable (or can't help)?
You have a supervision team of two supervisors so in the first instance I would
recommend talking to your other supervisor for some guidance. Many scientific problems
can be solved by other group members or members of the School who are using the
same techniques. It is usual practice to confer with colleagues so don’t be shy.
Who do I go to if I am having a problem with my supervisor?
The best way forward is firstly to discuss issues with your supervisor because many
problems arise due to lack of communication. If that doesn’t work or you feel unable to
talk directly to your supervisor then you should see your SPSA, or request a meeting
with the School’s PG Student Manager (Amanda Losinski), or the Director of PG Research
(Ian Kerr). That meeting will be in confidence and any action will only occur with your
agreement. Often, just talking over problems is very helpful. See also the Section of
Pastoral Care.
Who do I go to if I am having difficulties coping with the life of a PhD?
As above, your first port of call should be your principal supervisor but, if you are not
comfortable with that, then see your SPSA, the School’s PG Manager or the Director of
PG Research. You may prefer to make use of the University’s Counselling Service
(details: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/counselling/) or your GP, depending on the
nature of your difficulty. Sharing a problem is usually helpful and finding a solution will
be made easier.
Can I change supervisors if I feel there is a problem?
It is most unusual to change supervisors and it is not encouraged. Your SPSA, the
School’s PGR Manager or the Director of PG Research should be consulted.
If my progress is slow, will I be prevented from submitting for the PhD?
The assessment procedure for your progress is multi-faceted. Progress is recorded on
the monthly formal supervisory forms and there are key assessments at the end of the
first and second years. The expectation is that you will submit for a PhD but in a very
few cases that does not happen. Occasionally, PG students will submit a lesser body of
work for the M.Phil. degree or they will leave due to a variety of reasons. The great
majority of our students are awarded the PhD.
Must I publish a paper to receive a PhD?
There is no requirement to have a paper published. But it should be an aspiration that
you carry out a body of research that is of sufficient novelty and rigour to merit
publication.
Do I have to be knowledgeable about aspects of biology not directly pertinent
to my PhD?
Yes. The external PhD examiner will discuss your knowledge of areas relating to, and
beyond, your research topic. The object is not to catch you out but rather to ascertain if
you can relate other areas of science to your own, that you understand the basis of a
technique you have been using, or can use your knowledge to see opportunities and
design experimental approaches. It is therefore expected that you attend School
seminars, that you discuss science with your colleagues and that you don’t restrict your
reading to immediately-relevant literature.
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How hard do I have to work?
There are no prescribed hours of work. It is expected that doing a PhD is of major
importance in your life and that there will be periods when you do little else, i.e. that you
work during the day and evening and through weekends. You will want to do that! There
is no excuse for not working hard but, equally, you will probably want to ‘have a life’
outside of the lab so it’s about balance. The University recognizes the importance of
taking holiday for the health and wellbeing of students engaged in postgraduate
research. This should be taken in line with School expectations (for example not taking
leave during postgraduate training courses, School research events, seminars etc.), any
contractual obligations (for example Research Council terms and conditions), and by
arrangement with supervisors. As a guide, postgraduate research students may
normally take up to 25 days holiday in each year plus public and University holidays.
I have questions that do not appear in the list of FAQs!
No problem. Please contact the PGR Administration team on life-sciencespgr@nottingham.ac.uk and we will respond at the earliest convenience.
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Appendix I: Useful Links
Pathways Project
An on-line resource developed to help students gain relevant general academic skills and
training.
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pathways/
As part of this there is a site dedicated to helping International students adjust to the UK
and to University life.
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pathways/international_route_1
Academic Services Division
Academic Services offer advice on registration, examinations, thesis write-up period,
withdrawing/suspending, certificates/transcripts, graduation and everything in between.
Web address:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/currentstudents/index.aspx
Centre for English Language Education
(CELE) Provision of English language training and support to international students.
Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cele/
Tel: 0115 9514405
English Support Courses for international (non-EU) students
Those who would like to take advantage of the English Language Support Courses
(Writing Skills, Speaking Skills, Listening Skills, Reading Skills, or individual support from
CELE tutors) should register in CELE:
You must register at CELE in order to attend class modules. To download a
registration form and find out details of modules, go to the website:
http://insessional.cele.nottingham.ac.uk/Registration/
Speaking and Writing in English
All of our overseas postgraduate students have achieved a certain level of proficiency in
English that is required for entry. For many, that is the minimum level you will need to
get you started on your postgraduate study. You will need to communicate in English
with your supervisors and other group members and you will be expected to participate
in group meetings where you will present your results and also take part in discussions.
To begin with, that might prove difficult on occasions and especially when there are new
scientific terms to master. You should not worry about that but it is essential that you
become proficient in English, both written and spoken, as you progress at Nottingham. It
is your responsibility to become proficient in English but, no need for you to worry, the
university offers help and you are encouraged to make use of the language training that
is available.
There are some formal requirements during the course of your study where a good
standard of both oral and written English is essential. It is not the responsibility of your
supervisors to correct your English and you should not expect them to do so. Many
supervisors do help by correcting some of the English in your draft chapters for your
thesis but, once again, it is not their responsibility to do so. It is not acceptable to
submit a poorly-written thesis so you must ensure that you are able to write proficiently
in English.
How can you improve your standard of both written and oral English? Firstly, you must
accept the need to improve your English from the moment you arrive in Nottingham by
speaking English as much as possible, writing up your studies in your laboratory
notebooks in English, and taking every opportunity to immerse yourself in English. The
university offers training in English through the Centre for English Language Education 7
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(CELE: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cele/index.aspx). You should enquire at CELE what
is offered and you may benefit from the free in-sessional courses that are offered or you
might need more specialist courses that have an associated fee.
Writing English presents particular difficulties for some students. Although CELE courses
can help, you might find it essential to use a professional service to proof-read and rephrase your draft chapters. We do not recommend any such service but there several
providers (e.g. http://www.writescienceright.com/; http://www.biosciencewriters.com/).
You will be responsible for the associated cost so, if you think you will need such a
service you should plan ahead.
Chaplaincy
To provide advice and support to all members of the University community.
Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/chaplains/
Tel: 0115 951 3930
Medical Treatment
You need to register with a doctor to receive medical treatment. You can register with a
local GP (General Practitioner) Medical Practice or with the Cripps Health Centre on the
University Campus. Dental treatment is provided at the Cripps Dental Centre attached to
the Cripps Health Centre. Further information can be found at: www.unhs.co.uk
Emergency treatment can be obtained at the Queens Medical Centre A & E
Department or at the NHS Direct Walk in Centre at Seaton House, London Road,
Nottingham. NHS Direct on http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/ also operates a 24
hour helpline on 0845 4647. This service may be withdrawn in future.
Counselling Service
Counselling offers a service to talk in confidence about problems that concern you.
Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/counselling/
Tel: 0115 9513695
Information Services
Provides a New Student's Guide to Library and IT
Services http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/student/ebook/blueFlash/Default.html
Student Support Services
The University has a range of services for students – for example, students with
disabilities or financial or academic difficulties – please see the following websites:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices
www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/financialsupport
www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/supportforyourstudies/academicsupport/index.as
px
www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/supportforyourstudies/disabilitysupport/index.as
px
www.nottingham.ac.uk/counselling
www.nottingham.ac.uk/child-care
International Office
Practical advice and support for all students whose home is outside the UK.
Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/international/
Tel: 0115 9515247
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IT Support
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/
Office for Disability Issues
This office provides advice and support to students with a disability or long term chronic
illness.
Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/disability/
Tel: 0115 9515766
Quality Manual
A source on information for Research students on supervision and monitoring of
progress, annual reviews and appointment of examiners.
Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/
Student Union
Web address: http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/
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