Past Handbooks (2000 to 2009)

UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSTGRADUATE AWARD MASTERS BY RESEARCH

1. Granting an award of the University

Candidates who have fulfilled the Requirements of the Masters by Research award in which they are enrolled and have complied with all Statutes and other Requirements applicable to them may be granted the Award.

2. Approval of Course of Study

Each candidate’s personal course of study and any modifications of that course shall require the approval of the relevant Head of School and the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee.

3. Duration of Candidature

The candidate shall undertake a course of study leading to the submission of a thesis for examination. The thesis may not be submitted earlier than one calendar year nor later than two (for a full-time candidate) or four (for a part-time candidate) calendar years after enrolment, except that in special circumstances the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee may grant an extension of the relevant period.

4.1 Supervision

The name of the candidate’s supervisor (and associate supervisor where applicable) shall be submitted for approval to the Faculty by the Head of School concerned along with the recommendation to accept the candidate.

4.2 When enrolled in the appropriate School, a candidate shall be assigned a Research Student Monitor who shall be a member of the academic staff nominated by the Faculty.

5.1 Confirmation of Candidature

The candidate shall present a seminar on the Masters work and submit a substantive piece or pieces of writing related to the project (in most disciplines a literature review) to the supervisor(s) and Head of School for approval:

5.1.1 within the first six months of enrolment for a full-time candidate; or
5.1.2 within 12 months of enrolment for a part-time candidate.

5.2 Seven days before the seminar, the candidate shall present to the Chair of the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee, a 2,000 word project proposal including the aims, methodology, progress to date and any other academic and/or artistic issues arising from the program of work which has been endorsed, in writing, by the supervisor(s) and Head of School.

5.3 The candidate’s supervisor(s), Head of School and Research Student Monitor must attend the seminar and meet after the seminar to discuss the outcome.

5.4 The supervisor and Research Student Monitor shall file a report on the student’s seminar presentation and written work with the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee, through the Head of School.

5.5 The Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee shall approve one of the following:

5.5.1  confirmation of candidature;
5.5.2  confirmation of candidature with additional specified work requirements; or
5.5.3  termination of candidature.

5.6 The decision of the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee shall be conveyed to the candidate in writing within 14 days of the date of the decision with advice of the candidate’s right of appeal according to Requirement 9 below.

6.1 Progress Reports

A progress report must be submitted by a candidate annually. The report shall be on the prescribed form which shall be forwarded to the candidate by the Registrar.

6.2 The completed form shall bear the comments of the candidate, the supervisor(s) and the Head of School.

6.3 In the event of an unsatisfactory progress report, the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee shall interview the candidate and the supervisor and recommend one of the following:

6.3.1  candidature be approved to continue;
6.3.2  reconsideration of candidature subject to work undertaken to the satisfaction of the Supervisory Committee and the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee; or
6.3.3  termination of candidature.

6.4 The recommendation shall be conveyed in writing to the candidate within 14 days of the date of the decision together with advice of the candidate’s right of appeal according to Requirement 9 below.

7.1 Final Year Seminar Presentation

A candidate shall at a seminar present an overview and synthesis of major findings of the thesis in a public forum during the final year of candidature. The candidate’s supervisor, Head of School and Research Student Monitor must attend the seminar and meet after the seminar to discuss the outcome.

7.2 The seminar presentation on the work shall be reported upon as follows:

7.2.1 by the supervisor through the Head of School to the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee; and
7.2.2 by the candidate’s Research Student Monitor.

7.3 The Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee shall then approve one of the following:

7.3.1 that the research is of a standard and extent appropriate for submission as a thesis; or
7.3.2 that further research work is required.

8.1 Thesis Examination

At the appropriate time for each candidate, the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee shall appoint two examiners. At least one examiner shall be external to the University. The candidate’s supervisor may be appointed as examiner only in exceptional circumstances. On receipt of the examiners’ reports the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee shall recommend:

8.1.1  that the degree be awarded; or
8.1.2  that the degree be awarded subject to such minor amendments to the thesis as the examiners may suggest; or
8.1.3  that the degree be not awarded but that the candidate be allowed to resubmit the thesis or take such further examination as the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee shall prescribe; or
8.1.4  that the degree be not awarded.

8.2 The degree may be conferred only when the acid free copy of the thesis has been deposited in the Library or a written guarantee has been provided by the appropriate Head of School that the said School holds all the material necessary for the preparation of this copy.

9.1 Appeal

A candidate affected by a decision of the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee pursuant to the Masters by Research Requirements may appeal against the decision. Such appeal shall be instituted by a notice in writing setting out the grounds thereof and shall be submitted to the Registrar within 28 days of the notification to the candidate of the decision appealed from.

9.2 The Appeal shall be determined by an Appeal Panel of the Board of Postgraduate Studies.

9.3 The Appeal Panel shall consist of the Chair, Academic Board (or nominee) (Chair) and four members chosen by the Standing Committee of the Academic Board. Two members of the Appeal Panel shall be postgraduate students chosen in consultation with the President of the Postgraduate Students’ Association.

9.4 The Appeal Panel shall consider only:

9.4.1  the grounds of the request for the appeal;
9.4.2  any documents relevant to the decision against which the candidate has appealed;
9.4.3  such further material as the Appeal Panel may, in the exercise of its discretion, permit to be placed before it if it considers it necessary or desirable in the interests of justice to do so.

9.5 The candidate shall have the right to be heard in person or to make submissions in writing; and to be represented by the Student Association Education Coordinator, the Student Association Welfare Coordinator, or another member of the University community, provided that any candidate to be so represented must notify the Registrar at least 48 hours prior to the time set for the appeal.

9.6 The Appeal Panel shall have the power to allow or dismiss an appeal against the decision; or vary the decision of the Board of Postgraduate Studies Committee.

9.7 The Chair of the Appeal Panel shall notify the Registrar forthwith of its decision and reasons and the Registrar shall notify in writing the student within 14 days of the Appeal Panel’s decision.

9.8 The Appeal Panel’s decision shall be final.