Regulations Governing Higher Degrees

(A) General Provisions Applying to Higher Degrees

These Regulations apply to the following higher degrees awarded by the University:

All Masters' Degrees

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych)

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Doctor of Engineering (EngD)

Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

(1) Degrees by research shall be awarded by the Senate in accordance with the decisions of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Board of the appropriate Faculty; Master’s degrees by examination or dissertation or both shall be awarded by Senate in accordance with decisions made by the Boards of Examiners. The Senate may refer back any decision of a Graduate Studies Committee and a Board of Examiners to the body concerned.

(2) The period of study for both full-time and part-time candidates for higher degrees shall be determined in all cases by the Senate, subject to the provisions applicable to each degree as set out below. A candidate may, with the permission of the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies, transfer from full-time to part-time or from part-time to full-time registration.

(3) A candidate reading for a higher degree by research shall have a supervisor who will normally be a member of the academic staff of the University. Supervisors shall be nominated by Heads of Departments in accordance with the Guidelines on the Supervision and Monitoring of Research Degree Students, subject to approval by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies.

(4) A candidate for a higher degree may spend a proportion, or in certain circumstances the whole, of the prescribed study period elsewhere than in the University. The prior approval of the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies must be obtained in each case.

(5) A thesis or dissertation shall be written in English unless the prior approval of Senate has been obtained for the use of another language. The Board of Graduate Studies wil normally permit doctoral students of Modern Language Departments in the faculty of Arts to write their thesis in the language taught in that department. The primary reason for candidates writing theses in a language other than English should be that it allows a fuller historical or critical engagement with the materials discussed, and not simply that it expedes the writing process. The Board will grant this permission where such an academic rationale exists. Candidates must satisfy the Board of Graduate Studies as to competence in the English language. Modern language theses written in a language other than English should include an abstract of 1500 words in English for inclusion in the Library copy.

(6) A thesis may not exceed the word limit specified in the regulations for that degree without the prior permission of the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies.

(7) A candidate will not be permitted to submit a thesis which has been, or is being, submitted for a degree at another university, but he/she will not be precluded from incorporating work already submitted for a degree, provided that he/she indicates in his/her thesis any work which has been so incorporated. Any such work may provide support for a thesis but will not be taken into account when evaluating the thesis for the degree for which it is being examined.

(8) A candidate must indicate clearly the extent of any joint work included in the thesis, stating their share in such work. Joint work includes work undertaken with the candidate’s supervisor.

(9) A thesis or work submitted for examination for a higher degree by research shall include a declaration that the research has been undertaken in accordance with University safety policy.

(10) A full-time candidate for a research degree shall normally submit his/her thesis by the end of the prescribed period of study. Candidates for research degrees shall normally be permitted a twelve-month extension after the period of study.

(11) A candidate who has failed to attend the prescribed classes or to complete the prescribed course work or to make satisfactory progress in regard to his/her research may be required to withdraw from his/her course of study in accordance with the Regulations Governing the Continuation of Registration.

(B) General Provisions Applying to Masters' Degrees

(12) A candidate for a taught Master's degree shall be required to pursue an approved course of study for at least one year. In cases where a candidate receives accreditation for prior learning, the period of study may be reduced to take account of this, subject to the approval of the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies. Candidates for a taught Master's degree may be admitted for a lower qualification with the possibility of upgrading subject to satisfactory progress. A candidate for a Master’s degree by research shall be required to pursue an approved course of study for at least one year. A thesis shall not normally be submitted more than two months before the end of the prescribed period of study.

(13) The course of study shall consist of either:

(a) a course of advanced instruction followed by an examination, which may include the submission of a dissertation; or

(b) supervised research leading to the submission of a thesis.

In the case of (a) the detailed course of study shall be set out in the relevant course regulations.

(14) A dissertation submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a Master’s degree shall constitute an ordered, critical and reasoned exposition of knowledge in an approved field and shall afford evidence of knowledge of the relevant literature, and be submitted in accordance with the appropriate course regulations.

(15) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of a degree of Master shall be clearly and concisely written, show evidence of originality in knowledge and in interpretation, and shall also be judged on its scholarly presentation. In addition it shall contain a full bibliography. The thesis shall not exceed 40,000 words, which in the Faculty of Social Studies shall be inclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography and in the Faculties of Arts and Science shall be exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

(16) A candidate may be required by the examiners to present himself/herself for an oral examination. The candidate shall be required to complete satisfactorily the oral examination, if held, in order to satisfy the requirements for the award of the degree.

(17) A candidate registered for a Master's degree may be permitted by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of his/her Head of Department to transfer his/her registration to the degree of either MPhil or PhD.

(C) Provisions Applying to the Degree of Master of Surgery (MS) and Master of Medical Science (MMedSci)

(18) In order to be eligible for admission to the degree of Master of Surgery or Master of Medical Science (MMedSci) a candidate must hold a degree entitling him/her to, or recognised for, any form of registration with the General Medical Council for the United Kingdom.

(19) A candidate shall be required to pursue an approved course of study and research for not less than one year full-time.

(20) To satisfy the requirements of the degree of Master of Surgery or Master of Medical Science a thesis shall be clearly and concisely written, show evidence of originality in knowledge and in interpretation, and shall also be judged on its scholarly presentation. In addition it shall contain a full bibliography. The thesis shall not exceed 40,000 words exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

(21) A candidate may be required to undergo an oral examination. The candidate shall be required to complete satisfactorily the oral examination, if held, in order to satisfy the requirements for the award of the degree.

(22) Two examiners, one of whom must be medically qualified, shall be appointed by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate Department or School.

(23) The appointment and duties of the examiners for the research thesis shall be in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 16.1 Governing the Appointment and Duties of Examiners for Research Degrees.

(24) The joint report of the examiners shall conclude with one of the following recommendations:

(a) That the work submitted be approved for the degree in question.

(b) That the work submitted be approved for the degree, subject to minor amendments or corrections specified by the examiners. The minor amendments or corrections to be made will be indicated fully to the candidate by the examiners. The internal examiner shall ensure that the Library copies are corrected or amended. The minor amendments or corrections must be completed by the candidate to the satisfaction of the internal examiner within one month of the candidate receiving notification of the work required.

(c) That the degree be not awarded, but that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised thesis for the same degree within a prescribed period.

(d) That no degree be awarded.

(25) The referral of a thesis in accordance with recommendation 24(c) above shall be permitted on one occasion only.

(26) The period prescribed for the resubmission of a thesis in accordance with recommendation 24(c) above shall not normally exceed twelve months from the date on which the candidate is notified by the University of the decision of the examiners.

(D) Provisions Applying to the Degree of MPhil

(27) A candidate for the degree of Master of Philosophy shall be required to pursue an approved course of study and research extending over a period of normally not less than two years, leading to the submission of a thesis. A thesis shall not normally be submitted more than four months before the end of the prescribed period of study.

(28) The candidate may be required to pursue a course of advanced instruction preparatory to research.

(29) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of MPhil shall constitute an original contribution to knowledge. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written and well argued and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of methods and techniques used in the research. The thesis shall not exceed 60,000 words, which in the Faculty of Social Studies shall be inclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography and in the Faculties of Arts and Science shall be exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

In the Faculty of Arts an appendix may contain material that functions as data to supplement the main argument of the thesis, and may not contain material that is an integral part of the thesis. An appendix may not exceed 5,000 words in length unless permission to exceed this length is given by the Board of Graduate Studies.

(30) Following the submission of his/her thesis, a candidate shall be required to present himself/herself for an oral examination. The examiners may, in addition, require the candidate to present himself/herself for a written and/or practical examination. The candidate shall be required to complete satisfactorily the oral examination, if held, and written and/or practical examination if required, in order to satisfy the requirements for the degree.

(31) A candidate registered for the degree of MPhil may be permitted by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of his/her Head of Department to transfer his/her registration to the degree of PhD.

(E) Provisions Applying to the Degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD)

(32) In order to be eligible for admission to the degree of Doctor of Medicine a candidate must hold a degree entitling him/her to, or recognised for, any form of registration with the General Medical Council for the United Kingdom.

(33) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine shall be required to pursue an approved course of study and research extending over a period of not less than two years full-time. This period may be reduced particularly where the candidate has already completed a Master’s Degree, subject to the approval of the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies. A thesis shall not normally be submitted more than five months before the end of the prescribed period of study.

(34) In his/her first three terms a candidate may be required to pursue a course of advanced instruction preparatory to research and, unless otherwise prescribed at the time of registration, this shall consist of an approved course of advanced instruction and examination.

(35) To satisfy the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Medicine a thesis shall constitute a substantial original contribution to medical knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of publication. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written and well argued and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition, it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of methods and techniques used in the research. The thesis shall not exceed 70,000 words exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

(36) A candidate shall be required to undergo an oral examination, which shall cover the thesis itself and the field of study in which the thesis has been written. The examiners may, in addition, require the candidate to take a written and/or practical examination. The candidate shall be required to complete satisfactorily the oral examination and written or practical examination, if required, in order to satisfy the requirements for the degree.

(37) Two examiners, one of whom must be medically qualified, shall be appointed by the Senate on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate Department or School.

(38) The appointment and duties of the examiners for the research thesis shall be in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 16.1 Governing the Appointment and Duties of Examiners for Research Degrees.

(39) The joint report of the examiners shall conclude with one of the following recommendations:

(a) That the work submitted be approved for the degree of Doctor of Medicine;

(c) That the degree be not awarded, but that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised thesis for the same degree within a prescribed period;

(d) That the work be not approved for the award of the degree of MD but be approved for the degree of MMedSci.

(e) That no degree be awarded.

(40) The referral of a thesis in accordance with recommendation (c) above shall be permitted on one occasion only.

(41) The period prescribed for the resubmission of a thesis in accordance with recommendation (c) above shall not normally exceed twelve months from the date on which the candidate is notified by the University of the decision of the examiners.

(F) Provisions Applying to the Degree of PhD

(42) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be required to pursue an approved course of study and research extending over a period of not less than three years. This period may be reduced by the Senate particularly where the candidate has already completed a Master’s Degree. A thesis shall not normally be submitted more than five months before the end of the prescribed period of study.

(43) A candidate in the Faculties of Arts, Medicine and Social Studies may, with the approval of the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies, be registered directly for the degree of the Doctor of Philosophy but otherwise shall normally be registered in the first instance for the degree of MPhil. Subject to satisfactory progress, this registration may be upgraded to the degree of PhD. Departments are responsible for advising students of departmental requirements for upgrading to PhD in line with the Guidelines on the Supervision and Monitoring of Research Degree Students produced by the Graduate School. The upgrading of registration shall be approved by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Department. If a candidate fails to upgrade to the degree of PhD at the first attempt, s/he will normally be permitted to submit a further upgrading proposal. If following this second attempt, a candidate fails to upgrade to the degree of PhD, the department may recommend that the student be required to withdraw in accordance with the Procedures for the Continuation of Registration (Regulation 13(2)), or the student may be allowed to continue his/her registration but only for the degree of MPhil. A student shall have the right to appeal to a Preliminary Review Panel against a decision that s/he be allowed to continue registration only for the degree of MPhil, following the procedure set out in Regulation 16.3 (1).

(44) Where a candidate successfully completes the requirements for the degree of MA, MBA, MPA, MRes, MEd, LLM or MSc in the first year of his/her registration for the degree of PhD, or two years for candidates following a four year PhD course, he/she shall be entitled to be awarded the Master’s degree.

(45) To satisfy the requirements of the degree of PhD, a thesis shall constitute a substantial original contribution to knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of peer-reviewed publication. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written and well argued and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of methods and techniques used in the research. The thesis shall not exceed 70,000 words in the Faculty of Science and 80,000 words in the Faculties of Arts, Medicine and Social Studies. These limits shall be exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

In the Faculties of Arts and Social Studies an appendix may contain material that functions as data to supplement the main argument of the thesis, and may not contain material that is an essential or integral part of the thesis. The total length of all appendices combined may not exceed 5,000 words in length unless permission to exceed this length is given by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies.

(46) A candidate shall be required to present himself/herself for an oral examination, which shall cover the thesis itself and the field of study in which the thesis has been written. The examiners may in addition require the candidate to take a written and/or practical examination. The candidate shall be required to complete satisfactorily the oral examination and written and/or practical examination, if required, in order to satisfy the requirements for the degree.

(47) A candidate may be awarded a lower degree in respect of a thesis submitted for the degree of PhD, as prescribed under Regulation 16.1.

(48) A candidate registered for the degree of PhD may be permitted by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies, on the recommendation of his/her Head of Department, to transfer his/her registration to a Master's degree.

(49) A candidate may be required to pursue a course of advanced instruction preparatory to or alongside research and, unless otherwise prescribed at the time of registration, this shall consist of an approved course fo instruction and examination as prescribed under paragraph (13) above.

(50) A candidate registered for the degree of PhD who has already received a Master's degree shall be permitted to transfer to the degree of MPhil only if a period of study of at least two years in addition to the period of study for the Master's degree is prescribed.

(G) Provisions Applying to the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy to be Awarded for the Submission of Published Work

(51) Candidates for the degree of PhD by submission of published work must be (i) members of academic staff or administrative or library staff of equivalent status of the University and normally have been employed by the University for at least three years immediately prior to the submission of published work; (ii) graduates of at least seven year’s standing normally holding a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent. (52) A candidate shall apply in writing to the Registrar for admission to the degree of PhD under these regulations. The request for admission shall be considered by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Heads of the appropriate Departments or Schools and the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee of the relevant Faculty. Where admission to the degree is approved, an academic advisor shall be appointed by the Head of the appropriate Department or School, to provide guidance to the candidate on the presentation of the published work. (53) A candidate may submit published work for examination for the degree of PhD only after a minimum period of three months registration for candidates admitted under 51(i) and of six months registration for candidates admitted under 51(ii). (54) A candidate must select material from a nominated field of study and present two copies of such material for examination. A candidate shall, in addition, be required to submit two copies of a covering document of 5,000 - 10,000 words. The covering document must explain the inter-relationship between the material presented and the significance of the published works as a contribution to original knowledge within the relevant fields. In addition, the covering document shall contain as an appendix a full bibliography of all the work ever published by the candidate. An examination fee, to be set annually by the Council, shall be paid. (55) Candidates shall be required: (a) to declare that the submitted material as a whole is not substantially the same as any that they have previously submitted or are currently submitting whether published or in unpublished form, for a degree, diploma, or similar qualification at any university or similar institution; (b) to state which parts if any of the work or works submitted have previously been submitted for any such qualification; and (c) where the work submitted includes work conducted in collaboration with others to provide a written statement normally signed by all collaborating parties on the extent of the candidate’s individual contribution to the material and the conditions and circumstances under which the work was carried out. (56) A candidate may include with their submitted material work that has not been published only with the prior approval of the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies. (57) In order to be eligible for the award of the degree of PhD, the submitted material must constitute a substantial original contribution to knowledge. The material submitted shall be examined by two examiners appointed by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate Department or School. In the case of candidates admitted under 51(i) above, both examiners shall be external to the University. In the case of collaborative work the examiners must satisfy themselves that the part of the submitted material attributed to the candidate constitutes a substantial original contribution to knowledge. (58) A candidate shall be required to undergo an oral examination which shall be on the submitted material itself and the related general field of study. (59) Where the examiners are unable to agree on the recommendation to be made or if, for any reason, a further opinion is required on the work submitted, an external adjudicator shall be
appointed. The adjudicator shall be appointed by the Senate on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate department after consultation with the original external examiner. The
adjudicator shall consider the work submitted and will also be sent the reports of the original examiners. The adjudicator shall make an independent report which shall conclude with one of
the recommendations under Regulation 14 (G) (61). The report shall be sent, together with the original examiners’ reports to the Academic Registrar for consideration
by the appropriate Graduate Studies Committee. The recommendation of the adjudicator shall normally be expected to prevail. (60) Each examiner shall make an independent report on the work submitted, both shall be present at the oral examination and shall sign the joint report and the final recommendation. The reports shall be sent to the Academic Registrar for consideration by the appropriate Graduate Studies Committee. The examiners' reports shall be treated at all times as confidential to the Academic Registrar, the appropriate Graduate Studies Committee, an external adjudicator where one is appointed under Regulation 16.1(4), the members of the Preliminary Review Panel and the Chair of the Graduate Appeals Committee where a candidate exercises the right of appeal under Regulation 16.3, the Head and Director of Graduate Studies (or equivalent) of the relevant Department or School, the supervisor, and the student. (61) The joint report of the examiners shall conclude with one of the following recommendations: (a) that the work submitted be approved for the award of the degree of PhD; or (b) that the work submitted be approved for the award of the degree of PhD subject to minor corrections or amendments to the covering document which shall be completed by the candidate to the satisfaction of the internal advisor within one month of the candidate receiving notification of the work required; or (c) that the work be not approved for the degree of PhD, but the candidate be permitted to submit a revised covering document and/or a different selection of published material for a PhD within a prescribed period; or (d) that the work be not approved for the award of the degree of PhD but be approved for the degree of MPhil or Master’s degree; or (e) that the work be not approved for the award of the degree of PhD. (62) Where the examiners recommend (61)(d) or (e) above a candidate will not be permitted to re-submit the same material or any part of the material for the degree of PhD. (63) The period prescribed for the resubmission of a thesis in accordance with recommendation 61(c) above shall not normally exceed twelve months from the date on which the candidate is notified by the University of the decision of the examiners. (64) One copy of the work submitted in support of a successful application shall be retained by the University and deposited in the library.

(H) Provisions Applying to the Degree of Doctor of Engineering (EngD)

(65) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Engineering shall be required to pursue an approved course of study and research extending over a maximum period of four and a half years full-time study. The minimum period of study shall be of not less than three years, or of not less than two years where the candidate possesses a relevant MSc.

(66) The course of study shall be managed by an Executive Board. The Executive Board shall comprise: the EngD Director and at least two other senior members of staff appointed from the relevant department(s) for the particular EngD programme.

(67) Candidates for the degree of Doctor of Engineering shall normally be required to follow taught modular units of credit as set out in the Course Regulations. A candidate's performance shall be reviewed at the end of the first year by the Executive, and progress onto the second year shall be subject to satisfactory performance.

(68) Candidates who have already successfully completed an MSc in an appropriate science discipline or who have substantial industrial experience may, at the discretion of the Executive Board, be granted exemptions from some taught course requirements.

(69) At the end of the second year, the Executive Board shall consider the progress of candidates on the basis of their performance in the post-module assignments and submissions and the candidates shall either:

(a) be permitted to continue with the EngD; or

(b) be required to withdraw from the EngD but subject to the agreement of the Board of Graduate Studies, be permitted to submit the work for an appropriate MSc within a prescribed period. Such work would then be examined by the appropriate Board.

(70) In order to be eligible for the award of the degree of Doctor of Engineering, candidates must demonstrate innovation in the application of knowledge to the engineering business environment. In addition they must demonstrate the following competences:

expert knowledge of an engineering area;

the appreciation of industrial engineering and development culture;

project and programme management skills;

teamwork and leadership skills;

oral and written communication skills;

technical organisational skills;

financial engineering project planning and control;

the ability to apply their skills to new and unusual situations;

the ability to seek optimal, viable solutions to multi-faceted engineering problems and to search out relevant information sources.

(71) During the last two years of the registration candidates shall also be required to complete a project or set of industrially relevant projects. The projects will be agreed by the companies participating in the scheme and be approved by the Executive Board. The projects shall be designed to ensure that candidates develop the required competences and have the opportunity to demonstrate innovation in the application of knowledge in the engineering business environment.

(72) Candidates will be required to submit a detailed reports on the work undertaken. At least one detailed report should be submitted to the portfolio per year. The reports shall be clearly and concisely written, well-organised and include a description of materials and techniques used. Candidates shall normally be required to spend a significant period of time working on the projects in a participating engineering company or companies.

(73) Candidates shall be required to present a portfolio of work. The portfolio shall normally comprise reports of an industrially relevant project or projects completed during the period of registration, post-module assignments. The portfolio should include an Innovation Report which sets the contents within the context of the engineering business environment. This Innovation Report will be a maximum of 40,000 words and is the main record of the work to enter the public domain. It will show the main innovation(s), and the main evidence to support this innovation. It should include a description and explanation of the methodology used and show evidence of an appropriate review of the literature.

(74) Where the work on a particular project was undertaken in collaboration with others then the candidate must attach a brief statement to each report outlining the role performed by each individual in the project. Where the collaboration is with other candidates for the degree, then the statement must be signed by all collaborators.

(75) Candidates shall also be required to submit a Personal Profile together with the portfolio of work. The profile shall comprise of a complete list of all modules undertaken together with the examination marks obtained and a summary of no more than 4,000 words on the ways in which the candidate has demonstrated mastery of the required competences for the degree listed under paragraph (95) above.

(76) For each candidate submitting work for the degree of EngD, a Panel of three Examiners shall normally be appointed by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies which shall normally include at least one external examiner, one industrial external examiner and one internal examiner. Where the candidate is a member of academic staff, administrative or library staff of equivalent status, or the senior research staff of the University or a member of the research staff of more than five years standing at the University, the examination shall be conducted by at least two external academic examiners and one industrial external examiner. Where two examiners but no internal examiner are appointed to conduct the examination, an internal advisor shall be appointed. The internal advisor shall be a member of staff other than a supervisor from the candidate's Department or School and shall be appointed by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate Department or school. The advisor shall advise and assist the external examiners on University and departmental procedures for the examination and will normally be present at the oral examination subject to the approval of the external examiners. The advisor shall not participate in the examination process.

(77) Candidates for the degree of EngD shall be required to submit a portfolio of work, which must include the Innovation Report and the Personal Profile detailed in Regulation 14 (H) (73) and 14 (H) (75) respectively for examination by the Panel of Examiners and shall also be required to pass an oral examination to be conducted by the Panel of Examiners. The oral examination shall include a formal presentation of the work by the candidate and be used to assess the extent to which the candidate has mastered the competences listed under Regulation 14 (H) (70).

(78) Where the Panel of Examiners are unable to agree on the recommendation to be made, or if for any other reason a further opinion is required on the work submitted, an additional academic examiner shall be appointed.

(79) The appointment and duties of the examiners for the research thesis shall be in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 16.1 Governing the Appointment and Duties of Examiners for Research Degrees.

(80) The joint report of the examiners shall conclude with one of the following recommendations:

(a) that the work submitted be approved for the degree of Doctor of Engineering;

(b) that the work submitted be approved for the degree, subject to minor amendments or corrections specified by the examiners. The minor amendments or corrections to be made shall be indicated fully to the candidate by the examiners. The internal examiner shall ensure that the library copies are corrected or amended.

(c) that the degree be not awarded, but that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised portfolio of work for the same degree within a prescribed period;

(d) that the degree be not awarded, but that the candidate be permitted to re-submit the work for a lower degree.

(e) that the degree be not awarded, but that the candidate be awarded a lower degree.

(f) that no degree be awarded.

(81) The referral of a portfolio of work in accordance with recommendations 80(c) and (d) above shall be permitted on one occasion only.

(I) Provisions Applying to the Degree of Doctor of Education (EdD)

(82) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Education shall be required to pursue an approved course of study and research extending over a period of not less than three years full-time or four years part-time. This period may be reduced by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies, particularly where the candidate has already completed a Master’s degree. The final thesis shall not normally be submitted more than five months before the end of the prescribed period of study.

(83) Requirements for the course shall be set out in the Course Regulations.

(84) During the first two years of registration the progress of candidates for the degree of Doctor of Education will be considered by the appropriate Board of Examiners for taught postgraduate degrees, which shall include an external examiner, and the board will take one of the following decisions in respect of each candidate:

(a) that the candidate be permitted to proceed to the next year of the Doctor of Education course.

(b) that the candidate be required to re-submit work within a specified time before being permitted to proceed to the next year of the Doctor of Education course.

(c) for part-time students, that the candidate be permitted to proceed to the next year of a Master's or Postgraduate Diploma course.

(d) that the candidate be not permitted to proceed to the next year of the Doctor of Education course but be awarded the qualification of MA or MSc or Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate subject to the candidate having met the requirements of the course regulations for the award concerned.

(e) that the candidate be required to re-submit work within a specified time for the award of the qualification of MA or MSc or Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate subject to the candidate having met the requirements of the course regulations for the award concerned.

(85) Where the Board of Examiners requires the student to re-submit work under paragraph 84(b) above and the work submitted does not reach sufficient standard for progression to the next year of the Doctor of Education programme, the Board of Examiners may award the qualification of MA or MSc or Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate subject to the candidate having met the requirements of the course regulations for the award concerned.

(86) Where the Board of Examiners requires the student to re-submit work under paragraph 84(e) above and the work submitted does not reach sufficient standard for award of the qualification specified the Board of Examiners may award a lower qualification subject to the candidate having met the requirements of the course regulations for the award concerned.

(87) At the end of the third year of full-time study or fourth year of part-time study students are required to submit a research thesis. In the Institute of Education this may take the form of one study not exceeding 40,000 words in length or two studies each not exceeding 20,000 words in length, inclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography. In the Centre for English Language Teacher Education, this shall take the form of a research thesis not exceeding 50,000 words in length. To satisfy the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education the thesis shall constitute an original contribution to knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written and well argued and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition, it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of the methods and techniques used in the research.

(88) A candidate shall be required to present himself/herself for an oral examination, which shall cover the thesis itself and the field of study in which the thesis has been written. The candidate shall be required to complete satisfactorily the oral examination in order to satisfy the requirements for the degree.

(89) The appointment and duties of the examiners for the research thesis shall be in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 16.1 Governing the Appointment and Duties of Examiners for Research Degrees. The research thesis will be examined only after all other requirements for the degree have been met.

(90) The decisions open to the examiners for a research thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Education shall be laid down in Regulation 16.1(9) replacing the term Doctor of Philosophy with the term Doctor of Education except that candidates shall not be eligible for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy. The degree of MA or MSc in Education by Research may be awarded to candidates for the degree of Doctor of Education where the research thesis does not meet the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Education.

(J) Additional Provisions and Variations of the Provisions Applying to Part-Time Candidates

(91) Registration as a part-time candidate is normally permitted only where the candidate is able to satisfy the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies that by virtue of being engaged in paid employment or in some activity other than work for the higher degree for a significant part of the working week, he/she is able to study only on a part-time basis. Such a candidate will be permitted to register only as a part-time candidate.

(92) Permission to pursue a higher degree course part-time will be granted only to a candidate who can show that he/she is able to devote a reasonable proportion of time to the work prescribed, and to satisfy the arrangements for supervision.

(93) A part-time candidate is required to attend the University for such consultations and study periods as their supervisor (or director of studies) and Department may require.

(94) The period of study prescribed for a part-time candidate shall normally be at least two years for a Master's degree, at least three years for the degree of MPhil or MD, and at least five years for the degree of PhD.

(95) A part-time candidate for a research degree shall normally submit his/her thesis within twelve months of the end of the prescribed period of study. A candidate may, through his/her supervisor, apply to the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies for an extension of the period for submission. Applications for extensions of more than twelve months at a time will not be considered. A part-time candidate for the degree of PhD shall not normally be allowed more than seven years from initial registration for the submission of his/her thesis, a candidate for the degree of MPhil not more than six years, and candidates for other Master’s degrees by research not more than five years.

14.1 Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych)

(1) General

(a) The degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology is awarded jointly by Coventry University and the University of Warwick. The programme is managed by a Programme Director and a Programme Board which shall include representatives from both Universities.

(b) During their period of study candidates shall be registered students of both Universities. They shall have the same rights and responsibilities as other students of each University except where special provision is made within these regulations.

(c) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology shall be required to follow the approved programme of study for a period of three years full-time. The programme is not available by part-time study.

(d) It shall be a condition of registration on the degree that candidates have an approved contract of employment with an appropriate National Health Service Trust. Candidates whose contract of employment is terminated prior to completion of their degree shall be required to withdraw from the programme.

(e) Should there be any doubt concerning the regulations which apply in particular circumstances, the Programme Director, in consultation with the Academic Registrars of both Universities, shall decide which regulations should apply.

(2) Progression and Award of the Degree

(a) The Programme Assessment Board for the degree shall be appointed by Coventry University in accordance with Coventry University Academic Regulations 6 and 8 and by the University of Warwick in accordance with paragraphs (1) to (5) of Regulation 16.2. The Board shall include representatives from both Universities.

(b) At the end of the first and second years, the Programme Assessment Board shall consider the progress of candidates on the basis of performance in written coursework assignments and reports from professional placement supervisors, and candidates shall either:

(i) be permitted to proceed to the next year of the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme; or

(ii) be permitted to resubmit within a prescribed period a limited number of coursework assignments and one placement report in accordance with the Programme Regulations for the degree; or

(iii) be awarded the degree of MSc in Abnormal Psychology by Coventry University for satisfactory completion of all components of the first two years of the programme; or

(iv) be required to withdraw from the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme.

Where a candidate has been permitted to resubmit work in accordance with paragraph (ii) above, the Programme Assessment Board shall consider the resubmitted work presented by the candidate and shall make a decision on the candidate's progress in accordance with either paragraph (i), (iii) or (iv) above. Resubmission of work will be permitted on one occasion only.

(c) In accordance with the Programme Regulations for the degree, in addition to a placement report and professional portfolio, students will be required to submit a research thesis during the third year. The report shall not exceed 20,000 words in length exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography. Extensions to the submission deadline for the thesis shall only be permitted in exceptional circumstances.

(d) In order for the candidate to be eligible for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology, the research thesis must constitute an original contribution to knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

(e) The appointment and duties of the examiners for the research thesis shall be in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (1) to (8) of University of Warwick Regulation 16.1 Governing the Appointment and Duties of Examiners for Research Degrees.

(f) Candidates shall be required to undergo an oral examination concerning the research thesis.

(g) The joint report of the examiners of the research thesis shall conclude with one of the following recommendations:

(i) That the thesis be approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology.

(ii) That the thesis submitted be approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology, subject to minor amendments or corrections specified by the examiners. The minor amendments or corrections to be made will be indicated fully to the candidate by the examiners. The internal examiner shall ensure that the Library copies are corrected or amended. The minor amendments or corrections must be completed by the candidate to the satisfaction of the internal examiner within one month of the candidate receiving notification of the work required.

(iii) That the thesis be not approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology in its present form, but that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised thesis within a prescribed period.

(iv) That the work be not approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Clinical Psychology.

The referral of a thesis in accordance with recommendation (iii) above shall be permitted on one occasion only and the period prescribed for resubmission shall not normally exceed twelve months from the date on which the candidate is notified by the University of the decision of the examiners.

(h) The final recommendation of the examiners of the research thesis shall be considered by the Programme Assessment Board for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology together with the performance of the candidate in the other components of the third year of study and the Programme Assessment Board shall recommend either:

(i) That the candidate be awarded the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology; or

(ii) That the candidate be awarded the degree of MSc in Abnormal Psychology by Coventry University where the examiners of the research thesis have concluded that the thesis does not meet the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology.

Candidates who are not eligible for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology may be considered by the Programme Assessment Board for the award of the degree of MSc in Abnormal Psychology by Coventry University where the candidate has completed in full the requirements of the first two years of the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme, whether or not the candidate has submitted a research thesis.

(i) The recommendations of the Programme Assessment Board for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology shall be subject to the approval of the Academic Board of Coventry University and of the Senate of the University of Warwick in accordance with the standard procedures of the two Universities for the award of research degrees.

(3) Appeals

(a) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology shall have the right of appeal against the decision of the Programme Assessment Board that he/she be required to withdraw from the programme under paragraph 2(b)(iv) above or that the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology not be awarded under paragraph 2(h)(ii) above. There shall be no right of appeal against the requirement to resubmit work relating to any component of the programme with the exception of a requirement to repeat a period of clinical placement.

(b) Appeals against the decisions of the Programme Assessment Board as defined in (3)(a) above will be considered where:

(i) a student is in possession of evidence which was not available to the examiners when their decision was reached and can provide good reasons for not having made the examiners aware of the circumstances affecting his/her performance prior to the meeting of the Programme Assessment Board; or

(ii) there appear to have been procedural irregularities in the conduct of the examination; or

(iii) there appears to be evidence of prejudice or of bias or of inadequate assessment on the part of one or more of the examiners.

An appeal on the grounds of inadequate supervisory or other arrangements during the period of study may also be considered where the candidate can provide good reasons for not having made known his/her complaint at an earlier stage.

(c) Notification of the intention to appeal must be lodged by the candidate with the Academic Registrar of Coventry University within 10 working days of receiving notification of the decision of the Programme Assessment Board.

(d) An Appeals Committee shall be constituted for the programme and shall include two representatives from Coventry University and two from the University of Warwick. The Coventry University representatives shall be appointed by the Academic Board of the University and shall normally include the Chair of the Examinations Appeals Committee. The representatives from the University of Warwick shall be appointed by the Senate of the University and shall normally include the Chair of the University's Graduate Appeals Committee and one other member of that Committee. The Committee shall be chaired alternately by a representative of each University for each case to be considered. The membership of the Appeals Committee will be selected to ensure that no member of the Committee is involved in the case in another capacity.

(e) The Chairs of the respective appeals committees of each University shall consider the candidate's case and decide whether there appears, prima facie, to be a case for consideration by a full hearing of the Appeals Committee. An appeal shall not be considered where both the Chairs consider that the evidence provided by the candidate concerned does not constitute grounds for an appeal, and the candidate will be notified of the reasons for the decision. Where one or both of the Chairs consider(s) that the evidence provided by the candidate constitutes grounds for an appeal a meeting of the Appeals Committee shall be convened.

(f) The appellant shall receive, so far as reasonably practicable, notice of at least 21 days of the date set for the meeting of the Appeals Committee. The appellant may, if he/she chooses, appear in person before the Committee and may invite any one person to attend the hearing. The name and status of the person accompanying the appellant must be notified to the Chair of the Appeals Committee in advance of the hearing. The Appeals Committee shall take evidence from such persons as it deems appropriate. The Programme Director, or his/her authorised deputy, must be available when the appeal is being considered to advise the Committee on departmental procedures and other relevant matters arising in the course of the hearing. He/she shall be in attendance only at the meeting and shall take no part in the deliberations of the Appeals Committee.

(g) Notwithstanding their confidential nature, the reports of the examiners shall be made available to the Appeals Committee and also to the appellant. Where any written evidence is subsequently submitted by the examiners to the Committee, this shall also be made available to the appellant.

(h) The Appeals Committee may take one of the following decisions:

(i) To reject the appeal, in which case the appellant shall be notified of the Committee’s reasons for rejecting the appeal.

(ii) Where the grounds for the appeal were that there appeared to have been procedural irregularities in the conduct of the examination or that there existed circumstances of which the examiners were not aware when their decision was taken, to recommend to the examiners that, for reasons stated, they should reconsider their decision.

(iii) To permit the student to submit a revised and final version of the work for examination within a specified period of time.

(iv) To determine that the work should be re-examined.

(i) Where the decision of the Appeals Committee is that the work should be re-examined (3(h)(iv) above), new examiners shall be appointed to conduct the re-examination, in number no fewer than the original examiners and including at least one external examiner. The new examiners shall be appointed by the Appeals Committee on the advice of members of the Programme Assessment Board who have not, as far as possible, had any involvement in the appeal. The reports of both the original and the new examiners shall be considered according to the procedure laid down in paragraph 2(i) above; where the recommendations of the two groups of examiners do not agree, the recommendation of the new examiners shall normally be expected to prevail.

(j) The decision of the Appeals Committee is final.

(4) Termination of Registration

(a) The Programme Director may recommend that a candidate registered on the programme be required to withdraw. The recommendation shall be considered by the Dean of the School of Health and Social Sciences at Coventry University and the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Faculty of Science at Warwick who may make further enquiries before deciding to require the student to withdraw. Should the Dean and Chair be unable to agree, the view of one of the external examiners for the programme shall be sought and his/her view shall normally be expected to prevail.

(b) A candidate may appeal against the decision requiring him/her to withdraw. Such an appeal must be lodged by the candidate with the Academic Registrar of Coventry University within 10 days of the decision having been communicated to the candidate in writing by the Dean and Chair. The appeal will be considered by the Appeals Committee for the degree and the membership of the Committee will be as prescribed under paragraph 3(d) above.

(c) The appellant shall normally receive at least 10 days notice of the date set for the meeting of the Appeals Committee. The appellant may, if he/she chooses, appear in person before the Appeals Committee and may be accompanied by any one other person. The name and status of this person must be notified to the Chair of the Appeals Committee in advance of the hearing. The Appeals Committee will take evidence from the Programme Director and such other persons as it deems appropriate.

(d) The Appeals Committee may either:

(i) reject the appeal and confirm the decision requiring the student to withdraw; or

(ii) uphold the appeal and permit the student to continue with his/her registration on the degree.

(e) The decision of the Appeals Committee is final.

(5) Disciplinary Matters

(a) Disciplinary matters will be considered under the relevant regulations and procedures of either Coventry University or the University of Warwick by mutual agreement between the two institutions depending on the location and parties involved in the issue concerned; students shall not have a choice of which procedures shall be adopted. Where the Universities consider it appropriate, the procedure may involve consideration of the case by staff from both institutions.

(b) This paragraph shall apply to matters such car parking, damage to property, library regulations, regulations governing the use of computing facilities, safety regulations, use or sale of drugs, assault or serious threatening behaviour, abusive or unreasonable behaviour, freedom of speech, breaches of codes of practice relevant to the programme. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

(6) Cheating and Plagiarism

(a) Cases of suspected cheating or plagiarism by candidates in the first two years of the programme shall normally be investigated in accordance with Appendix 1 to the General Regulations of Coventry University, relating to the examinations responsibilities of students.

(b) Cases of suspected cheating or plagiarism by candidates in the third year of the programme will normally be investigated in accordance with University of Warwick Regulation 11 governing the procedure to be adopted in the event of suspected cheating in a University Test.

(c) Where two or more candidates are suspected of cheating or plagiarism and the candidates involved include at least one from the third year and one from the first or second years of the degree, the Programme Director shall decide which University’s procedures should be used to investigate the case.

(d) In all cases where an Investigating Panel or Committee is convened, the Panel or Committee shall include at least one representative from each University.

(7) Complaints

(a) Candidates who wish to lodge a formal complaint regarding any aspect of the programme may do so in accordance with the procedures laid down for complaints in Appendix 13 of the General Regulations of Coventry University. The complainant may lodge their complaint with the Programme Director, the Dean of the School of Health and Social Sciences at Coventry University, the Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick or with the Vice-Chancellor of either University.

(b) The investigation of the complaint will be conducted in accordance with the general procedures set down in Appendix 13 of the General Regulations of Coventry University but the personnel to be involved in the investigation will be determined on a case by case basis by agreement between the two Universities depending on the nature of the complaint and the parties involved. The candidate shall be informed of the names and posts of the individuals involved in the investigation.