References
- For most Postgraduate Taught courses we require one supportive reference from a valid referee. For most Postgraduate Research courses we require two supportive references from valid referees.
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Your offer will confirm the number of references which are required.
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There are two ways we can accept references.
- Direct online submission by your referees using a secure web link we provide. If you provide an email address for your referees when you apply, upon submission of your application (and after any application assessment fee has been paid), we will automatically contact your nominated referees for you. We will only contact your referees once. Out of courtesy, we strongly advise you to contact your referees in advance of making your application. Please note, this option is not applicable to courses administered via UCAS or UCAS Teacher Training.
- If you do not supply email addresses for your referees when you make your application, or if your referees prefer not to use the online submission facility, you should contact your referees yourself to request that references are sent to the University by post in support of your application. When requesting a reference by mail you must complete a reference form for each referee. We require references submitted in this way to be be signed originals
on official letter-headed paper. The referee should attach their reference to the reference form you provide, and send the reference directly to the Postgraduate Admissions Team. We do not accept references via email.
When we refer to providing "satisfactory references" we mean the following:
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If you have studied full-time in higher education within the last 2 years we require all references provided to be academic references from individuals who have directly taught you (or who have supervised your academic research). We will require your referees to be able to comment on your academic work. If you have undertaken previous postgraduate studies within this timescale, we will normally require at least one of your academic references to relate to your most recent postgraduate study.
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If you have studied part-time in higher education within the last 2 years then we require at least one academic reference to be from an individual who has directly taught you (or who has supervised your academic research). We will require this referee to comment on your academic work. Where a second reference is required, we will accept either a further academic reference or an employment/professional reference. Employment/professional references must be from an individual who has been/is your line manager or supervisor in your current or most recent employment.
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If you have not been in higher education at all within the last 2 years you may nominate persons with knowledge of your current or most recent employment activity to act as your referees. Such referees must have acted as your supervisor or line manager (or similar role). You may supply academic references where possible, preferably from individuals who taught you on your most recent course of study.
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We will not accept references from peers, relatives, friends, school teachers (ie. below degree level studies).
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Some courses may have very specific reference requirements. We will advise applicants made an offer for such courses as to what these specific requirements might be. For example, some courses involving a professional placement may specifically require a practise reference (where the referee is asked to comment on aspects of your employment, professional practise, or voluntary work).