Document Sign-off, Ownership Details and Revision History

DOCUMENT SIGN-OFF AND OWNERSHIP DETAILS

Document name:

 

Regulations for Awards (Research Degrees) 2023/24

Version Number:

 

V7.0

Equality Impact Assessment:

 

June 2024

Privacy Impact Assessment:

Not applicable

Approved by:

 

Graduate Board and University Research Committee

Date Approved:

Graduate Board – 08 May 2024

URC – TBC

 

Effective from:

 

01 August 2024

Date for Review:

 

Annually

Author:

 

Head of Student Regulations and Casework

Owner (if different from above):

 

Director of Registry

Document Location:

 

 https://www.hud.ac.uk/policies/registry/awards-pgr/

Compliance Measures:

 

A compliance check has been completed and this is available on request, email registryresearch@hud.ac.uk

Related Policies/Procedures:

There are many regulations / policies / procedures that may impact upon these regulations, in the main these are:

  • Regulations for Postgraduate Research Students 2024/25
  • Quality Assurance Procedures for Taught and Research Awards 2024/25
  • PGR Handbook (online)
  • A list of important student policies can be found in the Regulations for Postgraduate Research Students 2024/25 – Section 1: Important information for all students

 

REVISION HISTORY

 

Version

Date

Revision description/Summary of changes

Author

7.0

01 August 2024

Throughout the regulations

  • Insertion of missing words and small spelling or grammatical changes throughout.
  • Small clarification and formatting changes throughout.

 

Section A – General regulations governing all research degrees

  • Amendment and clarification provided within A1.10 Alternative formats of thesis submission, specifically in relation to requests made by PGRs with a disability
  • Slight amendments made the requirements of the supervisory team in section A3

Section D - Professional Doctorate, incorporating the Master in Research

  • Amendment to D5.8 to state that following initial assessment (progression stage), that the examination team reserve the right to request a further viva after resubmission
  • Amendment to D5.9 and D5.12 to state that following amendments, if the PGR has failed/been downgraded the examination team must hold a viva before decision is finalised.

 

Section E - PhD and EntD

  • Amendment to E5.10 to state that following initial assessment (progression stage), that the examination team reserve the right to request a further viva after resubmission
  • Amendment to E5.11 and E5.14 to state that following amendments, if the PGR has failed/been downgraded the examination team must hold a viva before decision is finalised
  • Guidance to alternative thesis format altered to reflect that included in A10.

 

Section G: Higher Doctorates

  • Clarity provided on appeal procedure

 

Registry

6.0

1 August 2023

Throughout the regulations

  • Insertion of missing words and small spelling or grammatical changes throughout.
  • Small clarification and formatting changes throughout.

 

Section A – General regulations governing all research degrees

  • Clarity provided around dual enrolment
  • Introduction of ‘fit to submit’ regulation
  • Introduction of the record of achievement (under 50 credits only)
  • Clarification of revocation of award process
  • Emphasis on student visa implications of student’s requesting additional time to complete
  • Clarity on process for the request to increase wordcount
  • Introduction of A.4.9 ‘The Examination Team’. The information used to sit in Section N within the Quality Assurance Regulations but has been moved to the Award Regulations for parity and process ownership by the PGR Team.

 

Section B: Masters by Research

  • Clarity on the period required for further editorial corrections to be submitted, given as an outcome of the revised submission.

 

Section C: Master of Philosophy

  • Clarity on the period required for further editorial corrections to be submitted, given as an outcome of the revised submission.

 

Section D: Professional Doctorate, incorporating the Master in Research

  • Clarity of the progression panel membership
  • Introduction of second discretionary PM viva
  • Clarity on the period required for further editorial corrections to be submitted, given as an outcome of the revised submission.

 

Section E: PhD and EntD

  • Clarity on the period required for further editorial corrections to be submitted, given as an outcome of the revised submission
  • Clarity of the progression panel membership
  • Clarity on restrictions of change of programme for PhD and EntD candidates

 

Section F: PhD by Publication

  • Clarity on the period required for further editorial corrections to be submitted, given as an outcome of the revised submission

 

Section G: Higher Doctorates

  • Insertion of outcome appeal outcome window
  • Clarity provided on qualifying criteria
  • Insertion of the usual requirement to submit all work electronically.

 

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Throughout the regulations

  • Insertion of missing words and small spelling or grammatical changes throughout.
  • Small clarification and formatting changes throughout.
  • Some larger areas of re-wording to address providing additional clarity, which does not impact a regulatory change.
  • Some areas of duplication have been deleted.
  • Insertion of hyperlinks.

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Section A – General regulations governing all research degrees

 

A1.10 Alternative formats of thesis submission

  • Links provide to guidance that is now found in the appendices.
  • Change of approval procedure from through validation to School Dean and Dean of Graduate School.
  • Alternative formats should normally be declared at research support plan submission and be formalised at progression monitoring one.
  • Inclusion that an alternative format may be required to provide a reasonable adjustment for a PGR with a disability.
  • Confirmation that the appropriate guidelines will be made available to examiners.

A2.5 Candidates enrolled on a campus based research degree

  • Updated to clearly define what is a campus based research degree to differentiate between research degrees that are delivered via distance learning.

A4.1 Examination and assessments – candidate responsibilities

  • Clarity provided to explain ‘fit to sit’ in relation to submitting work for assessment and for attendance at progression and final viva examinations.

A4.4 Application for the writing-up period

Removal of point A4.4.10 which states that no further time will be allowed at the end of the writing-up period, as this contradicts that end extensions are permitted at this stage.

 

A5 Revocation of a research degree

  • New section created to support the revocation of degree

 

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Section B – Master’s by Research

B1.4 Alternative formats of thesis submission

  • Condense to reduce duplication from section A1.10.

B5.3 Transfer to or from a distance learning route

  • Addition section added to permit transfer to distance learning from a campus based degree or vice versa

B5.4 Final thesis examination

  • Change to the editorial outcome to allow minor content changes and one month allowed for corrections.

 

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Section C – MPhil

 

C4 Final thesis examination

  • Change to the editorial outcome to allow minor content changes and one month allowed for corrections

 

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Section D – Prof Doc

 

D3 Admission criteria

  • Updated to reflect change to the admissions policy which requires a master’s degree would normally be a merit of distinction classification

D5.5 Assessment of progression

  • Ethical approval will need to be confirmed at progression monitoring.

D5.10 Final thesis examination

  • Change to the editorial outcome to allow minor content changes and one month allowed for corrections

 

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Section E – PhD and EntD

 

E2.2 Alternative formats of thesis submission

  • Condensed to reduce duplication from section A1.10E5.6.1 Assessment of progression
  • Confirmation that ethical approval will be considered at progression monitoring one and will need to be approved by progression monitoring two.

E3 Admission criteria

  • Updated to reflect change to the admissions policy which requires a master’s degree would normally be a merit of distinction classification

E5.4 Transfer to or from a distance learning route

  • Addition section added to permit transfer to distance learning from a campus based degree or vice versa

E5.12 Final thesis examination

  • Change to the editorial outcome to allow minor content changes and one month allowed for corrections

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Section F – PhD by Publication

 

 F4 Admission criteria

  • Updated to reflect change to the admissions policy which requires a master’s degree would normally be a merit of distinction classification

F5 Final thesis examination

  • Change to the editorial outcome to allow minor content changes and one month allowed for corrections

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Section G – Higher Doctorates

 

G3 Application for candidature

  • Addition that registration will be on a part-time basis and normally for one year
  • Addition that applications will be considered within 20 working days
  • Addition that fees will be payable after the application is approved and before the work is submitted for examination

G5 Examination

  • Clarification that the candidate will propose three examiners which will be approved by the Higher Doctoral Board
  • Clarification that the candidate must have no contact with the examiners between their appointment and receiving their examination outcome

Registry

5.0

1 August 2022

Appendix

  • Creation of new pages (as an appendix) which include all approval alternative format thesis guidelines

Registry