Transcript Document
Postgraduate Administrative Arrangements
Brief for Supervisors
Rick Kiralfy
Head of the College Postgraduate Office
1st Floor David Hume Tower
George Square
Format….
Management Information Flow
Key Admin Processes
University Level Support
Useful References
Reminder “Do’s and Don’ts”
The timelines shown in the presentation refer
to full-time PhD study, and are different for
MPhil or part-time study
x3
College PGSC
x11
School PGS
Issues and Proposals
Regulations & Guidance
Senate PGSC
•The University has a
Senatus PG Studies
Committee structure
•Each College has a Dean of
PG Studies, a College PG
Studies Committee, and a PG
Office
•Each School has a PG
Director and a School PG
structure
Your School admin focus is through your PG Office,
but the College PG Office is also here to help
Regulations? Guidance?
Regs
Guidance
Regs
“Playing Space”
Mandatory
Discretionary
Mandatory
• Regulations tell us what is required – no discretion
• inc: DRPS, Exam Regulations
• Guidance inform us about best practice based on experience
Admissions
Applications come via EUCLID
Communication with student is electronic
At least one supervisor appointed pre-offer
2nd no later than 2 months in
Nurturing during lead-up to matriculation
Induction phase very important
The applicant phase is the start of getting to
know your student
Interruptions/Extensions
Interruptions “stop the clock”; fees “stop” too
Extensions add extra time; extra fee
Both require a case to be made, with evidence
Cannot be made retrospective
IoS cumulative maximum for PhD is 60 months
Approval authority: College PG Dean ONLY
Request does NOT equal automatic approval
Must have Research Council support if
applicable
Be alert to your student’s potential lack of progress
in good time. Get students to keep you in the
picture. Monitor and document progress.
Leave of Absence
Leave = work away, NOT a holiday!
Students to be in Edinburgh during PPoS, unless
granted leave; PG Director can recommend up to 15
months
Supervisor applies on student’s behalf
Appropriate supervision/facilities must be available to
the student whilst on leave
Tell the College Office (standard form), as we need to
confirm to student and to Registry
Be alert to absence of student from Edinburgh
Withdrawals/Terminations
Supervisor can apply on student’s behalf:
Reason for withdrawal must be given
Independent letter from student will be sought if not
provided
If as a result of student deciding career choice was
wrong, best if happens in first year
Initiated by College Office when:
Student has gone away (ie no contact), fails to
submit, fails to make corrections, or fails to resubmit
Be alert to lack of expected contact, try to get in
touch, tell PG Director and College if none
forthcoming
Annual Reports
Done towards end of 1st, 2nd and 3rd year
Timeliness is essential
Need to identify:
Whether on track or with shortfalls
Plan way ahead
Comment on shortfalls mentioned in previous report
Tell the student - feedback
Timely annual reports are vital to monitoring progress and
managing remedial actions.
Writing Up Year – The Thesis
Expectation is that student will submit well before the 12 month point
Student should aim to complete in 3 years, but with the 4th year being a
contingency period
Supervisor must keep in contact
Arrange how, before writing up period starts
NITS
Before submitting, student should consult with supervisor about adequacy of
thesis, BUT this is not compulsory
Student tells college 2 months before submission
College initiates getting examiners and sending thesis.
Head of school nominates examiners, in consultation with supervisors (1
Internal, 1 External
Encourage student to submit thesis on time
Examination
Student has no right to veto examiners
Examiners review thesis (Part 1 report); and then
conduct Viva (Part 2 report)
Internal examiner usually makes arrangements for oral
Supervisor(s) can attend oral as ‘observer’ if student
agrees
Non-Examining Chair preferred
College exam committee decides result
Student and supervisor informed
College authorises exam result. Do not assume
viva recommendations will be final
Appeals and Complaints
Students may appeal when they:
Alert UoE about personal difficulties previously not known
Feel they lacked the resources to complete the project
Feel they have had inadequate supervision
Feel they were not fairly examined
Students may complain when they:
Would otherwise appeal, but lack the grounds
Miss milestones, fall behind and submit poor work
Fall out with their supervisor
Have a grievance (eg plagiarism)
Have paid money but not got a degree
This does not mean that all students must pass, but
supervisors must demonstrate due diligence and
schools must provide appropriate resources
University Level Support:
Disability Office
Careers
Chaplaincy
Health Service
International Office
Scholarships & Student Finance Office
Student’s Association (EUSA)
Advice Place
Student Counselling
PGR SUPERVISOR DO’s and Don’ts
Please see Handout
These tips help you to help
the student, and help both of you to
steer away from problem areas
Guide to PG Administration
Essential information is on the web
Hard to know where they are
Indexed College “links” Page
Alphabetical order
Easy to navigate, links to “Golden Copy”
Routine updates
Can add topics quickly
Available from PG Office Home Page
http://www.hss.ed.ac.uk/Postgraduate/infostaff/PraticalGuide/guide.html#c
Click Here
Click Here
Click on letter
to go there
Click on the
Links as
required
The Last Word
Although your first point of contact will usually
be your own school PG Office,
please seek our advice
when you need to
The College PG Office is here to help
College PG Office Web Page: www.hss.ed.ac.uk/Postgraduate/
PG Admin Index Page:
http://www.hss.ed.ac.uk/Postgraduate/infostaff/PraticalGuide/guide.
html