Transcript PhD Admissions and Theses Examinations: Policies and

Confirmation of research
higher degree candidature
–
processes and paperwork
Presented by Gary Johnson
and Professor Alan Lawson
Office of Research and Postgraduate Studies
UQ Graduate School
14 March 2003
This presentation will cover
• Why we confirm provisional candidates
• How confirmation of candidature is
administered at the University
• What must be done before a candidate
can be confirmed and why
• What forms are needed and how to
minimise processing delays
We sought a student perspective
Unfortunately.... I can't help you much. I was one of the
students who slipped through the confirmation net. My
confirmation came & went without me doing
anything. The Dept of X either didn't have a program in
place at this time, or they simply didn't know about me
because I was working in the Y centre.
At the time, I was relieved not to have to prepare a
presentation or finish a literature review. In hindsight, I
missed a very important and motivating exercise, & now
I am snowed under with data collection, writing and still
reviewing the literature when I can… (5.5 years later)
What is Confirmation?
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Necessary stage in the progress towards
submission of a research higher degree thesis
Presentation of the candidate’s work so far
Review of the candidate’s academic
development and the school’s support for them
Assessment that the candidature is likely to
lead to an examinable thesis in the "normal"
amount of time for which the student, school
and University are funded
What are the Ideal Outcomes?
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•
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Candidate receives formative advice about the
direction, scope, planning, and feasibility of
the project
Resources needed to sustain the candidature
(the advisory team, technical support,
physical and financial resources) are identified
and secured
Potential difficulties are noted and resolved
before they become actual difficulties
What’s New in 2003?
• School Confirmation Committee
• School confirmation process now requires 4
essential steps
• Deferral of confirmation is now an option
• A School recommendation is required within a
set period of time (4 options)
• Confirmation Policy is available at
http://www.uq.edu.au/gradschool/documents/rhdhandbook/confirmation.html
What’s Required
1. School Process
• Varies from discipline to discipline
• 4 steps leading to recommendation from School
Confirmation Committee to School Postgraduate
Coordinator
2. University Process
• Uniform across disciplines
• Recommendation made by School Postgraduate
Coordinator to Dean of Postgraduate Students
using Confirmation of Candidature Form
Before Confirmation (1)
• Every provisional candidate must receive
clear written advice at the commencement
of their candidature about the
confirmation process
• Procedures
• Timing
• Format
• Scope, Quality and Quantity of work
Before Confirmation (2)
• Procedures and school expectations should be
explained at a formal induction session for all
commencing students
• Candidates must be directed to the
appropriate school and Graduate School forms
and documents so that they understand the
procedures and the criteria
• Candidates must receive written advice of
what is required of them to meet the
appropriate standard at every stage
Confirmation Committee
- A communal, corporate, collegial decision
to continue to support candidature
•
A Confirmation Committee of at least 3
members of the school for each candidate
• the advisors
• the school postgraduate coordinator or a chair of
confirmation committee
• the Head of School or appropriate delegate (if
resource questions need to be considered)
• at least 1 staff member who is not on the advisory
team but has expertise in the general area of the
thesis project
• optional representative student member
School Process (1)
•
4 steps which lead to a recommendation on
candidature from the Confirmation Committee
to the School Postgraduate Coordinator
1. A formal written document
2. A formal oral presentation
3. Interviews with the candidate and the
principal advisor
4. Written feedback to the candidate and the
advisory team
School Process (2)
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All 4 steps must be part of the process
leading to the recommendation on
confirmation of candidature
BUT
Each school may adapt the form and
timing of them in ways that are
appropriate to its discipline, its size,
and its student cohort
Written Component (1)
1. Sample of academic writing:
normally, a critical review of recent,
relevant published work in the field
2. updated thesis proposal
3. updated plan of research
4. updated timetable for completion of
a thesis suitable for submission and
examination
Written Component (2)
5. Review of all resources and skills required to
complete the project within the funded period
and where they will come from
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relevant skills and techniques already gained
skills and techniques needed to solve the research
problems raised by the project
professional development skills needed
technical assistance
financial assistance
travel, equipment or facilities
Response to written component
• The written document should be read and
assessed by
• the principal advisor
• at least two other appropriately qualified expert
readers (at least one normally outside the
advisory team)
• The expert readers should provide written
report and evaluation to the Chair of the
Confirmation Committee
• The Chair normally discusses the reports with
the principal advisor and candidate
Oral Component
• A presentation to an appropriate public forum
of disciplinary peers
• for the purpose of receiving expert and
constructive advice on
• the proposed project
• its scope and feasibility
• the appropriateness of the theoretical approach,
methodology, and/or experimental design
• May precede or follow written component
Interview
•
The Confirmation Committee interviews
• the candidate and the principal advisor
together
• the candidate separately
• the principal advisor separately
•
Resource issues (especially the advisory
team) should be resolved in these
interviews
Written Report
• The Confirmation Committee Chair must coordinate
the production of a written report for all candidates,
even if “successful”
• The report should
• summarise the strengths, achievements and developmental
needs of the candidate
• offer suggestions towards the successful completion of
candidature
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The report must be provided to the candidate, the
advisory team, and the Graduate School
Filed in School
University Process
• Once the School confirmation process is
complete, the Principal Advisor and School
Postgraduate Coordinator complete the
Confirmation of Candidature Form
• This form is required for all candidates and
should be completed when confirmation is due
regardless of the current status of the School
confirmation process
• May recommend defer, extend, confirm,
terminate
Timing of Confirmation
• Confirmation is due after the standard period
• 6 months FTE for MPhil candidates
• 12 months FTE for PhD candidates
• A recommendation is expected between 0.75
and 1.25 times the standard period
• If no recommendation has been received from
the School after 1.5 times the standard period
the candidate (and any scholarship they hold)
will be terminated automatically
School Recommendations
• 4 possible recommendations
• Confirm candidature
• Defer recommendation
• Extend provisional candidature
(with written advice)
• Terminate candidature (never a
single step)
Defer Recommendation
• The recommendation may be deferred for a
maximum of 3 months FTE after the initial due
date IF
• the topic (or approach or methodology) has
changed or
• preliminary data collection has been unavoidably
delayed or
• other relevant circumstances have arisen
• You cannot defer the recommendation to a
date more than 3 months FTE after the initial
due date
Extend Provisional Candidature
• Provisional candidature may be extended for 3
to 6 months FTE after the initial due date
• The candidate must receive written advice
from the Confirmation Committee stating
• why candidature cannot be confirmed
• what is required to achieve the appropriate
quantity and quality of work
• when it must be re-presented to the Confirmation
Committee for consideration
•
This written advice must be attached to the
Confirmation of Candidature Form
nd
2
Extension of Provisional
Candidature
• Provisional candidature may be
extended a second time for 3 months
FTE after the revised due date
• The candidate must receive written
advice from the Confirmation
Committee as before
• The written advice must be sent to the
Graduate School as before
nd
2
Extension of Provisional
Candidature (2)
• School Postgraduate Coordinator must
provide written defence of a 2nd extension
to Dean of Postgraduate Students:
• What are the extraordinary
circumstances that have lead to the need
for a further extension?
• Why does the school believes the
candidate is capable of fulfilling the
written expectations set out in the
Confirmation Committee's advice?
Terminate Candidature
• The school must recommend termination if
they cannot recommend confirmation after a
second extension of provisional candidature
• The candidate may be transferred from PhD to
MPhil if the school recommends confirmation as
an MPhil candidate
• Candidature will be terminated
automatically if confirmation has not been
achieved after 15 months FTE for MPhil or 24
months FTE for PhD candidates
Terminate Candidature (2)
• There are three (3) prerequisites for
termination before these dates
• The School must document that the
candidate:
1. has been given clear written advice that their rate
of progress and quality of performance have been
unsatisfactory; and
2. has been given clear, explicit and reasonable
written advice about how satisfactory progress
and performance may be achieved; and
3. has not reached the standard set out as necessary
for confirmation of candidature.
What Causes Processing Delays?
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Incomplete or outdated forms
Missing Confirmation Committee reports
Insufficient information
Inappropriate recommendations
Inappropriate or missing signatures
Extra conditions that were set on the Notice of
Admission letter not met or addressed
• Note: the Confirmation of Candidature Form
will be redesigned in the next three months
Delay “Hot Spots”
• Forms received long after the original due
date (confirmation is often a prerequisite
for grants, programs, etc)
• Extension requests for longer than the
standard periods
• Extension requests without the
Confirmation Committee report
• No associate advisor by confirmation
Current Situation at UQ
• As of 12 March 2003, there are
• 1304 provisional candidates (39%)
• 708 are due by 31 March 2003
• 329 are due by 31 December 2002
• New confirmation timelines to be
implemented following 31 March 2003
• New school process to be implemented
by 31 December 2003
Web resources
• Graduate School website
http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school
• Confirmation Policy
http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/documents/rhdhandbook/confirmation.html
• RHD Office forms and documents
http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/rhd/forms.html
• RHD Office reports
http://www.uq.edu.au/research/orps/?id=7399