Departmental Research Student Progress Committee
(DRSPC) Guidelines
These
guidelines outline the terms of reference and procedures of the Committee in the
Department of Language and Linguistics that deals with research student progress
(i.e. students registered for a PhD, MPhil or MA by research).
Contents
Purpose
The purpose of the DRSPC is:
To consider all questions of student progression: in
particular, from one year to the next during a student’s minimum period of
registration (including progression of students on the 4-year integrated PhD
from the first, taught year to the second year of the programme), and
progression from the minimum period to a completion period. The DRSPC considers
recommendations to be made to the Graduate School in the case of students whose
progress is inadequate or problematic.
Meetings
Meetings of the DRSPC are held when reports from a student’s
Supervisory Board are forwarded to it. This is normally twice a year following
the December and June rounds of Supervisory Board meetings. Exceptional meetings
may be convened where decisions about student progress need to be made outside
of these periods.
Membership
The committee normally consists of:
- The Director of Research Students (chair)
- The Head of Department
- The Assistant Director of Research Students
In cases other than normal progression, a student and his/her
supervisor will be informed of any recommendation the DRSPC is planning to make
before that recommendation is sent to the Graduate School. Students and
supervisors have the right at that point to discuss the case with the DRSPC and
submit any further evidence that might bear on the recommendation.
Record of progress decisions
For each research student, the chair of the DRSPC completes a
‘progress cover sheet’ that summarises the recommendation of the DRPSC following
receipt of the report from the Supervisory Board. This is attached to a copy of
the Supervisory Board report and placed on the student’s file.
Recommendations that can be
made by DRSPC
The DRSPC can make one of the following recommendations to the
Dean of the Graduate School in respect of each research student:
-
that the student be allowed to proceed with his/her
studies either unconditionally or subject to further review at a specified
date, if appropriate; or
-
that the student’s status should be altered (e.g. upgraded
from an MPhil to a PhD, downgraded, minimum period extended); or
-
that the student’s studies should be discontinued.
If a recommendation for a change or discontinuation of
candidature is made, a student will be formally notified of that recommendation.
In the case of a recommendation for downgrading or discontinuation, a student
will be invited to attend the Progress Committee meeting in person to put their
case. If subsequently the student is unhappy with the recommendation of the
DRSPC, he/she has the right to appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School to
request a review of their case. The Dean will establish a Review Committee.
More information
For more detailed information about
Supervisory Boards and
expectations about research student progress can be found by clicking on the
link or by reviewing sections 1.9-1.11 of the
Departmental Handbook for Research
Students.
Back to research index
Last modified on 11 May 2012.