University of Dundee

Learning and Teaching Committee 12th March 2012 PAPER G

UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE SENATUS ACADEMICUS

LEARNING AND TEACHING COMMITTEE POSTGRADUATE AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE

A meeting of the Postgraduate Affairs Sub-Committee was held on Monday 27 th February 2012 at 2pm in River Room 3, Tower Building.

Present: Dr D Crouch, Ms P Elliott, Professor N Johnson, Mr K Mackle, Professor C Reid (Acting Convener), Dr D Rodley, Professor F Sargent, Dr G Simpson (JHI) , Dr K Williams.

In attendance: Dr M Glover.

Apologies: Dr L Anderson, Professor J Connell (Interim Convener), Dr Y Kamide, Dr L McLellan, Mrs G Sharpe.

1. MINUTES PAPER A

Resolved: to approve the minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee of 26th October 2011.

2. MATTERS ARISING

Minute (6): PG Study Space

Noted: that given the developing plans for different structures to support postgraduates at the University, including a commitment in the Strategic Plan to look again at the benefits of a graduate school or centre, a report on current levels of accommodation would be of limited strategic use. However, this issue would need to be taken into account, at design stage, when any new proposals are considered.

3. PhD by Publication PAPER B

The Sub-committee re-considered the draft regulations and the summary of the UKGCE Report including a number of specific questions posed in the summary document.

Resolved: to recommend the following amendments or clarifications in relation to the draft regulations as presented in Paper B:

(i) To retain the use of the term supervisor rather than mentor or advisor.

(ii) That normally three internal academic staff should consider each application.

(iii) To qualify the language concerning the nature of the publications that may be considered, to reflect that these may include a variety of outputs, including monographs and visual works

(iv) That the official degree title should be Doctor of Philosophy by Published Work but in shortened form should be PhD.

(v) To restrict entry for the degree to members of University of Dundee staff but to exclude honorary staff. This recognises that the PhD process is about more than just Learning and Teaching Committee 12th March 2012 PAPER G the final output and only for our own staff can we rely on the appropriate support and development being provided by other routes.

(vi) Every candidate should be assessed by viva voce examination by two external examiners.

(vii) Matters such as the inclusion or non-inclusion of published work and the length and scope of the narrative thesis will be decided and agreed by candidate and supervisor on a case-by-case basis.

(viii) The standard PGR fee rates will apply as set by each College each academic year.

(ix) The degrees of MSc and MPhil by Published Work will only be offered as outcomes from the examination of the PhD by Published Work.

Resolved: for its part, to recommend to the Learning and Teaching Committee that they approve the draft regulations as amended by the resolutions of the Sub-committee above.

4. QAA Quality Code Consultation: Research Degrees PAPER C

The Sub-committee received the QAA Quality Code Consultation document.

Noted: that the internal review of the Code of Practice had been postponed until the formal adoption of the new chapter of the Quality Code by the QAA in the late spring of 2012.

Noted: that Dr McLellan and Dr Glover are collating the institutional response to the consultation and any comments should be forwarded to them in time for the deadline of 23rd March 2012.

5. HE Commission Postgraduate Education Inquiry PAPER D

The Sub-committee received information on the Inquiry by the cross-party think tank, the Higher Education Commission.

Noted: that the Inquiry was seeking responses from both individuals and institutions and that any responses from the Sub-committee to be included in the institutional response should be sent to Dr Glover in time for the deadline of 2nd April 2012. .

6. Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2012 PAPER E

The Sub-committee received information concerning the 2012 PTES Survey.

Noted: that the survey period opened on the 15th February and would run for an extended period, closing in June. An initial email to students would be followed up in due course, via the schools and course leaders, to maximise participation.

Noted: that there are advanced plans (co-ordinated by HEFCE) to bring taught post-graduate students into the National Student Survey target population in future years. Learning and Teaching Committee 12th March 2012 PAPER G

[Secretary’s note: the survey can be accessed via www.dundee.ac.uk/registry/ptes2012.htm]

7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

PGR PASTORAL SUPPORT MANAGER

The Sub-committee received introductory information from Mr Mackle, Student Operations concerning his new role within Student Operations, as Pastoral Support Manager.

Noted: that the new role would focus on the non-academic support needs of research students, as well as looking after immigration, student employment and welcome and induction issues.

REORGANISATION OF POSTGRADUATE AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE.

Noted: that under current proposals for the next academic year the Sub- committee will be reconstituted into two separate sub-committees. A Taught Postgraduate Sub-committee of the Learning and Teaching Committee and a Postgraduate Research Sub-committee of the Research Committee.

8. DATE OF NEXT MEETINGS

Wednesday 2nd May 2012

Professor Colin Reid Acting Convener Learning and Teaching Committee 12th March 2012 PAPER G

Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Publication

– DRAFT as amended by PGASC on 27th February 2012

(Note: The powers and duties conferred upon the Senatus under the sections marked + have been delegated to the individual School Boards.)

GENERAL

1 (1) The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by publication may be awarded following successful completion of a narrative thesis presented along with a portfolio of relevant published work which reflects specialised, original, advanced knowledge, understanding and practice at the frontiers of the subject or professional area.

(2)In cases where the portfolio of relevant published work contains multi-authored works then a clear and verifiable account must be given of the candidate’s original and individual contribution to the work in question.

(3)The narrative thesis shall consist of a critical analysis of the work submitted (between 10,000 and 20,000 words in length) covering the development of the candidate’s submitted work and its contribution to the field in general.

2(1) The Degree is granted on the basis that the narrative thesis and portfolio of published work, taken together, demonstrates that the candidate’s work has involved the creation and interpretation of new knowledge and understanding, through original research, or other advanced scholarship, of a quality that has satisfied peer review, extended the forefront of the discipline, and has been published in an appropriate scholarly context.

(2) The published work should demonstrate

(i) a systematic acquisition, understanding and interpretation of a substantial body of knowledge which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional practice;

(ii) the general ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline;

(iii) an appropriate level of understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry.

ADMISSION

+ 3 (1)Before being admitted as a candidate for the Degree, a candidate must have obtained, as a minimum, a Degree with Honours of the First or Second class in the University or in another university or institution recognised for this purpose by the Senatus Academicus. A relevant Master's Degree can compensate a first degree classification by one level. Individual Schools may apply additional requirements. The Senatus may, in exceptional circumstances, admit a candidate who possesses such other qualifications as it may approve for the purpose.

(2) A candidate must not already possess a doctoral degree in the same discipline as the proposed submission for the degree of PhD by Publication.

+ 4 An application for admission as a candidate for the Degree must be submitted to the Senatus Academicus. Learning and Teaching Committee 12th March 2012 PAPER G

5 An applicant for admission must be a current member of the University’s academic or academic related staff at the time of admission as a candidate for the Degree. Honorary and casual staff do not qualify for admission as a candidate for the Degree.

DURATION OF STUDY

6 (1) The normal and minimum period of registration for the Degree shall be 12 months of part-time study.

(2) The maximum period of registration for the Degree shall be two calendar years of part-time study. An extension to this maximum period may be granted by the appropriate School Board for good cause on the recommendation of the supervisor(s).

MATRICULATION

7A candidate for the Degree shall be required to matriculate in the University as a part-time student and to pay the prescribed tuition, matriculation and/or submission fees applicable.

SUPERVISION

8 (1) A supervisor or supervisors of the candidate's work shall be appointed by the School Board.

(2) A candidate shall report to the supervisors on such occasions and in such manner as the supervisors may require.

EXAMINATION

+ 9 (1) The Senatus, on the recommendation of the School Board, shall appoint the University member of a committee to examine the thesis. The Court, on the recommendation of the Senatus as advised by the School Board, shall appoint two external examiners who shall not be members of the University.

(2) An Examining Committee shall consist of three members: one internal examiner who shall be the convener, and two external examiners. The candidate's supervisor(s) may not be examiners.

10 Each member of the Examining Committee must be provided with a complete copy of the narrative thesis and the portfolio of published works in an approved style. Each copy shall be accompanied by a declaration signed by the candidate that work to be examined has not been accepted in fulfillment of the requirements for any other degree or professional qualification.

11 Each candidate for the Degree shall be required to submit to a viva voce examination.

12 The Examining Committee shall report to the Registry within a period of three months from the date of submission of the narrative thesis and portfolio by the candidate. Thereafter, the report of the Examining Committee shall be submitted to the Senatus at the meeting immediately following the date of the receipt of the report by the Registry.

13 The examiners shall prepare a joint report after the viva voce examination which shall include an agreed recommendation. In the exceptional case of irreconcilable disagreement between the examiners, each shall submit a separate report and the Senatus shall have the power to recommend to the Court the appointment of a further external examiner or examiners to examine the thesis