PGT – C. Responsibilities of Students and Supervisors

Responsibilities of Students and Supervisors

 

Supervision of your dissertation/project report is the responsibility of your dissertation/project supervisor. We expect that your supervisor will meet you on a regular basis by prior arrangement. As a postgraduate student, you have a number of responsibilities to yourself, your supervisor and your work colleagues.

Responsibilities of the Supervisor:

• Giving guidance about the nature of research and the standard expected, the planning of the research programme, literature and sources, attendance at taught classes where appropriate and about requisite techniques (including arranging for instruction where necessary);
• Maintaining contact through regular meetings (the frequency of meetings being appropriate to the research being undertaken and agreed in advance);
• Being accessible to students at other appropriate times for advice and responding to difficulties raised by the student;
• Giving detailed advice on the necessary completion dates of successive stages of the work so that the dissertation may be submitted within the agreed timescale;
• Requesting written work or reports as appropriate and returning written material with constructive criticism and in reasonable time;
• Ensuring that the student is made aware when progress is not satisfactory and facilitating improvement with advice and guidance;
• Establishing, at an early stage, the supervisor’s responsibilities in relating to the student’s written work, including the nature of the guidance and comments to be offered as the work proceeds and on the draft of the dissertation/project report before it is submitted. As a minimum level of guidance supervisors should provide feedback on one complete draft of the dissertation/project report. It must be made clear to the student that research for a higher degree is undertaken within the general principle that a dissertation/project report must be the student’s own work;
• Providing general advice for sections of a report/dissertation for which improvements in written English are required but not to rewrite poor English. Where appropriate, students should be directed to the University Language Centre for help with written English.
• Making students aware of other researchers and research work in the School;
• Encouraging the student to publish the research where appropriate;
• Providing pastoral support and advising students, where appropriate;
• Bringing to the attention of the student the health and safety regulations and academic rules, regulations and codes of practice of the University, including the statement on plagiarism.

 

 

• Responsibilities of the Student:

• Pursuing the programme with a positive commitment, taking full advantage of the resources and facilities offered by the academic environment and, in particular, contact with the supervisor, other staff and research students;
• Being highly motivated and fully engaged with his/her programme of study;
• Discussing with the supervisor the type of guidance and comment believed to be most helpful, and agreeing a schedule of meetings;
• Ensuring that he/she is aware of the health and safety regulations and academic rules and regulations and codes of practice of the University, including the statement on plagiarism;
• Successfully completing any training programme arranged within the prescribed time period;
• Taking the initiative in raising problems or difficulties, however elementary they may seem, bearing in mind that prompt discussion and resolution of problems can prevent difficulties and disagreements at a later stage;
• Maintaining the progress of the work in accordance with the stages agreed with the supervisor, including in particular the presentation of written material as required, in sufficient time to allow for comments and discussion before proceeding to the next stage. Where possible, students will be given details of the work programme for the academic year at the beginning of the year;
• Agreeing with the supervisor the amount of time to be devoted to the research and the timing and duration of holiday periods;
• Submitting the dissertation/project report by the required deadlines. Checking the completeness and accuracy of the text of the dissertation/project reports submitted; failure to check the dissertation/project report carefully may result in the dissertation/project report being failed or cause a delay in the award of a degree.