Transfer of registration from MA by Research to PhD

Timing of Transfers

Requests to transfer from MA by Research to PhD are normally considered at the request of the student and on the recommendation of the first supervisor. All requests to transfer, including submission of the documents required for upgrade, should be by Week 1 of Term 3, for full-time students commencing in September. Part time students and/or students commencing at other points in the academic year will have their submission deadline set on a pro-rata basis. 

Students are allowed two possible attempts at upgrade, the period between the first and second attempt should be no more than 3 months.

Membership of the Transfer Panel

All students requesting an upgrade from MA by Research to PhD shall be assessed viva voce by at least two members of the University’s academic (Education and Research) staff, one of whom will normally be the Discipline Director of Postgraduate Research. 

One member of the upgrade panel will be designated as lead, and they will be responsible for organising the upgrade meeting. 

The panel must be independent of the supervisory team but the student's lead supervisor should attend as an observer. The student should  however be given the opportunity to make any comments they wish to  their review panel without their lead supervisor being present, and the student will always be invited to talk to the panel after their supervisor has been asked to leave. 

The panel will have read in advance of the viva the written work submitted by the student and the progress report submitted by the supervisor. 

Sitting on an upgrade panel does not normally preclude academic staff from subsequently going on to act as internal examiner for that student.

Submission Requirements

In total, 7,500-9,000 words (exclusive of footnotes) should be submitted. This should comprise:

1. A draft abstract of the thesis (up to 300 words).  This should describe your research in terms that can be understood by a non-specialist.

2. A further developed proposal (max 1,500 words). You are asked to demonstrate clear awareness if how the proposed research will address a bigger question or problem. This should cover the following areas: 

a) Research questions. What are your research aims? What are the main issues that your thesis will address? What are the hypotheses that you wish to test? What is the originality and contribution of your thesis? (Note: at this stage you will not necessarily know the answers to all your research questions. Part of the purpose of this exercise is to identify issues thrown up by your research that will need to be addressed in the completed thesis.) 

b) Research context. Which scholars have written on these issues before? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the existing literature? Does it contain errors, omissions, or both? What opportunities are there for your thesis to correct these? How does your research fit into and develop these literatures? 

c) Methodology. What sources/evidence are you using in your research? (For example: archival material, web-based material, databases, interviews). How will these materials help you to address your research questions? Are there any novel aspects to your methods, and is there any particular guidance that you require? What methodologies and critical frameworks will you use? Are there any ethical issues arising from your research that need to be addressed? 

3. A contents outline of the thesis (1 page). This may be in continuous prose, bullet-points, or a combination of the two; this document is to show the structure and organisation of the thesis.

4.Draft timetable (1 page.) for submission of the thesis within the candidate’s planned submission period (within a maximum of four years for full-time from the date of initial registration; eight years 0.5 part-time). This should show the student’s work plan for the remaining period of study and highlight any areas where problems might arise. It is intended that this draft timetable will be regularly reviewed and updated at the regular progress review meetings which take place each year.

5. One or more substantive pieces of a writing sample at PhD standard in good presentational order (approx. 5,000-6,000 words, length of a short article). This should include original work on the substance and methodology of the thesis, such as the collation, analysis or new interpretation of evidence or data; in the writing sample the candidates will have to show their ability to write clear and effective extended prose, to construct an argument, and to analyse source materials. 

These pieces could be:

• Either a sample chapter, which can include a basic literature review;
• Or ethics application and fieldwork plan with literature review.               

You must email these documents to the PGR Support Team, at least two weeks before the upgrade interview. These will then be forwarded on to the panel by the PGR Support Team. The PGR Support Team will also request a report from the Lead supervisor on the student’s work and this will be sent on to the panel in advance of the transfer viva.  The lead panel member will contact the student within one week of receipt of the student’s upgrade documents, to agree a date for the review meeting. The panel meeting will normally take place within one month of the panel receiving the documents.

Outcome of Upgrade Interview

Following the transfer interview, the panel will complete a transfer report form stating their recommendations and submit this to the PGR Support Team. The three possible outcomes at the first attempt are that the candidate be:

a) Allowed to transfer their registration to PhD

b) Allowed to transfer their registration to PhD subject to the completion of the identified corrections and/or amendments by a specified date (which must be within two months)

c) That a second attempt at upgrade be allowed (which must be within three months)

If the outcome is second attempt (c) the form must indicate the conditions to be assessed by the re-sit upgrade process and if a second viva is required. An upgrade viva would not normally be required for a second attempt at upgrade, however the panel may wish to hold one at their discretion. A second upgrade viva must be held, however, if the panel are inclined to recommend that you must remain at MA by Research level.  

The upgrade report is then submitted to the PGR Support Team.  The PGR Support team will inform you by email of the outcome of your transfer interview.  Your supervisor will be copied in on this correspondence. 

If it is recommended that you pass unconditionally you will be notified via email of your official transfer to PhD and your lead supervisor will be copied in on this correspondence. Your official student record will also be updated. 

Where a re-sit is required, the PGR Support Team will inform you by email and a copy will also be sent to your lead supervisor. 

The two possible outcomes at a second attempt are that the candidate be:

a)      Allowed to transfer their registration to PhD

b)      Required to remain registered as an MA by Research student. 

The PGR Support Team will inform you by email of the outcome of your transfer interview.  Your supervisor will also be copied in on this correspondence.