Student support and facilities (including personal allowances and study space)

The aim of the College is to provide research students with well-rounded academic and career-based training that supports:

• Full research training and support with thesis writing,
• An opportunity to present a paper at a major conference in your area of research, with possible publication of papers in proceedings, and
• Opportunities to gain lecturing experience.

Personal Research Allowance

The standard Personal Research Allowance for Humanities PGR students is £600 across the duration of the MPhil/PhD, and £400 for the MbyRes. The Personal Research Allowance can be spent within one year or spread across the degree.

Please note that the Personal Research Allowance is not available to students who are on continuation status or interruption, or who have submitted their thesis for examination. 

 

Claims and Allowable Expenses

All claims are processed using the T1 system.  All expenses that are approved are paid into the bank account that is held on the student record. 

You are permitted to use your research allowance for expenses such as:

• attending conferences, including conference registration fees
• travel to libraries and other archives
• library fees or other archive access, and photocopying or digital camera fees
• accommodation and subsistence associated with research or confrence trips (within standard limits). 

 

In light of the challenges that continue to be presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been exceptionally agreed that students can use their research allowance for the purchase of books, up to a maximum of £200 across the duration of your programme. This decision will be reviewed regularly as the pandemic situation progresses and students will be notified should there be any change to this decision. If you require access to books or journals that would benefit other students, please remember that you can recommend their purchase through the Library or order items through inter-library loan: see ‘Library Resources’ below.

Students on by Practice/Performance Practice programmes are allowed to claim for the costs of specialist individual goods or equipment associated with their practice.

However, please note that you are not permitted to reclaim the costs of IT equipment (e.g. laptops, software, cameras, audio recorders) or for equipment or goods used as teaching resources, including stationery. You are also not permitted to claim for travel to and from the University if you are based outside Exeter and are visiting for supervisions, research seminars or any other activity which is normally required of our research students. 

Students studying at the Penryn Campus, however, may claim for travel expenses incurred in travelling to the Streatham Campus to attend seminars held as part of the College Research Culture. These expenses will be funded from a separate budget and will not be taken from your personal research allowance. 

To access your personal research allowance you must first incur the expense and then submit a claim for reimbursement. Expense claims should be fully supported by itemised receipts; failure to provide full receipts will result in the claim being reduced accordingly. Credit or debit card receipts alone are not acceptable, nor are scans or photocopies of receipts. If you have not been able to retain your ticket (e.g. rail tickets retained at station barriers), then an email copy of your confirmation of payment will be accepted as a proof of purchase. 

Claims must be received and processed within 3 months of the activity taking place; however, at year end (31^st July) claims must be received before 5^th August in order to be included in the previous financial year. Claims received after this date will not be paid. Claims will be allocated to the personal research allowance in the financial year that the activity takes place. The University financial year runs from 1^st August –31^st July. 

The library is here to support you and your research, by facilitating access to the information sources you need and providing training and guidance to help you make the most of these resources. 

The library will form an integral part of your research experience here at the University of Exeter, whether you are using the physical print resources and study spaces, or accessing the e-collections and library support that is provided online. 

The library offers dedicated support for PGR Students, and full details can be found on the Research Support page in the ‘Library’ section of the University website. 

Collections relevant to Humanities research students are held in the Forum Library and the Research Commons (Old Library) on the Streatham campus, and at the Learning Resource Centre on the Penryn campus. Many of the electronic holdings of these libraries can also be accessed remotely via the web. More information about electronic resources can be found on the Library website.

Student Suggestion Scheme for Library Purchase Requests

All students can request up to 5 items per academic year to be purchased for the library through the Student Suggestion scheme. Details can be found on the Library website.   

In addition or alternatively, PGR/PhD students can ask their supervisors to request books. These requests are paid for from the same department library budget that staff requests come from, and require approval from the Library Liaison Officer for that discipline. 

Student book suggestions are generally approved for purchase unless:

• The book suggested is so specific or narrow in focus that it is unlikely that other students would find the book useful*
• The book is out of print or difficult to get hold of*
• The cost of the item is so high, it cannot be justified*
• We already have the item in our collection (and there is no evidence that we need more copies) 

*In these cases, the library may suggest that an Inter-library loan request would be more appropriate.  

The student book suggestion scheme runs throughout the whole academic year. Once the request has been submitted, it is usually a day or two before it is entered onto the system. Student book suggestions are considered on a daily basis, rather than at regular points during the academic year. 

It can take up to 6 weeks for print books to become available to borrow from the library, depending on the supplier and whether they have the item in stock or need to source it from elsewhere. E-books are normally much quicker to become available; usually taking between 7 and 10 days.

Interlibrary Loans

The College of Humanities provides each research student with an allowance of 20 free interlibrary loans per year for full-time students,  10 free interlibrary loans per year for part-time students (the year runs from 1^st August to 31^st July), and five free interlibrary loans once on continuation status.  

We are aware, however, that some students will have a need for a greater number of interlibrary loans and we will consider applications for an increase to this allowance on a case-by-case basis. 

If you have used your full allowance and would like to apply for an increase to this allowance please email the PGR Support Team (humanities-gradschool@exeter.ac.uk) initially, explaining the reasons for your request and giving details of the number of extra loans that you will require.  You will also need to ask your lead supervisor to email the PGR Support Team to support your request. Please note that applications for an increase to your allowance cannot be considered without a supporting statement from your lead supervisor. 

For students on the Exeter campuses, interlibrary loans are requested online on the Forum Library’s website and the Library will have details of the number of interlibrary loans you have in your allowance. 

Students registered at the Penryn campus can request interlibrary loans from the Help Desk at Penryn or Woodlane libraries. Details about how to make a request can be found here. 

Printing

The College of Humanities provides free printing, photocopying and scanning for all postgraduate research students on any of the student print stations across the University.  Details of how to use the printers can be found here. 

While this will be free at source, please be aware that the College will be charged for your printing, photocopying and scanning and we therefore expect you to be sensible with your use of these facilities, for both economic and environmental reasons. Usage will be monitored, and if your printing is deemed to be excessive then you may be asked to cover some of these costs. 

Please note that due to current restrictions on attendance on campus, access to print stations will be limited. Printing provision is currently being reviewed in light of this, and information will be circulated in due course should an alternative be made available

Please note that desk space policies are still being developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but due to social distancing requirements, PGR desk spaces will need to be managed on a rota basis to support fair access for all occupants of each room. Details of this will be circulated as soon as they are finalised at College level.  This means that you may be asked to share a desk on different days/times with another person (even if you previously had your own desk).  You may also be asked to clean shared desks and any other touch points (phones / screens etc) before and after you use them, and to keep a local record of who has used the space and on what day (to help support Test, Track and Trace).

Please note that due to current social distancing requirements and restrictions to physical presence on campus for students and staff, common room spaces may not be open and available for use until the COVID-19 national alert level changes to a lower level.   

Postgraduate research students are welcome to use the Senior Common Rooms which can be found on the fourth floor of the Amory Building or on the ground floor of the West Wing of Queen’s Building. There is also a cafe area on the ground floor in Queen’s Building. In Cornwall, students can use the relevant facilities within their discipline.

The Research Commons is based in the Old Library on Streatham Campus. It houses a number of special collections and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum.  There is also a large reading room with bookable study desks, and lockers, a multi-media seminar room, cafe-style break out space and an outdoor terrace. 

The desks in the Research Commons are large desks with associated lockers, which can be booked by postgraduate research students who do not need to use a desk full-time. The desks are in the Main Reading Room of Research Commons (this is a silent study area). They are available during Research Commons opening hours. Check here for the current opening hours. 

Desks can be booked inadvance at https://libguides.exeter.ac.uk/PGRdesks

It is of vital importance that you have a good level of English in order to complete your studies. The University only requires a minimum level of English for admittance, and it is often important that non-native speakers continue to improve their English language skills while doing their research. INTO offers a range of in-sessional courses and testing at various levels. You are eligible to receive a number of hours of tuition as part of your registration as a research student, but may have to pay for any further training. INTO offer writing workshops and one-to-one tutorial support for postgraduate research students, please see: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/international/into/programmes/insessional/supportclasses/. 

It is a requirement of the University that your thesis is written to a good standard of English. The University does not normally accept theses in any other language. Supervisors are not expected to make major corrections to a student's written work; it is the responsibility of students to make sure that work is presented in good English. Students whose first language is not English are encouraged to have their work proofread or copy edited in order to correct the English, though not to have it corrected for ideas or academic content. INTO maintains a register of approved Academic Copy Editors if you need to find one. Any arrangements to employ and pay a copy editor are solely the responsibility of the student. 

If you need help with academic writing in general then you can book an appointment with one of the Royal Literary Fund Fellows. The Fellows are available by office appointment to help all members of the University – undergraduates and postgraduates alike – with queries and problems relating to the practical aspects of writing.

The College of Humanities attracts a range of students from across the UK and the rest of the world and is keen to facilitate further diversity. The College believes that studying with a wide range of people of differing backgrounds, beliefs, aptitudes and life experiences is an essential context for learning. The College wishes to accommodate the complex set of needs that this diversity brings, even where this presents a challenge to established teaching practice. The College is aware that there are issues associated with disability, gender, religion, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and class and a number of other personal and social characteristics, all of which may affect students' integration into the College community and their ability to achieve their full academic potential. In order to achieve its aspirations the College needs students to act in a positive manner with respect to our diversity and for students to let us know through their supervisors, mentors or their student representatives when they feel that there may be problems. Students may formally bring any equality or diversity concerns that they may have to the attention of the College PGR Liaison Forum or to the College Director of Postgraduate Research.

The College of Humanities follows the University of Exeter's policies on help for students with disabilities and health and safety issues.

Welfare

Where students are facing significant difficulties that may impact their ability to study, our friendly and experienced Welfare Advisors are available to talk to students in a confidential and non-judgemental space about any issue they feel they may need support with. Welfare Advisors offer practical support, as well as access to self-help materials, and signposting to specialist advice and support services. Cathryn Baker is the PGR Welfare Education Support Advisor – she can be contacted on Welfare.PGR@exeter.ac.uk, or 01392 726207. 

Wellbeing Services

The University has a dedicated Wellbeing Team who assist students with disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental health difficulties or specific learning difficulties.  The team also offer support to students experiencing mental wellbeing issues such as stress, anxiety and low mood.

Wellbeing Services is the umbrella term for the multiple wellbeing teams at the University. The service is made up of three main pathways including:

• Psychological Therapies Pathway
• Mental Health Pathway
• AccessAbility Pathway

Help for Students with a Disability or Injury

The University's policies and support for people with disabilities can be found on the AccessAbility website. Students who feel that they require special assistance should arrange to be assessed by the Exeter Access Centre, and may be eligible for help for their specific need. The AccessAbility pathway is made up of a team of disability specialists dedicated to supporting students with a disability or long-term health condition, including Specific Learning Difficulties and Autism Spectrum conditions.   

If you have a disability or a debilitating illness, it is in your best interests to tell your supervisor(s)/ PGR Pastoral Tutor. 

Information specific to the Penryn campus can be found here.

Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) 

These are created by Wellbeing (through either Wellbeing’s Mental Health Pathway or through AccessAbility) following an assessment of a student’s specific needs. They advise relevant University and College staff (eg supervisors, administrators) of the recommended reasonable adjustments in order to minimize the impact of a disability or health condition on the student’s ability to study.  The ILP does not state what the disability or health condition is, only the reasonable adjustments agreed with Wellbeing. 

Mental Health Policy

Education and work are key factors in mental health – both as a contributory cause to mental health problems but also as an important part of promoting a person’s sense of well-being, identity and self-worth. It is vital that all of us consider people with mental health needs, in order to provide an effective and timely response to these needs and to enable students to continue to participate in all aspects of student life. The University’s approach to mental health issues is set out on the Wellbeing website. Common sense advice, as well as details of local medical facilities (including out of hours help and advice) and local organisations, are available on this site. The College will endeavour to accommodate the needs of those with a mental illness. Alerting the College to any difficulties you may be facing can be done via the medical or counselling services, or where your academic work is being affected you can do this through a confidential discussion with your supervisor(s) or PGR Pastoral Tutor.

Health and Safety

The University of Exeter’s policy on health and safety can be found on the Human Resources website.

University Support Services

Details of the University’s support services (including information on counselling services, INTO, the Foreign Language Centre, study skills services, chaplaincy, the Students’ Guild Advice Unit, support for international students, careers) can be found on the University’s website.

Student Health Centre

You should register with a doctor as soon as you arrive at the University – either at the University Health Centre at Reed Mews on the Streatham campus, or with a local practice. 

Students on the Penryn campus are strongly recommended to register with the Penryn Medical Practice, Saracen Way, Penryn (Tel: 01326 372502). 

Lists of health centres and NHS dentists are available from the Student Advice Centres based on the Exeter campuses, and on the Penryn campus.

International Student Support

The University has an International Student Support website which offers advice to new international students on both the Exeter campuses, as well as at the Penryn campus. 

Whether you are coming to the UK for the first time for a short period or if you have visited before, the International Student Support Office can help you with your planning. You may have concerns about adjusting to a new learning environment and/or different study techniques – the Academic Skills and Student Engagement Team offers support with academic skills development through lectures, workshops and peer support sessions and online skills.

The College of Humanities is committed to delivering a high quality service and encourages students to tell us when there is cause for concern and a case for improvement. If problems do arise we encourage you to express them and we will respond to them. 

• In the first instance you should talk to your supervisor(s), unless the problem involves them or you feel dissatisfied with their response.
• Contact your PGR Pastoral Tutor. It is part of their role to ensure that you are happy with your studies and supervision. You can do this in confidence. It is part of the PGR Pastoral Tutor’s role to act as your advocate if they feel you have good cause for complaint.
• Talk to your discipline’s DPGR. If you feel that you would benefit from a change of supervisor and/or PGR Pastoral Tutor, you should address this request to your DPGR but please note that changes will only be made if there is good cause.
• Contact the PGR Support Team (humanities-gradschool@exeter.ac.uk).
• If you feel that the PGR Support Team as a whole has failed to respond properly to you, please contact the College Director of Postgraduate Research, Professor Gert Vonhoff, or the Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Transfer, Professor James Clark.
• You might also speak to a student representative on the PGR Liaison Forum, who can bring your concerns before that committee. 

The University also has academic appeals and complaints procedures if you feel that you cannot get a satisfactory response from within the College. 

Separate procedures apply depending on whether you are appealing against an academic decision or making a complaint: 

• Academic appeals
• Complaints
• Equality and diversity

The University is committed to a policy of equality of opportunity and aims to provide a working and learning environment free from discrimination that enables both staff and students to fulfil their personal potential. All individuals should be treated with dignity and respect whether at work or study; staff and students have an important role to play in creating an environment where harassment is unacceptable.
 

The University's policy on the Protection of Dignity at Work and Study contains definitions of racial, sexual and personal harassment, and a list of Dignity and Respect Advisors.