keele university code of practice on postgraduate research degrees

3.2 Period <strong>of</strong> registration until submission (See Regulation 2D (4), (7))
3.2.1 The time limits for completion <strong>of</strong> a research degree are set out in Regulation 2D. In
summary, the requirements are as follows:
Degree
registered
for
Mode <strong>of</strong>
attendance
(registration
status)
Minimum
period <strong>of</strong>
supervision
from initial
registration
Expected
time to
submission
from initial
registration
Maximum time
to submission
from initial
registration
Masters
degree
Full-time 12 months 18 months 24 months
(MPhil) Part-time 24 months 36 months 48 months
Doctoral
degree
(PhD, DM,
MD)
Full-time 24 months 36 months 48 months
Part-time 48 months 72 months 96 months
The expected time to submission will be extended appropriately where an external
funder provides a studentship for a longer period, but will not exceed the maximum
period listed above. The normal expectation is that for all or part <strong>of</strong> any period <strong>of</strong>
study beyond the expected time to submission the student will be on continuation
mode <strong>of</strong> attendance, but this is subject to the student meeting the requirements for
continuation mode <strong>of</strong> attendance (see 3.8 below).
3.2.2 The University will be paying particular attention to the percentage <strong>of</strong> students who
submit their thesis for examination within the maximum timescales allowed.
a) Each Research Institute is required to agree with their Faculty Dean their
target submission rate, which is unlikely to be less than 100% for any
Research Institute, and will be 100% for all research council funded students
b) Statistics will be calculated on the basis <strong>of</strong> the full-time and part-time cohorts
<strong>of</strong> students starting in any academic year (1 August–31 July), and the
percentage who submit within the maximum time allowed, which will be an
anniversary <strong>of</strong> their start date
c) Periods <strong>of</strong> leave <strong>of</strong> absence agreed by Research Degrees Committee and
where appropriate the research council will be taken into account when
determining the percentage <strong>of</strong> students meeting the submission rate target.
3.2.3 Students will be required to pay full-time or part-time fees for the full period <strong>of</strong> their
registration until submission; unless and until they are permitted by the Postgraduate
Committee and Research Degrees Committee to progress to continuation mode <strong>of</strong>
attendance (see 3.8).
3.2.4 Any agreed periods <strong>of</strong> leave <strong>of</strong> absence will automatically extend the student’s
maximum period for submission by an equivalent period.
3.2.5 If students are sponsored it is their responsibility to ensure that these details are
entered on the request for LOA form and, for non-research council sponsored
students, to establish that their sponsor approves any leave <strong>of</strong> absence and is willing
to extend the expected submission date accordingly. If the sponsor is a UK Research
Council then any approval <strong>of</strong> LOA by Research Degrees Committee will be subject to
approval by the Research Council. Research Council approval will then be sought by
the Records and Exams Officer for Postgraduate Research Students and the student
COP on PGR Degrees, November 2011 20