tic Research Degrees Committee Completing the Registration Form UCE9R Keith A' Osman

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tic Research Degrees Committee Completing the
Registration Form (UCE9R)Keith A. Osman
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• What / why is the UCE9R?
• Completing the UCE9R
• Review by the tic RDC
• Review by the UCE RDC
• Outcomes
• Questions

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What is a Research Degree?

• A Post-graduate qualification by personal
  research
• Main output is a contribution to knowledge
• May contain some taught elements
• Examined by thesis and viva-voce (oral)
  examination
• MPhil and PhD can be undertaken by part-time,
  full-time or Distance Learning modes of study
• Masters Level - MPhil
• typ. 2 years f/t, 3 yrs p/t study, honours
  degree entry
• NOT a failed PhD but a qualification in its own
  right
• All MPhil candidates have the possibility to
  transfer to PhD
• Doctoral Level PhD
• Internationally recognised research qualification
• Typ. 3 years f/t, 5 years p/t study, Masters for
  direct entry

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What is the UCE9R?

• Each Research Programme is different / individual
  9R captures this
• Enrolling for a Research Degree signifies only
  your intention to register a programme of
  research
• Registration is a separate process, typically 3-6
  months post Enrolment, where your proposed
  Research Programme is scrutinized
• Is the proposed Research technically valid, is it
  do-able can the necessary facilities and
  supervision be readily accessed (tic RDC)
• Is the research methodology soundly based and, if
  completed as proposed, is the Research comparable
  with the generic MPhil / PhD requirements of
  other Institutions? (UCE RDC Gate-Keeper of
  Quality and Student Entitlements
• UCE9R is the form which is used to explain and
  justify your proposed Programme of Research to
  tic RDC and UCE RDC
• The Research Context
• The Research Programme
• The Supervision Team

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• What / why is the UCE9R?
• Completing the UCE9R
• Review by the tic RDC
• Review by the UCE RDC
• Outcomes
• Questions

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Completing the UCE9R

• The UCE9R is a key document for planning
• Aim and Objectives
• Summary of literature search with key references
• 4-6 page work plan (with Gantt chart)
• Problem definition
• Experimental programme
• Data analysis
• Predicted outcomes and contribution to knowledge
• Treat the UCE9R as a planning framework, not an
  obstacle or barrier to starting your research

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UCE9R You
Permanent Address Student No.
Not essential unless TIC staff member
Details of any funding source for fees
Summary of Degree Masters (if PhD)
Important esp. if Mature Candidate
Needed if no relevant Degree or Masters
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UCE9R Your Research Programme
If formal collaboration needed (letter)
Short and Meaningful (not final until thesis)
Key Aim (1) and Objectives (3-5)
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Aims and Objectives

• AIM summarises what the research will deliver
• 3-5 OBJECTIVES, indicate how the AIM will be
  achieved
• OBJECTIVES include key action phrases such as
  investigate, experiment, data collection,
  model, analyse, validate
• It is sometimes useful to think of the Title, Aim
  and Objectives as a summary of the research,
  where key words and phrases will be used to
  search for the results of your research
• Objectives should relate to identifiable phases
  in the Plan of Work (4.3) and to a Gantt Chart
  (optional)

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UCE9R Your Research Programme
Main section, 4-6 pages inc. context
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Plan of Work (4.3)

• The most important section of UCE9R
• 4-6 pages, well structured, clear, concise
• Background / Context (1 page) inc. references
• Definition of problem to be solved and
  methodology
• Experiments, data collection analysis
  techniques
• Likely outcomes and contributions to knowledge
• Avoid too much jargon and convoluted language
• If intending to transfer to PhD, include only
  MPhil programme in MPhil UCE9R
• You must have properly planned the research
  before completing the UCE9R or it will not pass
  scrutiny

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UCE9R Your Research Programme
New 2004 Esp. if project requires collaboration
and / or interviews, experiments, etc
Esp. if collaboration or special requirements
If part of on-going project, e.g. KTP, etc
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UCE9R Related Studies
Could be module attendance, courses, conferences,
etc
Unusual for MPhil PhD mark N/A
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UCE9R Your Supervisors
Anticipated contact
Current supervisions
Previous successful completed supervisions
Advisors (if any)
Justification for Team
All supervisors must attend UCE training
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Your Supervisory Team

• Supervision is a Team Sport
• The Director of Studies is the Primary Supervisor
• Second (mandatory) and Third (optional)
  Supervisors for specialised Technical and / or
  Pastoral support
• For PhD the Team must include someone with
  previous successful supervision to PhD
• Advisors can also be identified for specialist
  input as and when required but these are not
  formally part of the Team
• Supervisors must have the necessary Technical
  knowledge, experience of Research Degree
  requirements and be available and willing to
  supervise, often over and extended period
• Supervisors from other Institutions can be
  problematic
• All Supervisors will have been or must agree to
  undertake the UCE Research Degree Supervisor
  Training programmes

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UCE9R Duration, Mode and Approvals
No min. Registration period
P/T realistic maximum is 20 hrs / week
Typ. 2 - 3 MPhil 3 - 5 PhD
Cannot do gt 1 Research Degree concurrently
All Supervisors must sign the form
Approval by TIC-RDC
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• What / why is the UCE9R?
• Completing the UCE9R
• Review by the tic RDC
• Review by the UCE RDC
• Outcomes
• Questions

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Research Committee Structure

• Each Faculty has a Faculty Research Degrees
  Committee (FRDC)
• UCE has a Research Degrees Committee (URDC) with
  representatives from all Faculties chaired by
  Phil Walkling, PVC Academic
• URDC meets nominally every six-weeks
• FRDC carries out initial interviews, definition
  and preliminary approval of research programmes,
  etc
• URDC is the UCE final approval body for all
  Research Degree Registrations and related matters
• UCE has a Research Funding Committee (DHT) but no
  Research (Strategy) Committee

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Review by tic RDC

• The tic RDC first reviews the UCE9R
• Is the proposed research technically sound?
• Is the proposed research ethical? (new)
• Is the methodology appropriate and do-able?
• Are the Supervisors appropriately experienced?
• The Director of Studies MAY be required to attend
  the tic RDC meeting to defend the proposal
• Once any modifications have been made, the UCE9R
  is signed off and goes forward to URDC
• Iteration may be required!

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• What / why is the UCE9R?
• Completing the UCE9R
• Review by the tic RDC
• Review by the UCE RDC
• Outcomes
• Questions

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Review by URDC (1)

• The signed UCE9R is passed to AQS to be added to
  URDC agenda for next scheduled meeting
• UCE9R Supervisors CVs letters of
  collaboration ethical approval form (new
  requirement)
• Director of Studies (not student) is required to
  defend the research proposal at the meeting of
  URDC
• URDC less concerned with technical aspects, more
  with the generic research elements / process
  that make the proposal worthy of MPhil / PhD

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Review by URDC (2)

• URDC has one member from each Faculty
• URDC assumes the technical validity of the
  research has been checked by the Faculty
• Members are highly experienced in reviewing
  Research proposals and can sniff out possible
  problems
• Sound Research Methodology
• Good review / context / referencing
• Appropriate access to facilities and information
• Appropriately experienced supervisors
• Director of Studies must defend the proposal, but
  may not be called if URDC has no significant
  concerns
• The majority of UCE9R are approved at the meeting
  or by subsequent Chairs Action

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• What / why is the UCE9R?
• Completing the UCE9R
• Review by the tic RDC
• Review by the UCE RDC
• Outcomes
• Questions

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Outcomes

• URDC writes to the candidate, Supervisors and
  Faculty Research Coordinator informing them of
  the decision
• If URDC could not approve the proposal, the
  reasons are explained and appropriate guidance
  is provided Minor changes or omissions can be
  rectified and approved by URDC Chairs Action
• More significant modifications require
  re-submission after the identified problems have
  been rectified.
• Most Common Reasons for Rejection
• Too wordy, wooly, unfocussed research proposal
• Poorly explained context / aims / objectives
• Poorly defined Research Methodology
• Lack of letters from collaborators
• Inappropriate Supervision Team or missing / poor
  CVs
• If approved, your research programme has started
  in earnest!!

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• What / why is the UCE9R?
• Completing the UCE9R
• Review by the tic RDC
• Review by the UCE RDC
• Outcomes
• Questions

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