Getting to grips with post-graduate
rules and regulations
• Proposals
• Time to complete your studies
• Examination requirements (including articles and the viva)
Governance
1. Higher Degrees Administration: Structures and Processes Faculty of
Humanities Higher Degree Procedures
2. University’s Higher Degrees Policy
• Framework for administration, governance and quality management
of higher degree studies & programmes
University Senate
SHDC
Hum BOF
Decisions taken by the FHDC REC
FHDC are submitted to
the Faculty Board for
ratification and to the
SHDC for noting or
approval
DHDC
Preparing your proposal in time
• Master’s proposals: within six months of registration
• Doctoral proposals: within nine months of registration
• Proposals must be ratified by the FHDC within the first
year of registration (excluding the proposal phase: pre-
registration period)
• Proposals are scrutinised at departmental/school level
before they are approved/ratified by the FHDC.
• If not approved, the student may re-work the proposal,
but may only submit it for approval one more time.
Late proposals
• No guarantee that late proposals will be excepted
• Proposals serving after the first year must be
accompanied by a letter of motivation from the
student detailing
1. why the proposal has taken so long to prepare
2. how they intend to complete the degree within the
maximum period permitted
Proposal template
• Get the latest version from the PG website
• Length for Introduction, Literature Review, Theoretical
Framework and Methodology:
• MA minor dissertation: 3-4 pages
• MA dissertation: 4-5 pages
• Doctorate: 5-6 pages
• Research involving human participants must be approved
by Research Ethics Committee
• Keep a copy of your ethics approval letter with an ethics
clearance number for research purposes and final submission
Proposal assessment criteria
• Conceptual clarity of the study title and research questions
(aim, objectives, etc.) in light of the research problem.
• Clarity and feasibility of the methodology to answer the
research questions.
• Adequacy of a theoretical framework within which to conduct
the study.
• Overall demonstrated competence to undertake higher degree
research at the required level, including writing skills, technical
care and appropriate use of literature.
• Defensible original scientific contribution (in the case of
doctoral proposals).
TurnitIn plagiarism checks
• Research proposals should be screened for plagiarism
with a similarity report submitted to the supervisor
• Submit it through the link provided on Blackboard via
Ulink
• Check YouTube for tutorials
Duration of master’s and doctoral
studies
Master’s Doctoral
study study
Minimum
Full-time time 12 months 24 months
study Maximum
time 24 months 48 months
Minimum
Part-time time 12 months 24 months
study Maximum
time 36 months 60 months
What happens if you can’t finish in
time?
• Extensions will only be granted in exceptional circumstances
• limited to 12 months for a master’s study
• 24 months for a doctoral study
• Only until 31 January, 31 May or 31 October
• If you reach the maximum period of registration you will
automatically be given an F7 status code (meaning studies are
terminated) unless applying for extension, based on the
student’s good progress.
• You will be blocked from registering and will need to approach
the supervisor for assistance.
What happens if you can’t finish in
time?
• Abeyance periods are limited to 12 months for both
master’s and doctoral studies
• Abeyance may not be granted more than once
• Only in exceptional circumstances
Requirements for your final report
• Use the latest format/template for MA dissertation or
D thesis from the post-graduate website, includes
an affidavit
• Word limit, including footnotes and endnotes but
excluding references:
• Doctorate: 80 000 words
• Research Master's: 40 000 words
• Coursework Master's: 20 000 words
• Proofread by a professional language editor
Submitting your report for
examination to the Faculty Office
• First get your supervisor's approval
• Only on 31 January, 31 May or 31 October, depending
on your situation
• Late submission could imply the renewal of a
registration
• Assessors are granted 6 weeks to assess
Submitting your report for examination: checklist
Registered for the current academic year
Assessors for your examination have been approved
If the title or line of your research has changed, approval must have been
granted by the FHDC prior to submitting for assessment
If you have change of supervisor(s) approval must have been granted by the
FHDC prior to submitting for assessment
Formal ethics clearance
A full Turnitin report
One-Stop-Form completed by your supervisor
A digital copy of your report in PDF format
Articles required
• Articles suitable for submission to a peer reviewed
publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal
• 1 manuscript for a Research Master’s
• 2 manuscripts for a Doctorate
• Dissertation or thesis by essay or article automatically
meets the requirements for article(s).
Results recommended for dissertations
Approval with no corrections to be made:
• distinction mark of 75% or above.
• pass mark between 50% and 74%.
Provisional approval with minor corrections to be done to the satisfaction of the supervisor
• distinction mark of 75% or above.
• pass mark between 50% and 74%.
Recommendation of substantial amendments without awarding a mark in the light of
deficiencies identified in the narrative report and recommending that the revised version
be submitted to the particular assessor for reassessment, acknowledging the fact that
her/his final mark will be capped at 50%.
Rejection of the dissertation, awarding a mark reflecting a fail (less than 50%), in which
case no reassessment is recommended or considered.
Results recommended for theses
Approval of the thesis.
Provisional approval of the thesis with the understanding that the
candidate has to make non-substantive corrections and improvements to
the thesis to the satisfaction of the supervisor.
Recommendation that substantial amendments be made to the thesis in
the light of deficiencies identified in the assessor’s narrative report in
which case the revised version must be submitted to the particular
assessor for reassessment.
Rejection of the thesis in which case no reassessment is recommended or
considered.
Making corrections
• Minor corrections: 3 months to do corrections
• Substantial changes and resubmission for re-
assessment: 6 months to do corrections
• Failed the PG degree: reapply for the particular degree
and register a new topic
•Supervisors or students cannot contact assessors
before finalisation of the assessment outcome
Conflicting results
• Supervisors and HODs will engage further if:
• Discrepancy of 15% or more between the marks allocated
by individual assessors, or
• If one assessor recommends a distinction mark and the
other allocates a mark lower than a distinction
Oral defense or Viva Voce
• Optional for research master’s students, eg.
conflicting results or academic misconduct
• Compulsory for doctorate students
• Attended by the student and academics such as examiners and
supervisors
• Questions and discussions of any nature that examiners deem
appropriate
• Guidance for further development or the student’s career
Requirements for graduation
• A master’s or doctoral degree can be awarded only
after the successful completion of every requirement
of each component of the qualification as determined
by the relevant faculty regulations.
