UNIVERSITY OF KENT Research Programmes of Study 1.1 Award and Title MA/MPhil/PhD Applied Psychology MA/MPhil/PhD Community Care MA/MPhil/PhD Criminology MSc/MPhil/PhD Environmental Social Sciences MA/MPhil/PhD Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities MPhil/PhD Medicine and Health Sciences MA/MPhil/PhD Mental Health MPhil/PhD Migration Studies MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy MA/MPhil/PhD Social Work MA/MPhil/PhD Sociology MA/MPhil/PhD Urban Studies MA/MPhil/PhD Personal Social Services MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy 1.2 Length and Mode of Registration PhD: -4 years full-time, 5-6 years part-time MPhil: years full-time, years part-time MA: year full-time, years part-time 1.3 Entry Requirements Admission to the programme will require evidence of: (i) 2.1 honours degree, or equivalent, in a relevant subject, or a Master’s degree in a relevant subject at least at merit level; (ii) the appropriate English language qualification; and (iii) an acceptable research proposal Applications for admission to postgraduate research will be considered by the School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) and the potential supervisor(s).The School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) will give careful consideration to the suitability and qualifications of applicants and will be satisfied that there are available appropriate expertise for supervision and adequate resources for the proper conduct of the research In addition, all applicants will be interviewed by the potential supervisor(s) before any offer is made Where the applicant’s first language is not English, evidence will be required of proficiency in written and spoken English in line with the IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate in Proficiency in English or Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English standards required by the School at the time of application and as published in the University’s prospectus and the School’s website Where further English language training is required, the Director of Graduate Studies (Research) will ensure that appropriate arrangements are made 1.4 Campus Canterbury 1.5 Anticipated Total Student Registrations per year Postgraduate Research Programme Specification UNIVERSITY OF KENT 1.6 Programme Management The School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) will ensure the appointment of a supervisor and a Supervisory Team for each student accepted onto the programme The supervisor will guide the student in the selection of appropriate modules for his/her programme of study, if any, will supervise the student’s research, and will act as the principal point of contact for the student during the programme of study The Supervisory Team (which will consist of at least two members of staff, with at least one being an Approved Supervisory Chair), will monitor the student’s progress in the production of the thesis, and will offer advice and support to the student The other member(s) of the Supervisory Team will also provide advice and support to the supervisor SSPSSR is responsible for the programme This responsibility will be managed under the auspices of the School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) and in conjunction with the School Graduate Studies Committee The management of the programme will also be reviewed at Faculty and Institutional levels by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate School Board as outlined in the University’s Code of Practice for the Quality Assurance for Research Programmes of Study at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/codes/index.html?tab=researchprogrammes 1.7 Original Start Dates 1999 - MA/MPhil/PhD Applied Psychology 1999 - MA/MPhil/PhD Community Care 2005 - MA/MPhil/PhD Criminology 1999 - MSc/MPhil/PhD Environmental Social Sciences 2005 - MA/MPhil/PhD Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 1998 - MPhil/PhD Medicine and Health Sciences 1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Mental Health 2004 - MPhil/PhD Migration Studies 1997 - MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy 1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Social Work 1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Sociology 1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Urban Studies 1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Personal Social Services 1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy & Administration, titled changed to MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy 13.5.2015 Date of Revision: May 2015 1.8 Opportunity and Need There is a significant social need for research programmes in the social sciences subjects listed above This is because theoretically informed and methodologically rigorous investigations into these areas have the potential to make a tangible impact on improving public services and policy and our understanding of the processes through which social structures and social relationships are forged Through these programmes, research students are given the opportunity to not only perform critical analysis on existing data, but to also create new knowledge that makes an original contribution to the field in which they are studying The skills acquired through the programmes also enhance the employability and professional development of our research graduates Postgraduate Research Programme Specification UNIVERSITY OF KENT 1.9 Aims and Objectives (including assessment criteria) The University’s assessment criteria for research programmes of study are outlined in Section 8.4 of the Regulations for Research Programmes of Study at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/regulations/research/phdres.html#examination The programme aims: • To attract high-calibre students from home and overseas; • To offer focussed and supportive research-training; • To produce high-quality graduates with the skills necessary for pure and applied research within their chosen areas of employment, including higher education, public bodies and the private sector On successful completion of the PhD programme, students will have: • Acquired an excellent grounding in research skills; • Developed a broad knowledge of their subject area; • Acquired specialist knowledge in relation to their chosen area of research to a standard sufficient to make an original contribution to knowledge; • Carried out an independent research project using appropriate research methods in cases where empirical research is conducted; • Produced a thesis displaying and applying a broad knowledge of the subject that is of such scholarly merit as would justify its publication either as submitted or in an abridged form On successful completion of the MPhil programme, students will have: • Acquired a good grounding in research skills; • Developed a broad knowledge of their subject area; • Acquired specialist knowledge in relation to their chosen area of research to a standard sufficient to conduct an original investigation; • Carried out a research project using appropriate research methods in cases involving empirical research; • Produced a thesis displaying and applying a broad knowledge of the subject at an advanced level that is organised and presented in an appropriate manner On successful completion of the MA programme, students will have: • Acquired a grounding in research skills; • Developed a knowledge of their subject area; • Carried out a research project using appropriate research methods; • Produced a thesis displaying and applying knowledge of the subject at an advanced level that is organised and presented in an appropriate manner Assessment will be undertaken in accordance with the University’s Assessment Criteria for Research Degrees in Section 8.4 of the Regulations for Research Programmes of Study at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/documents/qualityassurance/regulations/research/phdres.pdf 1.10 Programme Outline 1.10a Details of the Research Training that the student will be expected to complete School level Postgraduate Research Programme Specification UNIVERSITY OF KENT Students are required to consider, in conjunction with their supervisory team, whether the nature of their degree requires them to undertake one or more of the four methodological modules which form the core modules of the MA in Methods of Social Research Students are also expected to attend the School Thursday seminars, as well as any relevant sessions of the Professional Development Series Institutional level All new PhD students are required to undertake a researcher development assessment, including attendance at a compulsory introductory researcher development assessment workshop (part of the Graduate School’s Researcher Development Programme) The completion of the assessment is a requirement for successful completion of the probation review New students are able to undertake a researcher development assessment, including at a researcher development assessment workshop (part of the Graduate School’s Researcher Development Programme) Completion of the assessment is not a requirement; however, students are encouraged to participate 1.10b Details of other courses students may benefit from eg: Health & Safety, IT, writing skills, English language, library skills etc Students will, as appropriate, have the benefit of support from the Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, Student Learning Advisory Service and the English Language Unit, as well as such relevant courses as may from time to time be offered by the library and computing services Students also have the opportunity to acquire or augment skills in a number of foreign languages in which instruction may be provided within the University Further details of Institutional level Provision: • Graduate School’s Researcher Development Programme (including online training provision), www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/tstindex.html • Student Learning Advisory Service provision, http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/about/slas.html • Information Services (Library and Computing Services), http://www.kent.ac.uk/is/services/index.html 1.10c Details of progression milestones that the student will need to reach and successfully pass (to include transfer from a lower qualification to a higher qualification e.g MPhil to PhD) Students will be subject to the progression milestones as outlined in Annex K (Progression and Examination) of the Research Code of Practice, http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/codes/research/annexknew.html School Specific Requirement: Postgraduate Research Programme Specification UNIVERSITY OF KENT In year two (full time) or year three (part time), students are required to present their work to the School (or Centre respectively) in Continuation Presentations This exercise consists of an open presentation and also a written document which will be assessed by the supervisors, and if necessary by an additional member of staff within the school During the open presentation to the School, members of staff send feedback on individual presentations to the School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) who collects and distributes these assessments to the supervisors and students The continuation presentation usually forms part of the end of year review, but can prompt an additional review of the students’ progress if concerns have been raised 1.10d Details of the assessment method The length of research degree theses are outlined in the Instructions to Candidates for the Examination of Research Degrees at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/regulations/research/pgdipresc.html PhD: between 76,000 and 90,000 including notes and references but excluding bibliography MPhil no more than 50,000 words including notes and references but excluding appendices MA by research: no more than 30,000 words including notes and references but excluding appendices 1.11 Chairs of Supervisory Teams All students will have a supervisory team as required by Annex H (Supervision of the Code of Practice for Research Programmes of Study) The current list of approved Supervisory Chairs for SSPSSR is as follows: Dr Julie Beadle-Brown Dr Mecca Chiesa Dr Rachel Forrester-Jones Professor Frank Furedi Professor Chris Hale Dr Kate Hamilton-West Professor Keith Hayward Dr Jonathan Illan Dr Derek Kirton Dr Michelle McCarthy Professor Peter McGill Dr Lavinia Mitton Professor Glynis Murphy Professor Stephen Peckham Dr Caroline Pedwell Professor Chris Pickvance Professor Larry Ray Professor Chris Rootes Postgraduate Research Programme Specification UNIVERSITY OF KENT Professor David Shemmings Professor Chris Shilling Professor Miri Song Professor Tim Strangleman Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby Professor Julia Twigg Professor Sarah Vickerstaff Dr Warner Jo An up-to-date list of Supervisory Chairs that have been approved by the Faculty, can also be found at: https://sharepoint.kent.ac.uk/fso/Lists/Supervisory%20Chairs %202011/AllItems.aspx#InplviewHashef548b0e-1e25-4ca9-9753-5b5ad73297c2 1.12 Research Environment • • • • • 1.13 The School is one of the leading and largest research centres for social science in the UK and Europe In the last Research Assessment Exercise, we were ranked joint third with 70% of our research being evaluated as either ‘World Leading’ or of ‘International excellence in terms of originality, significance and rigor.’ The School offers an unrivalled European context in which to study for a PhD It acts as the coordinating institutions in the context of the European Commission working closely with partners including Hamburg, Budapest and Utrecht The School has ESRC 1+3 and +3 recognition and there are already 10 postgraduate students undertaking research on criminological topics The School has a thriving staff / post-graduate seminar series that includes speakers of international and nature stature We have a thriving postgraduate community of research students and offer a large and diverse range of Professional Development Seminars, School seminar programmes, Workshops, Advanced Research Methods Training, a Developing Your Teaching Certificate, Skills Training, Study groups, and writing/career workshops (home and abroad) for our students School level support services • • • Postgraduate research students within SSPSSR have recourse to support through their supervisory team and a dedicated Postgraduate Office who can signpost relevant support services within the School and wider university SSPSSR has in place a permanent support position, the Student Support Manager who offers pastoral support to all research students SSPSSR is committed to providing support for postgraduate research students with regard to appropriate office space, equipment, and where possible funding for research expenses and conference participation Institutional level support services • Student Support http://www.kent.ac.uk/studentsupport/ • Student Wellbeing www.kent.ac.uk/studentwellbeing/ • Student Learning Advisory Service http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/about/slas.html • Counselling Service www.kent.ac.uk/counselling/ Postgraduate Research Programme Specification UNIVERSITY OF KENT • Kent Union www.kentunion.co.uk/ • • Graduate Student Association (GSA) www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/community/woolf.html Graduate School (Provision of (i) Researcher Development Programme (workshops and on-line courses) (ii) institutional level induction and (iii) student-led initiatives such as social events, conferences and workshops www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/index.html Information Services (computing and library services) www.kent.ac.uk/is/ • Postgraduate student representation at School, Faculty and Institutional levels • Centre for English and World Languages www.kent.ac.uk/cewl/index.html • Careers and Employability Services www.kent.ac.uk/ces/ • International Development Office www.kent.ac.uk/international/ • Medical Centre www.kent.ac.uk/counselling/menu/Medical-Centre.html • 1.14 1.15 School Quality Assurance and Enhancement • The programme will be overseen by the School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research), with responsibility for research programmes of study overseen by the School Graduate Studies Committee • Student feedback will be obtained from Staff-Student Liaison Committees, Postgraduate Student Representation on school-level committees and the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey • The programme will be reviewed via the annual programme monitoring process and the periodic programme review process School Resource Implications Any additional costs will be covered by additional income 1.16 Professional Accreditation Not applicable Template last updated July 2014 Postgraduate Research Programme Specification