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      **AIDE MEMOIRE FOR PH.D. SUPERVISORS [DECEMBER, 2016]**
            FACULTY OF ARTS RESEARCH GRADUATE SCHOOL (RGS)


All of the following is found in the Arts RGS Handbook at:
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/faculties/arts/schools/research-graduate-school
and in the Research & Innovation Office Research Studies Handbook at:
https://internal.ulster.ac.uk/research/info/rps/handbook/research_handbook.php

0. HANDBOOKS:
All Supervisors should READ the Arts RGS Handbook &
Research & Innovation Office Research Studies Handbook.

** Supervisors must not ask RGS Admin. or Head of the RGS (HoRGS)
questions which are already answered in the Handbooks. **

1. CAMPUS ATTENDANCE [DfE & VCRS requirements]:
All Full-Time Ph.D. students funded by DfE (formerly DEL) or VCRS scholarships
are required to be present on campus on a **DAILY BASIS**.

**Special requests must be made in cases where this is not
practised or possible 
by contracting a written agreement with Supervisors & HoRGS.**

2. SUPERVISORY MEETINGS:
Supervisors are required to meet regularly with their Ph.D. students
(i.e. **WEEKLY**), and ensure that students are aware of their responsibilities
and compliance in terms of e.g. campus attendance, Handbook reading,
Research Training Credit (RTC) fulfilment, Induction completion,
100-day review, confirmation & annual reporting requirements, 
research seminar attendance & 3rd Year conference presentation. 

3. EXTENSIONS-OF-TIME:
For Ph.D. students in their 3rd Year, where it is clear they will
not complete on time, Students & Supervisors need to complete an RS9 form 
for their first 4-months FREE extension in **ADVANCE** of expiry of their time.
Similarly, for further 3-months FEED PAY extensions (now £615) 
RS9a, RS9b & RS9c forms must be completed.

** Otherwise, students are at risk of becoming de-registered &
must apply for re-admission (which is protracted & inefficient) **

4. 100-DAY REVIEWS/ CONFIRMATIONS:
All 100-Day reviews and confirmations must be held when required
as run-overs can cause knock-on problems for the RGS. 

5. LEAVE-OF-ABSENCE (LOA):
In a case where it is clear that a student is having problems
then LOA (RS8 Form) should be considered. 
However LOA cannot be considered at the
end of the Ph.D. period so it would be prudent to assess this need earlier.
** This point relates to 3. EXTENSIONS-OF-TIME. **

** Retrospective LOA is not possible.**

6. RESEARCH-TRAINING-CREDITS (RTCs):
ALL Ph.D. students must complete **180 RTC training credits** 
and the online Research Integrity Module
by the end of their Ph.D. period. 
Details on how to obtain these RTC credits are available
in the Handbooks and at the Researcher Development Programme (RDP) Portal:
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/staffdev/Research_Training/controller.php

7. RESEARCH SEMINARS:
Ph.D. Students should attend all relevant research seminars 
in their subject area.

8. FORMS:
It is important that **ALL FORMS** are completed in full and signatured
accordingly BEFORE sending to RGS Admin. or HoRGS. 
Otherwise, they need to be returned for completion,
which wastes time and multiplies inefficiencies.

9. RESEARCH COMMUNITY:
All Ph.D. students should be meeting regularly with their peers and academics
(especially in their subject areas) so that they learn how to interact
within groups thus helping to develop a Research Community within the RGS.   
**This relates to point 1. CAMPUS ATTENDANCE  [DfE & VCRS requirements]
and 7. RESEARCH SEMINARS above.**

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