Support and progression

Supervision

You will be allocated two supervisors who you will meet with regularly. Your supervisors are responsible for the progress of your project and will help you establish a structured approach to your research, help you to plan and also define goals and set deadlines.

Our PhD Directors provide pastoral support to you throughout the duration of your course.

Progression

Your progress will be monitored by the School though six-monthly progress meetings. These meetings are compulsory and involve meeting with your supervisors and the PhD Director/s. If you're studying part-time then your progress meeting will be yearly although six-monthly meetings can be requested. If you are studying for your PhD by distance learning then your progress meetings will take place six-monthly and will be conducted via teleconference.

Probationary review examination

When you begin your PhD programme you will be assigned Probationer Status (PS). At the end of your first or second year (depending if you are studying full-time, part-time or via distance learning) you will have to prepare and present an upgrade proposal of 5,000-6,000 words and make an oral defence of your project to a panel of academics.

This probationary review examinations is useful preparation for your viva voce (oral defence) of your completed thesis and allows the School to track your development. As this examination is a University requirement, if you study by distance learning you will need to travel to Leicester for your examination.

Upon successful completion of this examination you will be moved from Probationary Student to PhD status and will continue with your PhD programme.