College of Social Sciences Graduate School

The Graduate School for Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow is an energetic community seeking to bring together staff and postgraduate students in shared social, educational and research events. Students and supervisors are advised to visit the Graduate School website on a regular basis to keep up to date with news and events.

The Graduate School team values student comment and feedback so the election of student representatives to the Graduate School Board is critical. We would strongly encourage each of you to consider your role in this process. You can communicate with the Graduate School Team and other postgraduate students via the Graduate School Facebook page.

The Graduate School has four major responsibilities for postgraduate studies within the College:

Organising the set of courses which make up our core package of research training. The Graduate School also runs a variety of short courses and seminars to enhance the broader skills and employability of its students and to support the research ethos of the academic community.
The College Employability Officer works with the Graduate School to develop additional opportunities for career development and transferable skills training. Details of these will be published on our Facebook page as well as on our website

Ensuring the successful management of the research process and the preparation of the thesis.
Working with Schools to successfully achieve the provision of the necessary infrastructure (study space, equipment, word-processing and computing facilities, etc.) for PGR students.

Providing support, advice and training to supervisors on their vital role in the research process.

The purpose of this Handbook is to provide guidance and practical advice for research students and supervisors. It represents a set of guidelines for good practice in supervision and research. It should be read in conjunction with the Regulations governing the award of postgraduate degrees set out in the and with the University Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees. As a student you will have been asked to confirm that you have read and understood the Code of Practice when formally accepting the offer of a place at the University.

The ultimate authority in matters pertaining to the award of research qualifications is Senate. However Senate has delegated a number of its functions to the College and these functions are exercised by the College Graduate School Board PGR Committee. In turn the Dean and Deputy Dean of Graduate Studies have the authority to take decisions on behalf of, and without referral to, the Graduate School Board on routine matters.

The Graduate School provides an annual Induction which run at the beginning of the new academic session and is compulsory for incoming Research Students.

The purpose of the Induction is to provide you with an overview of the Research Training Programme (RTP), to introduce you to key support services, and to the key members of the RTP team. It also provides you with the opportunity to meet fellow postgraduates from across the College and beyond before starting your formal specialised courses the following week.

The induction sessions are designed to enable you to get to know each other and to get to know key members of staff, both academic and administrative. The training courses, discussions and talks which form part of the induction and welcome are active sessions through which you can expect to learn about the workings of the Graduate School, the College, the University and about aspects of research training and researcher development. For more information please visit Research Training Programme.

All postgraduate students are responsible for the planning, development, progression, and completion of their degree.  Key to success in a research degree is the advice and guidance you receive from the University’s academic staff.  All research students are therefore assigned a supervisory team to oversee their research.

In addition to being part of the Graduate School you are deemed to be part of the School of your main supervisor. School responsibilities for students are outlined in the University Code of Practice. You may also be part of smaller groupings related to subject or research interests within your School environment.

It is important that a clear understanding is established at an early stage between you and the main supervisor about responsibilities in relation to your written submissions. This understanding must accord with any University and College regulations and must cover the nature of guidance or comment the supervisor will offer, within the general principle that a thesis should be your own work.

The responsibilities of supervisors, students, Graduate School, and Schools can be found in the University PGR Code of Practice for postgraduate research students. It is important that all parties read and familiarise themselves with these responsibilities to ensure that consistent high standards are set and achieved across the College and that both students and supervisors are given the support to which they are entitled.

To comply with Home Office requirements for tier 4 students and to promote good practice for all students a report should be produced following each formal supervision meeting with a research student. The report will be written by the student immediately following the meeting and signed by the student and the supervisor. The signed reports will be retained by the supervisor and may be required as evidence of engagement in studies. The Dean of Graduate Studies recommends monthly meetings either face to face or by Skype or email between supervisors and their students. A template for the reports can be found here Record of Supervision Report ‌.

Please also see Section 5: Supervision and Section 16: Roles and Responsibilities at a Glance of the PGR Code of Practice

A student who is still within the three year study period will be allowed to transfer his/her PhD registration to the University of Glasgow when the supervisor joins the University. If a student is in the fourth year of study i.e. the thesis pending stage, then he/she will be required to remain at the existing institution although the transferring supervisor will still have a responsibility to read drafts of the thesis.

All full time PhD students are provided access to a computer, desk and storage space.  The computer will be of a specification recommended by the University IT services. Paper and printing facilities will be provided by the School.

Access to a computer, desk and storage space are guaranteed for a maximum of 4 years. Students will be expected to vacate the shared study space within 2 weeks of the submission of their thesis or by the 30th September for October starts and 31st December for January starts at the end of their 4th year of study whichever is earliest unless they have been advised otherwise. Students will be expected to sign an agreement to this effect before being allowed access to the study space.

New students starting in October will have access by the end of October at the latest. New students starting in January will have access by the end of January at the latest

The primary function of each of the spaces is as shared study space for registered research students of the College. It is hoped that students sharing space will develop a working relationship and agree appropriate room rules, however the following regulations for the use of shared study space should be observed at all times.

• In the interest of Security you must not share your keys or keypad code with anyone other than registered research students within the College of Social Sciences.
• Mobile phones should be turned off at all times and you must be considerate of other colleagues in the room when taking calls on a landline.
• You must not allow anyone other than registered research students within the College of Social Sciences access to IT facilities within the space.
• It is your responsibility to dispose of food and drink appropriately within the space, paying particular attention to not placing liquids in the bins provided.
• You must contact your School admin contact before you vacate your space for any reason during your programme of studies.

Research Furth 

Definition: Approved period of time spent carrying out research at approved centres other than Glasgow University or undertaking appropriate fieldwork outwith Glasgow. Where research is continued outside the University in this way, it must remain under the control and supervision of the supervisor.

How to apply:  Students should apply for Research Furth of Glasgow through the UofG Helpdesk for approval by the PGR Committee in advance of their departure, as per guidance via Absence Requests.

Normally this period will not constitute more than a year, continuous or accumulated from shorter periods, in the three statutory years required for full time study or five years for part-time study, though the PGR Committee will consider a case for more extended period on its individual merits.

Responsibility of Students and supervisors: The PGR Committee will need to be informed about access to library resources, IT facilities, employment if any, and contact, if any, with HE institutions during the time away. It will also expect to be given an account of the nature and extent of supervision which the student will receive, the mechanisms by will it will be achieved and contact maintained, and the number of face-to-face meetings and visits to Glasgow which will take place during the period. The supervisor is responsible for establishing the framework for supervision, and reporting on it to the College PGR Committee. If progress is not maintained the College PGR Committee may refuse readmission. It is recommended that the period outwith Glasgow should not normally begin until the student has had at least 6 months regular supervision in Glasgow.

Implications for Tier 4 students:  This is deemed to be part of the programme for Tier 4 students as long as we have evidence on the student file that the reporting mechanisms outlined above are adhered to. However, the Home Office reserve the right to assess the reports we make on students and may not allow them to re-enter the UK after studying abroad if they fail to meet any requirements. Students registered as thesis pending are not eligible to apply for Research Furth

The Home Office require the following information to be held by the Graduate School. 

• A record of all research furth locations and contact details (full address, contact phone number). This applies wherever the student is going to be based. Students must ensure that they are contactable throughout.
• The start and end dates of the Research Furth. This information must be collected in advance of the Research Furth starting.
• When the student is at another institution/organisation, the host institution/organisation will be asked to confirm that the student has arrived to start their Research Furth.
• A further report confirming compliance with academic/attendance requirements will be requested midway through the placement. Copies of correspondence/reports must be retained on file by the School/Research Institute who should take action if the reports are unsatisfactory.
• A host institution/organisation will also be asked to ensure that they notify the Graduate School of any prolonged absence

When students are at another institution or organisation, the Graduate School will write to a named contact to confirm the start and end dates of the placement and the importance of the Graduate School being advised, should students not be complying with academic/attendance requirements.

The Graduate School will also ensure that Tier 4 students are briefed that their attendance will be monitored whilst they are elsewhere and that they must ensure that the host organisation is informed if they are unable to attend due to illness.  More importantly such students must ensure that both the host organisation and  the University contact are informed  if urgent circumstances, for example a family or personal emergency, require them to take time away from the Research Furth. Students should be clear who to contact about absence at both their host organisation and the University. 

Please note all trips outside the UK, and any UK trips involving an overnight stay, or air travel, must be registered within the Travel Approval Portal (TRICAP). The Travel Process Flowchart provides an overview and further information including Risk Assessment Forms can be accessed via Fieldwork.

Please also see Sections 8.44 - 8.48 Short period of research at external organisations (normally less than 12 months) of the PGR Code of Practice

Annual Leave 

Definition: Postgraduate Research Students are entitled to take a maximum of eight weeks' annual leave, including public holidays.

Please see the PGR Code of Practice for more information.  All students must receive the approval of their supervisors for any period of annual leave and should ensure they do not miss a scheduled supervisory meeting.

Students only who will be on leave for a period of more than 2 weeks must apply for approval of Annual Leave through the UofG Helpdesk as per the guidance via Absence requests. 

Please also see Sections 9.6 - 9.10 Annual Leave of of the PGR Code of Practice

There are a number of circumstances in the course of pursuing research of which School PGR Directors, Dean of Graduate Studies, supervisors and students should be aware and which should be reported to the Graduate School. These include the following:

• Change of supervisor or appointment of an additional supervisor: This should come from the Head of School through the School PGR Director.
• Change of research topic: This should come from the supervisor and with the supervisor's approval. In exceptional cases, if the topic is radically different, then it may be recommended that the required period of study for the degree be extended.
• Reduction in the required period of study: For a research degree on the basis of, for example, prior research carried out elsewhere. Such requests, submitted by the supervisor, Dean of Graduate Studies or Head of School, are subject to University Degree regulations and can be approved only where firm evidence is given that thesis submission is imminent.
• Change of Mode of Study: Requests to change from full-time to part-time registration or vice versa should be submitted to the Graduate School on the Application for Change to Mode of Study form with the Supervisors approval.

Please also see Sections 5.11 - 5.15 Changes to the supervisory team and Sections 10.10 - 10.16 Time permitted for submission of the PGR Code of Practice

It is a requirement of the University of Glasgow that all students undertaking research that involves human participants, data or material are required to obtain ethical approval from the College Ethics Committee PRIOR to the commencement of the research.

The College Research Ethics Committee is responsible for vetting and approving all Ethics applications

The ethical design and conduct of your research is an important part of your scholarly development and you should give careful consideration to each of the sections in your application. It is a requirement that your Supervisor co-sign this form and therefore you are strongly recommended to consult with your Supervisor when completing the ethics application form.

You are advised that the approval process can take up to six weeks, allowing for possible amendments following review of an application. You are therefore encouraged to make your application at least six weeks in advance of your proposed research start date. Please note that research must not commence prior to you having ethical approval in writing from the College Research Ethics Committee. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary procedures being instigated.

Please consult the College of Social Sciences Ethics web pages for more information.

The University's degrees and other academic awards are given in recognition of a student's personal achievement. All work submitted by students for assessment is accepted on the understanding that it is the student's own effort.

Plagiarism is defined as the submission or presentation of work, in any form, which is not your own, without acknowledgement of the sources. Special cases of plagiarism can also arise from one student copying another student's work or from inappropriate collaboration.

The incorporation of material without formal and proper acknowledgement (even with no deliberate intent to cheat) can constitute plagiarism. Work may be considered to be plagiarised if it consists of:

• a direct quotation without acknowledgement and indication that it is a direct quote (e.g. inverted commas);
• an unacknowledged close paraphrase;
• an unacknowledged summary of a source;
• a direct copying or transcription.

With regard to essays, reports and dissertations, the rule is that if information or ideas are obtained from any source, that source must be acknowledged according to the appropriate convention in that discipline and any direct quotation must be placed in quotation marks and the source cited immediately. Any failure to acknowledge adequately or to cite properly other sources in submitted work is plagiarism. Under examination conditions, material learnt by rote or close paraphrase will be expected to follow the usual rules of reference citation otherwise it will be considered as plagiarism. Departments should provide guidance on other appropriate use of references in examination conditions.

Plagiarism is considered to be an act of fraudulence and an offence against University discipline. Alleged plagiarism, at whatever stage of a student's studies, whether before or after graduation, will be investigated and dealt with appropriately by the University.

Please find further information online regarding Plagiarism. 

Research students who are dissatisfied with their conditions of work or the quality of their supervision should whenever possible discuss the difficulties with the supervisor. If this is not possible then the supervisor or the student should seek guidance or help in the first instance from the School PGR Director. If the issue is still not resolved the Head of School should be consulted.

If it proves impossible to resolve the difficulties, you should approach the Dean of Graduate Studies, who is empowered to convene a committee comprising the PGR Convenor and the Head of School to attempt to resolve the difficulties in question.

If at any stage in a particular case it is recommended that alternative supervisory arrangements be made, then these require approval by the College Graduate School Board.

Whilst achieving an informal resolution of a student complaint is a key goal, there are instances where a student may pursue a formal complaint. Please also see the University’s Student Complaints Procedures.