The regulations in this section cover public access to research degree dissertations at the University of Bristol, including how to defer public access and to redact material.
24.1. Awarded PGR students must deposit the definitive version of their dissertation with the University of Bristol Library. Dissertations will be publicly available unless a deferral or redaction request has been approved.
24.2. Degree certificates are released after a graduation ceremony, but the certificate will be withheld if the student has not deposited the definitive version of their dissertation with the Library.
24.3. The definitive version of the dissertation deposited with the Library must be identical to the version approved by the student’s examiners, except for any materials that breach a third party’s copyright or privacy. The student must redact any materials that breach third-party copyright or privacy from the dissertation before it is released publicly. Removal of this type of material does not require the student to request a redaction.
24.4. Deposited dissertations will only be made public with the approval of the Academic Quality and Policy Office and the Library, and after any approved deferral or redaction period has ended.
24.5. Awarded PGR students who do not have outstanding minor errors must deposit their dissertation within 28 calendar days of their award notification.
24.6. Awarded PGR students with outstanding minor errors must deposit their dissertation within 28 calendar days of receiving confirmation from the internal examiner (or independent chair if they do not have an internal examiner) that their corrections are satisfactory.
24.7. Students must deposit their dissertation in Pure in pdf format or in another format acceptable to the University and appropriate for the work. As part of the deposit process, students must complete a depositor declaration.
24.8. The only exception to depositing in Pure is where a request to deposit on a secure University server has been approved due to contractual, security or safety obligations.
24.9. A deferral means that the entire dissertation is held back from public release for an approved period. Deferral requests can, for example, cover where a prospective publisher requires the work to be held back or where there is sensitive information related to contractual, security or safety obligations.
24.10. Redactions mean that specific parts of the dissertation are held back for an approved period with the unredacted parts being made publicly available. Redactions are normally only required if there are contractual, security or safety obligations that make this necessary.
24.11. Redactions only relate to the definitive version of the dissertation following the student’s award. Redactions cannot be applied to the version submitted for examination.
24.12. A PGR student can request that their dissertation is deferred from public release or that material is redacted. Requests must be submitted no later than the student’s deadline to deposit the definitive version of their dissertation with the Library, but ideally much sooner.
24.13. In exceptional circumstances, where a need for a deferral or for redactions emerges after the dissertation has been deposited, a PGR student can make a later deferral or redaction request.
24.14. A PGR student’s main supervisor can make a deferral or redaction request on behalf of the student if there are contractual, security or safety obligations that require the supervisor’s direction.
24.15. A PGR student or, where relevant, their main supervisor must provide the following information on the relevant form when making a request:
24.15.1. A reason for the deferral or redactions, including any relevant evidence.
24.15.2. A proposed period for the deferral or redactions based on the specific circumstances.
24.15.3. Where relevant, details of any contractual, security or safety obligations (including those that relate to UK export control considerations).
24.15.4. Where deposit on a secure University server (rather than on Pure) is requested, a statement on why this is needed. This can only be requested if there are contractual, security of safety obligations that make it necessary.
24.15.5. Where redactions are requested, details of how the student, the supervisors and, where relevant, the funder or sponsor will manage the redaction process.
24.16. The Faculty PGR Director approves deferral and redaction requests of up to 12 months after which the full version of the dissertation will be publicly available.
24.17. The Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (PGR) considers deferral and redaction requests that exceed a 12-month period. A recommendation from the Faculty PGR Director and any funder and/or sponsor conditions will be considered as part of the decision process.
24.18. PGR students must deposit the definitive version by their deadline even if a deferral or redactions have been approved. It is only the public release of the dissertation that can be deferred or can be partially released with redactions. The requirement to deposit itself cannot be deferred.
24.19. Approved deferrals and redactions only relate to the content of the dissertation. The PGR student must enter their metadata (student name, dissertation title and abstract) in Pure and this will be publicly available even where approved deferrals or redactions are in place. If there is any sensitive material in the abstract, the student must amend the abstract entered in Pure to remove the sensitive material.
24.20. Where a request to deposit the dissertation on a secure University server (rather than on Pure) has been approved, the PGR student will be required to deposit directly to the Library.
24.21. If redactions have been approved, both the redacted and full versions of the dissertation must be deposited by the PGR student’s deadline. The redacted version must include a cover sheet inserted before the title page.
24.22. The PGR student must use the following template for the cover sheet, which they can adapt for their individual circumstances.
This is a redacted version of the full dissertation, as agreed by the student, the supervisors and [name], the sponsor of this [degree type] studentship in the Faculty of [name]. The redactions cover key information that was deemed too sensitive to be published. The redactions have been kept to the minimum level necessary, so that the dissertation still shows the research excellence of the author.
24.23. The PGR student must deposit both the redacted and full versions of the dissertation to the Library. The redacted version file must be named as follows: ‘Redacted_Final_Copy_[year_month_day]_[student surname_student initials]_[Degree type].’
24.24. The PGR student, the main supervisor or, if relevant, a sponsor or funder can request an extension to a deferral or redaction period on the relevant form. If necessary, the request can also include changing from a deferral to a redaction, or vice versa.
24.25. An extension request should be submitted in good time (normally three months) before the existing deferral or redaction period ends.
24.26. The Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (PGR) approves extension requests for deferrals and redactions.
