34. Admission and Study (taught postgraduate)

Selection and admission 

34.1   Selection of students for taught postgraduate programmes must be in accordance with the University’s Admissions Principles and Procedures for Postgraduate Taught Programmes.

34.2   No student shall be admitted and permitted to register for any programme of study at the start of any academic year if that student has previously withdrawn from the same or cognate programme of study due to academic failure within the last three years.

Registration

34.3  Students must be fully registered on their programmes within the first two weeks of teaching of their programme of study (i.e. by the Friday of week 2). Specific programmes may have an earlier final deadline for registration. If a student is unable to register in that time, they will be required to suspend their studies until the following academic year or withdraw from the programme.

34.4   No student registered for a programme of full-time study leading to a qualification of the University of Bristol may study concurrently on a programme of full or part-time study leading to the award of a qualification at this or another higher education provider, except:

• Where a student is awaiting the academic outcome from a Master’s degree but is able to commence further study on a new taught postgraduate or research postgraduate programme.
• Where a research postgraduate student is undertaking a programme or unit for credit to directly support them as a teacher (e.g. the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice).

34.5   Students on some taught postgraduate programmes may be permitted to register initially for a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate, subject to faculty approval.

34.6   For awards of the University of Bristol,except as specified below, credit points may only be used once and may not be used towards two or more taught awards of this University or of another higher education provider and this University. The exceptions are:

a)   where an award at one level may be subsumed into an award at a higher level;

b)   where a University award or award of another institution has independent standing as a professional qualification and is accredited by a professional body;

The use of credit or a lower award from this University towards an award of another institution is at the discretion of that awarding institution, including as part of articulation agreements where a partner institution might count the credit or qualification obtained at Bristol towards their own award.

Period of study

34.7   The period of study commences when the student is first registered for the degree programme. Students are expected to complete their programme within the specified normal period of study and must not exceed the maximum study period.

34.8   The maximum study period normally only applies to students who are undergoing re-assessment.

34.9   The following table shows the normal and maximum periods of study for taught postgraduate degrees. These periods of study include extensions but exclude suspensions of study. A student will normally only be able to take a supplementary year due to exceptional circumstances once during their programme of study.

* Not more than eight years study for part-time variable students on the MSc in Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals and the Master of Laws (LLM) by Advanced Study.

For the Postgraduate Dental Studies programme, the maximum period of study for a part-time variable mode of study is 24 months for the Certificate, 48 months for the Diploma and 72 months for the Masters degree.

School Responsibilities

34.10      Schools will ensure that:

a)      At the commencement of their period of study, students are given the opportunity to meet key teaching and support staff, and other students on the programme.

b)      Students are provided with induction/orientation information in electronic or paper format to include a detailed induction programme, a timetable and calendar of key academic events. Students should also receive a copy of the University and Faculty Student Handbook or be directed to the online versions.

c)      Students receive appropriate handbooks (for the programme, unit/s and dissertation), outlining programme requirements and academic standards, contact details of key staff and their office hours/weekly availability and sources of academic and pastoral help and sources of general and skills training. Students should also be given access to general and discipline specific careers advice. Health and Safety training should be provided by schools as appropriate.

d)      Students on professional programmes receive information on any professional requirements, including any compulsory practical, clinical or professional placements and fitness to practice procedures. Additional professional and clinical skills and competency requirements will be specified in full in programme specifications.

e)       Teaching staff have expertise in the subject area and that students can interact with a range of appropriate teaching staff on their programme of study.

f)      The learning environment is suitable for a diverse student body, including disabled students, international students or students working in professional employment who do not often visit the University campus, whether they are studying full-time, part-time or on a part-time variable basis.

g)      Students are made aware of the facilities available to them during their studies (e.g. library, office/laboratory/workshop space), and of any requirements for their use. Students working remotely, including those 'writing up' their dissertation (or equivalent), should be given access to appropriate facilities and resources to support their study, including those available electronically.

h)        If a student is required to participate in a professional or industrial placement, the School will ensure that the student has access to appropriate facilities, information and support while on the placement. 

Student Entitlements

34.11      Taught postgraduate students can expect:

a)      Information on tuition fees, registration, induction, the timetable and staff office hours/availability.

b)      Information on programme and unit content and requirements and how academic progress towards the award is monitored.

c)       Adequate opportunities to meet their personal tutor and/or programme director (as applicable), unit directors and dissertation supervisor(s) for informal and formal discussions about academic progress or pastoral matters.

d)      Information on the return of required written work, with formative feedback, within an agreed time scale (typically three weeks for full-time students, unless exceptional circumstances arise, in which case students will be informed of the deadline).

e)      Access to a learning infrastructure that supports their academic progress and their ability to complete the degree successfully within the required time period. Where relevant, details of appropriate language courses should be provided, bearing in mind the challenge of taking a language course while committed to a full-time programme of study

f)        Access to an appropriate learning environment, including a wider research environment, (in the University or collaborating institutions) within which there is relevant and sufficient expertise and appropriate facilities available to support the programme of study.

g)      Information about the support and guidance available at School/Faculty/University level (e.g. student handbooks, student web pages), including information on complaints and appeals procedures and information on student representation procedures at School/ Faculty/University level and on student feedback opportunities

Student Responsibilities    

34.12      Taught postgraduate students are expected to:

a)      Register with the University at the start of the academic year, ensuring that they are registered on the correct units with sufficient credit points for the programme.

b)      Pay the required tuition fee and ensure that they have the necessary financial support to enable completion of the programme

c)       Take responsibility for their own personal and professional development and academic progress, making the most of those learning opportunities that will enhance their capacity for independent and ‘self-directed’ learning.

d)      Meet the University’s requirements for good academic conduct, including timely submission of assessed work by the set deadline, attending at meetings with unit directors and dissertation supervisor(s) as required, attend lectures, seminars and practical sessions regularly and take an active part in the programme of study.

e)      Maintain effective working relationships with teaching staff (programme director, personal tutor, unit directors, dissertation supervisor) and other students, treating all with respect and consideration.  Students on professionally-recognised vocational programmes are additionally expected to maintain standards of conduct commensurate with professional practice standards.

f)        Maintain academic integrity, acknowledging fully the work of others in their coursework and assessed work, and be familiar with the referencing conventions of the discipline or programme, so that their work is free from plagiarism.

g)      Notify the University of any disability, exceptional circumstance or support needs that may affect their study or performance in assessments, in line with these Regulations and Code of Practice.

h)      Notify the University of changes in their personal information (teaching time/home addresses, telephone numbers) by updating their personal details online.

i)        Notify their programme director of any potential change in circumstance (requests for a change in mode of attendance, suspension of study, resumption of study, extension of study, programme transfer or withdrawal) in good time.

j)       Be familiar with, and comply with, University Regulations and Guidelines including: these Regulations and Code of Practice, relevant programme regulations, the Rules and Regulations for Students (including the University’s Intellectual Property Policy for Students) and the Assessment Regulations. 

k)       Be familiar with relevant University rules on health and safety, data protection, research ethics and confidentiality and the norms of good research practice applicable to their disciplinary area.

l)        International students with visa / immigration queries must only discuss these with the specially trained staff based in the Student Visa Team. 

Monitoring of the progress of taught postgraduate students

34.13         Faculties should monitor the progress of taught postgraduate students at boards of examiners meetings and as part of its internal review processes.

34.14         The failure of any student to show satisfactory progress on the programme, including failure in summative assessment, failure to obtain credit points or to attend regularly any prescribed part of a programme (including such lectures, discussion periods, tutorial and practical classes, fieldwork, design classes and vacation courses as may be required) or to undertake prescribed written or other work or to present themselves for any examination or to reach a satisfactory standard in any assessment or any part or parts of an assessment, will be reported to the relevant Faculty Board of Examiners (or other approved Board of Examiners) which may at any time, if it thinks fit, require the student concerned to repeat part of a programme or to retake an assessment or to withdraw from a unit or units or the whole programme in accordance with University regulation. Any student who has been required to withdraw shall be informed of the decision and of the University procedures for making representations against the decision.

The Dissertation/ Research project

34.15       For most postgraduate Masters awards, an extended piece of work, such as a dissertation or project, is required. Postgraduate Masters awards with an enhanced research component normally require dissertation/s worth 90 to 120 credit points. 

The format and submission of the dissertation

34.16      The submission deadline for dissertation / research projects is the last working day in August or the first Friday of September, whichever is 51 weeks from the start of Welcome Week. Faculties may alter this deadline date for programmes that are studied part-time or Masters programmes with an approved non-standard start/end date, in which case the relevant school will inform the student of the submission procedure and deadline.

34.17      The dissertation must be a student’s own work. A student may not include in any dissertation (or equivalent), material previously submitted and approved for an award of a degree at this or any other university. A student must have gained ethical approval prior to undertaking their research, where applicable.

34.18      Schools will set the maximum word length for the dissertation of between 10,000–15,000 words, except for a dissertation based on laboratory work which will have a maximum word count of between 6,000–10,000 words. References and lists of contents pages may be additional to the word limit, as can appendices if allowed (although these should be reasonable in length).

34.19      A school may set a maximum word count that is different from 34.18, where:

• It enables students to meet the learning outcomes for the programme and demonstrate the characteristics of a Master’s graduate (ref QAA Characteristics Statement)
• Consistent with the student input and workload for a 60 credit point unit
• Students are supported to write in a way that is consistent with the maximum word count
• It meets any PSRB requirements and the relevant QAA subject benchmark statement.

Any proposed different word count must be approved by the relevant Faculty Education Director and the exact requirements specified in the relevant unit specification for the dissertation and communicated to students.

34.20     Students will submit their dissertation in the provided format. Schools will provide students with information to enable them to prepare and submit the dissertation in the correct format and advise them of any specific requirements.

34.21    If the school mandates the use of Turnitin for submissions, the student or supervisor may initiate a request for an exemption from the Turnitin requirement on the appropriate form. The supervisor is responsible for submitting all requests to the relevant Faculty Education Director (or nominee). Where the student initiates the request, the supervisor must provide a recommendation on the form. If the Faculty Education Director (or nominee) approves the request, the dissertation supervisor will undertake a manual check on the dissertation in relation to academic integrity and plagiarism and will inform the school when the check has been completed.

Supervision arrangements for the dissertation

34.22     Each student will be assigned a dissertation supervisor by their school.

34.23     The dissertation supervisor will:

• Provide guidance on the nature of the dissertation and the standard of work expected;
• advise students on the planning of the dissertation;
• discuss the timetable and dates for completion of different stages advise students on training necessary for completion of the dissertation, e.g. statistical or software courses which may include referral to other sources of help and advice.

The dissertation supervisor will not proof-read or edit the work. In programmes where a specified proportion of the draft dissertation may be read by the dissertation supervisor, they may comment on the following as applicable: dissertation or report structure, content of sections, research sources and methodology, referencing and style.

34.24     Where re-assessment of the dissertation is permitted by the Board of Examiners, the dissertation supervisor will ensure that the student understands the feedback given by the examiners and knows what is required for re-submission.