Additional guidance for schools, departments or centres in relation to journal-style theses

Unless specified by your school, department or centre (with approval from YGRS - see below for more information) there is no requirement for papers in a journal-style thesis to be published (or in progress towards publication). 

Why should you permit journal-style theses?

For schools, departments or centres, the potential benefits of permitting journal-style theses may include:

• giving your PGRs more choice
• enhancing your research culture and output, by encouraging PGRs to publish their work, some of which may be co-authored with faculty members
• increasing the competitiveness of your doctoral graduates, improving your attractiveness to high quality doctoral applicants
• improved submission rates, through a reduction in the use of the continuation period.  

What should be included in your departmental PGR handbooks?

• Whether you permit journal-style theses
• Any school, department or centre-specific requirements (which must have YGRS approval) and/or guidance, eg with respect to publication status, the number of papers, choice of journals, and co-authorship.Requirements and guidance should be clearly differentiated in the PGR handbook (for example, using ‘we recommend’ or ‘you may choose’ for guidance and ‘we require’ or ‘you must’ for requirements). Unless specified by your school, department or centre (with approval from YGRS), there is no requirement for papers in a journal-style thesis to be published (or in progress towards publication). 

What aspects of a journal-style thesis require YGRS permission?

Journal-style theses and formal reviews of progress

Where a school, department or centre permits PGRs to submit a journal-style thesis, it should ensure that the evidence requirements for formal reviews of progress reflect this eg by giving PGRs the option of submitting a draft paper rather than draft chapter. 

Journal-style theses and University PhDs by publication

The submission of a journal-style thesis is an option open (subject to school, department or centre approval) to PGRs enrolled on a standard PGR programme - ie it is a prospective route to obtaining a PGR award.

In contrast, the University's PhD by Publication is a predominantly retrospective route to obtaining a PGR award for academic members of staff who have a substantial body of already-published work.