6. Assessment of a PGR programme by practice

References to the PhD in Creative Writing are for illustration only and do not relate to the PhD in English with Creative Writing offered at York. 

A PGR programme by practice must be assessed by a thesis and/or alternative assessment format. Where required by the Policy on Reseach Degrees for the award, an oral examination must also form part of the final assessment. The final submission must include a critical component, which can be the thesis (or part of it), or form part of the alternative assessment format, as detailed below.

The approved assessment requirements must be set out in detail in the programme documentation and departmental PGR handbook. Assessment requirements must also be set out for the related transfer and exit awards.  

Guidelines information

PGRs who started their programme after 16 September 2024 should adhere to these guidelines.

PGRs who started their programme before 16 September 2024 should adhere to these guidelines as much as possible but will not be penalised for following previously available guidance from their department.

Critical component of the research

The submission must include a critical component, in written form, that, should, as a minimum:

• set out the research question(s) 
• describe and explain the research methodology 
• provide an exposition of how the research is situated in a wider context 
• where applicable, provides a justification as to how the research is of relevance and makes an original contribution to knowledge
• where applicable, explain the relationship between the various elements of the submission. 

The critical component should normally be a minimum of 5000 words for a Master by research programme, 10,000 words for an MPhil programme, and 20,000 words for a PhD programme. The critical component may form part of the thesis or the alternative assessment format.

Alternative assessment formats

If approved by the department and the PGR Policies and Programmes Committee (PPPC), PGRs on a PGR programme by practice may be required or permitted to submit an alternative assessment format instead of, or in addition to, a thesis.

An alternative assessment format will normally be a portfolio of work. This may include written elements, such as musical scores, literary works, screenplays, exhibition guides, translated works, policy documents or a record of professional development. In recognition of the fact that not all knowledge is best represented or communicated in written form, a portfolio of work may also include non-written elements such as films, databases, mobile apps, video-games, 2D/3D items such as pictures or models, play performances, musical recitals or temporary art installations. 

Where PGRs are not required to submit a thesis, the alternative assessment format must include a written critical component (see above). 

Whether pre-defined or individually negotiated, the parameters must take into account what can reasonably be produced by a PGR given the length of the programme and any other assessment requirements. The parameters must also take into account the need for work to be submitted and examined in accordance with policy (see below) and to be deposited in WREO as a permanent, accessible and retrievable record (see below and the guidance on appropriate file formats). 

Where an alternative assessment format is in addition to a thesis, the relative weighting of the two elements within the examination process should be clearly set out and should be reflected in the thesis word count and the parameters for the alternative assessment format (for example, in a PhD in Creative Writing that requires the submission of a thesis alongside the creative writing component, the word count of the thesis should be reduced relative to a standard PhD thesis in that department).

Agreeing the nature of the submission for the final examination

Separate, named PGR programmes by practice

There must be a predetermined point within the programme by which a PGR must have decided on the nature of the submission for the final examination. This decision must be taken in consultation with the PGR’s supervisor(s) and Thesis Advisory Panel (TAP) (and with the approval of the Graduate Chair and Standing Committee on Assessment (SCA) where required, see above) and must be recorded in detail on SkillsForge. 

For an MA/MSc by research, the decision point should normally be the first TAP meeting; for an MPhil by the first formal review of progress, and for a PhD, an initial decision should be taken by  the first formal review of progress with a final decision made by the second formal review of progress at the latest. Any substantive change to the nature of the submission for the final examination made after the initial approval should be subject to re-approval by all parties.

'By practice' assessment option within an existing PGR programme

Where a ‘by practice’ assessment option is available within an existing PGR programme, the PGR will need to opt into this assessment format. This decision should be made by the PGR in consultation with their supervisor(s) and TAP and should be approved by the Graduate Chair and ratified by SCA.

Approval should be on the basis of a written plan (saved in SkillsForge) that sets out: (i) a brief rationale as to why this assessment format is appropriate for the research project, (ii) how the PGR will be supported (e.g. any training or support that will be provided), and (iii) the nature of the submission for the final assessment. 

The decision to opt into a ‘by practice’ assessment format should normally be taken by the first TAP meeting for MA/MSc by research programme and by the first formal review of progress for MPhil and PhD programmes. Any substantive changes to the nature of the submission for the final examination made after the initial approval should be subject to re-approval by all parties.