PGRs who embarked on a PhD or EngD programme prior to 1 September 2016 are initially enrolled provisionally for that qualification. It is the responsibility of the student’s Thesis Advisory Panel to recommend whether or not the student’s enrolment for the PhD or EngD should be confirmed.
Students who embarked on their studies from 1 September 2016 onwards undergo formal progression (please see Policy on Research Degrees, Appendix 4 ‘Policy on PhD/EngD and MPhil Student Progression’).
Confirmation of PhD enrolment should be considered by the Thesis Advisory Panel within eighteen months (for full-time students) or within three years (for part-time students). A final decision to recommend confirmation must be taken by the end of the second year of study (for full-time students) or of the fourth year of study (for part-time students).
Confirmation of EngD enrolment should be considered by the Thesis Advisory Panel within two and a half years (for students on a four-year full-time programme). A final decision whether or not to recommend confirmation must be taken by the end of the third year of study.
Confirmation of PhD or EngD enrolment will be recommended, and will be approved by the Standing Committee on Assessment, only where the student has demonstrated an appropriate level of achievement and is considered to be capable of completing a successful PhD or EngD thesis within the required period.
To inform its judgement, the panel must have available to it:
Confirmation is covered by the Policy on Research Degrees (see 'Students registered before 1 September 2016').
All recommendations for confirmation of enrolment must be on the appropriate form.
Confirmation of enrolment 16-17 (MS Word , 75kb)
The department should specify what materials it requires from the student in order for them to be considered for confirmation.
Decisions on whether or not to recommend that a student’s enrolment for PhD or EngD confirmation will be made by the departmental Graduate School Board or Board of Studies on the basis of a recommendation by the thesis advisory panel.
If that decision is to confirm, the appropriate form should be completed and forwarded to PGRA promptly for approval.
When the student is due to have the confirmation of enrolment, the student can complete part A on the 'Confirmation of enrolment 16-17' form and forward it to their supervisor and department for completion of part B and C during the confirmation TAP meeting.
Recommended to confirm:
If confirmation is recommended, the department should complete of part B and C during the confirmation TAP meeting.
Next steps:
Once the confirmation has been approved, the student and department will receive a confirmation of PhD enrolment email, which will give the date of the end of the full-time or part-time enrolment period for the PhD or EngD. The student must submit their thesis for examination no more than one year after that date.
Not recommended to confirm:
If the TAP determines that a student’s enrolment should NOT be recommended (and that further corrections to the work are unlikely to make enough difference to allow the student to compete the PhD to the required standard within the required period), the department may recommend that a student should be allowed to submit a thesis for the award of an MPhil or Masters of Research degree and the department should still complete of part B and C during the confirmation TAP meeting.
Next steps:
Who to contact
Postgraduates: taught and research
- Research Student Administration Team
Registry Services
Tel: (01904) 43 2141
Email: research-student-admin@york.ac.uk