Regulations - Degree of Master of Research

The degree of Master of Research is awarded to candidates who have successfully completed an approved programme of research and related studies and completion of a research project to the satisfaction of the examiners.

The normal period of registration for Master of Research is:

Full-time, 1 year; and Part-time, up to three years.

Candidates are required to hold a first or upper second class honours degree in a relevant discipline or a qualification deemed by the Senate to be equivalent. Exceptionally, candidates who hold a lower second class honours degree but who are able to provide evidence of relevant research experience may be considered for admission to the programme.

Those admitted to the programme will be required to complete all elements.

Students are expected to attend all sessions associated with the programme and be punctual and regular in attendance.

A student who has not been in attendance for more than three days through illness or other cause must notify immediately the Course Director. The student shall state the reasons for the absence and whether it is likely to be prolonged. Where the absence is for a period of more than five working days, and is caused by illness which may affect his/her studies, the student shall provide appropriate medical certification in accordance with the General Regulations for Students.

Students who are absent without good cause for a substantial proportion of the programme may be required to discontinue studies in accordance with the General Regulations for Students.

Programme elements are offered as indicated in the particular programme document. Revisions may be made in accordance with the University’s quality assurance procedures.

The performance of candidates shall be assessed by the Board of Examiners in accordance with the Assessment Criteria set out in the Examiners Handbook. The project will be assessed by internal and external examiners. An oral assessment of the research component will form part of the overall assessment of the programme.

The pass mark for the programme overall and for each of its assessed elements shall be 50%.

The final mark shall be determined by a percentage contribution from the assessment of each element as specified in the programme document.

The assessment scheme is as prescribed in the specific programme document but must include a research project.

The research component shall comprise not less than 95 credits of the total of 180 credits.

The Doctoral College Board under delegated authority from the Senate shall nominate, for approval by Council, one or more external examiners.

An external examiner must not be a collaborator on the research project and must not have acted previously as one of the candidate’s supervisors.

The candidate’s supervisor shall not act as an examiner for the research project.

Coursework shall be submitted by the dates specified by the programme committee.

Students may seek prior consent from the programme committee to submit coursework after the official deadline; such requests must be accompanied, by a satisfactory explanation, accompanied, in the case of illness of more than five working days, by a medical certificate. Such applications shall be made to the Course Director.

Coursework submitted without consent after the deadline shall not normally be accepted. Candidates must submit the research project to the Course Director by a date specified at the time of registration in accordance with the Notes of Guidance for the Presentation of Theses for Research Degrees.

Access to the project output shall not normally be restricted. Access may be restricted, in exceptional circumstances, for a period of up to two years.

Candidates may re-sit an assessment element once only, as prescribed in the specific programme document.

Candidates who fail to satisfy the Board of Examiners in an assessment may be permitted at the discretion of the Board to repeat such coursework or other assessment as shall be prescribed by the Board. Such candidates may be exempted at the discretion of the Board from the normal attendance requirements. Where candidates are required to repeat coursework, the original mark in the failed coursework component shall be replaced by a mark of 50% or the repeat mark whichever is the lower for the purpose of calculating the overall grade.

Candidates who attain an overall mark of 50% or more shall be recommended for the award of the degree of Master of Research. The Board of Examiners may recommend the award of a pass with distinction to candidates, who achieve an overall mark of at least 70% or pass with commendation to candidates who achieve an overall mark of at least 60%. In order to be considered for the award of a pass with distinction, a candidate must normally have obtained a mark of 70% or more in the research project and 60% or more for the award of pass with commendation.

The Board of Examiners may, in the case of candidates who are prevented by illness or other sufficient cause from taking or completing the whole or part of the coursework, or whose results are substantially affected by illness or other sufficient cause:

1. deem the candidates to have passed the coursework;
2. permit the candidates to complete or take the coursework at an approved subsequent date; or
3. recommend the award of an Aegrotat degree.

Before an Aegrotat award is recommended a candidate must have signified that he or she is willing to accept the award.

Candidates who are prevented by illness or other sufficient cause from completing the project requirements by the specified date may be permitted at the discretion of the Board of Examiners to submit the written material and present the seminars at an approved subsequent date.

Students registered on the programme shall be subject to the University’s Code of Practice on Intellectual Property Rights.

These regulations may be revised during the student’s period of registration in accordance with the procedures approved by Senate.