sspssr-pgr-programme-specification-2015

Applications for admission to postgraduate research will be considered by the School’s Director of Graduate Studies Research and the potential supervisors.The School’s Director of Gradua

1.1 Award and Title

MA/MPhil/PhD Applied Psychology

MA/MPhil/PhD Community Care

MA/MPhil/PhD Criminology

MSc/MPhil/PhD Environmental Social Sciences

MA/MPhil/PhD Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

MPhil/PhD Medicine and Health Sciences

MA/MPhil/PhD Mental Health

MPhil/PhD Migration Studies

MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy

MA/MPhil/PhD Social Work

MA/MPhil/PhD Sociology

MA/MPhil/PhD Urban Studies

MA/MPhil/PhD Personal Social Services

MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy

1.2 Length and Mode of Registration

PhD: 3 -4 years full-time, 5-6 years part-time

MPhil: 2 years full-time, 3 years part-time

MA: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

1.3 Entry Requirements

Admission to the programme will require evidence of: (i) 2.1 honours degree, or equivalent, in a relevant subject, or a Master’s degree in a relevant subject at least at merit level; (ii) the appropriate English language qualification; and (iii) an acceptable research proposal

Applications for admission to postgraduate research will be considered by the

School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) and the potential supervisor(s).The School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) will give careful consideration to the suitability and qualifications of applicants and will be satisfied that there are available appropriate expertise for supervision and adequate resources for the proper conduct of the research In addition, all applicants will be interviewed by the potential supervisor(s) before any offer is made

Where the applicant’s first language is not English, evidence will be required of proficiency in written and spoken English in line with the IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate in Proficiency in English or Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English standards required by the School at the time of application and as published in the University’s prospectus and the School’s website Where further English language training is required, the Director of Graduate Studies (Research) will ensure that appropriate arrangements are made

1.4 Campus

Canterbury

1.5 Anticipated Total Student Registrations

6 per year

1.6 Programme Management

The School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) will ensure the appointment of

a supervisor and a Supervisory Team for each student accepted onto the programme The supervisor will guide the student in the selection of appropriate modules for

his/her programme of study, if any, will supervise the student’s research, and will act

as the principal point of contact for the student during the programme of study

The Supervisory Team (which will consist of at least two members of staff, with at least one being an Approved Supervisory Chair), will monitor the student’s progress in the production of the thesis, and will offer advice and support to the student The other member(s) of the Supervisory Team will also provide advice and support to the supervisor

SSPSSR is responsible for the programme This responsibility will be managed under the auspices of the School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) and in

conjunction with the School Graduate Studies Committee The management of the programme will also be reviewed at Faculty and Institutional levels by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate School Board as outlined in the

University’s Code of Practice for the Quality Assurance for Research Programmes of Study at:

http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/codes/index.html?tab=research-programmes

1.7 Original Start Dates

1999 - MA/MPhil/PhD Applied Psychology

1999 - MA/MPhil/PhD Community Care

2005 - MA/MPhil/PhD Criminology

1999 - MSc/MPhil/PhD Environmental Social Sciences

2005 - MA/MPhil/PhD Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

1998 - MPhil/PhD Medicine and Health Sciences

1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Mental Health

2004 - MPhil/PhD Migration Studies

1997 - MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy

1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Social Work

1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Sociology

1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Urban Studies

1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Personal Social Services

1980 - MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy & Administration, titled changed to MA/MPhil/PhD Social Policy 13.5.2015

Date of Revision: May 2015

1.8 Opportunity and Need

There is a significant social need for research programmes in the social sciences subjects listed above This is because theoretically informed and methodologically rigorous investigations into these areas have the potential to make a tangible impact on improving public services and policy and our understanding of the processes through which social structures and social relationships are forged Through these

programmes, research students are given the opportunity to not only perform critical analysis on existing data, but to also create new knowledge that makes an original contribution to the field in which they are studying The skills acquired through the programmes also enhance the employability and professional development of our research graduates

1.9 Aims and Objectives (including assessment criteria)

The University’s assessment criteria for research programmes of study are outlined in Section 8.4 of the Regulations for Research Programmes of Study at:

http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/regulations/research/phdres.html#examination

The programme aims:

• To attract high-calibre students from home and overseas;

• To offer focussed and supportive research-training;

• To produce high-quality graduates with the skills necessary for pure and applied research within their chosen areas of employment, including higher education, public bodies and the private sector

On successful completion of the PhD programme, students will have:

• Acquired an excellent grounding in research skills;

• Developed a broad knowledge of their subject area;

• Acquired specialist knowledge in relation to their chosen area of research to a standard sufficient to make an original contribution to knowledge;

• Carried out an independent research project using appropriate research

methods in cases where empirical research is conducted;

• Produced a thesis displaying and applying a broad knowledge of the subject that is of such scholarly merit as would justify its publication either as submitted

or in an abridged form

On successful completion of the MPhil programme, students will have:

• Acquired a good grounding in research skills;

• Developed a broad knowledge of their subject area;

• Acquired specialist knowledge in relation to their chosen area of research to a standard sufficient to conduct an original investigation;

• Carried out a research project using appropriate research methods in cases involving empirical research;

• Produced a thesis displaying and applying a broad knowledge of the subject at

an advanced level that is organised and presented in an appropriate manner

On successful completion of the MA programme, students will have:

• Acquired a grounding in research skills;

• Developed a knowledge of their subject area;

• Carried out a research project using appropriate research methods;

• Produced a thesis displaying and applying knowledge of the subject at an advanced level that is organised and presented in an appropriate manner Assessment will be undertaken in accordance with the University’s Assessment Criteria for Research Degrees in Section 8.4 of the Regulations for Research

Programmes of Study at:

http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/documents/quality-assurance/regulations/research/phdres.pdf

1.10 Programme Outline

1.10a Details of the Research Training that the student will be expected to complete

School level

Students are required to consider, in conjunction with their supervisory team, whether the nature of their degree requires them to undertake one or more of the four

methodological modules which form the core modules of the MA in Methods of Social Research

Students are also expected to attend the School Thursday seminars, as well as any relevant sessions of the Professional Development Series

Institutional level

All new PhD students are required to undertake a researcher development

assessment, including attendance at a compulsory introductory researcher

development assessment workshop (part of the Graduate School’s Researcher Development Programme) The completion of the assessment is a requirement for successful completion of the probation review

New students are able to undertake a researcher development assessment, including

at a researcher development assessment workshop (part of the Graduate School’s Researcher Development Programme) Completion of the assessment is not a requirement; however, students are encouraged to participate

1.10b Details of other courses students may benefit from eg: Health & Safety, IT,

writing skills, English language, library skills etc.

Students will, as appropriate, have the benefit of support from the Unit for the

Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, Student Learning Advisory Service and the English Language Unit, as well as such relevant courses as may from time to time be offered by the library and computing services

Students also have the opportunity to acquire or augment skills in a number of foreign languages in which instruction may be provided within the University

Further details of Institutional level Provision:

• Graduate School’s Researcher Development Programme (including online training provision),

www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/tstindex.html

• Student Learning Advisory Service provision,

http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/about/slas.html

• Information Services (Library and Computing Services),

http://www.kent.ac.uk/is/services/index.html

1.10c Details of progression milestones that the student will need to reach and

successfully pass (to include transfer from a lower qualification to a higher qualification e.g MPhil to PhD)

Students will be subject to the progression milestones as outlined in Annex K

(Progression and Examination) of the Research Code of Practice,

http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/codes/research/annexknew.html

School Specific Requirement:

work to the School (or Centre respectively) in Continuation Presentations This exercise consists of an open presentation and also a written document which will be assessed by the supervisors, and if necessary by an additional member of staff within the school During the open presentation to the School, members of staff send feedback on individual presentations to the School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research) who collects and distributes these assessments to the supervisors and students The continuation presentation usually forms part of the end of year review, but can prompt an additional review of the students’ progress if concerns have been raised

1.10d Details of the assessment method

The length of research degree theses are outlined in the Instructions to Candidates for the Examination of Research Degrees at:

http://www.kent.ac.uk/teaching/qa/regulations/research/pgdipresc.html

PhD: between 76,000 and 90,000 including notes and references but excluding bibliography

MPhil no more than 50,000 words including notes and references but excluding appendices

MA by research: no more than 30,000 words including notes and references but excluding appendices

1.11 Chairs of Supervisory Teams

All students will have a supervisory team as required by Annex H (Supervision of the Code of Practice for Research Programmes of Study) The current list of approved Supervisory Chairs for SSPSSR is as follows:

Dr Julie Beadle-Brown

Dr Mecca Chiesa

Dr Rachel Forrester-Jones

Professor Frank Furedi

Professor Chris Hale

Dr Kate Hamilton-West

Professor Keith Hayward

Dr Jonathan Illan

Dr Derek Kirton

Dr Michelle McCarthy

Professor Peter McGill

Dr Lavinia Mitton

Professor Glynis Murphy

Professor Stephen Peckham

Dr Caroline Pedwell

Professor Chris Pickvance

Professor Larry Ray

Professor Chris Rootes

Professor David Shemmings

Professor Chris Shilling

Professor Miri Song

Professor Tim Strangleman

Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby

Professor Julia Twigg

Professor Sarah Vickerstaff

Dr Warner Jo

An up-to-date list of Supervisory Chairs that have been approved by the Faculty, can also be found at: https://sharepoint.kent.ac.uk/fso/Lists/Supervisory%20Chairs

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1.12 Research Environment

• The School is one of the leading and largest research centres for social science

in the UK and Europe In the last Research Assessment Exercise, we were ranked joint third with 70% of our research being evaluated as either ‘World Leading’ or of ‘International excellence in terms of originality, significance and rigor.’

• The School offers an unrivalled European context in which to study for a PhD It acts as the coordinating institutions in the context of the European Commission working closely with partners including Hamburg, Budapest and Utrecht

• The School has ESRC 1+3 and +3 recognition and there are already 10

postgraduate students undertaking research on criminological topics

• The School has a thriving staff / post-graduate seminar series that includes speakers of international and nature stature

• We have a thriving postgraduate community of research students and offer a large and diverse range of Professional Development Seminars, School

seminar programmes, Workshops, Advanced Research Methods Training, a Developing Your Teaching Certificate, Skills Training, Study groups, and

writing/career workshops (home and abroad) for our students

1.13 School level support services

• Postgraduate research students within SSPSSR have recourse to support through their supervisory team and a dedicated Postgraduate Office who can signpost relevant support services within the School and wider university

• SSPSSR has in place a permanent support position, the Student Support Manager who offers pastoral support to all research students

• SSPSSR is committed to providing support for postgraduate research students with regard to appropriate office space, equipment, and where possible funding for research expenses and conference participation

Institutional level support services

• Student Support http://www.kent.ac.uk/studentsupport/

• Student Wellbeing www.kent.ac.uk/studentwellbeing/

• Student Learning Advisory Service http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/about/slas.html

• Counselling Service www.kent.ac.uk/counselling/

• Graduate Student Association (GSA)

www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/community/woolf.html

• Graduate School (Provision of (i) Researcher Development Programme

(workshops and on-line courses) (ii) institutional level induction and (iii) student-led initiatives such as social events, conferences and workshops

www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/index.html

• Information Services (computing and library services) www.kent.ac.uk/is/

• Postgraduate student representation at School, Faculty and Institutional levels

• Centre for English and World Languages www.kent.ac.uk/cewl/index.html

• Careers and Employability Services www.kent.ac.uk/ces/

• International Development Office www.kent.ac.uk/international/

• Medical Centre www.kent.ac.uk/counselling/menu/Medical-Centre.html

1.14 School Quality Assurance and Enhancement

• The programme will be overseen by the School’s Director of Graduate Studies (Research), with responsibility for research programmes of study overseen by the School Graduate Studies Committee

• Student feedback will be obtained from Staff-Student Liaison Committees,

Postgraduate Student Representation on school-level committees and the

Postgraduate Research Experience Survey

• The programme will be reviewed via the annual programme monitoring process and the periodic programme review process

1.15 School Resource Implications

Any additional costs will be covered by additional income

1.16 Professional Accreditation

Not applicable

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