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Changes to policy and curriculum

Show all changes for 2020/21

Research Degree Regulations

In August 2020, The Open University made an amendment to the Research Degree Regulations.

The changes made

  1. Renumbering as required
  2. RD 2.4 & PD 2.4 revised to place the responsibility for demonstrating English language equivalency on to the Faculty or Affiliated Research Centre rather than on individual supervisors who may be unaware of, or lack familiarity with, the requirements
  3. RD 2.6 & PD 2.6 revised to include the requirement for students to be admitted on the basis of well-defined, time bound research projects that can be completed within the regulatory time frames and ensuring that students comply with the requirements of the funding bodies
  4. PW 3.1, 3.2 & 3.3 revised to include the need for students to provide similar documentation to that provided by students registered in other research degrees and to outline similar processes for admission
  5. RD 3.5, PD 3.5 & PW 3.4 revised to strengthen the requirement for students to abide by the Conditions of Registration for Postgraduate Research Students and to hold an appropriate visa. Please note that PW 3.4 is an additional regulation to ensure that all research students abide by the regulations and the terms and conditions
  6. Insertion of an additional regulation between RD 5.3/PD 4.3 and RD 5.4/PD 4.4 which binds external supervisors to the OU’s obligations for confidentiality
  7. RD 5.4, PD 4.4 & PW 4.2 revised in line with the recommendation, that arose from a research integrity case, that supervisors should confirm that they have read and understood the regulations. Clarification also included on what is meant by having supervised to completion
  8. RD 5.5 & PD 4.5 revised to include reference to the role of supervisors in ensuring timely submission and completion. Version number: 1.2 Approved by: Research Committee Effective from: 1 August 2020 Date for review: August 2021 174
  9. RD 5.8, PD 4.8 & PW 4.5 revised to include the requirements for maintaining supervisory meeting notes in a secure location that can be made available by those with a legitimate need for access. PW 4.5 is an additional regulation which requires supervisors of students undertaking a PhD by Published work to take notes
  10. RD 7.2 & PD 6.2 revised to ensure that the re-registration date reflects the student journey and fee liability
  11. RD 7.6 revised to ensure that for those students registered through an Affiliated Research Centre meet the maximum registration requirements
  12. RD 8.1 revised to strengthen the requirements for students registered through an Affiliated Research Centre to be based in the same country as the Affiliated Research Centre through which they are registered
  13. RD 8.2 revised to strengthen the requirements for students registered through an Affiliated Research Centre to be engaged in the research community at the Affiliated Research Centre through which they are registered
  14. RD 9.1, PD 8.1, PW 6.1 & HD 4.1 revised to strengthen the requirement for study breaks to be requested at the point of need enabling the Graduate School to inform any funders and therefore mitigating against failure to comply with funding requirements
  15. RD 9.6, PD 8.5, PW 6.5 & HD 4.5 revised to improve clarity
  16. RD 10.1, PD 9.1, PW 7.1 & HD 5.1 revised to strengthen the requirement that extensions are only granted in exceptional circumstances and to require that such requests must not be submitted within one month of the maximum registration date. Extensions to registration impact on the university’s ability to comply with the UKRI submission requirements and thus must be avoided unless circumstances are exceptional
  17. RD 11.1 revised to strengthen the requirement for change of mode of study to be requested at the point of need enabling the Graduate School to inform any funders and therefore mitigating against failure to comply with funding requirements
  18. RD 12.1, PD 10.1, PW 8.1 & HD 6.1 revised to reflect practice whereby decisions to withdraw registration are noted rather than approved. Version number: 1.2 Approved by: Research Committee Effective from: 1 August 2020 Date for review: August 2021 175
  19. RD 13.1 & PD 11.1 revised to require students to abide by the Conditions of Registration for Postgraduate Research Students
  20. RD 14.4 & PD 12.4 Insertion of an additional regulation in response to recommendations from a research integrity case
  21. RD 15.2 & 15.5 revised to ensure that upgrade is completed with minimum delay, reducing the potential for students to miss final submission dates. The changes reflect existing good practice in some areas of the University
  22. RD 15.3a(v) & RD 15.6 1(d) clarification following a recommendation arising from an appeal case
  23. RD 15.4 & RD 15.7 revised to reflect the proposed change to regulations 15.2 and 15.5 regarding the time allowed for the completion of upgrade
  24. PD 14.3 revised to ensure consistency with MPhil/PhD regulations
  25. RD 16.2 & PD 14.4 revised to ensure consistency following the changes to progress reporting
  26. RD 16.4 & PD 14.6 revised to ensure consistency within the regulations as to the senior authority responsible for noting concerns relating to academic progress
  27. RD 17.2 & PD 15.2 revised to include a new clause pursuant to recommendations from an integrity case
  28. RD 17.5 & PD 15.5 revised to provide clarity regarding thesis word length following any revisions to the thesis bb) RD 18.2, PD 16.2, PW 11.2 & HD 9.2 revised to strengthen the requirement for timely nomination of the examination panel
  29. PD 16.17 revised to state that the observer should be an internal supervisor
  30. RD 19.3, PD 17.3 & PW 12.3 revised to decrease the time between receipt of the thesis and the start of the process for arranging the examination
  31. RD 19.12, PD 17.12 & PW 12.12 revised to strengthen the requirement for examination panel Chairs to submit the examination report forms in a timely fashion. Version number: 1.2 Approved by: Research Committee Effective from: 1 August 2020 Date for review: August 2021 176
  32. RD 19.13, PD 17.13, PW 12.13 & HD 10.6 revised to include expectations for RDRAC to respond to the recommendations of the examination panel
  33. RD 19.15c/g & PD 15c/g revised to clarify the requirement for examiners to submit corrected thesis report forms independently
  34. RD 19.28, PD 17.28 & PW 12.17 revised to clarify the role of the examination panel chair in seeking a resolution where the recommendation of the examiners is not unanimous
  35. RD 20.1, PD 18.1, PW 13.1 & HD 11.1 revised to reduce the time taken for the submission of the final copy of the thesis to the library. This follows the agreement by Research Degrees Committee to move to electronic submission of the final thesis
  36. Addition of Appendix 7 which defines exceptional circumstances
  37. RD 9.5c, RD 9.6e, PD 8.4e, PW 6.4 & HD 4.4 additional clauses introduced to study break regulations in recognition of the impact of COVID-19

Please talk to your Student Support Team if you need any further information. You can find out how to contact them on Contact the OU.