B. MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION

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1. PERMISSION TO WORK IN A WELL-FOUND LABORATORY OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY

Applicants who are admitted to undertake research under the supervision of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Divisional Board may, exceptionally, be permitted by the divisional board to undertake their research in a well-found laboratory outside the University. Such candidates shall be dispensed from the residence requirements, but shall be required to attend the University for such instruction as the division and department concerned shall require. Before admitting a candidate on this basis, the department concerned shall be required to satisfy itself and the divisional board that appropriate arrangements are in place for approving all aspects of the student's academic work, including the following:

(i) the availability of the equipment and facilities necessary for the project in the agency concerned;
(ii) the existence of a wider collaboration between the department and the agency in which the student is based;
(iii) the subject of their doctoral studies;
(iv) satisfactory induction procedures;
(v) satisfactory health and safety arrangements;
(vi) satisfactory supervision arrangements, to include specification of a minimum number of contact hours between student and supervisor, which shall include not less than two face-to-face meetings between student and supervisor, for a total of at least 8 hours, each term;
(vii) satisfactory arrangements for monitoring the student's progress within the department;
(viii) provision for the student to attend the University for such instruction as the division and department shall require.

Dispensation from these rules shall be sought from the Head of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division through the departmental Director of Graduate Studies.

2. TRANSFER OF STATUS AND CONFIRMATION OF STATUS

1. Transfer of Status
All research students will be admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student in the first instance. The status of Probationer Research Student may be held for a maximum of four terms (other than students registered on a Doctoral Training Centre Programme). Probationer Research Students should normally apply to transfer status to M.Sc by Research or D.Phil. status before the end of the fourth full-term from admission, subject to the further guidance below. Cases to defer applications for the transfer of status must be made by the candidate with the supervisor's support to the departmental Director of Graduate Studies by the end of the fourth full-term after admission. Approval will only be granted in exceptional circumstances, in accordance with the Regulations of the Education Committee, set out in §4.
In the Biological Sciences (the Departments of Plant Sciences and Zoology), candidates should apply to transfer from the status of Probationer Research Student by the end of the fourth full-term after admission as a research student.
In the Mathematical Sciences (the Department of Computer Science, and the Departments of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science), students in Category A (those who have had no previous experience of research work, and normally all candidates in the Computing Laboratory) should apply to transfer from the status of Probationer Research Student between the second and fourth full-term after admission as a research student. Students with no previous experience of research work are advised to apply in the third full-term after admission. Students in Category B (those who have had previous experience of research work who may have completed a taught master’s course) should apply to transfer immediately after admission to Probationer Research Student status. (This category is only available to candidates in the Computing Laboratory in exceptional circumstances with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.)
In the Physical Sciences (the Departments of Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering Science, Materials and Physics), candidates should apply to transfer from the status of Probationer Research Student in the third or fourth full-term after admission as a research student.
In the Biological Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences, a first application for transfer of status must take place within the six term limit of PRS status, as set out in the Regulations of the Education Committee, §4. Any application outside those limits (other than in Regulations of the Education Committee, §4, cl.6), must be approved by or on behalf of Education Committee.
Doctoral Training Centre Programmes The regulations applying to research students following Doctoral Training Centre Programmes are set out in section 7.
Advice on the timing of transfer of status in each department will be provided by the departmental Director of Graduate Studies. Applications to transfer status should be considered by a minimum of two assessors on behalf of the Board of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division, one of whom may be the student’s academic advisor, but neither of whom should normally be the student’s supervisor or a member of his/her supervisory team. Each department has its own assessment procedures, which should include as a minimum the following four components:
1. (i) completion of the appropriate graduate studies application forms to be submitted to the Divisional Graduate Studies Office, 9 Parks Road;
2. (ii) submission of written work by the student. For example: a progress report; a literature review; any required course work; a plan for the development of the student’s research; any published papers. Each department will set out its own requirements in this area;
3. (iii) an interview between the student and his/her assessors. The process of assessment must always include an interview with the candidate if the assessors cannot recommend transfer to D.Phil. status;
4. (iv) the student should have made a brief presentation or talk whilst a Probationer Research Student. This need not be part of the transfer interview.
A report will be written to provide feedback to the student, their supervisor, and college. The report will include an assessment of the viability and suitability of the proposed research, and of its completion on a reasonable timescale.
A candidate whose first application for transfer to D.Phil. status is not approved, shall be permitted to make one further application, and shall be granted an extension of time for one term if this is necessary for the purposes of making the application.
A candidate who is transferred to M.Sc by Research status, rather than to D.Phil. status, may have one further opportunity to apply to transfer to D.Phil. status, subject to (a) that a sufficient period of time has elapsed from the original transfer attempt to allow for the possibility of significant development; and (b) the candidate’s supervisor supports a further application.
These procedures are also set out in the Division’s Graduate Studies Handbook.
2. Confirmation of Status
Confirmation of status for D.Phil. students must take place no later than nine terms after admission to graduate status. Students are advised to apply for their first attempt at confirmation of D.Phil. status by the end of the eighth full-term after admission as a graduate research student.
Doctoral Training Centre Programmes The regulations applying to research students following Doctoral Training Centre Programmes are set out in section 7.
Students are encouraged very strongly to apply for confirmation of status at least six–twelve months before they expect to submit their thesis for examination to make this process a constructive part of the development of the student’s research. The application for confirmation of status must be made and approved before requesting the formal appointment of examiners.
The requirements for confirmation of status may vary for each department within the following framework:
1. (i) completion of the appropriate graduate studies application forms to be submitted to the Divisional Graduate Studies Office, 9 Parks Road. The candidate and their supervisor are required to provide a clear indication of progress to date, and the timetable for submission of the thesis;
2. (ii) all applications must be reviewed by one or more assessors, one of whom may be the departmental Director of Graduate Studies. If there is only one assessor this should not be the candidate’s supervisor;
3. (iii) the candidate should produce a brief written report about their research achievements to date. The specific requirements will be set out by the department, for example a publication(s) or draft chapter(s) from the candidate’s thesis, a plan and the timetable for submission of the thesis;
4. (iv) the assessor(s) may request to interview the candidate, and the candidate may request to have an interview with the assessor(s). The process of assessment must always include an interview with the candidate if the assessor(s) are unable to recommend confirmation of D.Phil. status.
The assessor(s) will write a brief report to provide feedback to the candidate, the supervisor, and college. The report will include an assessment of progress and submission of the thesis within the planned timescale.
A candidate whose first application for confirmation of status is not approved, shall be permitted to make one further application, normally within one term of the original application, and shall be granted an extension of time for one term if this is necessary for the purposes of making the application.
If a candidate’s application for confirmation of status is unsuccessful, the board may approve a transfer from D.Phil. to M.Sc. by Research status.
Cases to defer applications for the confirmation of status must be made by the candidate with the supervisor's support to the departmental Director of Graduate Studies by the end of the ninth full-term after admission. Approval will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Students may apply to defer confirmation of status for a maximum of three terms. The Director of Graduate Studies in each department may decide how many terms, up to the maximum, a candidate may be allowed to defer.
These procedures are also set out in the Division’s Graduate Studies Handbook.

3. APPOINTMENT OF EXAMINERS

In applying for appointment of examiners, candidates should note that a supervisor is disqualified from appointment, and that the divisional board will not normally appoint as examiner individuals previously closely associated with the candidate or his or her work, representatives of any organisation sponsoring the candidate's research, representatives of any organisation at which a candidate dispensed from residence under the provisions of cl.1 above, is based, or former colleagues of the candidate. In particular, an examiner, whether internal or external, who has played a significant part in advising the candidate is inappropriate and particularly so where the collaboration has led to the publishing of joint papers by the candidate and the examiner. It is accepted that examiners will usually be acquainted with the supervisor, and sometimes the candidate, and that this in itself is not a bar to acting as an examiner. Dispensation from this rule should be sought from the Head of Division through the departmental Director of Graduate Studies.

4. BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (PLANT SCIENCES AND ZOOLOGY)

All research students will be admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student in the first instance. Individuals may hold this status for a maximum of four terms. The provisions for extension to this time limit are set out in the Regulations of the Education Committee, §4. Candidates should discuss with their supervisors whether to apply for transfer to M.Sc. status or to D.Phil. status, and the most appropriate time at which to apply. It is possible to transfer to M.Sc. status initially and thereafter to D.Phil. status if this is appropriate.

1. Admission of students to the status of Student for the M.Sc. by Research Applicants should submit the material specified in Sect. VII. A. §3, cl. 1; the board does not normally require any further test under §3, cl. 2. Candidates may obtain full details from the Director of Graduate Studies.
2. Admission of students to the status of Student for the Doctor of Philosophy The form of written work to be submitted by candidates for admission as Students for the Doctor of Philosophy, and the manner of its examination, as required by Sect. VIII, §3, cl. 2, shall be determined by the board acting through the candidate's department or sub-department. Details may be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies.
3. Confirmation for Status of Student for the Doctor of Philosophy The status of Students for the Doctor of Philosophy will be confirmed by the board under the provisions of Sect. VIII, §4, cl. 2, when it has received a certificate from the candidate's head of department that he or she is continuing satisfactorily to conduct research. Details may be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies.
4. Theses D.Phil. theses should normally be not more than 50,000 words in length (approximately 170 sides of A4 paper), exclusive of bibliography, appendices, diagrams, and tables. In exceptional circumstances the permission of the board can be sought to exceed this limit, but in no case may a thesis be longer than 75,000 words. A set of scientific papers prepared as for publication, but not necessarily yet published, that concern a common subject may constitute an acceptable thesis, provided that with the addition of an Introduction, General Discussion, and General Conclusions they constitute a coherent body of work. Such papers should either be incorporated as typescript pages or as offprints bound in to the body of the thesis. Papers written in collaboration should not be included unless the greater part of the work is directly attributed to the candidate himself or herself, and the supervisor so certifies. Joint papers may however be included as appendices in a thesis. Candidates with some published work may also include that as part of a traditional thesis, normally as an appendix. Approval to submit a thesis using this format must be sought in advance from the appropriate Director of Graduate Studies.

5. MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

1. Admission to the status of Probationer Research Student Applicants (other than those from overseas) will be notified individually if they are required to attend for interview before a decision is taken on an application for admission.
2. Admission to the status of Student for the Degree of Master of Science by Research A Probationer Research Student may apply for transfer to M.Sc. status at any time within four terms of admission to the status of Probationer Research Student. Assessment for transfer shall be by oral examination. Two persons appointed by the board shall conduct the examination.
3. Admission to the status of Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
1. (i) Any person seeking transfer to the status of D.Phil. student must apply to the board, which will approve such application only if two (or, in exceptional cases, three) assessors appointed by the board shall have certified
  1. (a) that they have considered the written work submitted by the applicant and are satisfied that it demonstrates a capability of producing research work of the requisite standard and presenting the findings clearly; and
  2. (b) that together they have interviewed the candidate and satisfied themselves that the planned programme of research is one that may be profitably undertaken at Oxford and that the candidate has a good knowledge and understanding of the work that is likely to be needed to embark on the programme.
2. (ii) Before making application to the board for transfer to the status of D.Phil. student, the applicant shall, in consultation with his or her supervisor, prepare a body of written work which shall be submitted as evidence of suitability for transfer.
3. (iii) Applications shall be in one of two categories:
Category A (open to students who have had no previous experience of research work, and normally all candidates in the Department of Computer Science.) In this category the written work submitted shall consist of a short dissertation on a topic selected in consultation with the supervisor, the preferred length being of between twenty-five and fifty typed pages (or fifteen to thirty printed pages of TEX, depending on font used). Students in Category A should apply to transfer from the status of Probationer Research Student to the status of Student for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy between the second and fourth term after admission as a research student. Students with no previous experience of research work are advised to apply in the third term after admission. Cases to defer application for the transfer of status must be made by the candidate’s supervisor to the departmental Director of Graduate Studies by the end of the fourth full-term after admission. Approval will only be granted in exceptional cases. The provisions governing deferral are set out in the Regulations of the Education Committee, §4. A form of application for the assessment together with a form of application for transfer should be sent to the Graduate Office, MPLS Division, 9 Parks Road. The applicant should include with the application a brief description of the proposed subject of research for the D.Phil. degree and a brief statement (courses attended, texts and publications studied etc.) setting out the steps taken to ensure that he or she has the knowledge and understanding likely to be necessary to embark on the planned research work. The applicant should also name a date (not later than four weeks before the start of the Full Term following the date of application (applications made in vacation to be counted as if they had been made in the following term)) by which time he or she undertakes to make available two (or in exceptional cases three) copies of the written work supporting the application. A student whose first application for transfer to D.Phil. status under Category A is not approved, shall be permitted to make one further application, and shall be granted an extension of time for one term if this is necessary for the purposes of making the application. A candidate failing to secure a Category B transfer to D.Phil. status will be allowed to apply for transfer under Category A. Category B (open to applicants who have had previous experience of research work; it is expected that this will include many students who have successfully completed a taught master's course.This category is only available to candidates in the Department of Computer Science in exceptional circumstances with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.) In this category the written work submitted with the application may consist of either
1. (a) a thesis or dissertation produced in connection with another course of research or study; or
2. (b) work that has been accepted for publication in a learned journal or journals; or
3. (c) other work which is in the opinion of the supervisor of comparable standing.
Students under Category B will make applications immediately after admission to Probationer Research Student status. A form of application for assessment together with a form of application for transfer together with two copies of the written work, should be sent to the Graduate Office, MPLS Division, 9 Parks Road. In exceptional cases a third copy may be required. The applicant should include with the application a brief description of the proposed subject of research for the D.Phil. degree and a brief statement (courses attended, texts and publications studied, etc.) setting out the steps taken to ensure that he or she has the knowledge and understanding likely to be necessary to embark on the planned research work.
1. (iv) In both types of application, on receipt of a form of application for assessment the board will appoint two (or in exceptional cases, three) members of the faculty to advise the board on the suitability of the applicant for transfer. Having considered the work submitted they shall arrange to interview the applicant to assess his/her suitability. They shall subsequently report to the board as to whether or not they are satisfied that the conditions described in clause 3(i) above have been met.
2. (v) On receipt of the report from the board's advisers, and after due consideration of any supervisor's reports that are available the board shall determine
  1. (a) that the application be approved; or
  2. (b) that the application be rejected, but that the student be allowed to apply for transfer to the status of Student for the Degree of M.Sc. by Research; or
  3. (c) that the candidate make one further application (under Category A).
4. Transfer from status of Student for the Degree of Master of Science by Research to status of Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
1. (i) Any person seeking transfer to the status of a D.Phil. student must apply to the board, which will approve such application only if two (or, in exceptional cases, three) persons appointed by the board shall have certified:
  1. (a) that they have considered written work submitted by the applicant and are satisfied that it demonstrates a capability of producing research work of the requisite standard and presenting the findings clearly; and
  2. (b) that together they have interviewed the candidate and satisfied themselves that the planned programme of research is one that may be profitably undertaken at Oxford and that he or she has a good knowledge and understanding of the work that is likely to be needed to embark on the programme.
2. (ii) Before making application to the board for transfer to the status of D.Phil. student, the applicant shall in consultation with his/her supervisor prepare a body of written work which shall be submitted as evidence of suitability for transfer.
3. (iii) Application for transfer from M.Sc. status to D.Phil. student status shall consist of a short dissertation on a topic selected in consultation with the supervisor, the preferred length being of between twenty-five and fifty typed pages (or fifteen to thirty printed pages of TEX, depending on fount used), or a part-written thesis. Application may be made at any time up to the ninth term after admission. A form of application for assessment together with a form of application for transfer should be sent to the Graduate Office, MPLS Division, 9 Parks Road. The applicant should include with the application a brief description of the proposed subject of research for the D.Phil. degree and a brief statement (courses attended, texts and publications studied etc.) setting out the steps taken to ensure that he or she has the mathematical knowledge and understanding likely to be necessary to embark on the planned research work. The applicant should also name a date (not later than four weeks before the start of the Full Term following the date of application (applications made in vacation to be counted as if they had been made in the following term)) by which time he or she undertakes to make available two (or in exceptional cases three) copies of the written work in support of the application. A student whose first application for transfer from M.Sc. by Research status to D.Phil. status is not approved, shall be permitted to make one further application, and shall be granted an extension of time for one term if this is necessary for the purposes of making the application.
4. (iv) On receipt of a form of application for assessment the board will appoint two (or in exceptional cases, three) members of the faculty, neither of whom shall normally be the applicant's supervisor, to advise the board on the suitability of the applicant for transfer. Having considered the work submitted they shall arrange to interview the applicant to assess suitability. They shall subsequently report to the board as to whether or not they are satisfied that the conditions described in clause (i) above have been met.
5. (v) On receipt of the report from the board's assessors, and after due consideration of any supervisor's reports that are available the board shall determine that the application be approved; or that the application be rejected.
5. Confirmation of D.Phil. status Confirmation of D.Phil. Student status, which will normally take place by the end of the eighth term after that in which the candidate was admitted as a Probationer Research Student, will take the form of an oral examination with two assessors appointed by the board, based on the candidate's own written report of progress. The assessors shall recommend to the board either that D.Phil. status be confirmed or that one further application may be made, normally within one term of the original application. An extension of time for one term shall be granted if this is necessary for the purposes of making the application. If D.Phil. status is not confirmed, the second application shall normally be made by the end of the tenth term after that in which the candidate was admitted as a Probationer Research Student. Two assessors appointed by the board shall require evidence of progress such as written work and shall indicate to the student precisely what is required. A second oral examination may be held. If, after considering a candidate's second application for confirmation of status, the board concludes that the student's progress does not warrant this, it may approve his or her transfer to the status of Student for the Degree of Master of Science by Research.
6. Thesis Where some part of the thesis is not solely the work of the candidate or has been carried out in collaboration with one or more persons, the candidate shall submit a clear statement of the extent of his or her own contribution. In Computer Science, the text of a thesis submitted for the Degree of D.Phil shall not exceed 250 pages of A4, single-spaced in normal size type, but there is no limit in references, diagrams, tables of empirical data or other forms of computer output, etc. Most theses are between 150 and 200 pages, though what is normal depends on the topic. Theses on certain topics in theoretical computer science tend to be shorter; those that rely on the collection and interpretation of empirical data presented as evidence may be closer to the upper limit. In Mathematics and in Statistics, the text of theses submitted for the Degree of D.Phil. shall not exceed 200 pages, A4 size, double-spaced in normal-size type, but there is no limit on references, numerical tables, diagrams, computer output, etc. The normal length of a thesis, however, is nearer 100 pages (exclusive of the material defined above).
7. D.Phil. in Software Engineering For students registered on the programme as Probationary Research Students or D.Phil. Students on or before 1 October 2008 The regulations for this degree are set out at Section 8, below.

6. PHYSICAL SCIENCES

1. Master of Science by Research Applicants for admission as students for the Degree of Master of Science by Research shall in addition to the requirements of Sect. vii. A, §3, cl. 1, be required to undertake such other tests as the department concerned, acting through the candidate's head of department or sub-department shall determine. The Notes of Guidance provided by the department or sub-department will give details of these requirements.
2. Doctor of Philosophy The form of written work to be submitted by candidates for admission as Students for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and the manner of its examination, as required by Sect. viii, §3, cl. 2, shall be determined by the department concerned, acting through the candidate's head of department or sub-department. The notes of guidance provided by the department or sub-department will give details of these requirements. All candidates will be examined orally.
3. Confirmation of status of students for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The status of Students for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy will be confirmed by the board under the provisions of Sect. viii, §4, cl. 1, when it has received a certificate from the candidate's head of department or sub-department that he or she is continuing satisfactorily to conduct research. The candidate and the supervisor will be required to provide a clear indication of the proposed time-table for submission of the thesis.
4. Theses (a) Longer abstracts: Earth Sciences, Chemistry, and Engineering Candidates for the Degrees of M.Sc. and D.Phil. in Earth Sciences must submit with their theses, in addition to the abstracts of them required of all candidates of up to 300 words, three copies of a longer abstract of not more than 1,500 words for the M.Sc. and 2,500 for the D.Phil., one copy of which shall be bound into the copy of the thesis which, if the application for leave to supplicate for the degree is successful, will be deposited in the Bodleian Library. Candidates for the Degrees of M.Sc. and D.Phil. in Chemistry or Engineering may if they wish submit with their theses, in addition to the abstract of them required of all candidates, a longer abstract of not more than 1,500 words for the M.Sc. and 2,500 for the D.Phil.. Should such an abstract be submitted, a copy of it must be bound into the copy of the thesis which, if the application for leave to supplicate for the degree is successful, will be deposited in the Bodleian Library. The fuller abstract may be bound into the other two copies of the thesis if candidates so desire. (b) Word limits Theses submitted by candidates in Materials shall not exceed 25,000 words for the M.Sc. and 40,000 words for the D.Phil., A4 size, double-spaced, but there is no limit on references, diagrams, tables, photographs, computer programmes, etc. Theses submitted by candidates for the Degree of D.Phil. in Physics (except Theoretical Physics) must not exceed 250 pages, A4 size, double spaced in normal-size type (elite), the total to include all references, diagrams, tables, etc. The text of theses submitted for the degree of D.Phil. in Theoretical Physics must not exceed 150 pages as defined above. Theses submitted by candidates for the Degree of M.Sc. in Physics must not exceed 150 pages as defined above. Theses submitted by candidates in Engineering Science must not exceed 250 pages for the Degree of D.Phil. or 200 pages for the Degree of M.Sc. They should be double spaced on A4 paper, in normal size type (Times New Roman, 12 point), the total to include all references, diagrams, tables, appendices, etc. The text of theses submitted for the Degree of D.Phil. in Earth Sciences must not exceed 250 pages as defined above, but there is no limit on diagrams, tables, etc. In special circumstances the Graduate Studies Committee of the appropriate faculty may, on application made before the thesis is submitted, grant leave to exceed the limit by a stated amount. Applications to exceed these limits must explain why the candidate believes the nature of the thesis is such that an exception should be made, and must be supported by the supervisor.

7. DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE:

CENTRE FOR DOCTORAL TRAINING IN HEALTHCARE INNOVATION;

DOCTORAL TRAINING CENTRE AT THE LIFE SCIENCES INTERFACE;

DOCTORAL TRAINING CENTRE IN SYSTEMS BIOLOGY;

INDUSTRIAL DOCTORATE CENTRE IN SYSTEMS APPROACHES TO BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

[From 1 October 2013: FUSION DOCTORAL TRAINING NETWORK;

DOCTORAL TRAINING CENTRE IN CYBER SECURITY]

1. General regulations These regulations shall apply to all research students registered on the above named doctoral training programmes, irrespective of the division or department they are based within for their research project. In these regulations the above named doctoral training programmes are described as Doctoral Training Centre Programmes. The provisions of the following regulations shall apply, except as specifically provided below: Regulations for Admission as a Probationer Research Student; Regulations for the Degree of Master of Science by Research, Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (§1-7); General Regulations of the Education Committee governing the examination of students for the degrees of M.Sc. by Research, M.Litt. and D.Phil., and concerning the maintenance of the register of graduate students; and the Special Regulations of Divisional and Faculty Boards concerning the status of Probationer Research Student and the degrees of M.Litt., M.Sc. by Research, and D.Phil. Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division; and Medical Sciences Division, depending on the department and division in which the student carries out their research. For the purposes of these regulations ‘Board’ shall mean the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Divisional Board, or the Medical Sciences Divisional Board, depending on the department and division in which the student carries out their research.
2. Register of Probationer Research Students The board may grant a student suspension from the Register of those admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student or deprive a student of his or her status; and in such cases it shall at all times follow procedures determined by the Education Committee by regulation. The board may also reinstate a student to the Register, provided that the total number of terms a student has spent as a Probationer Research Student has not exceeded seven terms in the case of a student on the Doctoral Training Centre Programme.
3. Probationer Research Student Status The regulations governing Probationer Research Student Status set out in the Regulations of the Education Committee, §4, apply to those holding the status of Probationer Research Students in the Doctoral Training Centres. The maximum number of terms that a student on a four-year Doctoral Training Centre Programme may hold the status of Probationer Research Student under §4 cl.9 and §4 cl.10 (i)(a) is six terms, including the term in which the student was admitted. A Probationer Research Student on a Doctoral Training Centre Programme shall normally apply for admission to D.Phil. status after a minimum of five terms and no longer than six terms. The Education Committee regulations applying to a Probationer Research Student on a Doctoral Training Centre Programme that govern applications for transfer from Probationer Research Student Status are set out under §4 cl.6; and extensions to the maximum number of terms specified above are set out under §4 cl.7. A Probationer Research Student on a Doctoral Training Centre Programme shall cease to hold such status in accordance with the Education Committee regulations under §4.10 (i)-(iii).
4. Confirmation of Status as a Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy A candidate on a Doctoral Training Centre Programme who has been admitted to the status of Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy must apply to the board for confirmation of his or her status as a D.Phil. Student by the end of the ninth full-term after admission as a research student, and not normally earlier than the eighth term after that in which he or she was initially admitted to the status of a Probationer Research Student or to the status of a student for another higher degree of the University. A Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall cease to hold such status unless it has been confirmed within nine terms of his or her admission to that status, in accordance with §4 cl.5.
5. Other requirements for students for the Degree of Philosophy following a Doctoral Training Centre D.Phil. programme A full-time Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following a Doctoral Training Centre Programme may hold that status for twelve terms. If such a student has been prevented by exceptional circumstances from completing his or her thesis, the board shall have power to grant and extension of time for a period or periods, not exceeding nine terms in all, to be determined by the board. Applications for such extension of time shall be made through the Registrar not later than the term in which the student is due to apply for permission to supplicate. A Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following a Doctoral Training Centre Programme shall cease to hold that status if:
1. (i) he or she shall have been refused permission to supplicate for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy; or (ii) the board concerned shall in accordance with the Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Part A., §2, cl. 3, and with the provisions set down by regulation by the Education Committee and after consultation with the student’s college and supervisor, have deprived the student of that status; (iii) he or she shall have been transferred under the relevant provision to another status; (iv) he or she shall have failed to complete his or her thesis within twelve terms or within such further extension of time as may have been granted by the board concerned.

8. DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE OXFORD INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSCIENCE DOCTORAL TRAINING PARTNERSHIP

1. General regulations The Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership shall be under the joint supervision of the Boards of the Mathematical, Physical, and Life Sciences Division, and the Medical Sciences Division, which shall appoint a Management Board to run the programme. In these regulations, the above named doctoral training programme is described as the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme.
2. These regulations shall apply to all research students registered on the Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership Programme, irrespective of the division or department they are based within for their research project. The provisions of the following regulations shall apply, except as specifically provided below: Regulations for Admission as a Probationer Research Student; Regulations for the Degree of Master of Science by Research, Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (§1-7); General Regulations of the Education Committee governing the examination of students for the degrees of M.Sc. by Research, M.Litt. and D.Phil., and concerning the maintenance of the register of graduate students; and the Special Regulations of Divisional and Faculty Boards concerning the status of Probationer Research Student and the degrees of M.Litt., M.Sc. by Research, and D.Phil. Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division; and Medical Sciences Division, depending on the department and division in which the student carries out their research. For the purposes of these regulations 'Board' shall mean the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Divisional Board, or the Medical Sciences Divisional Board, depending on the department and division in which the student carries out their research.
3. Register of Probationer Research Students The board may grant a student suspension from the Register of those admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student or deprive a student of his or her status; and in such cases it shall at all times follow procedures determined by the Education Committee by regulation. The board may also reinstate a student to the Register, provided that the total number of terms a student has spent as a Probationer Research Student has not exceeded seven terms in the case of a student on the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme.
4. Probationer Research Student Status The regulations governing Probationer Research Student Status set out in the Regulations of the Education Committee, §4 apply to those holding the status of Probationer Research Students in the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme. The particular clauses in those regulations that apply to students in Doctoral Training Centres shall apply equally to students in the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme. The maximum number of terms that a student on the four-year Doctoral Training Partnership Programme may hold the status of Probationer Research Student under §4 cl.9 and §4 cl.10 (i)(a) is six terms, including the term in which the student was admitted. A Probationer Research Student on the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme shall normally apply for admission to D.Phil. status after a minimum of five terms and no longer than six terms. The Education Committee regulations applying to a Probationer Research Student on the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme that govern applications for transfer from Probationer Research Student Status are set out under §4 cl.6; and extensions to the maximum number of terms specified above are set out under §4 cl.7. A Probationer Research Student on the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme shall cease to hold such status in accordance with the Education Committee regulations under §4.10 (i)-(iii).
5. Confirmation of Status as a Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy A candidate on a Doctoral Training Partnership Programme who has been admitted to the status of Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy must apply to the board for confirmation of his or her status as a D.Phil. Student by the end of the ninth full-term after admission as a research student, and not normally earlier than the eighth term after that in which he or she was initially admitted to the status of a Probationer Research Student or to the status of a student for another higher degree of the University. A Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall cease to hold such status unless it has been confirmed within nine terms of his or her admission to that status, in accordance with §4 cl.5.
6. Other requirements for students for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme. A full-time Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme may hold that status for twelve terms. If such a student has been prevented by exceptional circumstances from completing his or her thesis, the board shall have power to grant and extension of time for a period or periods, not exceeding nine terms in all, to be determined by the board. Applications for such extension of time shall be made through the Academic Registrar and Secretary of Faculties not later than the term in which the student is due to apply for permission to supplicate. A Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following the Doctoral Training Partnership Programme shall cease to hold that status if:
1. (i) he or she shall have been refused permission to supplicate for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy; or
2. (ii) the board concerned shall in accordance with the Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Part A., §2, cl. 3, and with the provisions set down by regulation by the Education Committee and after consultation with the student's college and supervisor, have deprived the student of that status;
3. (iii) he or she shall have been transferred under the relevant provision to another status;
4. (iv) he or she shall have failed to complete his or her thesis within twelve terms or within such further extension of time as may have been granted by the board concerned.

9. D.Phil IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

For students registered on the programme as Probationary Research Students or D.Phil. Students on or before 1 October 2008

1. Admission Students to whom these regulations apply will have been admitted as Probationary Research Students or D.Phil. Students under the regulations of the Continuing Education Board as they were at the time of their admission. Students were admitted to study on a part-time basis only.
2. Attendance requirements Students are required to attend for a minimum of thirty days of university-based work each year, to be arranged with the agreement of their supervisor, for the period that their names remain on the Register of Graduate Studies unless individually dispensed by the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Divisional Board.
3. Admission/transfer to D.Phil. status
1. (a) Applicants must demonstrate that they are capable of producing research work of the requisite standard and presenting the findings clearly; and that their planned programme of research is one that may be profitably undertaken at Oxford; and that they have a good knowledge and understanding of the work that is likely to be needed to embark on the programme.
2. (b) Students who have successfully completed the relevant Oxford Masters degree deemed an acceptable prerequisite by the board, shall normally apply for admission to D.Phil. status up to the twelfth term after their initial admission as a graduate student.
3. (c) Students who hold the status of Probationary Research Student, shall normally apply for admission to D.Phil. status after a minimum of six terms and no longer than twelve terms.
4. (d) Admission to D.Phil. status may be made conditional on such requirements as the board may impose.
5. (e) Applicants should specify the date by which they undertake to make available two (or in exceptional cases, three) copies of the written work in support of the application. Applicants should do so not later than four weeks before the start of the full term in which they wish to be assessed. Application for transfer should be sent to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Computing Laboratory, Wolfson Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QD.
6. (f) Applications for transfer to D.Phil. status shall be accompanied by:
  1. (1) a short dissertation on a topic selected in consultation with the supervisor, or a part-written thesis, the preferred length being of between 25 and 50 typed pages.
  2. (2) The applicant should include with the application a brief description of the proposed subject of research for the D.Phil. degree and a brief statement setting out the steps taken to ensure that he or she has the knowledge and understanding likely to be necessary to embark on the planned research work.
  3. (3) two copies of a confidential report from the supervisor, which should be sent by the supervisor direct to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Computing Laboratory.
7. The Director of Graduate Studies shall send one copy of the written work and the confidential report to each of the assessors appointed by the board.
8. (g) Candidates should also note that while as precise a definition of the subject should be given as is possible at this stage of their work, they are not bound to follow the statement precisely, but may reformulate their plan in the light of further study. If reformulation goes so far as to require alteration of the title of the thesis as approved, however, they should seek permission of the relevant board to alter it.
9. (h) Candidates shall be assessed by two assessors appointed by the board, neither of whom will normally be the student’s supervisor. The assessors shall certify that they have considered the written work submitted by the applicant and interviewed the applicant. The assessors should also provide a written report of the application to the board for approval of their recommendation. In cases where the assessors decide that the application is not of the required standard to transfer to D.Phil. status their written report should outline the areas in which the application is judged to fall short of the required standard.
10. (i) A student who is unsuccessful may be given one further opportunity to apply for transfer (within the limit of twelve terms).
4. Confirmation of D.Phil. status
1. (a) Assessors are appointed by the board to assess whether a candidate’s work on their thesis is developing satisfactorily and that they may be considered ready to be examined within three further terms. D.Phil. status must be confirmed before a candidate may submit their thesis for examination for the degree of D.Phil..
2. (b) Application for confirmation of D.Phil. status, with statements of support from the candidate’s society and supervisor, shall normally be presented to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Computing Laboratory, not earlier than four weeks before the end of the twelfth term, and at the latest by four weeks before the end of the eighteenth term, after admission to the status of Probationer Research Student or to status of student for another higher degree of the University.
3. (c) Application for confirmation of D.Phil. status shall normally be accompanied by:
  1. (1) the candidate’s own written report of progress, stating how much of the thesis is complete and how much remains to be done (with an estimate of the completion date);
  2. (2) a statement of the title of the thesis and a specimen chapter;
  3. (3) a confidential report from the supervisor which should be sent directly to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Computing Laboratory.
4. The Director of Graduate Studies should send the written work and the confidential report to the interviewer appointed by the board.
5. (d) Candidates shall be assessed by two assessors appointed by the board, neither of whom will normally be the student’s supervisor. The assessment shall include an oral examination. The assessors shall also provide a written report of the application to the board for approval of their recommendation. In cases where the assessors decide that the application is not of the required standard to warrant confirmation of D.Phil. status, their written report should outline the areas in which the application is judged to fall short of the required standard.
6. (e) A student who is unsuccessful may be given one further opportunity to apply for confirmation (within the statutory limit).
5. Theses Theses shall not normally exceed 200 pages, A4 size, in normal sized type. Any thesis exceeding these limits is liable to be rejected on that ground. It is recognised that in special circumstances it will be necessary for leave to be granted to exceed this limit by a stated amount. In particular it is recognised that the inclusion of essential edited source material, whether as an appendix or as a main part of the thesis, presents special problems in regard to length; and the board will be prepared to consider applications for edited material to be excluded from the word limit otherwise placed on the thesis. Leave to exceed these limits for other reasons will be given only in the most special cases and on the recommendation of the supervisor. Any application for permission to exceed the limit should be submitted with a detailed explanation and statement of the amount of excess length requested, and with a covering letter from the supervisor. Applications should be made as soon as possible and may not be later than the last day of the fifth week of the term before that in which applications made for appointment of examiners.