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Quality Assurance for Research Degrees - Overview

The Senate Postgraduate Affairs Sub-Committee (PGASC) is the University body concerned with the assurance of quality of all postgraduate degree programmes across the University. Its remit covers the Postgraduate Degree Regulations and maintenance of the Code of Practice for Supervised Postgraduate Research. PGASC membership currently comprises staff representatives from each College and student representation from DUSA. The Postgraduate Registry is the unit with responsibility for day-to-day administration of postgraduate student affairs.

All research postgraduate studies, as defined under the Postgraduate Degree Regulations are covered by the Code of Practice for Supervised Postgraduate Research (CoPSPR)[see the weblink to the Code in box on the left hand side of this page]. This gives details of relevant policy and procedures, including, inter alia:

• Admission
• Induction
• Supervision
• Ethical approval procedures for research
• Transfer from Ordinance 12 (Confirmation of Registration for a Research Degree)
• Thesis monitoring
• Form and presentation of theses
• Examination of theses
• Appeals and complaints procedures.

An interactive mapping table for relevant precepts of the QAA Code of Practice is provided here.

Postgraduate student support

The University provides a number of routes of support for postgraduate students:

• the supervisory arrangements and college-run thesis monitoring schemes, as detailed in the CoPSPR
• the generic skills training programme organised by the Generic Skills Dundee office
• the postgraduate personal development planning scheme, My PDP pg
• the Postgraduate Portal on the academic skills website Advance@Dundee which is maintained by the Learning Centre and Academic Affairs
• the offices of the Student Service Units in areas such as: careers, counselling, disability services, funding, health, international student support, music, nursery, peer connections, residences and te student advisory service

Involvement of research students in QA for Research Degrees

DUSA provides student representation on the relevant committees that deal with postgraduate affairs. Postgraduate students are represented on the DUSA Student Representative Council. For further details, consult the section on Student Representation.

The University takes part in the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) organised by the HE Academy. Results are discussed at Postgraduate Affairs Sub-Committee, reporting to Leaning and Teaching Sub-Committee and Senate.

Note: Taught postgraduate provision is covered by the QAF, as directed by the QAA Code of Practice, Section 1, with additional features as outlined in the University's Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes