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Research Degrees policies, guidance and forms

Everything students and supervisors need in one place

On this page you can find all the relevant policies, guidance and forms which relate to Postgraduate Research Students.

Operational Handbook and Regulations for Research Degrees

The Operational Handbook for Research Degrees provides a useful overview of the regulations, guidance and support available for research degree students and their supervisors. The Regulations for Research Degrees is the definitive document used for Postgraduate student matters and should be referred to for any clarification. The Research Degrees team are always happy to assist with any questions regarding the regulations.

Read the Operational Handbook

Read the Regulations for Research Degrees

Read the University Ethics Guidance

Below are links to official University of Portsmouth policies and regulations that affect postgraduate research students.

The following links are to overall guidelines laid out by the University of Portsmouth, and also by external bodies where they affect our Postgraduate students.

Information for postgraduate research (PGR) degree applicants can be found on the How to Apply pages. As part of our application process all candidates for PGR degrees are required to be interviewed.

All staff involved with the selection and admission of a PGR student should undertake the Doctoral College's Research Supervision Event - Best Practice in the Selection and Admission of PGR Students.

Once a decision to offer a place has been made, the online RSR form must be completed by all supervisors and approved by the Chair, FRD Committee (via the PGR Application Review Workflow in SITS) BEFORE any offer letter is sent to the applicant. For more information, please see the Selection and Admissions Information Booklet (Moodle login required). Further information, including the RSR form for Professional Doctorate students entering the Research Phase, can be found via the Best practice in the selection and admission of PGR students Moodle page.

Postgraduate Research Students are registered in the same school/department and faculty as their first supervisor. If a change of first supervisor becomes necessary, and the proposed new first supervisor is in a different school/department and faculty, students should be aware that there may be a different fee structure and are advised to discuss this before signing Form UPR3: Applications for Change in Approved Arrangement for Supervision.