Graduate Supervision

University framework

The responsibilities of doctoral supervisors are set out in full in the University’s Policy and Guidance on Research Degrees. The University’s Policy and Guidance on Postgraduate Taught Courses sets out expectations for supervision for Master's degrees. 

Supervisor and student responsibilities

The supervisor(s) will be the main source of information and advice throughout a student's course. Their responsibilities include giving the student early advice about the nature of research and the standard expected, and about planning the framework of the research programme; providing advice about literature sources, and attendance at lectures and classes; meeting with the student regularly to discuss their work and skills training needs; and giving the student informal assessments of their progress. Some students will have a single member of staff as their supervisor, and some may have joint supervision, especially when a project involves drawing upon expertise in more than one area.

The responsibilities of graduate students are also set out in full in the University’s Policy and Guidance on Research Degrees and Policy and Guidance for Postgraduate Taught Courses. The University expects all students to accept their obligation to act as a responsible member of the University’s academic community, and to take ultimate responsibility for their academic progress and for developing an appropriate working relationship with their supervisor(s).