Research Degrees in Politics and International Relations

Differences from 2015/16 to 2021/22

(See also the general notice at the commencement of these regulations. The current edition of the relevant Student Handbook contains an elaborated version of these regulations.)

Candidates1. withGovernance

The ProbationerDPhils Researchin StudentPolitics status,and unlessthe orDPhil untilin theyInternational haveRelations enteredshall uponbe anotherunder status,the or have been otherwise dispensed from some or allsupervision of the following requirements by the relevant Graduate Studies Committee, of the Department of Politics and International Relations.

2. Attendance requirements

The DPhil programmes shall be offered on a full-time and part-time basis. Full-time students are required to undertakemeet the workresidence requirements set out belowin during§6 of the firstGeneral Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Part-time research 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 Students unless individually dispensed by the Graduate Studies Committee.

  • 3. Transfer to MLitt or DPhil status

    1Students will normally be admitted as Probationer Research Students. AStudents firstwill normally be expected to achieve Transfer of Status in their third or fourth term after admission (or in their sixth to eighth term after admission for part-yeartime studentstudents). shall
    Applications should be submitted to the Graduate Studies Administrator and will comprise the following:

    • (i) satisfactorilyPolitics

      • (a) completea completed transfer of status form and appointment of assessors form;

        Either two copies of:

        (b) a proposed schedule of work;
        (c) a paragraph statement describing the project;
        (d) a research design of between 4,000 to 6,000 words maximum;
        (e) written work relevant to the thesis of between 5,000 to 7,000 words maximum.

        Or for students following the three paper route:

        (b) a submissions of a research design for one paper;
        (c) a document setting out the article-isation of the project and previewing the whole thesis;
        (d) an introduction to all of the proposed papers and explanation of their academic relationship;
        (e) a literature review;
        (f) a timetable for completion.

      (ii) International Relations

      • (a) a completed transfer of status form and appointment of assessors form;

        Either two copies of:

        (b) a short outline of the thesis topic including the title and chapter headings;
        (c) a proposed schedule of work;
        (c) a draft introduction of between 4,000 to 6,000 words maximum;
        (d) a draft chapter of the thesis of between 5,000 to 7,000 words maximum.

        Or for students following the three paper route:

        (b) a submissions of a research design for one paper;
        (c) a document setting out the article-isation of the project and previewing the whole thesis;
        (d) an introduction to all of the proposed papers and explanation of their academic relationship;
        (e) a literature review;
        (f) a timetable for completion.

        All students must also provide evidence of the satisfactory completion of a course of lectures, seminars, and classes, as determinedset out in the relevantInternational Relations Student Handbook and supplemented by his or her supervisor;

      • (ii), and satisfactorily complete a course of research methods training, as determinedset out in the relevantInternational Relations Student Handbook and supplemented by his or her supervisor and/or by the relevantInternational Relations Director of Research Training.

    • 2.Full Applicationsdetails of the timings for transfersubmissions fromand Probationerrequirements Researchfor Studentthe statusTransfer toof D.Phil.Status orapplication M.Litt. status mustcan be submitted in accordance with the requirementsfound in the relevant Student Handbook. Applicants in their fourth and final term of Probationer Status must submit their completed application including all written work not later than 5 p.m. on the Friday of sixth week of that term, except in Trinity Term when the accompnying written work must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on the last Friday in August. Students unable to meet these deadlines may apply for up to two terms of deferral of transfer of status. In addition to satisfying the above requirements (i) and (ii), the transfer of status application must include two copies of an outline of the proposed research topic and two copies of the written work-all as specified in the relevant Student Handbook.
      The relevant Graduate Studies Committee will appoint two assessors. Uponwho receivingwill read the reportwork, ofinterview the assessors,student and submit a recommendation to the GCScommittee in a written report. The Graduate Studies Committee will then decide whether toTransfer approveof Status will be approved.

    • A student whose first application for Transfer of Status is not approved (including where the transfer.outcome Inis thea case of applicationsrecommendation to transfer to DPhil status where the committeeMLitt) doesis notpermitted soto approve,make itone mayfurther authoriseapplication and will be granted an extension of one term in(or orderup to allowtwo terms for part-time students) to Probationer Research Student status if necessary. If after a second attempt, the candidateGraduate Studies Committee can neither approve transfer to resubmitthe DPhil or to the MLitt, the student will be removed from the Register of Graduate Students.

       

34. Applications for confirmationConfirmation of D.Phil.Status

Students statuswill mustnormally be submittedexpected into accordanceachieve withConfirmation theof requirementsStatus inby theno relevantlater Student handbook. Applicants inthan their ninth term mustafter submitadmission (or in their completed application including all written work not later than 5 p.m. on the Friday of sixth week of thateighteenth term, exceptafter in trinity when the accompanying written work must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on the last Friday in August. Students unable to meet these deadlines may applyadmission for uppart-time to three terms of deferral of confirmation of Dstudents).Phil. status. The confirmation of status application must include two copies of the written work - all as specified in the relevant Student Handbook. The relevant Graduate Studies Committee will appoint two assesssors. Upon receiving the report of the assessors, the GSC will then decide whether to approve confirmation of D.Phil. status. In the case of applications to confirm D.Phil. status where the committee does not so approve, it may authorise an extension of one term in order to allow the candidate to resubmit.

  • 4. Students admitted directly to D.Phil.DPhil status having completed anthe Oxfordfull-time M.Phil. and whose M.Phil. thesis wasMPhil in thePolitics sameor broadInternational fieldRelations asmust achieve Confirmation of Status by the D.Phil.end researchof proposaltheir musttenth confirmterm D.Phil.(fourteenth statusterm withinfor tenpart-time termsstudents) as a graduate student, inclusive of the time spent on the Mfull-time MPhil degree.Phil.
    Applications for confirmation of D.Phil. status mustshould be submitted in accordance withto the requirementsGraduate ofStudies Administrator and will comprise the relevantfollowing:

    • (i) StudentPolitics

      • (a) Handbook. Applicants in their tenth term must submit thea completed application including all written work not later than 5 p.m. on the Friday of the sixth week of that term, except in Trinity Term when the accompanying written work must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on the last Friday in August. Students unable to meet these deadlines may apply for up to two terms of deferral of confirmation of D.Phil. status. The confirmation of status applicationform mustand includeappointment twoof assessors form;

        Two copies of:

        (b) a statement of the writtenthesis worktitle and chapter headings;
        (c) a draft introduction;
        (d) two additional chapters (or two draft papers for students following the three paper route) intended to form part of the final thesis.

        The combined introduction and the two chapters should not exceed 30,000 words.

      (ii) International Relations

      • (a) a completed confirmation of status form and appointment of assessors form,

        Two copies of:

        (b) a statement of the thesis title and chapter headings;
        (c) a draft introduction;
        (d) two additional chapters (or two draft papers for students following the three paper route) intended to form part of the final thesis;

        The combined introduction and the two chapters should not exceed 30,000 words.

        (e) a self- allassessment asreport specifiedof progress of no more than 300 words.

        Full details of the timings for submissions and requirements for Confirmation of Status application can be found in the relevant Student Handbook. 

        The relevant Graduate Studies Committee will appoint two assassors.assessors Uponwho receivingwill read the reportwork, ofinterview the assessors,student and submit a recommendation to the GSCcommittee in a written report. The Graduate Studies Committee will then decide whether to approve  confirmationConfirmation of DStatus will be approved.Phil.

        A status.student Inwhose first application for Confirmation of Status is not approved is permitted to make one further application, normally within one term (two terms for part-time students) of the caseoriginal of applications to confirm D.Phil. status where the committee does not approveapplication, itand maywill authorisegranted an extension of timeone interm order(up to allowtwo terms for part-time students) if necessary. If after the candidatesecond attempt the DPhil Committee can neither approve the application nor approve transfer to resubmitthe MLitt, the student will be removed from the Register of Graduate Students.

    5. Though not in itself sufficient qualification for students wishing to advance to M.Litt. or D.Phil. status, the successful completion of the M.Sc. in Politics Research or the M.Sc. in Political Theory Research may serve in place of 1. (i) and (ii) above, and material submitted as part of the requirementsTheses

    Theses for the M.Sc.Degree mayof alsoDPhil which exceed 100,000 words and theses for the Degree of MLitt which exceed 50,000 words, excluding the bibliography, are liable to be usedrejected inunless students have, with the transfersupport applicationof their supervisors, been granted permission to exceed the word limit by the Graduate Studies Committee.  These figures are maxima and students are advised that many successful theses have been significantly shorter.

  • 6. Three paper route

    A D.Phil. thesis may be accepted for examination if it consists of a minimum of three academic papers of publishable quality, framed by an introduction, a survey of literature and a conclusion. Such a body of work shall be deemed acceptable provided it represents a coherent and focused body of research, addressing one overarching research question. Current overall word limits and conditions are detailed in the D.Phil. Student Handbook. Candidates wishing to proceed in this manner must be approved at the time of TransferConfirmation of statusStatus.

    If, after a petition is accepted, a candidate wishes to revert to a standard D.Phil. thesis format, the candidate must lodge a petition with his or her supervisor to be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, showing good cause for the change.