Research Degrees in Politics and International Relations

(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 accompanying written work must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on 15 September. 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 eighteenth term after admission for part-time students). Students admitted directly to DPhil status having completed applicationthe includingfull-time allMPhil writtenin workPolitics notor laterInternational thanRelations 5must p.m.achieve Confirmation of Status by the end of their tenth term (fourteenth term for part-time students) as a graduate student, inclusive of the time spent on the Fridayfull-time ofMPhil sixthdegree.
Applications week of that term, except in Trinity when the accompanying written work mustshould be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on 15 September. Students unable to meetthe theseGraduate deadlinesStudies mayAdministrator applyand forwill upcomprise tothe threefollowing:

• (i) termsPolitics

  • (a) ofa deferral of confirmation of D.Phil. status. Thecompleted 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-assessment allreport asof specifiedprogress 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 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 so approveapplication, itand maywill authorisegranted an extension of one term in order to allow the candidate to resubmit.

  • 4. Students admitted directly to D.Phil. status having completed an Oxford M.Phil. and whose M.Phil. thesis was in the same broad field as the D.Phil. research proposal must confirm D.Phil. status within ten terms as a graduate student, inclusive of time spent on the M.Phil. Applications for confirmation of D.Phil. status must be submitted in accordance with the requirements of the relevant Student Handbook. Applicants in their tenth term must submit the 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 15 September. Students unable to meet these deadlines may apply for (up to two terms offor deferralpart-time students) if necessary. If after the second attempt the DPhil Committee can neither approve the application nor approve transfer to the MLitt, the student will be removed from the Register of confirmationGraduate Students.

5. Theses

Theses for the Degree of D.Phil.DPhil status.which Theexceed confirmation100,000 words and theses for the Degree of statusMLitt applicationwhich mustexceed include50,000 twowords, copiesexcluding the bibliography, are liable to be rejected unless students have, with the support of thetheir writtensupervisors, workbeen - allgranted aspermission specifiedto inexceed the relevantword Studentlimit Handbook.by The relevantthe Graduate Studies Committee will appoint two assessors. UponThese receivingfigures theare reportmaxima ofand thestudents assessors,are theadvised GSCthat willmany thensuccessful decidetheses whetherhave tobeen approve significantly confirmation of D.Phil. status. In the case of applications to confirm D.Phil. status where the committee does not approve, it may authorise an extension of time in order to allow the candidate to resubmitshorter.