Research Degrees in the Oxford Internet Institute

1. AdmissionsGovernance

ApplicantsThe DPhil in Information, Communication and Social Sciences and the DPhil in Social Data Science shall be requiredunder tothe satisfysupervision of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Oxford Internet Institute that they have:

• (a) a Master's degree or other advanced degree, normally in one of the social sciences, and normally passed with a mark of at least 67 per cent or an equivalent level of distinction;

• (b) achieved at least a 2.1 (or its equivalent) at first degree level;

• (c) for students whose first language is not English, have met the higher level of the University's English language requirements; and that they are;

• (d) well-fitted to undertake research at doctoral level.

2. ProbationerAttendance Research Studentsrequirements

AllThe DPhil programmes shall be offered on a full-time and part-time basis. Full-time students are normallyrequired admittedto as Probationer Research Students.

Unless granted a dispensation bymeet the Graduateresidence Studiesrequirements Committeeset out in §6 of the OxfordGeneral InternetRegulations Institute, Probationer Research Students during their first year (and second year infor the caseDegree of partDoctor of Philosophy. Part-time students) shall:

• (a) attend such lectures, seminars, and classes as his or her supervisor and/or the committee shall determine;

• (b) attend and satisfactorily complete such courses or classes from the Institute's Research Methods Training Programme as directed by the committee;

• (c) attend and satisfactorily complete the Institute’s Social Dynamics of the Internet course.

3. Special provisions for part-time D.Phil. students
Candidates are required to meet the following attendance requirements for their period of part-time study: attendance for a minimum of 30 days of university-based work each year, normally coinciding with the full terms of the academic 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. During a candidate’student's probationary period the attendance arrangements must take account of relevant induction and training events scheduled by the department.

3. Probationer Research Students

All students are normally admitted as Probationer Research Students.

Unless granted a dispensation by the Graduate Studies Committee, all Probationer Research Students shall during their first year (and second year in the case of part-time students) attend such lectures, seminars, and classes as their supervisor and/or the Graduate Studies Committee shall determine.

Students studying Information, Communication and Social Sciences shall attend and satisfactorily complete with a mark of 50 or higher:

• (a) such courses or classes from the Institute's Research Methods Training Programme as directed by the Graduate Studies Committee;

• (b) the Institute’s Advanced Social Theory course.
  

Students studying Social Data Science shall attend and satisfactorily complete with a passing mark of 50 or higher such courses or classes as directed by the Social Data Science Graduate Studies Committee.

4. Transfer to M.Litt.DPhil, MLitt or D.Phil.MSc by Research status

StudentsCandidates will normally be expected to transferachieve toTransfer D.Phil.of (or M.Litt.) statusStatus in their third or fourth term  after admission (or sixth to eighth term after admission for part-time students) as a Probationer Research Student at the Oxford Internet Institute. Applications should be submitted to the Graduate Studies Committee of the Oxford Internet InstituteCoordinator and will comprise the following:

• (a) a transfercompleted Transfer of statusStatus application form, signed by the candidate's supervisor and anAssessors appropriateApproval officer of the candidate's collegeform;

• (b) confirmation from the candidate's supervisor that such courses as the candidate has been required to undertake have been satisfactorily completed;

• (c) an outline of their research (one side of A4 paper);

• (d) a detailed research proposal of no more than 15,000 words. This should:

  • (i) draw upon relevant literature to discuss the background to the research, theoretical perspectives, and possible outcomes to the research;

  • (ii) state key research questions;

  • (iii) discuss the overall methodological approach, and specific strategies, to be employed in answering these research questions, paying particular attention to practical and ethical issues relevant to the research.

• (e) a preliminary timetable for the research;

• (f) a list of references;

• (g) an OII Training Needs Assessment Form.

• TheTo applicationsuccessfully achieve Transfer of Status, students must also have satisfactorily passed the relevant courses set out in 3 above. In cases where a student is required to re-sit a paper, a deferral of Transfer of Status for one or two terms as appropriate will be consideredgranted by a specially constituted panel of two assessors appointed by theautomatically.

  The Graduate Studies Committee ofwill theappoint Oxfordtwo Internetassessors Institute. The panelwho will read the work, interview the candidatestudent and makesubmit a recommendation to the committeeCommittee in a reasoned written report.

  Candidates The Committee will bedecide expected during the interviewwhether to showapprove evidenceTransfer of their understanding of general theory and research methods in the social sciences applicable to their proposed study and specific research methods appropriate to the study of social aspects of the Internet and related ICTsStatus.

  A student whose first application for Transfer of Status is unsuccessfulnot mayapproved be(including givenwhere the outcome is a recommendation to transfer to the MLitt or MSc by Research) is permitted to make one further opportunity to apply for transfer, following the procedures laid down,application and maywill applybe forgranted an extension of time for one term if(or thistwo is necessaryterms for part-time students) to Probationer Research Student status if necessary. If after a second attempt, the purposeGraduate Studies Committee can neither approve transfer to the DPhil or to the MLitt or to the MSc by Research, the student will be removed from the Register of makingGraduate the applicationStudents.

 5. Confirmation of DPhil status

ApplicationsStudents forwho confirmationwere initially admitted to the status of statusa asProbationer aResearch Student formust achieve Confirmation of Status not later than their ninth term or normally earlier than their sixth term (or not later than the Degreeeighteenth ofterm Doctoror of Philosophy should be made notnormally earlier than the sixth term (or twelfth term for part-time students).

Applications from admission as a PRS. Any student who does not confirm status by the end of the ninth term (or eighteenth term for part-time students), willshould be required to apply for deferral of confirmation of status and may be allowed up to three terms (or six terms for part-time students) for this purpose. Applications submitted to the Graduate Studies CommitteeCoordinator ofand the Oxford Internet Institute shallwill comprise the following:

• (a) a confirmationcompleted Confirmation of statusStatus application form signed by the candidate's supervisor and anAssessors appropriateApproval officer of the candidate's collegeform;

• (b) an abstract of the thesis (one side of A4 paper);

• (c) an outline structure of the thesis, consisting of chapter headings, and a brief statement of the intended content;

• (d) an outline timetable detailing what work has already been carried out and what activities are planned for the remaining stages;

• (e) two completed draft chapters intended to form part of the final thesis;

• (f) an OII Training Needs Assessment Form.

The application will be considered by a specially constituted panel of two assessors appointed by the Graduate Studies Committee ofwill theappoint Oxfordtwo Internetassessors Institute. The panelwho will read the work, interview the candidatestudent and makesubmit a recommendation to the committeeCommittee in a written report. The Committee will decide whether to approve Confirmation of Status.

A student whose first application for Confirmation of Status is unsuccessfulnot mayapproved beis givenpermitted to make one further opportunityapplication, tonormally applywithin one term (two terms for confirmation,part-time followingstudents) of the proceduresoriginal laid downapplication, and maywill apply forgranted an extension of time for one term if(two this is necessaryterms for part-time students) if necessary. If after the purposesecond ofattempt makingthe Committee can neither approve the application nor approve transfer to the MLitt or the MSc by Research, the student will be removed from the Register of Graduate Students.