Research Degrees in the Oxford Internet Institute

Differences from 2014/15 to 2022/23

  • 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:.

    • 2. Attendance requirements

      (a)The DPhil programmes shall be offered on a Master'sfull-time degreeand orpart-time otherbasis. advancedFull-time degree,students normallyare required to meet the residence requirements set out in one§6 of the socialGeneral sciencesRegulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Part-time students 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, and normally passedcoinciding 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 higherfull levelterms of the Universityacademic 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 student's Englishprobationary languageperiod requirements;the attendance arrangements must take account of relevant induction and thattraining theyevents are;

    • (d)scheduled well-fittedby tothe undertake research at doctoral leveldepartment.

  • 23. Probationer Research Students

    All students are normally admitted as Probationer Research Students.

    Unless granted a dispensation by the Graduate Studies Committee, of the Oxford Internet Institute,all Probationer Research Students shall during their first year shall:

    • (aand second year in the case of part-time students) attend such lectures, seminars, and classes as his or hertheir supervisor and/or the committeeGraduate Studies Committee shall determine;.

    • Students studying Information, Communication and Social Sciences (b)or Social Data Science shall attend and satisfactorily complete with a passing mark such courses or classes from the Institute's Research Methods Training Programme as directed by the committee;Graduate Studies Committee.

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

  • 34. 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 asafter aadmission Probationer(or Researchsixth Studentto ateighth theterm Oxfordafter Internetadmission Institutefor part-time students). Applications should be submitted to the GraduateDPhil 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 an appropriate officerAppointment of theAssessors 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 615,000 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.

    • (eiv) include a preliminary timetable for the research; 

    • (fv) include a list of references;. 

    (ge) confirmation of ethics approval (IREC/CUREC 1A/CUREC 2);

    (f) an OII Training Needs Assessment Form;

    (g) any other materials, including substantial original research, that may help the assessors evaluate the applicant’s candidacy.

  • 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 nor to the MLitt or the MSc by Research, the student will be removed from the Register of makingGraduate the applicationStudents.

  • 45. 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 sixthtwelfth term fromfor admissionpart-time asstudents).

    Applications a PRS. Any student who does not confirm status by the end of the ninth term, willshould be required to apply for deferral of confirmation of status and may be allowed up to three terms for this purpose. Applications submitted to the Graduate Studies CommitteeDPhil ofCoordinator theand Oxford Internet Institute shallwill comprise the following:

    • (a) a confirmationcompleted Confirmation of statusStatus application form signed by the candidate's supervisor and an appropriate officerAppointment of theAssessors 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) either: 

      1. i) for monograph theses: two completed draft chapters intended to form part of the final thesis;

         or 
      2. ii) for integrated theses: one completed paper and either a fully-developed literature review or a second completed paper;
    • (f) an OII Training Needs Assessment Form.;

    • (g) a self-assessment report on progress of not more than 300 words. 

    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.

  • 56. ThesisTheses

    The thesis must not exceed 100,000 words for D.Phil.the DPhil, or 50,000 words for M.Litt.the MLitt, or 25,000 words for the MSc by Research, the limit to include abstract, all notes and appendices, but not the bibliography. Any thesis exceeding this limit is liable to be rejected on that ground unless prior dispensation has been granted by the Graduate Studies Committee on the advice of the candidate's supervisor.

    Integrated thesis format

  • Students may choose to write an integrated thesis consisting of an introduction, literature survey, and conclusion and a combination of chapters including one or more published or publishable articles. Such a body of work must address an overarching research question and represent a coherent and focused body of research. Students should consult with their supervisor on the appropriate thesis format prior to Transfer of Status and Confirmation of Status, and Graduate Studies Committee will evaluate the suitability of the proposed format when considering the recommendation of the assessors for these milestones. 

    A thesis submitted under this rubric may include co-authored articles. In the case of co-authored articles, students must submit to the Graduate Studies Committee a description of their contribution to the article and demonstrate that their work represents the majority contribution.

    Students who wish to change back to a conventional thesis format are required to make this request in writing to the Graduate Studies Committee prior to applying for their next assessment milestone. Applications to change between an integrated thesis format and a conventional thesis format will normally not be considered for students who have already passed Confirmation of Status.

    The standard word limit regulations apply for integrated theses.

    Further guidance can be found in the DPhil handbook.

  •