General Regulations Governing Research Degrees: Part 3 Supervision of Probationer Research Students

1. Every candidate, on admission as a Probationer Research Student, shall be placed by the board concerned under the supervision of a member of the University or other competent person selected by the board, and the board shall have power for sufficient reason to change the supervisor of any student or to arrange for joint supervision by more than one supervisor, if it deems it necessary.

2. It shall be the duty of a supervisor to advise a student as to the courses of instruction and classes, if any, which they should attend, and generally to direct and superintend the student's work. It shall also be the supervisor's duty to assist a student, when satisfied of their competence, in the selection of a subject for their thesis.

3. The supervisor shall submit a report on the progress of the student to the board four times each year, and at any other time when the board so requests or the supervisor deems it expedient; and shall undertake such other duties as shall be from time to time set out in the relevant Policy and Guidance issued by the Education Committee. The supervisor shall communicate the contents of the report to the student on each occasion that a report is made, so that the student is aware of the supervisor's assessment of their work during the period in question. In addition, the supervisor shall inform the board at once if they are of the opinion that a student is unlikely to reach the standard required for admission at least to the status of student for the Degree of Master of Letters or of Science.

The Registrar shall send a copy of each report by the supervisor to the student's college, and to the Director of Graduate Studies or other nominated person under the board concerned.

4. It shall be the duty of a Probationer Research Student to pursue any course of study preparatory to research recommended by their supervisor, and in particular to attend such courses of instruction as the supervisor may advise or the board concerned may require. A board may award a certificate of graduate attainment at the end of the Trinity Term in the year of the student's admission as Probationer Research Student. Subject to the approval of the Education Committee, each board shall have power to determine by regulation what test or condition, if any, it may require before awarding such a certificate.