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Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre

1. General regulations

These regulations shall apply to all students registered for

  • 1. D.Phil. in Biomedical and Clinical Sciences

  • 2. D.Phil. in Computational Discovery

3. D.Phil. in Inflammatory and Musculoskeletal Disease

4. D.Phil. in Cancer Science

5. D.Phil. in Advanced Bioscience of Viral Products 

  • 6. D.Phil. in Cardiovascular Science (BHF)

  • 7. D.Phil. in Cellular Structural Biology

8. D.Phil. in Chemistry in Cells

  • 9. D.Phil. in Chromosome and Developmental Biology

  • 10. D.Phil. in Genomic Medicine and Statistics

  • 11. D.Phil. in Health Data Science (HDR UK/Turing Wellcome)

  • 12. D.Phil. in Infection, Immunology and Translational Medicine

  • 13. D.Phil. in Ion Channels and Membrane Transport in Health and Disease (OXION)

within the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre, irrespective of the division or department they are based within for their research project.

Programmes 1-3 above are three-year programmes. Programme 4 above has three different tracks: clinical trainees (track 1) and medical undergraduates (track 2) enrol on a three-year programme; non-clinical/fundamental scientists (track 3) enrol on a four-year programme. Programmes 5-13 above are four-year programmes.

The provisions of the following regulations shall apply, except as specifically provided below: General Regulations Governing Research Degrees; Regulations for the Degree of Master of Science by Research, Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (§1-7); and the Special Regulations of Divisional and Faculty Boards concerning the status of Probationer Research Student and the degrees of M.Litt., M.Sc. by Research, and D.Phil.

For the purposes of these regulations `Board' shall mean the Medical Sciences Divisional Board.

2. Register of Probationer Research Students

The Board may grant a student suspension from the Register of those admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student or deprive a student of his or her status; and in such cases it shall at all times follow procedures determined by the Education Committee by regulation. 

It shall be open to a candidate whose name has been removed from the Register to apply to the Board for reinstatement to the Register as a Probationer Research Student. The application should have the support of their society and supervisor, and such reinstatement fee as may from time to time be prescribed by Council should be paid. Permission for reinstatement to the Register of Students may be granted by the Board provided that:

(i) no more than twenty-four months have passed since the student’s name was removed from the Register; and

(ii) the number of terms the candidate spent with the status of a Probationer Research Student did not exceed six terms in the case of a student on a four-year Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre programme.

Exceptionally, a candidate who is not able to apply for reinstatement within the provisions above may make an application to Council’s Education Committee for reinstatement to the Register of Students as a Probationer Research Student. Such candidates must meet the requirements for reinstatement by the Board and in addition must provide a statement explaining why it is reasonable for Education Committee to permit their reinstatement and outlining the circumstances that have prevented earlier submission. For such applications, Education Committee will consider the length of time since the candidate’s name was on the Register of Students, the seriousness of the causes for the delay, and the views of the student’s department, supervisor and college.

3. Probationer Research Student Status

A student on a four-year Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre programme may hold the status of Probationer Research Student for a maximum of six terms, including the term in which the student was admitted. In exceptional circumstances the Board may grant up to one term's extension to this deadline.

4. Confirmation of Status as a Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

A student on a four-year Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre programme who has been admitted to the status of Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy must apply to the Board for confirmation of his or her status as a D.Phil. Student not later than the tenth term and normally during the ninth term after admission to the programme. In all other respects the procedure for confirmation of status of such students will follow the procedures for confirmation of status of students within the Medical Sciences Division.

5. Other requirements for students for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following a Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre four-year D.Phil. Programme

A full-time Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following a four-year Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre programme may hold the status of a registered research student for a maximum of twelve terms. If such a student has been prevented by exceptional circumstances from completing his or her thesis by that time, the Board shall have power to grant an extension of time for a period or periods, not exceeding six terms in all, to be determined by the Board. Applications for such extension of time shall be made through the Registrar not later than the term in which the student is due to apply for permission to supplicate.

A full-time Student for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy following a four-year Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre Programme shall cease to hold that status if: (i) he or she shall have been refused permission to supplicate for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy; or (ii) the Board concerned shall in accordance with the Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Part A., §2, cl. 3, and with the provisions set down by regulation by the Education Committee and after consultation with the student's college supervisor, have deprived the student of that status; (iii) he or she shall have been transferred under the relevant provisions to another status; (iv) he or she shall have failed to complete his or her thesis within twelve terms or within such further extension of time as may have been granted by the Board concerned.