FAQs for Current PGR Students

The campus at QMUL is open and it is expected that students who need to attend campus to undertake research make appropriate arrangements to do so. Our labotories remain open to enable our students to carry out their world-leading research, with laboratory space now operating across all three faculties.

Library spaces are open for study space in Mile End Library, the Graduate Centre and West Smithfield library. Additionally we have to ensure that as many materials as possible are available online. This includes not only journals and databases, but also e-books.

You are required to maintain regular contact with your supervisory team, and completing Supervision Logs on MySIS. Your supervisory team will be able to advise you on what kind of activities you should be carrying out and if there are any current barriers to this. 

 

Students in their final 12 months of study or who have writing up status can apply for an extension to the period of registration and the thesis submission deadline.

Please keep a good record of how much time has been lost due to the closure of the university and external resources to support your research. Keeping good records will enable you to explain the disruption to your studies and help you to plan your timetable for completing the thesis and estimating the new thesis submission date.

Information about the process for applications for extensions is available at 
http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/research-degrees/research-degree-students/extension/ 

The following arrangements are in place for submission of the thesis for examination. 

The thesis may be submitted by email to researchdegrees@qmul.ac.uk or you may use the QMUL File Exchange Service at https://collect.qmul.ac.uk/ 
If the File Exchange Service is used an email must be sent to researchdegrees@qmul.ac.uk including the collect weblink on or before your thesis submission deadline. The email must be sent before 23:59 hours on the thesis submission deadline. Please copy all emails to your supervisor and school/institute research degrees manager. Please download and complete the thesis submission form at http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/research-degrees/research-degree-students/thesis-submission/#Howtosubmityourthesis2 and attach this to your email to RDO. 

The two bound copies of the thesis will not be required. The thesis must be submitted as a single combined document, preferably PDF. Appendices must not be submitted as separate documents except for digital/video material. If you have any questions or need to submit additional material with your thesis, e.g. digital material, please contact  researchdegrees@qmul.ac.uk   

The date of thesis submission recorded on MySIS is the date on which the electronic copy of the thesis is submitted to RDO.

The oral examination of research degree candidates may be conducted face to face at Queen Mary or by video-link and several or all participants may attend online.

Your supervisor is responsible for arranging your viva. For further information please see the full policy on video link vivas here: Policy on remote vivas [PDF 550KB] This policy is being updated shortly to indicate that examinations can be held face to face or online, following the Covid-19 guidance in place at the time of the examination viva.

Requests for online vivas will be managed within your school/institute via your supervisor. There must be a Viva Convenor to arrange the viva and oversee the arrangements on the day. This should be a member of academic staff, for example a member of your supervisory team.

Queen Mary has granted all PhD students a three month unfunded extension to mitigate for some of the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The 3 month extensions were updated on MySIS in July 2021. If you have any questions about your thesis submission date shown on MySIS please contact the Research Degrees Office (researchdegrees@qmul.ac.uk) who will look into it for you. 

Should you require a longer time extension due to Covid-19: Students in their final 12 months of study or who have writing-up status can apply for an extension to the period of registration and the thesis submission deadline. Applications are considered on an individual basis by the Research Degrees Programmes and Examinations Board. This is to allow each student to apply for the additional period they require and recognises the diversity of experiences of our research student  community. The Board meets once a month. Please keep a good record of how much time has been lost due to the closure of the university and external resources to support your research. Keeping good records will enable you to explain the disruption to your studies and help you to plan your timetable for completing the thesis and estimating the new thesis submission date.

We have revised the extension request form and application requirements to take into account the disruption caused by the Covid-19 situation.

Information about the process for applications for extensions is available at

http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/research-degrees/research-degree-students/extension/

The university has arranged for a specific communication to be sent to all PGR students with a registered disability recorded on their MySIS student portal which outlines existing support mechanisms and services for students who may require an extension to their studies. We also liaised with DDS colleagues to ensure that this messaging went to all PGRs who are undergoing a disability diagnosis process through Queen Mary. This email went to all disabled students with a PGR status, whether or not they are entitled to a Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA) or registered with the university’s Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS). Not all PhD students’ DSAs are administered by Student Finance England or its regional equivalents; some are funded by individual Research Councils. As such, students are best advised to liaise with staff in DDS as they may need bespoke advocacy to address any support issues they may face as a consequence of having to extend their programme, (this will apply equally to any students not in receipt of a DSA).