Important Dates 2011-12
Term 1
Monday 3rd October– term starts
Wednesday 5th October - at 6.00 pm – Welcome to new Research students in Room H507 (fifth floor Humanities Building) – Drinks Reception to follow.
Friday 2 December – deadline to submit Termly Review Form to Graduate Secretary
Term 2
Friday 2 March – deadline to submit Termly Review Form to Graduate Secretary
Term 3
Friday 27 April (week 1) – deadline for receipt of Annual Research Review dossier
Friday 4May (week 2) – deadline for 1st year students applying for Upgrade to PhD status
Note – there will be more information about the timing of the Annual Research Review by the end of Term1.
Contents
Section 1:Settling in
Section 2:Funding
Section 3:Training
Section 4:Progress
Section 5:Support
Section 6:Research Seminars at Warwick
Section 7:Submission
Appendix A: For Postgraduate Tutors
Appendix B: For Supervisors, Mentors and Examiner
Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies
University of Warwick
Handbook for MPhil/PhD Research Students
Welcome
This handbook will introduce you to a number of important ways that the department organises postgraduate research. It is based on agreed departmental practice as well as University and national guidelines. It is designed for use by current and prospective students as well as members of staff.
This handbook supplements the GraduateSchool’s information for current students, found at . This is the key University website for all students taking higher degrees at Warwick. All current students are expected to be familiar with it. Students should consult two other documents outlining university regulations governing research degrees:
*The Guidelines on the Supervision and Monitoring ofResearch Degree Students (http;//www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/gsp/formslibrary/guidelines_on_supervision_and_monitoring.pdf)
*The Guide to Examinations for Higher Degrees by Research (http;//www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/gsp/formslibrary/guide_to_examinations_for_higher_degrees_by_research.pdf)
All of these documents are all available for downloading from the GraduateSchoolwebsite. It is the responsibility of research students to be familiar with the guidelines and regulations governing their degree.
There are three research degrees run by the English Department:
The PhD: three years full-time or five years part-time, leading to a thesis of 80,000 words. Students are assigned a supervisor and advisory mentor (who offers academic and pastoral support). The PhD is a demanding degree, and the final dissertation is expected to make an original contribution to knowledge. It can be undertaken as an exciting and fulfilling project in its own right, or as the essential preliminary qualification for an academic career. PhD students have a wide range of opportunities to develop their research expertise while studying at Warwick, including the chance to compete in the Humanities Research Centre’s doctoral fellowship programme, the chance to develop professional expertise through undergraduate teaching (at the discretion of the Head of Department), and participation in the Arts Faculty Postgraduate Research and Professional Training Programme and the Graduate School Skills Programme. PhD students who have not already taken the WarwickMA may be required to take part in the ‘Foundation Module’ of the taught MA. This will not be formally assessed but will ensure that you have acquired the necessary skills for further research.
The M.Phil: two years full-time leading to a 60,000 word thesis.
The MA by Research: one year full-time leading to a 40,000 word dissertation. This should be a contained piece of research.
What is a thesis/dissertation
The English Department defines a postgraduate thesis/dissertation as a sustained piece of research organized around a specific and defined topic. The argument will be broken down into subdivisions/chapters, but each chapter will work towards explicating the overall thesis of the research. The thesis/dissertation is expected to reach (and not exceed) the maximum words allowed for the degree in question. The Department is not likely to accept a thesis made up of a series of discrete, unconnected chapters even if the prescribed word length is achieved. Students are advised to discuss the shape and content of their theses/dissertations regularly with their supervisor. Any queries can be answered by the Director of Graduate Studies.
Contact Us
The Head of the Department is Prof. Catherine Bates – email , tel: +44 (0) 24 76 523340. Her office is H501.
The Director of Graduate Studies is Dr Emma Francis – email , tel: +44 (0) 24 76 522403. Her office is H511.
The Director of Postgraduate Tutors is Dr Nick Monk – email , tel:+44 (0) 24 76 150528. His office is in Millburn House.
The PhD Admissions Tutor is Dr Emma Francis – email tel: +44 (0) 24 76522403. Her office is H511.
The PG Funding Officer and PG Placement Officer is Dr Emma Mason – email tel: +44 (0) 24 76 523339. Her office is H525.
The Department’s postgraduate secretary is l. +44 (0)24 76 523665. She is in her office (H504)from Mondays to Fridays 8.30am – 2.00 pm. She is not there during vacation time.
Our postal address is:
Department of English and Comparative Literary StudiesUniversity of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL
Telephone: / +44 / (0)24 76 / 523323Fax: / +44 / (0)2476 / 524750
Section 1:Settling in
Making contact
All PhD students should make contact with the postgraduate secretary, MrsCherylCave, on arrival and supply her with local and home address and, immediately after registration with IT Services, an email address. If you do not make use of your campus email account, it is your responsibility to set up a forward to your home email address so that tutors can contact you at all times. The Warwick email address will be used for all communications. Please be sure to notify the office of any change of address.
Departmental induction
New PhD students are invited to attend the Induction event in the department, hosted by the Director of Graduate Studies, on the first Wednesday of term. You will get the chance to meet other new PhD students, be informed about your mentor (see below), and receive details of the research training module (see below also). This will be followed by a drinks party, at which we will be joined by staff and existing PhD students.
Other induction events
Both the University and the Arts Faculty provide separate induction events which you are strongly advised to attend. The Arts Faculty induction will inform you of the academic events scheduled for the autumn term, introduce you to doctoral students from other disciplines and also supply you with information about the Arts Faculty Handbook (this can also be obtained this from the Arts Faculty Secretary, whose office is in Room H045on the ground floor Humanities Building – telephone number 24159). Details and dates will be sent to you by post from the relevant offices during the summer before admission. Both events take place around the same time as formal registration.
Pigeon Holes / Mailboxes
Due to a lack of space, students do not have individual pigeon-holes. However, if you become a postgraduate tutor, your pigeon-hole will be in the staff common room (H502).
Postgraduate Notice board
This is located to the left of Reception (through the double fire doors). Check this regularly for information, seminars, etc.
Common Room
Staff and research students share a common room in the department (H502). You are welcome to use this room at any time to socialise, to take lunch or coffee. Please note that undergraduates are not permitted to enter this room, and this room is not used for teaching. There is also a Faculty Postgraduate Common Room in H0.42.
The Arts Faculty Graduate Space
This is the area on the fourth floor extension to the HumanitiesBuilding (go through the doors to the left of the lift at the back of the fourth floor of the HumanitiesBuilding, and over the bridge) dedicated to postgraduates in the Arts Faculty. You can book this space for seminars, events, conferences etc (consult the Arts Faculty Secretary, contact details above).
It contains noticeboards with information about seminar and conference events, the office of the Humanities Research Centre and the office of the Renaissance Studies Centre.
IT Facilities
When you enrol with the University you will be given information about registering with IT services. The Graduate Space contains dedicated IT facilities for Arts postgraduates. H454 is a general work area and H447 a teaching room/work area. These rooms are equipped with networked computers and printers, for the exclusive use of graduate students. See the Arts Faculty Secretary in Room H045 for registration forms and access code. There are also designated desks and workstations for postgraduate students in Millburn House.
Advice Books
While your first step will be to discuss your project with your supervisor, you might look for advice on planning your research from others who have reflected on the process. Here are a few books on the subject that former and current PhD students in the department recommend:
●John A. Finn, getting a PhD: an action plan to help you manage your research, your supervisor and your project (Routledge, 2005)
●Stephen Marshall and Nick Green, Your PhD Companion (How to Books, 2004)
●Joan Bolker, Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day (Owl Books, 1998)
Section 2:Funding
This section includes information about fellowships (which cover tuition fees) and smaller one-off grants to cover research expenses.
Applications for the large fellowships and awards require the strong support of the Department, so you are asked to notify the Director of Graduate Studies and the Funding Officer early on of your intention to apply.
Warwick Postgraduate Research Scholarships
Warwick offers only one major source of funding for doctoral study, the Warwick Postgraduate Research Scholarships. These are allocated through a university-wide competition. Information about deadlines will be available at the beginning of the academic year. Please consult the GraduateSchoolwebsite
(for details and exact deadlines. You may apply for this either after you have gained a place to study in the department and before you arrive, or during your first year of study.
AHRC Funding
The major source of funding for UK and EU permanent residents/ nationals comes from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. UK nationals/permanent residents are eligible for an award covering fees and maintenance; EU residents are eligible to apply for a fees-only award.
The University, under the AHRC Block Grant Partnership, is able to award two doctoral awards in the area of English language and literature per year. At present the selection process for these awards works in tandem with that for WPRS awards.
Further information can be found at
To Apply
Funding applications are submitted online directly to the Graduate School Office(use the following link for further information - but Directors of Graduate Studies in centres and departments are asked to provide written comments on applicants, and to select a limited number for consideration by the University. Very strong departmental support is essential for applicants. It is therefore imperative to discuss your application with the Director of Graduate Studies and the Departmental PG Funding officer in advance of applying.
Other Sources of Funding
For full information on what the University can help with, see
In particular the University’s International Office provides details of a number of other sources of funding relevant to nationals of particular countries or in particular areas of study – these include Ireland (e.g. O’Reilly Foundation), Japan, US and Canada, and Korea, and several others.
Departmental Support for Conference Expenses
The Department may offer limited financial help to PhD students attending conferences of up to £150 per annum. This is at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies and the availability of funds. If you would like to attend a conference which is central to your area of study, and if you have been accepted to give a paper, contact the Cheryl Cave as soon as possible. Enclose a copy of the programme or acceptance letter, confirming the acceptance of your paper and provide costings (return rail/bus fare, the conference fee, accommodation costs etc). The Director of Graduate Studies will then consider whether the department can offer some financial support. This usually takes the form of a partial reimbursement of funds outlaid. When you have returned from the conference you will need to fill in the university’s form FP16a: Claim for Travelling and Subsistence Allowance, attach relevant receipts and hand all the documents in to the Departmental Office (H506). Another source of funding for conference expenses is the university’s Humanities Research Fund, which is administered by Research Support Services. You can download an application form from their website
Decisions are normally made within 4 weeks.
This allowance may also be used to support other relevant research activity such as the acquisition or improvement of a language essential to your research, at the discretion of the DGS.
HRC Doctoral Fellowships
The Humanities Research Centre (HRC) runs a doctoral fellowship competition. Each fellow receives a research budget and funds to organise an interdisciplinary conference of their choice. It is open to full and part-time PhD students who have completed at least one but not more than two years of study. Applications are usually submitted in term 2. Consult their website (
or visit their office in the fourth floor extension of the Humanities building (H452). You should discuss your proposal with your supervisor before applying for this award and ensure that it will not disrupt your research.
Funding for Research Trips to the USA/other international destinations
Unfortunately, funding is very limited. You should talk to your supervisor and the Director of Graduate Studies well ahead of time if you intend to make an international research trip.
Other sources of funding
There are a number of private funds which our students have successfully applied for in recent years, including:
- British Federation of Women Graduates Charitable Foundation
- Soros Foundation
- Wingate Foundation
- Newby Trust
- Charles Wallace Trust (for applicants resident in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) Some of these private funders are listed here:
Section 3:Training
Individual Assessment
At your first meeting with your supervisor, you should discuss any possible training needs. If you need specialist training not covered by any of the programmes mentioned below (for instance, advanced bibliographical training for work with manuscript sources), please discuss this with the Director of Graduate Studies. Students’ training needs are assessed on an on-going basis throughout the year, and also at the end of each year, at the Annual Research Review meeting. You are encouraged to complete the self-evaluation document contained in the Arts Faculty PG Handbook you will receive at the Faculty Induction meeting.
Departmental Training
Students who do not already hold a WarwickMA, or have not completed relevant research training as part of another UK MA, will be required to take the Research Methods section of the Department’s MA Foundation Module. This training provides a variety of research skills training sessions, an introduction to bibliographical description, library searching skills, and other methodological aspects of English literature. The module is run by the MA Convenor and takes place on Wednesday afternoons from 1.00-3.00 pm in weeks 2, 3, 4, 5 in term 1. Details will be provided at the departmental induction. This training is not formally assessed, but you will be required to complete it (ie. attend all sessions).
Arts Faculty Postgraduate Research and Professional Training Programme
All students should attend the Arts Faculty Postgraduate Research and Professional Training Programme. The sessions are designed to provide an informal and informative introduction to a wide variety of aspects of professional academic life. We aim to unveil some of the mysteries of writing, completing and publishing a PhD. All thesessions are designed to complement provision made in this area at departmental level, as well as by the GraduateSchool’s university-wide training programme. They represent a chance to meet other graduate students in similar disciplines, as well as members of staff and external speakers who may be able to advise you in your path towards an academic career. Attendance at sessions is entirely voluntary, and everyone is encouraged to participate as much as they wish. Details of dates and events are in the Arts Faculty Handbook and can also be found at
GraduateSchool Skills Programme for Research Students
The University’s Graduate School Skills Programme for Research Students is a generic skills training programme, run by Student Careers and Skills. There are sessions on academic writing, time management, careers, networking, and preparing for the viva. More information is available on the website.
Learning a language
Learning a language from scratch, or brushing up on one you’ve studied before, may be necessary for your research. If it is, it’s important that this need is identified early in your doctoral career, so that training can be arranged in plenty of time. Raise the matter with your supervisor at the first meeting, if appropriate. The university’s Language Centre offers intensive language instruction in most modern languages at all levels. Greek and Latin is also available. There is a cost, but you may apply to the Head of Department for partial or full reimbursement. Please bear in mind, though, that funds are limited.
Personal Development Plan (PDP)
PDP encourages you to reflect on and communicate your ideas more efficiently by exploring, systematically, the process of thinking and its connection with your course and your future career plans. It involves being able to think through your work, reflect upon it, rework and review certain aspects of it; it means taking stock of your abilities, experiences, qualities and skills, to create a plan for further study, work and life decisions. Each student is expected to set up his or her own PDP and to maintain it on an on-going basis. Your PDP can be in electronic format or on paper. To get started, visit the university’s dedicated website at