MA BY RESEARCH HANDBOOK
A.THE DEGREE OF MA BY RESEARCH
The MA by Research is available on a full-time or part-time basis. The aim of the course is to provide training in research methods and an opportunity for supervised study leading to the presentation of a dissertation which offers a sustained argument in relation to any period of English literature. Students will write a supervised dissertation of between 25,000 and an absolute maximum of 30,000 words. This word limit includes quotations and footnotes, but excludes bibliography and plate/figure captions. Full-time students will register for a single year, part-time students for two. The course may be taken by students who intend to go on to doctoral study as well as those who do not.
Assessment is on the basis of the dissertation and an oral examination (viva), the purpose of which is to ensure that the work submitted is the candidate’s own and meets the standard required for the degree.
Students will be allocated to supervisors when they apply. The dissertation topic will have been discussed and defined with the supervisor before the start of the course. Students and supervisors will meet at the start of the autumn term to plan the year’s research. They will meet regularly throughout the academic year: at least twice a term. A written record must be kept of each meeting, to be placed on the student file; please use the form available online via the link at http
MA by research students will attend the Graduate Training Programme which is compulsory for all postgraduate students. All research students in the University must complete the Research Integrity Tutorial. (See section E below)
B.ADVISORY PANELS
It is a University statutory requirement that each research student should have a supervisory panel responsible for overseeing the student’s progress. This is known as the Thesis Advisory Panel, or TAP.
(a)The panel should consist of the supervisor or supervisors (in the case of joint supervision) and another appropriately qualified member of staff (the “advisor”, or “panel member”). On exceptional academic grounds, the panel may include two members of staff in addition to the supervisor.
(b)The panel should be in place by the start of the sixth week of the student’s first term of registration. The initiative for setting up the panel is with the supervisor, who is accountable through the Graduate Studies Administrator to the Graduate Chair.
(c)The Thesis Advisory Panel will meet with the student at least twice during the period of formal registration.
(d)For each TAP meeting, a written outline of progress to date and plan for completion should be submitted; the supervisor may also require the submission of written work.
(e)Students should complete a self-evaluation form in advance of the TAP, which they should bring along to the meeting. They should also bring a Review of Supervision form to the meeting which will be completed by the TAP member in the absence of the supervisor(s). These forms outline the student’s activities and progress in research, his/her training needs, and his/her participation in graduate training programmes. The supervisor and TAP member complete and sign a short report form during the TAP meeting (also signed by the student). Both forms are available online here:
After the meeting the panel member is responsible for ensuring that both forms are submitted with the required signatures via the Graduate Studies Administrator to the Graduate Chair. The student should inform the panel member if he/she wishes to keep their discussion confidential.
(f)Part of the TAP meeting should be devoted to a discussion of the student’s Personal Development Planning and participation in graduate training programmes, and should address ways in which training needs are being or may be met. Training can be defined in a number of ways, as the acquisition of useful or necessary skills for the development of research. Training can be defined in a number of ways, as the acquisition of useful or necessary skills for the development of research. It can include, for example, learning a new language, or auditing a relevant taught MA module. The supervisor and TAP member’s reports should reflect this discussion of training needs and development.
C. THE MA BY RESEARCH DISSERTATION
The Research MA dissertation should examine in some depth a topic appropriate to a course of one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. It should show intellectual enterprise, critical judgement, precise knowledge of primary texts, and adequate acquaintance with secondary material; and it should present its argument in a scholarly fashion, using either the Chicago or MLA style of referencing. It must be prefaced with an Abstract, structured with an introduction and conclusion (which may or may not form separate chapters) and must include a word count. Supervisors are urged to ensure that dissertations do not violate the limit of 30,000 words.
Examiners will expect the dissertation to be more substantial and/or more substantially documented than a dissertation submitted as part of a taught MA course, but in other respects the standards required of the two types of dissertation will be similar. As with taught MAs the research MA dissertation should not be compared in quality or originality with the MPhil, since the award of the MA does not automatically entitle the student to register for independent research. As a minimum standard MA work should be seen as maintaining and extending into postgraduate studies the level of achievement registered at undergraduate level by the award of the 2.1 degree (or equivalent).
Two soft-bound copies of the dissertation should be submitted to the Examinations Office, within three months of the end of the normal period of registration; this means for students who register in October, by the first working day in January of the appropriate year. Students are also required to submit two copies of a CD (or other portable data storage unit acceptable to the University) containing an electronic copy (normally in pdf format) of the dissertation.
Students who wish to have continuing access to the University library during this three month period should contact Registry Services to request it.
Extension of deadlines for the submission of the dissertation may only be granted in exceptional circumstances, such as health problems or other unavoidable interruptions to work. A student needing to suspend or extend his/her registration should consult the guidelines at on the Department’s website.
Two examiners (at least one external) will be appointed, with the supervisor making recommendations via the Graduate Chair to the Examinations Office. The student’s supervisor may not act as internal examiner. The internal examiner is responsible for making the arrangements for the oral examination and keeping all parties informed.
The oral examination should normally be held at the University of York within three months of the date of submission of the dissertation. The University requires that all oral examinations for research degrees must be audio recorded, as an objective record to be used only in the event of an appeal or an unresolved disagreement between the examiners.
Following the viva, the examiners may at their discretion make one of the following recommendations:
(i) that the degree of MA should be awarded;
(ii) that the degree of MA should be awarded subject to minor corrections being made to the dissertation, normally within one month of the candidate’s receiving notification of the corrections to be made, to the satisfaction of the internal or another of the examiners;
(iii) that the dissertation should be referred for resubmission, after a period of not more than three months of the candidate’s receiving notification of the revisions to be made, for the degree of MA; or
(iv) that no degree should be awarded.
A markscale is not applicable to MA programmes by research. The degree of MA by research may not be awarded with distinction.
On successful completion of the examination and any required corrections, the candidate is required to lodge one printed copy of the dissertation (either hardbound or softbound) with the Examinations Office, for forwarding to the University Library, and to upload an electronic copy to White Roses Etheses Online.
Reports: When the results are confirmed by the Graduate Schools Office in writing, copies of the examiners’ reports may be sent to the candidate by the Graduate Studies Administrator, if requested.
D. TRANSFER FROM MA TO MPHIL/PHD
MA by research students may in certain circumstances apply to transfer to MPhil or PhD registration, the new registration being subsequently backdated to the start of the MA year.
As a first step the student should contact his/her supervisor to discuss the feasibility of his/her application. This should be followed by a TAP meeting set up for the purpose of formally recommending the transfer, for which the student should submit a written outline of progress to date, an MPhil/PhD research proposal, a plan for completion of the MPhil/PhD, and sample written work. The panel must be confident of the student’s ability to complete the new degree within the normal timeframe.
Students with a Tier 4 Visa should first consult with an Immigration Adviser before taking this step, if the proposed transfer of programme increases the length of their enrolment period.
If the recommendation is agreed, the student should complete Part A of the University’s transfer request form – see – which should be forwarded to the Graduate Chair for his formal approval, along with the documents from the TAP meeting.
E. RESEARCH INTEGRITY TUTORIAL
All PGR students in the University will be automatically enrolled on the Research Integrity Tutorial in their VLE.All new PGR students starting after October 2015 must complete the RIT.
The RIT includes three sections followed by a short test:
- Academic Integrity
- Research Integrity
- Ethical considerations and approval
Each section takes approx. 45 mins to complete, so it is recommended students complete the RIT over a couple of days. Their progress will be saved after each test.
PGRs are required to complete the RIT before their first TAP meeting or within 3 months of registration for their course.
To ensure completion of the RIT, if PGR students have not completed the RIT after 90 days of enrolment they will receive reminder emails every two weeks until they have completed the tutorial. We hope that all PGR students will do the RIT as soon as possible after registering for their course.
Upon completion of the RIT, students will receive a Research Integrity Certificate with further guidance.
The completion of the Research Integrity Tutorial will be recorded in e:Vision under My supervision records and research details.
The RIT provides important information for completing a Research degree, especially responsibly managing their studies and carrying-out ethical research, including the ethical approval process.
Students can email if they have any problems.
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