This document is designed to point you towards, rather than tell you about, the main sources of information relating to your registration as a postgraduate student. It can not and does not try to compress everything you need to know into a few pages! It is very important that you consult the documents and websites referenced throughout for full, detailed information. More information is also available in the Postgraduate Guide, at
http://www.bath.ac.uk/student-records/pgresources/docs/pgguide2013/index.html
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES
University Regulations http://www.bath.ac.uk/regulations/pdf/
As a student you have agreed ‘to abide by all the statutes, ordinances, regulations and rules of the University for the time being in force'. This means that you are bound by the Regulations as they affect both your general conduct while you are a student of the University and the particular requirements of your programme of study; it is your responsibility to ensure that you are familiar with what this means for you. Please take the time to read the sections relevant to you. Regulation 16 describes in detail the academic requirements for all the postgraduate degrees offered by the University. Regulation 17 covers the conduct of student academic reviews and appeals, and Regulation 7 and 8 cover the Disciplinary Regulations and Disciplinary Procedures respectively.
The Quality Assurance Code of Practice http://www.bath.ac.uk/quality/cop/statements.html
This is the University's manual of procedures, guidelines and practices for academic related processes, and it covers many issues relating to postgraduate student business. In particular, it is very important that research students are familiar with QA7. http://www.bath.ac.uk/quality/documents/QA7.pdf
Your department or programme handbook
You should familiarise yourself with the handbook provided by your Department, School or Programme, as it sets out important information specific to the programme of study which you are following.
The University website
In particular, you will find a lot of postgraduate-specific information at http://www.bath.ac.uk/student-records/pgresources/ and on the webpages for your Graduate School, to which there are links from the Graduate Student Resources page.
SOME BASICS
Academic organisation of the University
The University’s academic structure is based around the three Faculties and the School of Management. Faculties are groups of Departments in related academic subjects. The three Faculties are Humanities & Social Sciences, Engineering & Design, and Science, and each has its own Dean. Each Faculty has a Graduate School headed by an Associate Dean, who is in charge of all its academic and other affairs, and a Graduate School Manager, who handles administrative matters. Within Departments there are Directors of Studies for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, personal tutors and supervisors who will look after your academic welfare, and administrators and support staff who look after you in many different ways. The School of Management has a Graduate Division, headed by an Assistant Dean, and administrative and support staff.
Finding your way around the University
The numbering system of buildings and rooms on Campus is centred on the Library. All buildings on the same side of the Parade as the Library have odd numbers, and all those on the opposite side of the Parade have even numbers. Buildings to the east of the Library (the end of the Campus with the Students’ Union and the Sports Training Village) are 'EAST', and those to the west of the Library (the end of the Campus with the Fresh supermarket and banks) are 'WEST'. The Parade is Level 2, the floor above it Level 3, and so on. The two high-rise buildings at either end of the Parade are Wessex House (at the west end) and Norwood House (at the east end). Campus maps are at http://www.bath.ac.uk/about/gettinghere/maps/
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ALL POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
Anti harassment / http://www.bath.ac.uk/equalities/policiesandpractices/dignityandrespectpolicy.pdfThe University is committed to the prevention of unlawful discrimination in its working and learning environment and wishes to encourage a culture where harassment and bullying are unable to thrive. Incidents of harassment and bullying are regarded extremely seriously and may be grounds for disciplinary action. This may include dismissal or expulsion.
Attendance / See Regulation 3 http://www.bath.ac.uk/regulations/Regulation3.pdf
Award ceremonies / http://www.bath.ac.uk/graduation/
The University's award ceremonies take place each year in early July and early December. If you have not heard from the Student Records and Examinations Office three months in advance of the ceremony at which you expect to graduate, please let the Student Records and Examinations Office know.
BUCS (University Computing Service) / http://www.bath.ac.uk/bucs/
The BUCS Help Desk on Level 2 of the Library and Learning Centre provides information, documentation and professional advice on all computing matters. The campus computer shop (ITP) sells PCs, printers, software and other items including digital media.
Careers / http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/
The Careers Advisory Service (CAS) is available for you as a postgraduate throughout your time at Bath. We are here to help you plan your next steps, develop your skills and employability and achieve your goals, no matter whether you are interested in options in academia or outside.
Cheating, plagiarism / http://www.bath.ac.uk/learningandteaching/resources/plagiarism/
http://www.bath.ac.uk/library/infoskills/referencing-plagiarism/
http://www.bath.ac.uk/learningandteaching/themes/Academic-integrityindex.php
There are various forms of academic dishonesty but in the context of students it means cheating in examinations or presenting work for assessment which is not your own. Plagiarism as a form of cheating takes place when the student 'borrows' or copies information, data or results from an unacknowledged source, without quotation marks or any indication that the presenter is not the original author or researcher. If carried out knowingly, cheating and plagiarism have the objective of deceiving examiners and this threatens the integrity of the assessment procedures and the value of your award. All students are now required to take and pass the Academic Integrity test (see the link above).
Any student found to have cheated or plagiarised in assessment will be penalised. The Board of Examiners will determine the nature and severity of the penalty, but this may mean failure of the unit concerned or a part of the degree, with no provision for reassessment or retrieval. Proven cases of plagiarism or cheating can also lead to disciplinary proceedings as indicated in University Regulation 7.4 (h), which forbids all students ‘the use of unfair means in any examination or assessment procedure’, including:
· cheating, for example unauthorised reference to notes or course material in an examination
· fabrication, for example reporting on experiments never performed
· falsification, for example misrepresentation of the results of experimentation
· plagiarism, i.e. taking the writings or ideas of another and representing them as one's own
Regulation 16.1 (k) states that “Any student who is requested by his or her Director of Studies to do so must provide an electronic version of a piece of work to be assessed, selected by the Director of Studies, for submission to a service such as the Joint Information Services Committee (JISC) Plagiarism Detection Service. This piece of work may be the entire thesis.”
So:
· always credit clearly any source from whom/which you are reproducing information, data or results, following the guidance given in the Library publication ‘A Guide to Citing References’
· always use quotation marks when you quote someone else’s work, and give the exact source of the quotation in accordance with the rules given in ‘A Guide to Citing References’
· do not falsify any results. This includes exaggeration, however slight, of results with a view to strengthening the point you wish to prove
· do not fabricate any results
· if you aren't sure, ask your Supervisor or Director of Studies for advice
Complaints / The complaints procedure is at http://www.bath.ac.uk/studentcomplaints/
Conduct and discipline / http://www.bath.ac.uk/regulations/Regulation7.pdf
http://www.bath.ac.uk/regulations/Regulation8.pdf
Universities are communities whose members work, and often live, in close proximity. This requires certain standards of behaviour. In return, the University accepts that it owes a duty of care and responsibility to the members of that community. This means that we have expectations about the standards of behaviour of our students and staff and that there are regulations which govern this. Failure to comply with University regulations may lead to disciplinary action. When you register, you are agreeing to these regulations in so far as they relate to your behaviour and actions.
Data protection / http://www.bath.ac.uk/internal/data-protection/
The University of Bath needs to process data about you in order to carry out its normal administration. We may collect, store, use and disclose the data for any purposes connected with your studies, your health and safety and for other legitimate reasons. To comply with statutory and government requirements we must provide data to organisations such as the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Higher Education Statistical Agency, the TDA, Local Education Authorities, the Student Loans Company and Research Councils.
When you register with the University you will be giving us permission to process data about you. Registration provides you with an opportunity to see some basic personal data held about you and to correct inaccuracies. If you do not register and give your consent to this processing, the University may not be able to accept you as a student.
Personal data will be processed only in accordance with the University’s registration under the Data Protection Act.
Duration of study / See Regulation 16 http://www.bath.ac.uk/regulations/Regulation16.pdf
Employment / http://www.bathstudent.com/joblink/
The easiest way to find work while you are a student at the University is to contact JobLink, which specialises in finding on-campus jobs for students, as well as advertising work off-campus.
All students should seek advice from their Supervisors or Director of Studies about how much paid work they can reasonably expect to be able to carry out while working for a postgraduate degree, and those who are funded by any of the Research Councils should note that there are clearly defined limits to the maximum amount of paid work that students may undertake while studying. If you are in the UK on a Tier 4 visa, you should seek advice from the International Office about how much paid work you may legally do.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/universitysecretary/UKBAcompliance.html
English Language Centre / http://www.bath.ac.uk/elc/
English courses for native and non-native English speakers.
Equal opportunities / http://www.bath.ac.uk/about/equalities/
The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunities in accordance with its Charter. It is the University's aim that potential and current students are treated fairly on the basis of merit regardless of age, disability, family responsibilities, gender, HIV status, marital status, nationality, race, religious or political views or affiliations, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or transsexualism.
Ethics / www.bath.ac.uk/vc/policy/ethics.htm
In particular you should ensure that:
· potential ethical issues are identified and built in to the design of your research at an early stage
· you are open and honest about the aims, methods and intended use of results from your postgraduate studies
· confidentiality of data on individuals is maintained within the limits of the law
· the design and methods to be used in conducting the research conform to the ethical standards of the community of scholars and researchers to which the research will be addressed
Examinations / http://www.bath.ac.uk/student-records/examinations/index.html
http://www.bath.ac.uk/library/exampapers/exam.php
http://www.umcbath.co.uk/
http://www.bath.ac.uk/disabilityadvice/
The main Assessment Periods in 2013-14 are:
· Semester 1: 13 January - 24 January 2014
· Semester 2: 12 May – 30 May 2014
However, some postgraduate and distance learning examinations may be held outside these dates depending on the requirements of specific programmes. All students taking campus-based examinations will be issued with a letter containing their personal candidate number shortly before the commencement of the Semester 1 Assessment Period; this will also contain information concerning general examination procedures.
An examination schedule detailing the dates and times of examinations will be made available in your Department/School. Past examination papers, which may be useful for revision purposes, are available online via the Library and Learning Centre.
If you are too unwell to take an examination, please try to go to the Medical Centre on the morning of the examination, or telephone the Centre to request a home visit. In order to be allowed to take the examination at another time, you will need a medical certificate.
If you feel that you should be entitled to special arrangements for any examinations that you take while you are a student at the University, please talk first to your Tutor or Director of Studies. Your particular needs will then need to be discussed with the Student Disability Advice Team.
Feedback mechanisms / QA7 includes information about how research students should provide feedback to their Supervisors, and how s/he should provide feedback to you about the quality of your work. In addition, postgraduate student representatives sit on Department/School Staff/Student Liaison Committees (SSLCs) and on the University Research Students Committee. If you wish to make a formal complaint against another student, a member of staff or a service or facility of the University, the procedures for doing so are set out in the Procedure for Student Complaints. The University is keen to find out students' views on all aspects of their study, and for this purpose conducts a series of surveys. These are carefully coordinated to avoid 'survey fatigue'. If you are asked to participate in a survey, please make every effort to do so - the more people respond, the more likely it is that things will change!
Field work away from the university/health and safety / http:///www.bath.ac.uk/insurance/
http://www.bath.ac.uk/internal/safety/
http://www.bath.ac.uk/internal/safety/safetymanual.htm
http://www.bath.ac.uk/internal/safety/safetypolicy.htm
If you are intending to carry out fieldwork away from the University, either in the UK or abroad, you must talk to your Tutor/Supervisor and seek advice from the Finance Office about insurance and from the Health and Safety Office about safety issues. Please ensure that you are familiar with the requirements of the University's Safety Manual and Health and Safety Policy. If you are studying at Bath on a Tier 4 visa it is essential that you follow guidance given at
http://www.bath.ac.uk/universitysecretary/UKBAcompliance.html
Foreign Languages Centre / http://www.bath.ac.uk/flc
Courses for postgraduates in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese
Intellectual property / http://www.bath.ac.uk/ipls/
If you undertake or contribute to project work during your studies, it is possible that the results may be patentable. In most cases, the University will own the Intellectual Property Rights to this work but will also ensure that you receive due recognition for your contribution.