School of Mathematical Sciences

School of Mathematical
Sciences
Postgraduate Research
Student Handbook
2015 2016
Contents Page No
1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 4
2. Research Areas .......................................................................................... 4
3. Registration ............................................................................................... 5
3.1. New Students ............................................................................................ 5
3.2. Returning Students .................................................................................... 5
3.3. Extension to course length .......................................................................... 5
3.4. Letters to Confirm Student Status ................................................................ 6
4. Supervision ............................................................................................... 7
4.1. You and your Supervisors ............................................................................ 8
4.2. Students studying in outside organisations .................................................... 8
4.3. Students Buddy Scheme ............................................................................ 9
5. On-going training .....................................................................................10
5.1. General Training ...................................................................................... 10
5.2. Training in Mathematics ............................................................................ 11
5.2.1. Informal Training............................................................................... 11
5.2.2. Assessed Training .............................................................................. 11
5.3. Procedures for Assessed Training ............................................................... 12
5.3.1. Arrangement..................................................................................... 12
5.3.2. Changes or up-dates to assessed training plans .................................... 13
5.3.3. Assessment for School taught modules ................................................ 13
5.3.4. Assessment for MAGIC modules .......................................................... 13
5.3.5. Extenuating Circumstances ................................................................. 13
5.3.6. Notification and Recording of Results ................................................... 14
5.4. Seminars and Presentations ...................................................................... 14
5.5. Conferences and Workshops ...................................................................... 15
5.5.1. Payment and travel............................................................................ 15
6. Progression ..............................................................................................17
6.1. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 3-year course .................................... 18
6.2. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 3.5-year course ................................. 19
6.3. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 4-year course .................................... 20
6.4. Unsatisfactory Progress and Further Reviews ............................................... 21
7. Exceptional circumstances affecting assessment .....................................22
7.1. Extenuating circumstances and absence from assessments ........................... 22
7.2. Absence for Religious observance ............................................................... 23
8. Thesis-pending period ..............................................................................24
8.1. Registration during the Thesis-pending Period.............................................. 25
9. Your Thesis ...............................................................................................26
9.1. Content and writing up ............................................................................. 26
9.2. Research Conduct, Ethics and Plagiarism ..................................................... 26
9.3. Timing .................................................................................................... 26
9.4. Layout .................................................................................................... 27
9.5. Submission.............................................................................................. 27
9.5.1. Initial (Soft-bound) Submission ........................................................... 27
9.5.2. Final (Hard-bound) Submission ........................................................... 28
9.6. Viva........................................................................................................ 28
9.7. Graduation Dates ..................................................................................... 28
10. Part-time Students ...................................................................................30
11. Postgraduate Student Teachers (Demonstrating and Marking) ................31
11.1. Problems Classes .................................................................................. 31
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School of Mathematical Sciences Postgraduate Handbook 2015/16
11.2. Marking ............................................................................................... 32

11.3. Training ............................................................................................... 32
11.4. Payment .............................................................................................. 33
11.5. Procedures for Claiming Demonstrating Expenses ..................................... 33
11.6. Student visa considerations .................................................................... 34
12. Postgraduate Representation on Committees ...........................................35
13. Problems ..................................................................................................36
13.1. Personal Difficulties ............................................................................... 36
13.2. Academic Difficulties ............................................................................. 36
13.3. International Students ........................................................................... 37
13.4. Equipment ........................................................................................... 37
14. Attendance ...............................................................................................38
14.1. Attendance Monitoring ........................................................................... 38
14.2. Holiday leave ....................................................................................... 38
14.3. Illness or prolonged absence .................................................................. 39
14.3.1. Maternity and Paternity Leave ............................................................. 39
14.4. Withdrawal........................................................................................... 40
15. Students with Disabilities .........................................................................41
16. Facilities ...................................................................................................42
16.1. Library ................................................................................................ 42
16.2. Offices ................................................................................................. 42
16.2.1. Considerate Working .......................................................................... 43
16.3. Telephone ............................................................................................ 44
16.4. Break-out rooms ................................................................................... 44
16.5. Common Room ..................................................................................... 44
16.6. Other University Facilities and Support for Students .................................. 44
17. Computing Facilities and Codes of Practice...............................................46
17.1. Getting Started ..................................................................................... 46
17.2. Computer Provision in the School ............................................................ 46
17.3. Code of Practice for School Computing Facilities........................................ 47
17.4. Computing Problems ............................................................................. 47
17.5. Mathematics Access Grid - MAGIC ........................................................... 47
17.6. Data Protection ..................................................................................... 48
18. Safety Procedures ....................................................................................49
18.1. Fire ..................................................................................................... 49
18.2. Accidents ............................................................................................. 49
18.3. First Aid ............................................................................................... 50
18.4. Out-of-Hours Working ........................................................................... 50
18.5. Use of VDU Equipment .......................................................................... 50
18.6. Electrical Testing................................................................................... 50
18.7. General Security ................................................................................... 50
18.8. Smoking .............................................................................................. 50
19. Notable dates ...........................................................................................51
19.1. Terms and Semesters ............................................................................ 51
19.2. Bank Holidays and other days of closure .................................................. 51
19.3. School Committees ............................................................................... 51
20. Contact Details .........................................................................................52
20.1. Frequent Staff Contacts ......................................................................... 52
20.2. School Group Email Addresses ................................................................ 52
20.3. Postgraduate Locations .......................................................................... 53
20.4. Other Useful Numbers ........................................................................... 53
For the most up to date information, see the web edition of this handbook at
www.maths.nottingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/files/pgr_handbook.pdf
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1. Introduction
Postgraduate research students are vital and valued members of the School of
Mathematical Sciences. Their research contributes significantly to the Schools
international reputation and their input and assistance in other activities, undergraduate
tutorials and demonstrating for example, helps to maintain equally high standards in
these respects too.
In order for any postgraduate research (PGR) student to make the most of their period
of study, in terms of enjoying and achieving their PhD/MPhil goal, it is important to set
down some guidelines for good practice.
The purpose of this booklet is to summarise points relating to matters at School level. It
is therefore intended to complement The Quality Manual; the main University
document related to postgraduate matters and the primary source in cases of
ambiguity. Further general information can be found on the School of
Mathematical Sciences website and Moodle page for PGR students.
During your course, your main contacts in the School, together with your supervisor, will
be:
School Postgraduate Research Student Adviser (SPSA) - an academic within the
School to support postgraduates, who is independent from supervisors;
PGR Support Administrator - all postgraduate administration except grants;
Head of Research Group;
Chairs and Postgraduate representatives of Postgraduate Affairs and Resources
Committees;
School Manager - all of the Schools financial matters including grants.
Teaching Support Secretary the administration of postgraduate student
teachers.
The current holders of the above posts are listed in Section 20.1 (Frequent Staff
Contacts) of this Handbook. Information about all staff in the School of Mathematical
Sciences can be found on the School website.
Overall responsibility for the implementation of policies related to postgraduate

supervision and training lies with the Head of School. Implementation is devolved via
the Postgraduate Affairs Committee to the SPSA. Most day-to-day issues will be handled
by the supervisor(s). The School Postgraduate Research Student Advisor (SPSA) is
responsible for ensuring the School complies with University policies of good practice
and, assisted by the PGR Support Administrator, for overseeing supervisory procedures.
2. Research Areas
The research interests of the Schools staff cover a wide range of mathematical
disciplines. The Schools research activity broadly covers seven main topics: Algebra and
Analysis, Mathematical Medicine and Biology, Mathematical Physics, Industrial and
Applied Mathematics, Number Theory and Geometry, Scientific Computation, Statistics
and Probability. Academics within the School may belong to several research groups.
Each staff member and postgraduate student has a personal page on the Schools
website. During your first year you will be asked to provide the PGR Support
Administrator with an abstract of your research topic, which will be placed on your
personal page.
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3. Registration
3.1. New Students

Most studentships commence on 01 October, coinciding with the beginning of the
academic session. If this is the case, then Student Administration (formally
Registry, and part of Academic Services Division) will have contacted you in
advance of your arrival to give you details of University Registration, which will
take place in Week One the first week of the autumn term and academic year.
This will involve you bringing along certain documentation, such as degree
certificates. Further assistance can be obtained from the Schools PGR Support
Administrator, Room A18 (Mathematical Sciences reception.
Several other events worth attending take place in Week One. These include a
welcoming presentation by the Graduate School, an induction to the facilities
available at the George Green Library and registration with the Universitys
Cripps Health Centre (if you so choose). Further information is available from the
PGR Support Administrator or the SPSA.
Also, early in the autumn term there will be a School Welcome Event where
you can meet current postgraduate students and relevant staff members. At this
event, postgraduate student representatives will be elected for a number of key
School committees (see Section 12, Postgraduate Representation on
Committees) and School procedures, including some important deadline dates,
will be discussed.
If you commence your studies at a time other than the start of the academic
year, then the PGR Support Administrator will welcome you to the School and
inform you of key information, procedures and dates.
New postgraduates should contact their supervisor as soon as possible after

arrival at the University. Aspects of supervisory practice will be covered at your
first meeting with your supervisor(s), more details of which are given in Section
4, Supervision.
Note that all students, irrespective of whether they are on a 3, 3.5 or 4 year
degree, are expected to finish their studies within 4 years including a possible
thesis-pending period. Further details can be found in Section 8, Thesis-pending
period.
3.2. Returning Students

In September, all students (including part-time and non-standard starting
students, and those on a year abroad or in industry) must re-register themselves
with Student Administration via the Portal. Students must also check and up-date
their contact details on the Student Portal.
3.3. Extension to course length

Students may apply for an additional period of registered study with the written
agreement of their funder, supervisors, Head of School and, for international
students, the International Office. The normal tuition fees would apply for the
additional period.
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If a student extends their registered study period into a fourth year, the student
would normally be asked to complete a third year review (see Section 6,
regarding change of course length). Therefore, applications to extend must be
submitted before the students period of registered study ends, and is
recommended to be at least two months before.
Extending the period of registered study will not necessarily extend the thesis
submission deadline. All students, irrespective of course length, are expected to
finish their studies within 4 years, inclusive of a possible thesis pending period.
Please speak to the PGR Support Administrator for further advice and the
relevant application form.
Please note, applying for an additional period of registered study is different from
registering during the thesis-pending period, which is described in Section 8.1.
3.4. Letters to Confirm Student Status

If you need an official letter from the University confirming your student status,
including the course start date, tuition fees, expected completion date and
graduation (eg for arranging a travel visa) you can request one by completing
this online form. Letters are usually available to collect from a Student Services
Centre within 2 working days, maximum 4 days. If you require a letter to include
more detailed information, for example, funding arrangements or stipend
amount, please request from the PGR Support Administrator.
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4. Supervision
An introductory talk and meeting with all incoming postgraduates is arranged during the
first week of the academic year by the PGR Support Administrator and other staff with
postgraduate responsibilities.
Postgraduates entering the School will be allocated at least two supervisors, one of
whom will be designated the Principal Supervisor, who has certain administrative
responsibilities that are outlined below. The roles played by the supervisors might range
from an equal contribution to the supervision of the project, to one of them playing a
lesser role (usually the second or third supervisor).
Students for whom Mathematical Sciences is the lead school should have at
least two supervisors from within the School, each with a minimum FTE (full-
time equivalent) allocation of 10%. This will provide continuity for students in cases
of absence of a supervisor and will also assist new staff to get essential supervision
experience. This supervision team of two maths supervisors may also include additional
supervisors from other schools or outside organisations where that is deemed to be
beneficial. Although the minimum allocation for a maths supervisor is 10%, it is
expected to be more generous to highlight the work undertaken by the second
supervisor, preferably equal. Students for whom Mathematical Sciences is not the lead
school will continue to follow the policy of their home school.
The first meeting between student and supervisor(s) should be arranged as soon as
possible after arrival and registration. At this meeting the expected pattern of the
research project should be discussed in detail and plans formulated and agreed for the
initial period of research. There should also be confirmation of the students course
length and, hence, on suitable training courses and taught modules offered by the
School, the Graduate School or by the Professional Development Unit (see Section 5,
On-going training, for further details).
Once all of these arrangements have been agreed, a Supervision Arrangement Form
must be completed, signed and given to the PGR Support Administrator for sending to
Student Administration within four weeks of entry. Plans for assessed training should
be submitted to the PGR Support Administrator on the PGR Module Entry & Training
Form within two weeks of the start of teaching (see Section 5.2, Training in
Mathematics, and its subsections for further details).
Finally, an arrangement should be made for regular supervisory meetings, which is

typically an hour once a week. This does not preclude the possibility of more frequent
unscheduled meetings as and when required, nor does it imply that both supervisors
must be present. However, once a month the principal supervisor must attend one of
these meetings and the students progress should be recorded on a Supervision Meeting
Record Form, which should then be returned to the PGR Support Administrator. The
responsibility for ensuring this happens, including the maintenance of at least ten
documented meetings a year (six for part-time students), lies with the principal
supervisor. These records are used for auditing the provision of supervision and
monitoring attendance. Failure to confirm attendance may affect a student's registration
status or UK entry visa (see Section 14.1, Attendance Monitoring).
Supervisors are expected to be familiar with the procedures laid out in this document
and in other publications, including:
appropriate sections of the Quality Manual;
the Graduate School website;
Studentships, for example EPSRC.
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Training and support for supervisors
The Universitys Graduate School provides resources for both new and experienced
supervisors of research students on their Workspace for Research Supervisors. In
addition, the University provides useful short courses, including Contemporary issues in
supervising research students.
The supervision of a postgraduate research (PGR) student involves providing:

academic guidance and support throughout the research project;
advice concerning on-going training and development;
pastoral care and advice, should this be necessary.
Concerning the third point, it might be the case that the supervisor is unable or simply
not qualified to help in certain situations. Because of this, the supervisor should be
aware of the various facilities and services available within the University (e.g. the
University counselling service, Student Advice Centre, Cripps Medical Centre) and the
personnel within the School to whom difficulties should be referred (e.g. the SPSA,
School womens advisor, School Manager, Head of Research Group), and advise the
student accordingly. Useful sources of advice can be found in the Section 13, Problems.
4.1. You and your Supervisors

The choice of your supervisors will, of course, depend on your chosen area of
research. Since the relationship between you and your supervisors is of an
individual nature, it is impossible to lay down guidelines that apply to everyone.
Your aim as a research student is eventually to become a mathematician, in

whichever discipline you choose to study, who does not need a supervisor. You
may be encouraged towards this by guided reading of texts and research papers
and by suggested problems. Your supervisor will often tell you of a new or
possibly long-standing problem in the field and ask you to go away, read and
think hard about it, then come back with some ideas of possible routes to a
solution. It may happen that in the course of your reading you come up with new
problems you would prefer to consider or a different direction that you would like
to take. It is important that you express your own interests and ideas to your
supervisor as early as possible and that you turn up to meetings well prepared,
as you will be doing most of the talking. If, for some reason, you have nothing
new to say, or you are in the middle of working something out, it may be
preferable to cancel the meeting. Of course, it can happen that you get stuck on
a problem or proof and it is on these occasions that the supervisor will be able to
suggest to you a different approach or help you in your search for succinctness.
If your own research interests turn out to be different from those of your
supervisor, or other problems arise in your relationship with your supervisor,
then you should seek advice, in the first instance, from the SPSA.
Nearly all students go through periods when progress seems to be slow or even
non-existent. Remember that your supervisor is keen to help you and see you
achieve something on your own. However, for both of you research is an
incalculable affair and it may take many different problems and approaches
before you find something that leads to success. This is a perfectly normal aspect
of research activity.
4.2. Students studying in outside organisations

Policies and procedures specific to students whose studies are split between the
University of Nottingham and other institutions are described in the Universitys
8
Quality Manual. This includes students studying in outside organisations, on The

Malaysia-Nottingham Doctoral Programme (MNDP), for International PhDs and
Integrated Programmes.
4.3. Students Buddy Scheme

The School operates an informal 'buddy' system, where a new student will be
paired with a current student (the buddy).
The responsibility of the 'buddy' is:

a) to meet informally with the new student within the first week of their arrival
and provide practical advice about life in the School;
b) to continue to offer such advice as and when needed in the initial few months
of the new students course.
The new students supervisor is responsible for finding a current student from
within their research group, or the School, to buddy the new student. They must
inform the Research Sectary, who will keep a record of pairings made.
9
5. On-going training
The School ensures that all of its research graduates receive appropriate training in
order to acquire a broad portfolio of skills. This ranges from general employment and
research-related skills, broadening mathematical knowledge of the research student,
through to subject-specific training related to the research undertaken in the thesis.
The School operates PhD programmes of 3, 3.5 and 4 years duration: at the time of the
offer of a PhD place the prior experience and knowledge of the student is taken into
account when deciding upon the amount of academic training that is required and,
consequently, the length of study. A good mix between thesis-specific and a wider, more
general mathematical training is important to deliver well rounded mathematicians at
the end of the PhD. The need for more breadth and depth in mathematics training has
also been highlighted by the International Review of Mathematics and subsequent
initiatives by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The training programme is tailored to the needs of individual students, and is

implemented in a flexible and effective way that complements the research component
of any individual PhD project. The flexibility within the procedures reflects the differing
needs of various students and allows variation in the ratio of broad to specific
mathematical training to be implemented, should an individual case merit it.
Training activities will be recorded in a Training Portfolio, maintained by the PGR

Support Administrator. This is your record of experience gained whilst a postgraduate
student at the University of Nottingham. You should discuss this portfolio with your
supervisor at regular intervals. Students are to inform the PGR Support Administrator of
up-dates, particularly prior to their annual review and at the end of their period of
registered study. The PGR Support Administrator will then transfer the data, together
with the results of assessments, to the Schools electronic database and files. The
Training Portfolio will be reviewed as part of the Annual Review of postgraduate research
students (see Section 6, Progression).
Shortly after initial registration, student-specific training packages will be identified via
discussion between the supervisor(s) and the student, for subsequent approval by the
SPSA.
What follows are descriptions of the training provision together with procedures for
devising, implementing and assessing student-specific training packages.
5.1. General Training

The general requirements in this respect will be the same (as far as possible) for
each postgraduate research student, regardless of research discipline or length of
period of registered study.
The agreed minimum requirements are normally to:

attend appropriate IT/LaTeX courses offered by the University;
attend an introductory training course on library resources offered by the
George Green Library during, or shortly after, registration week;
attend at least three relevant courses run by the Graduate School (such as
courses on how to give a presentation, getting the most out of a conference,
building a bibliography or how to prepare and draft a thesis);
prepare and deliver a short beginning-of-second-year research seminar
within the School (see Section 5.4, Seminars and Presentations).
10
Attendance at further general training sessions is strongly encouraged, and may

be required for some students. Prior experience will be considered when
determining the amount of training. Prior approval must be sought for courses
held outside of the School or Graduate School, and which may have a cost
implication.
Postgraduate students are also encouraged (subject to approval from their

supervisor) to assist in the delivery of undergraduate problems classes and in
marking associated assignments. To do so they must have first attended an
equivalent module as students and have attended relevant courses offered by the
Graduate School, such as on how to teach in problem classes. See Section 11,
Postgraduate Student Teachers (Demonstrating and Marking).
5.2. Training in Mathematics
5.2.1. Informal Training
Regardless of the length of study, it is expected that all PhD students will
undertake a range of informal training activities in mathematics. These will
comprise both broadening and thesis-specific mathematical training.
You will improve on your general mathematical knowledge by attending

seminars, going to workshops outside your specific subject area or by attending a
taught module (undergraduate, masters, MAGIC; in addition to fulfilling the
requirements as spelled out in the next section).
A large part of your studies will focus on expanding your knowledge in areas of
research related to your thesis work. This will be provided through study groups,
workshops, summer schools, journal/reading clubs, conference participation,
seminars and again attending taught lectures. The most important part of your
training will, however, be through contacts with your supervisor(s). This will
usually take place during prearranged meetings, but may also be by just going
round to your supervisors office when getting stuck on a problem.
Students may attend taught modules outside of the School for informal
broadening or subject-specific training (where assessment is not to be taken).
Students must register using the Schools PGR module entry form, see below. It
is the students responsibility to gain the relevant permission from the other
school.
5.2.2. Assessed Training
In addition to training specified in Sections 5.1 and 5.2, every student must
undertake assessed training in mathematics by taking a range of taught modules.
Again, the emphasis is on both broadening your knowledge base and improving
the skills and techniques relevant for doing research on thesis-specific matters.
In particular, 3-year PhD students must complete at least 10 credits worth

of modules during the first year of their study; 3.5-year PhD students
must complete at least 30 credits worth of modules in the first 1.5 years
of their study; and 4-year PhD students must complete modules worth at
least 60 credits in the first 2 years of study.
To ensure the broadening aspect of the training, at least 10 credits of

assessed modules must be outside the specific subject area of the thesis.
11
This rule applies to all PhD students irrespective of the length of their
studies. The modules must have a mathematical focus and be provided by the
School, through MAGIC or, for statistic students, through APTS (see below).
Whether or not a given module can be considered to fall into the category of
broadening training should be discussed in the first instance with the supervisor
and then with the SPSA.
Assessed modules (broadening and subject-specific) can be chosen from:

the list of current taught modules offered by the School of Mathematical
Sciences (but not those offered by other schools* or as service teaching).
Most of the modules offered by the School are detailed here. In particular,
level 4 modules (starting with G14) are suitable elements of a training
package, while lower level 10-credit modules offer suitable broadening
training;
there is the opportunity to attend/view advanced taught modules at other
universities through MAGIC (Mathematics Access Grid Instruction and
Collaboration): modules in mathematics that are broadcast live to students
at participating universities. See section 17.5, Mathematics Access Grid -
MAGIC, for further information. For MAGIC courses the rule applies that a 10
(20) hour MAGIC course is equivalent to a 10 (20) credit module
(respectively);
for students doing a PhD in statistics or probability, there is the option to
take part in APTS (Academy for PhD Training in Statistics), one-week
residential courses for first-year PhD students in statistics and applied
probability. Participating in a weeks course counts as 10 credits towards the
total number of credits taken in a subject specific area.
In order to pass a module a student needs to gain a mark of at least 50%

in a School taught module or gain a pass mark in a MAGIC course exam.
*4-year students doing a PhD jointly with another School at the University of
Nottingham will in general also take modules from the partner school as part of
the 60 credits worth of assessed modules. Note that broadening training must be
from a Mathematical Sciences module, MAGIC or APTS.
5.3. Procedures for Assessed Training
5.3.1. Arrangement
At the initial supervision meeting the student and supervisor will discuss
training requirements, taking into account prior learning and experience. The
choice of assessed training modules will be recorded by the student on the
PGR Module Entry & Training Form. The completed form is submitted to the
PGR Support Administrator within two weeks of the start of teaching.
The PGR Support Administrator will register the student for University taught
modules. Students must register themselves for APTS and MAGIC courses
(ensuring to select the assessment method where appropriate). The PGR
Support Administrator will also enter all training details into the School's
electronic database, which produces the students Training Portfolio
Summaries of training packages are then sent by the PGR Support
Administrator for approval by the SPSA.
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5.3.2. Changes or up-dates to assessed training plans
A PGR Module Entry & Training Form should be submitted at the start of each
academic year to the PGR Support Administrator within two weeks of the start
of teaching.
For changes to the PGR Module Entry & Training form, there is a period of two
weeks, from the start of spring teaching, in which changes may be made to
spring modules. Modules should not be changed without consulting the
lecturer concerned, especially if some of the lectures have already been
missed. To change module entry, complete a PGR Module Entry - Exceptional
Amendment Form (available from the PGR Support Administrator). This form
must be signed by the lecturers of both the module you are leaving and the
module you are changing to. Although module changes are inadvisable after
the first two weeks of the semester, they will in practice be permitted up to
the end of the fourth week. After that, they will only be permitted if there is an
exceptionally good reason, and the module change form must be signed by
the SPSA; a change will not normally be permitted if assessed coursework
deadlines have passed on either the old or the new module. After the end of
the sixth week, changes will only be permitted if there are relevant
extenuating circumstances, explained on an Extenuating Circumstances Form
with suitable supporting evidence. A change of module later than two weeks
into lectures, if permitted, is entirely at your own risk; it cannot be considered
as an extenuating circumstance for doing badly in any assessment.
5.3.3. Assessment for School taught modules
The student will sit the exam with the undergraduate or masters students.
During the semester, students are asked to check their examination times (on
the Student Portal) to ensure they have no clashes. Students are responsible
for checking they have been entered for the correct examinations. Any
problems should be reported at once, using the online facility provided for this
purpose. It is the students responsibility to ensure they attend the correct
exam.
5.3.4. Assessment for MAGIC modules
All MAGIC courses have some form of formal assessment. Details about the form
of assessment for a particular module will be explained by the module convenor
at the beginning of the course and will also be published on the MAGIC web-
page. These will in general comprise take-home exam papers or coursework
which will be available on-line during a specified time window. Students work
must be up-loaded on to the web-page by a set date and will be marked by the
module convenor. A pass/fail mark will be issued together with feedback from the
module convenor.
It is your responsibility to make sure you do not miss deadlines with respect to
the availability of examination papers and to up-loading your work.
5.3.5. Extenuating Circumstances
See Section 7, Exceptional circumstances affecting assessment.
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5.3.6. Notification and Recording of Results
The PGR Support Administrator will inform students of their individual marks,
copied to supervisors and, where a fail, to the Head of Research Group and the
SPSA.
The completed exam scripts will be placed in the Schools archive. Students
will have an opportunity to view their script for a short period following the
exams. Students may ask module convenors for formative feedback on scripts.
The PGR Support Administrator will update the School's database, and hence
the students Training Portfolio.
Should a student fail a module, the student may re-sit the exam, if available,
for progression purposes. It is not always possible to provide a resit exam
paper. In these circumstances, the student must gain the required number of
credits through other modules, or by another course of action agreed with the
SPSA.
5.4. Seminars and Presentations

The word seminar has several meanings; here it means a regular meeting at
which a speaker describes some mathematical work of interest, usually followed
by some discussion. The School has several external (i.e. with an invited speaker
usually from another university or School) and internal (i.e. with our own staff or
students as speakers) seminar series, all of which are advertised on the relevant
School web pages. Among the former, some are designated as colloquia, which
are intended to be intelligible to a wide cross-section of mathematicians, not just
relevant research specialists. Variations on the latter format include reading
seminars, where either an individual or seminar participants generally read
beforehand and discuss a scientific paper or part of a book.
Attending mathematics seminars, even colloquia, can be daunting; at first you

probably will not understand much. Very few of the audience will understand
everything that is said. Nevertheless as time goes on you will understand more.
Mathematics is valueless unless it can be communicated and the seminar is a key
method of communication.
Advanced lecture courses are also set up regularly by staff members. There is a
wide range of topics and they reflect the interests of the staff members. It is
expected that all postgraduate students attend seminars and appropriate
advanced courses and they are also encouraged to attend any relevant taught
modules which may be useful to their study (see Section 5.2, Training in
Mathematics).
Within the first 14 months of your course (usually towards the end of your
first year or at the start of your second year) you will be required to give a
short talk, which should include an overview of the area of your research
and describe your work so far. This talk should be accessible to non-
specialists, but you may assume that your audience will consist of researchers
working in the same general discipline. Although this does not form part of the
Annual Review process, it is very important to learn how to communicate work in
your area to a non-expert.
To improve the relevance of the second year talks, the principal supervisor has a
duty to attend, and is responsible for providing productive feedback; the talks are
for gaining experience and should not risk being assessed as a failure. The
supervisor may nominate another member of staff to attend and provide
14
feedback on their behalf (second supervisor, assessor from the annual review,
etc). To aid this, a feedback form is available on the PGR Moodle page and should
be copied to the PGR Support Administrator.
The Head of Research Group is responsible for arranging, or delegating, the

postgraduate talks in each Group. Currently they are arranged by:
Algebra and Analysis - Dr Yves van Gennip
Mathematical Medicine and Biology - Dr Bindi Brook and
Dr Etienne Farcot
Mathematical Modelling (seminar group of Industrial & Applied Mathematics)
- Dr Matthew Scase
Mathematical Physics - Dr Sven Gnutzmann
Number Theory and Geometry - Prof Ivan Fesenko and Dr Sergey
Oblezin
Scientific Computation - Dr Marco Iglesias
Statistics and Probability - Dr David Sirl.
You should give other presentations during subsequent years when suitable (for
example, it is useful to give a presentation within the school as practice before
speaking at research conferences). Postgraduates may also attend conferences
which may be in general or specific mathematical areas. Supervisors will discuss
such attendance and advise whether students should make a presentation of
their research findings.
The schools PGR students organise their own series of Student Theory
Discussions. These are aimed at a general maths audience, speakers are usually,
but not exclusively, those near the end of PhD studies or early postdocs, and it is
hoped there will be a couple of talks per month. The talks are intentionally
informal, outside of research groups and not more than 20 minutes in length. If a
talk is particularly well received it may be recommended for a departmental
seminar.
5.5. Conferences and Workshops

Should you wish to attend any conferences/seminars, please discuss with your
supervisor in the first instance. If they agree that the conference is relevant for
your research, they can then establish, from the Research Support Officer (or
School Manager in her absence), whether there is money available to fund
attendance, or whether there is the need to apply for additional funding
elsewhere.
Postgraduate students are funded from a large number of sources and grants,
which may have various amounts of money to support travel and/or conference
attendance for all the grant participants. For this reason it is not normally
possible to inform each student of their individual travel or equipment budget.
5.5.1. Payment and travel
All research-related travel arrangements, be they by plane, train or coach, in the

UK or abroad, should be booked through the Research Support Officer with one
of the Universitys agreed suppliers. This will ensure you comply with, and are
covered by, the Universitys business travel insurance and receive topical advice.
Conference fees should also be paid directly by the School. Please discuss your
requirements with Daisy Carter, C40 (or Krystyna Glowczewska, B44, in her
absence) or visit the PGR Moodle page for further advice.
15
All students must complete a Travel Itinerary Form for overseas travel in order
to comply with the criteria of the Universitys Business Travel Insurance. Hand to
the secretary who made your booking. It is very important that the University is
able to contact travellers to offer emergency assistance or advice. For example,
should an airline fail or an incident occur that has an effect on your travel
arrangements, the Universitys travel agent will automatically amend
arrangements and contact the traveller/School/Department. Think Icelandic
volcanic ash cloud! It is therefore strongly recommended that all business travel
is conducted within these guidelines. Your booking secretary will give you details
of the travel insurance policy to take with you.
If you purchase your own tickets you MUST also purchase your own travel
insurance.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct documentation for
your trip (for example, visa, passport and/or ID card, visa waiver for USA). If you
are required to obtain a visa to enter the country you wish to visit, it is strongly
recommended that you apply at least three months before you travel. Obtaining
a visa is the responsibility of the student. The School will not pay for travel,
accommodation nor conference fees before a visa is obtained. Of course, it may
be difficult to obtain a visa without being registered for a specific conference.
Therefore, it is recommended that you register early, apply for the visa straight
away (requesting an invitation letter from the conference organiser, if necessary,
once you have registered), discover the final payment deadlines for conference
fees, accommodation and travel, and discuss an individual plan of action with the
Research Support Officer. Do this early!
The School has limited funding to cover additional childcare costs that arise
for staff and PhD students as a result of attendance at academic conferences or
workshops, potentially including additional nursery costs and/or a contribution to
the costs of the travel of an accompanying family member. One grant per person
of up to 200 per academic year is available for such additional costs. This will be
paid through the expenses system on production of receipts for the payment of
these additional costs. The funding is primarily intended to cover care costs for
younger children rather than teenagers. If you would like to take advantage of
this funding, please send details of the childcare arrangements you would like to
be covered to the School Manager before any arrangements are made.
16
6. Progression
A postgraduate research student will typically undertake 3, 3.5 or 4 years of directed
(full-time) research, which includes a period for assessed and unassessed training, and
culminates in the submission and examination of a PhD or MPhil thesis. The progress of
the student up to the point of thesis submission is monitored at School level as
described below.
A students status as a PhD candidate is probationary during the first year of

registration. Each student is therefore subject to a Confirmation Review by the end of
that year, followed by Progression Reviews in subsequent years.
Format of Reviews. For all Confirmation and Progression reviews, the student submits
a written Research Report, which is then assessed in a viva voce (oral) examination by
two assessors. If relevant, the viva voce examination will also include discussions
concerning assessed training (undertaken and planned), by means of the Training
Portfolio. Four paper copies of the Research Report should be submitted to the
PGR Support Administrator (each copy stapled in the top left corner. Preferably
all copies, but at least one, printed double-sided).
Timing and Procedures. Two months before each review, the PGR Support
Administrator will email students to confirm the date by which the Research Report is
due and ask the student to up-date their Training Portfolio. Submission of the students
research report for the Confirmation Review is nine months after a students entry date
(irrespective of the amount of assessed training undertaken during that year), with the
viva held and assessors report completed within one month, to allow for any remedial
actions arising to be completed within the year. Before the Confirmation Review, an
advice meeting will be held between student and supervisor(s). A form (Preparation for
Year 1 Report and Viva), designed to help students with their preparations, will be
completed and signed by supervisor and student and copied to the PGR Support
Administrator. Progression Reviews are then held annually around the anniversary of the
Confirmation Review.
Appointment of Assessors. The assessors are internal academic staff who are not
involved in the students supervision but are knowledgeable in the students research
area, and are appointed by the relevant Head of Research Group. One assessor will be
appointed to lead the review (Internal Assessor), the other to assist (Co-assessor).
Assessors will remain with a student throughout their course, wherever possible.
Typically, the Internal Assessor will be the Internal Examiner of the final thesis.
Assessors Recommendations. At the end of all Confirmation and Progression viva

voce examinations, the assessors will make a recommendation on the students
progression by means of an Annual Review Form, on which the student and supervisor
have the opportunity to make written comments. Possible recommendations are that:
the students current MPhil/PhD registration be confirmed;
the student should obtain the necessary number of PGR training units within the
specified time;
a Further Review should take place within a specified period, possibly with an agreed
plan of supportive or corrective action being put in place. For first years, this could
involve the continuation of the students probationary status;
the students registration be altered to MPhil/PhD or some other degree;
the students course of studies be terminated.
The latter two options are rarely recommended without a Further Review being
completed first (see Section 6.4, Further Reviews and Unsatisfactory Progress). All
17
assessors recommendations are considered by the Head of School for approval and held
on school file. Where remedial action is recommended, the assessors report will be
copied to Student Administration.
Change of course length. If a student changes their course length, the schedule of
annual reviews for their remaining period of registered study will be agreed between the
student, their assessors, their supervisors and the SPSA. Account will be taken of
individual circumstances but, normally, if a student extends their registered study period
into a fourth year, the student must complete a third year review. The content and
timing of the review would follow the PGR Handbook guidelines corresponding to the
students new course length. See Section 3.3 (Extension to course length) for details on
changing your course length.
Part-time students, please refer to Section 10, Part-time Students.
6.1. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 3-year course
Review Months Consists of

Name from
start of
course
1st year 9 A Research Report (about 2500 words, approximately 7-9 sides
Confirmation of A4, plus figures and appendices), consisting of:
Review a literature review;
a description of work completed to date;
a plan of work for the next 12 months.
A Training Portfolio1, detailing progress with assessed training,
provided by the PGR Support Administrator.
2nd year 21 A Research Report; containing

Progression an up-dated literature review, possibly incorporating the
Review literature review from the previous report;
an overview of the research results obtained during the
previous year, a research plan for the next year and a
timetable for drafting the thesis on time2 (approximately
three sides of A4 in total);
a more substantial piece of work which demonstrates that
the student is able to write mathematics in a clear and
coherent fashion (this should be a draft of a non-
introductory chapter of the student's thesis or a pre-
print/reprint of a paper based on work completed to date).
1
The assessors will be asked to consider the students Training Portfolio as part
of the Confirmation Review. In particular, they should verify that the required
number of credits have been completed within the set time-scale (10 credits of
broadening assessed training in the first year of study for students on a 3-year
course). The recommendation of the assessors will take into account the
completed and planned record of assessed training and the Research Report.
Assessors may ask to view a students assessed work and any markers
comments. A positive training record is expected if a positive recommendation for
continued PhD registration is to be given.
2
All students, irrespective of course length, are expected to finish their studies
within 4 years, inclusive of a possible thesis-pending period. Further details can
be found in Section 8, Thesis-pending period.
18
6.2. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 3.5-year course

Name from
start of
course
Confirmation 18 Email from PGR Support Administrator.

of
completion
of assessed
training
previous year, a research plan for the next year and a
coherent fashion (this should be a draft of a non-introductory
chapter of the student's thesis based on work completed to
date.
3rd year 33 A Research Report; containing

Progression an overview of the research results obtained during the
Review previous year (approximately two sides of A4);
a timetable for drafting the thesis, up-dated from the 22
months review and amended with the progress to date, to
check the student is on target to submit on time2;
a draft of a non-introductory chapter of the student's thesis
or a pre-print/reprint of a paper based on the student's work
so far (this work should be distinct from that presented at
the 22 months review).
3
of the Confirmation and 2nd year Progression Reviews. In particular, they should
verify that the required number of credits have been, or are expected to be,
completed within the set time-scale (30 credits of assessed training in the first
1.5 years of study for students on a 3.5-year course). The recommendation of
the assessors will take into account the completed and planned record of
assessed training and the Research Report. Assessors may ask to view a
students assessed work and any markers comments. A positive training record
is expected if a positive recommendation for continued PhD registration is to be
given.
19
6.3. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 4-year course

Name from
start of
course

previous year and a research plan for the next year2
(approximately two sides of A4 in total);
coherent fashion (this should be a draft of a non-introductory
chapter of the student's thesis based on work completed to
date.
Confirmation 24 Email from PGR Support Administrator.

of
completion
of assessed
training
3rd year 33 A Research Report; containing
previous year, a research plan for the next year, and a
a draft of a non-introductory chapter of the student's thesis
or a pre-print/reprint of a paper based on work completed to
date (this work should be distinct from that presented at the
22 months review).
4
of the Confirmation and 2nd year Progression Reviews. In particular, they should
verify that the required number of credits have been, or are expected to be,
completed within the set time-scale (60 credits of assessed training in the first 2
years of study for students on a 4-year course). The recommendation of the
assessors will take into account the completed and planned record of assessed
training and the Research Report. Assessors may ask to view a students
assessed work and any markers comments. A positive training record is
expected if a positive recommendation for continued PhD registration is to be
given.
20
6.4. Unsatisfactory Progress and Further Reviews

Concerns over unsatisfactory progress should be recorded on the Supervision
Meeting Record forms at the earliest appropriate opportunity. Supervisors and
assessors should be honest and open about slow progress, yet sensitive and
supportive. The SPSA should be involved, meet with the student and, where
appropriate, the student should receive written warnings on lack of progress.
Annual reviews may be brought forward if unsatisfactory progress is of concern.
Further reviews may be deemed necessary following an unsatisfactory

Confirmation or Progression Review. A Further Review should take place within a
specified period, possibly with an agreed plan of supportive or corrective action
being put in place. For first years, this could involve the continuation of the
students probationary status. The student is encouraged to have a meeting with
the SPSA to discuss mattes arising.
Further reviews will take the same format as the students previous review,
unless stated otherwise by the assessors. The assessors will indicate the action
required by the student for the Review (e.g. resubmit the report or a short
summary of progress, repeat the viva voce and/or obtain a specified number of
training credits).
After a Further Review, the student will revert to following the normal timetable
of reviews, as described above, unless otherwise stated by the assessors. The
School is keen for students to keep to their timetable of reviews so that students
receive timely feedback on their progress.
After all annual review vivas, students have the opportunity to add their
comments to the assessors report before the academic recommendations of the
assessors are considered for approval by the Head of School. This is the students
opportunity to express any concerns for consideration, in addition to those
already recorded on the supervision forms.
For further advice about forming your comments, you are welcome to meet with
the SPSA. Alternatively, the Student Advice Centre will have experience in this
area, and probably valuable guidance. The PGR Support Administrator can advise
on the process and its stages. Seeking advice and preparing your comments may
take a while, but don't delay in returning the form. Make sure your comments are
as comprehensive and timely as possible.
All comments will be considered by the Head of School and then, for
recommendations of change or termination of course, by the Quality and
Standards Committee at Academic Services. The Committee check the School
has followed University procedures, not the academic decision, and will ask the
School to provide evidence.
In all cases, the student concerned has the right to appeal to the Head of School
and, if appropriate, the University Academic Appeals Committee. The Head of
School will normally delegate the consideration of an appeal to the Director of
Research, unless they have been directly involved. The Quality Manual includes
detailed procedures for student grievances, complaints and appeals (and also
Section 13.2, Academic Difficulties). Any time taken for consideration of a change
of status, or any subsequent appeal, will not be a reason for extending the
thesis-pending period.
21
7. Exceptional circumstances affecting

assessment
7.1. Extenuating circumstances and absence from assessments

There is a University-wide procedure for recording personal or medical
circumstances that may have adversely affected your performance in
assessments, or that may have caused you to miss such assessments altogether.
The School guidelines on extenuating circumstances are available within the
Undergraduate Handbook and apply to postgraduates undertaking assessment
within the University (taught modules (UG or PGT), annual reviews, etc). The
following information details where the procedures differ for postgraduate
students, typically taking MAGIC modules. There are three major sets of
circumstances in which you should complete a University of Nottingham
Extenuating Circumstances Form (ECF).
Absence from an Examination

If you miss an examination or viva, or fail to collect a take-home exam paper for
one of the MAGIC courses, for whatever reason, then you should see your
supervisor at the earliest opportunity. If the absence is due to extenuating
circumstances, you must complete an ECF, available from one of the School
Offices. Your supervisor will take a copy of the form and lodge the original,
together with any supporting evidence, with the PGR Support Administrator. If
you have missed an assessment for a good reason (i.e., with sufficient cause)
and provide appropriate supporting evidence, then you will get another chance,
without penalty, to fulfil that assessment. This assessment may take the form of
a re-sit examination or an alternative arrangement, proposed by the supervisor
and the SPSA, and approved by the Head of School.
Impaired Performance
If your performance in an assessment has been adversely affected by
extenuating circumstances, then you should see your supervisor at the earliest
opportunity, complete an ECF, and provide appropriate supporting evidence. Your
supervisor will take a copy of the form and lodge the original, together with the
supporting evidence, with the PGR Support Administrator. This will be considered
by the Senior Tutors Committee in accordance with the Schools ECF procedures.
Note that the ECF cannot be used to raise any of your marks. You may, however,
be allowed to retake one or more assessments as for the first time, meaning
that if you improve your marks then the improved marks will replace your
original marks.
Extensions of Time
If, because of extenuating circumstances, you need extra time in which to
complete assessed coursework or confirmation/progression assessment material,
then you should complete an ECF and give it, with any supporting evidence, to
the appropriate module lecturer. The module lecturer will decide whether or not
to grant an extension, and by how much, and will indicate the new deadline, if
any, on the coursework or project submission sheet. A student who feels that the
decision of the module lecturer or convener is unfair may appeal to the SPSA.
22
7.2. Absence for Religious observance

The University of Nottingham and the School of Mathematical Sciences respect
the rights and religious views of students, and recognise that students may wish
to avoid assessments on certain days or at certain times for religious reasons. A
student unable on religious grounds to take an assessment on a particular day
should complete a Religious Observance Form. The student should discuss the
matter with their supervisor, who will countersign the form to confirm that this
discussion has taken place and, after consultation if appropriate, will return the
form to the Examinations Office. Students considering making such requests are
asked to keep in mind that assessment schedules can be congested, so it may
not be feasible to satisfy all such requests. Moreover, the avoidance of certain
dates may lead to assessments becoming closer together and possible
inconvenience to fellow students.
23
8. Thesis-pending period
Following the end of your registered period of study, you may be allowed extra time in
which to write-up and submit your thesis. This is called your thesis-pending (or writing-
up) period. During the thesis-pending period, students are not registered with the
University and are therefore not classified as students and are entitled to only limited
resources (although registration is possible for some, see below).
Note that all students, irrespective of whether they are on a 3-, 3.5- or 4-year
degree course, are expected to finish their studies within 4 years including a
possible thesis pending period.
Therefore, students on a 3-year course will have at most a 12-month thesis-pending

period, students on a 3.5-year course will have at most a 6-month thesis-pending
period, and students on a 4-year course will have no thesis-pending period.
Whatever your deadline, the University and School encourage all students to submit
their soft-bound thesis by the end of their period of registered study, and to complete
their viva and corrections within 6 months of handing in their thesis, irrespective of the
length of their studentship or funding arrangements. Please be aware of these
encouraged and actual submission deadlines. Student Administration will write to you
during your final year to confirm your dates.
You will not be permitted to submit a thesis after your submission deadline (the
conclusion of your thesis-pending period or, if a 4-year student, the end of your
registered study) without receiving formal approval for an extension of time due to
exceptional circumstances or, if without approval, by incurring a substantial financial
penalty. Applications for extensions of thesis-pending period should be made through
Student Administration via a Student Services Centre (there is a smaller fixed fee should
the extension be approved). Taking up employment or continuing to do further research
during the thesis-pending period would not normally be acceptable circumstances.
The School will endeavour to support thesis-pending students where resources allow.
The provision of desks and computers will be decided on circumstances and available
resources at the time and is described further in Section 16.2, Offices. The PGR Support
Administrator, on behalf of the Head of School, will arrange for the Security Office to
extend a students University Card for use during the thesis-pending period. Extension
to library access is normally applied automatically.
The School recommends a minimum of six supervision meeting forms are complete per
year, pro rata, for thesis-pending students. This is a requirement for students who
register during their thesis-pending period, see below. No further supervision evidence is
needed once a student submits their soft-bound thesis.
For students who return home during thesis-pending, form filling may not be practical.
Supervision should continue via whatever medium is most suitable. Please keep all
correspondence in case a problem arises and evidence is needed.
Students are entitled to one draft of their thesis to be read and commented on by their
supervisor prior to submission.
Part-time students, please refer to Section 10, Part-time Students.
See here for frequently asked questions about the Thesis-Pending period.
24
8.1. Registration during the Thesis-pending Period

The University allows eligible students the opportunity to register for the thesis-
pending period for a fee (about 135 for the whole year, or part thereof). Details
are on the webpages of Academic Services, who have previously posted this
information to students during their final year. The benefits to students who do
register are:
Possible exemption from payment of Council Tax (local councils have
discretion on eligibility for exemption, so contact your council to check their
policy, or Student Services may know local policies)
Use of University Counselling and Academic Support facilities
Use of University Library and IT facilities
Half of the number of supervisions to which they are entitled per year during
the registered period of study.
If you choose not to register, you will still be entitled to the use of library and
computing facilities, and to limited supervision. As has always been the case,
there will be no entitlement to use of primary research facilities (for example,
laboratories) during the thesis-pending period, whether a student chooses to
register or not.
To register, students are required to complete and sign a registration form with
Student Administration (via a Student Services Centre), within three weeks of
their thesis-pending start date. These forms will be included with the letter sent
to you by Student Administration during your final year of registered study.
Students must sign to state that they will not be in full-time employment during
the period. It will be possible for a student to apply to end thesis-pending
registration (eg if they take up full-time employment) but their submission
date will remain unchanged; the Universitys extension policy will continue to
be the only way to obtain permission for an extension to the submission deadline.
Please note, registration during thesis-pending is different to extending your

period of registered study (see Section 3.3, Extension to course length)
25
9. Your Thesis
The quality of your thesis is the main factor determining a pass or fail (there are no
further sub-classifications, such as merit or distinction, as occur at the MSc level).
9.1. Content and writing up

Lengths of research theses vary enormously. Your supervisor will advise you on
what is appropriate. Remember the thesis sells you and your work to the
examiners (and other readers: a copy will be lodged in the library for use by later
students and others); make it readable. Often it is easier to write the introduction
last, when the general shape of the thesis is clear. There are certain specific
aspects of content laid down by University regulations; it is your responsibility to
be aware of these and to conform to them (see Quality Manual: Research Degree
Regulations and Procedures for Assessment). Inclusion of joint work between
supervisor and student is common in mathematics. Though the regulations may
appear intimidating in this respect, as long as you make clear what is and what is
not joint work, you should have nothing to worry about (see below).
You may also wish to write up some of your work for submission to an
appropriate academic journal. Publications will, of course, look good on your
curriculum vitae, and also reflect well on your supervisors. Your supervisor should
be able to advise you on which are the most appropriate journals for your work.
9.2. Research Conduct, Ethics and Plagiarism

All students and supervisors should be aware of and follow the University's Code
of Research Conduct and Research Ethics as described in the Schools
Undergraduate Handbook available on Moodle. If you have any queries over
ethics or research governance issues, please contact the Schools Ethics Officer.
Plagiarism is rare in mathematics but you should be aware of the university

regulations concerning plagiarism and the serious consequences of doing so.
Questions of attribution which may arise in joint work with your supervisor should
be clarified in the writing-up process. The Schools guidelines on plagiarism are
available within the Undergraduate Handbook.
9.3. Timing
Writing up the thesis may take longer than you anticipate. Ideally you should
plan to allow time in your final year of study for this purpose. It is good practice
to give a draft of your completed thesis to your supervisor for critical reading
before submission, for which you should also allow reasonable time.
Minimum periods of registration are 1 year for MPhil and 2 years for PhD degrees
(2 and 4 years for part-time MPhil and PhD degrees, respectively), but many
students take into their permitted thesis-pending period (see Section 8, Thesis-
pending period). Subject to research progress and taking into account special
cases, the University expects students to write up all or much of their
thesis by the end of their period of registered study and within 4 years.
This should facilitate completing the entire examination process, and
graduation, within 4.5 years.
26
Students should be aware that they will be required to return for the viva voce
examination at their own expense.
9.4. Layout
Theses should be presented on A4 paper, normally with size 12 font, single-sided
and with good quality printing to allow for reproduction. Line spacing is at the
students discretion but is usually at least 1.5 spacing. There should be a margin
of at least 4cm on the left side of the page, both for typescript and diagrams, to
allow for binding. Other margins should be of at least 2.5 cm. Further regulations
concerning the hard-bound thesis are covered in Section 9.5.2 below.
9.5. Submission
You must give formal notice of your intention to submit to Student
Administration about two months before your thesis will be ready and, if
you are aiming to attend a specific ceremony, before the associated deadline on
the table below. To give your formal notice, complete the form Notification of
Submission of Thesis for a Research Degree. The link is in the right-hand column
of the webpage and so too is the link to the Submission Pack, which contains
further details. Submission of the form is via a Student Services Centre or by
post (details are on the form). Student Administration will then contact the Head
of School for formal nomination of your examiners, one of whom is internal and
the second is external (from another institution, and generally suggested by the
supervisor). Typically, the Internal Assessor of the Confirmation and Progression
Reviews goes on to be the Internal Examiner of the submitted thesis.
You will not be permitted to submit a thesis after your submission deadline
without receiving formal approval for an extension of time due to exceptional
circumstances or, if without approval, by incurring a substantial financial penalty.
See Section 8, Thesis-pending period.
Whatever your deadline, the University and School encourage all students to
submit their soft-bound thesis by the end of their period of registered study and
within four years, and complete their viva and corrections within 4.5 years from
the start of their studies, irrespective of the length of their studentship or funding
arrangements.
Should you submit before the end of your period of registered studies, your
status as a registered student will cease and your stipend payments will be
discontinued.
9.5.1. Initial (Soft-bound) Submission
On completion of the thesis, candidates must submit two soft-bound copies (e.g.
spiral-bound or plastic binding) to Student Services Centre, B Floor, Portland
Building. There are facilities to soft-bind within the School or at the SU Print
Shop. Theses presented in lever-arch or box-files will not be accepted.
Candidates must also submit an electronic copy of their thesis unless there are
good reasons for an exemption to be granted from this requirement e.g. where
there were intellectual property concerns. The thesis must be saved as a
searchable pdf, on USB stick or CD, and clearly labelled with the students name
and ID number (for example, by a key ring attached to the USB stick or written
in permanent marker pen on the CD). This is non-returnable.
27
At the time of the initial submission you must also submit any relevant forms, as
described in Student Administrations Submission Pack (follow link in right-hand
column).
9.5.2. Final (Hard-bound) Submission
After any corrections required by the Examiners following the viva voce
examination have been made by the candidate and approved by the Internal
Examiner (unless otherwise advised), the student will immediately become
eligible for Graduation (in the same way as for research masters students). All
research students must upload the final version of their thesis to the University
eTheses system (with appropriate means of limiting access where required).
Once a student uploads their thesis to eTheses, Academic Services Division will
email the internal examiner attaching the thesis and asking them to either:
confirm that the submitted thesis is the same as the thesis approved following
the viva, or; check the corrections that were recommended following examination
are appropriate and an award can be made. Once the Internal Examiner
confirms, the student will then be put forward for the next Graduation
opportunity.
In 2015, the Quality and Standards Committee approved a change in the

University regulations to remove the requirement for hardbound theses to be
submitted as the final stage of a doctoral programme of study. If you wish to
arrange a hard-bound copy for your own satisfaction, hard-binding is available at
the SU Print Shop or other professional binders.
The eTheses Archive is a digital library of research degree theses awarded by the
University of Nottingham. This digital library provides a significant opportunity for
better dissemination, giving much greater exposure to the research itself and
raising the profile of the researcher. There is clear evidence that this immediacy
of access dramatically increases the usage of current work by the international
research community. You can register with the system and upload a copy of your
thesis as a PDF document. Log on to the system and follow the simple
instructions in the deposit guide.
9.6. Viva
The Graduate School provides resources for preparing for the viva.
9.7. Graduation Dates

The University offers two full processional ceremonies in July and December.
When you submit your hard-bound thesis you are automatically put forward for
the next available processional ceremony.
For candidates who prefer not to wait for the formal ceremonies (and have
successfully completed the examination process by the associated deadlines,
below), there are two mid-session in absence conferrals, held in March and
October. This option means that the degree will be conferred upon you in your
absence, and the certificate is sent by post. You are not, however, entitled to
attend a full ceremony at a later date.
The examination process is dependent on the availability of the Examiners, and

no guarantee can be given that the necessary procedures will have been
completed in time for a specific ceremony (although the examination process
should normally be completed within three months of submission).
28
Dates of Graduation ceremonies (confirmed here) and their associated deadlines:
Graduation Stages of Process Key dates

Summer graduation 1. Formal notice of your 1 February (advisory
intention to submit date)
2. Submission of soft-bound 1 April (advisory
thesis date)
3. Deadline for uploading 1 November
corrected thesis or final thesis
to the University etheses
service
4. Deadline for final version of 15 June (set
work to be approved in order deadline)
for Graduation eligibility
5. Ceremony Usually the
(by attendance or in absence) second week in
July
Autumn conferral 1. Formal application to graduate 20 September (set

(for candidates who early (in absence), following deadline)
have successfully the completion of examination
completed the process.
examination process
2. Conferral in absence October
but prefer not to wait
(no ceremony, certificate is
for the next formal
sent by post, disqualifies from
ceremony)
attending a later ceremony)
Winter graduation 1. Formal notice of your 1 July (advisory

intention to submit date)
2. Submission of soft-bound 1 September
thesis (advisory date)
3. Deadline for uploading
corrected thesis or final thesis
to the University etheses
service
4. Deadline for final version of 15 November (set
work to be approved in order deadline)
for Graduation eligibility
5. Ceremony Usually the
(by attendance or in absence) second week in
December
Spring conferral 1. Formal application to graduate 20 February (set

(for candidates who early (in absence), following deadline)
have successfully the completion of examination
completed the process
examination process 2. Conferral in absence March
but prefer not to wait (no ceremony, certificate is
for the next formal sent by post, disqualifies from
ceremony) attending a later ceremony)
29
10. Part-time Students

Part-time students for higher degrees are allowed a longer period to complete their
study (including assessed training), in accordance with their requirements and
University regulations. Minimum periods of study are 2 and 4 years for part-time
MPhil and PhD degrees respectively, but most students take at least the full period of
registered study.
At the start of each academic year, all returning students (including part-time
students) must re-register themselves with Student Administration via the Portal.
Students must also check and up-date their contact details on the Portal.
Since most part-time students have demanding full time employment, often elsewhere,
supervisors and students need to come to some flexible agreement about the frequency
of supervision meetings, etc. However, the University regulations stipulate that:
All part-time candidates must attend the university for personal consultation
with their supervisors, at least six times in each academic year (i.e. twice
each term) throughout the prescribed period of directed study.
Part-time students must also have annual reviews, as described in Section 6,

Progression. For part-time students, all the processes are biennial rather than annual
and periods of time quoted should be doubled (the first review is equivalent to the full-
time Confirmation review, followed by reviews equivalent to the full-time Progression
reviews). Relevant adjustments may need to be made for students studying away from
the University or following programmes that involve a significant taught element. The
timings for annual reviews for part-time students will be agreed in writing with the
student at the start of their course.
Part-time students usually have a thesis-pending period that is twice as long as a

student on the equivalent full-time course and funding. All part-time students,
irrespective of course length, are expected to finish their studies within 8 years including
a possible thesis pending period, although this can be shorter depending on
circumstances.
The PGR Support Administrator can confirm a students individual key dates and
deadlines.
30
11. Postgraduate Student Teachers

(Demonstrating and Marking)
Postgraduate students have the opportunity to act as demonstrators in undergraduate
examples classes and undertake marking of undergraduate coursework assignments;
referred to as Postgraduate Student Teachers. There are also opportunities to assist with
undergraduate exam invigilation 1. Such work not only offers financial reward but gives
valuable teaching experience.
Postgraduate Student Teachers are paid for their services, though it should be noted
that they must keep within the regulations set down by the University concerning the
maximum number of hours that can be spent on teaching activities - 6 hours per week
(averaged over 12 months, inclusive of preparation, delivery and marking) - or by
EPSRC regulations (even if the student is funded from other sources, by a University
Research Scholarship, for example), whichever is shorter.
Postgraduate students must also obtain the permission of their supervisors before
committing themselves to demonstrating work, or for that matter any other activity not
directly related to their research studies. International students please note Section
11.6, Student visa considerations.
The PGR Support Administrator asks students, usually during the summer, whether they
would like to demonstrate and/or mark during the next academic year. The School
Manager then allocates work as fairly and evenly as possible but, of course, much
depends on how a students area of maths and skills fit the modules available. Allocation
of work is announced during the first week of term. Students who request work after the
start of the academic year will be allocated work if available or put on a reserve list.
11.1. Problems Classes

Classes last for 50 minutes. Postgraduate Student Teachers are provided with
problem and answer sheets in advance and a brief rsum of the material
covered in the lectures prior to the class. Attendance registers are taken for all
problems classes. The names of undergraduates who are absent for two
successive problems classes will be sent to their Schools by the module convenor
as soon as is practicable. The classes are usually supervised by a member of staff
and sessions are relaxed and informal, but nonetheless attendance is mandatory
for the undergraduates.
If for any reason a postgraduate demonstrator is not able to attend some or all of
the classes for which (s)he is responsible, (s)he should inform the Teaching
Support Secretary as soon as possible, who will liaise with the module lecturer
and arrange for a suitable, trained replacement (each year a reserve list is
usually complied of those wanting extra work). If time does not allow for this,
and the Teaching Support Secretary cannot be contacted, the postgraduate
demonstrator must inform the lecturer immediately and together make suitable
alternative arrangements to provide the necessary cover. The demonstrator
taking on the work MUST have worked before: to be sure they have attended the
relevant training course.
1
Exam invigilation is co-ordinated by the Examinations Office, although a small amount is
arranged in-house by the schools Assessments Administrator.
31
Guidelines for PG Student Teachers assisting with UG problem classes.

Prepare beforehand; look through the solutions and remind yourself of what
students are supposed to know.
Circulate the room dont stand at the front waiting to be summoned.
Ask students how they have done on working through the problems and
whether they have any questions.
If all students claim to be fine, ask how they have done on a specific
problem.
Write down a solution or a hint it will be much easier for students to
remember what you have said later.
After you have helped a student, check that they understand what you have
said. Ask whether they now see how to proceed. If not, what is the obstacle?
Fill in the blue record form Record of Postgraduate Teaching Assistance at the
end of the class and have it signed by the lecturer concerned.
If for any reason you are unable to attend a class, you must inform the
module lecturer with enough notice for suitable alternative arrangements to
be made to provide the necessary cover.
11.2. Marking
Submitted coursework is marked by Postgraduate Student Teachers who are
provided with worked solutions and a marking scheme. Marked scripts should be
passed to the lecturer with mark-lists. The marking is monitored by the class
lecturer and should involve comments showing which part of an answer is
incorrect. If a basic misconception has occurred students will find an explanatory
comment useful, enhancing the student experience.
Postgraduate Student Teachers are encouraged to feedback their experience of

marking coursework scripts to the module convenor, including how the marking
scheme fitted the remuneration rate for coursework setting and consistency
purposes.
11.3. Training
Postgraduate Student Teachers are required to attend training courses provided
by the University. You must attend either
one or both of the Professional Development Unit half-day courses Marking
and Assessment for Scientists1 and Supporting example classes2;
and you must attend

the internally organised course Facilitating UG learning as a Postgraduate
Student Teacher in Mathematical Sciences3 that is held in the School each
September.
In exceptional circumstances, with permission, a student who is unable to attend
the compulsory Facilitating UG Maths course above may instead attend the
Professional Development Unit course Teaching Induction for Postgraduate
Research Students and Research Staff3. The student would be expected to also
attend the next available Facilitating UG Maths course.
1 2 3
For marking. For demonstrating. For both marking & demonstrating.
Professional Development provide courses, information on teaching development

and policy, conferences for postgraduate students who are new to teaching, and
lists frequently asked questions.
At the beginning of the academic year a meeting of Postgraduate Student
32
Teachers will be held with the School Manager or PGR Support Administrator
when administrative arrangements will be explained for the problems classes,
marking procedures, recording of hours worked and providing feedback to
module lecturers; covering documentation will be issued.
11.4. Payment
The rate is set by the University and is currently 11.54 per hour (inclusive of
holiday pay).
Postgraduate Student Teachers must complete the Universitys Finance
Department Signing On form with details of their bank account, as
payments will be made monthly, direct into your bank account. Further
details on the procedure and completing the form can be found with Human
Resources. As part of the process you will need to apply for a National
Insurance (NI) Number if you do not already have one (a unique
identification number used by Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
to track the amount of tax you pay, and hence allocate your tax code, which
the Universitys Payroll Department will use to calculate the amount of tax
you will pay).
It is advisable to claim expenses monthly as there may be tax penalties if the
amount claimed in one month is over the threshold for paying tax
(approximately 883.00 depending on your tax code, and over 672.00
national insurance contributions will be taken. Correct as at Aug 2015). If
you have a HMRC form P45 (because you have recently left previous
employment) you will need to submit it to Payroll in order to avoid
overpaying tax.
All forms are kept with the PGR Support Administrator and the School
Manager.
No payment will be made by Finance unless these details have been properly
submitted.
The amount claimed for demonstrating will be contact hours plus a preparation
allowance depending on the level of module as follows:
Service module - 15 mins for each contact hour
Year One honours modules - 30 mins for each contact hour
Years Two & Three honours modules - 45 mins for each contact hour
Note: Preparation time is not paid for repeat contact hours.
The amount claimed for marking is based on the number of scripts marked as
follows, plus 15 minutes preparation time for each batch of assessments:
Service module and Year One honours modules - 10 scripts per hour
Years Two & Three honours modules - 8 scripts per hour
Lecturers will work closely together with Postgraduate Student Teachers and
provide signatures verifying the number of hours worked.
11.5. Procedures for Claiming Demonstrating Expenses

Please ensure you have completed the Finance Departments form regarding your
bank details before submitting your first claim of the session. All forms are
available from the cabinet of small drawers in the common room, from the
Teaching Support Administrator, or from the PGR Moodle page. All claims should
be completed at the end of each semester
Postgraduate student collects one blue record form Record of Postgraduate
Teaching Assistance for each module with which (s)he is involved, for
demonstrating and/or marking.
After each examples class or marking session, the form should be completed
where indicated, showing details of the class and general comments
33
concerning issues that emerged during the class, and signed by the lecturer
concerned.
To make a claim for payment, details of all hours worked should be
summarised by module on the green form Claim for Postgraduate Teaching,
Demonstrating and Marking and verified by the lecturer, who then retains the
blue form for Teaching Quality Assessment records.
The green form is then presented to the Teaching Support Secretary or
School Manager by the specified monthly deadline, usually the 12th, to
ensure payment within that month. They will ensure details are forwarded to
the Finance Department to arrange payment.
The fees will be paid into the student's bank account and notified by a
payslip. The Universitys pay date is usually the penultimate working day of
the month.
11.6. Student visa considerations

Postgraduate student teaching work may be available to international students as
part of their training and to supplement their maintenance grants. However
students should check the legal requirements of their grant contract to ascertain
if in fact they are permitted to perform this work. Students found by the
authorities to have violated the terms of their entry visas may be dealt with
harshly.
34
12. Postgraduate Representation on

Committees
Postgraduate Research Students in the School of Mathematical Sciences have
representation on various School committees. Representatives are selected at the
Schools Welcome Event for postgraduates, held early in the autumn term (and also
attended by returning students). Representative can be from any year, but must be in
their period of registered study.
Within the School, there is an elected PGR representative who sits on the School
Resources Committee, which deals with all School resources, including computers.
There are also two elected PGR representatives who sit on the School Postgraduate
Affairs Committee (who, ideally, are from different research groups). This Committee
deals with many issues not directly relevant to PGR students, but part of its remit which
does have direct bearing includes: monitoring and co-ordinating postgraduate training
provision; pastoral care and postgraduate student progress, and developing and
maintaining effective quality control mechanisms for research student training.
The duties of the elected representatives are to liaise between the Committee and the
PGR body on matters covered by the Committee. It is the representative's responsibility
to inform other postgraduates when each Committee meets and to ask students in
advance of that meeting for issues they would like him/her to raise. The representative
is also responsible for relaying feedback from the meeting to the postgraduate student
body. The dates of the Committee Meetings are listed in Section 19.4, School
Committees.
Despite this representation, PGR students should not feel it necessary to wait for such
formal meetings before raising any issues or concerns. It is often better to deal with
matters informally as they arise, perhaps by speaking to your supervisor, the School
Manager, the SPSA or the PGR Support Administrator. (Communication routes for
dealing with difficulties are covered in Section 13, Problems.)
In 2016 there are plans to create a Faculty Graduate and Early Careers Training
Committee with the aim of helping Schools to enhance the experience of PGR students
and early career researchers; to support and share best practice in Schools. Further
information is to be announced.
Resources Committee Andreea Mocanu, Room C11, Ext. 14925

Research Group: Statistics and Probability
pmxam14@nottingham.ac.uk).
Postgraduate Affairs Committee Holly Smith, Room C17, Ext. 66717

Research Group: Scientific Computation
pmxhs8@nottingham.ac.uk, and
ine Byrne, Room A14, Ext. 32068

Research Group: Industrial and Applied Mathematics
pmxab1@nottingham.ac.uk)
Faculty Graduate and Early Careers Training Committee

to be elected.
35
13. Problems
13.1. Personal Difficulties

There are occasions when postgraduate students might have problems or
difficulties. If these are of a personal nature, then the student must decide who
best to approach.
Many sources of support are offered by the University and Students Union,
including a counselling service, which has professional training and considerable
experience in counselling students with difficulties (other contact details are
given in Sections 20, Contact Details, and 16.6, Facilities for Students). There is
expert medical help on campus at Cripps Health Centre.
It goes without saying that all of these services are offered in complete
confidentiality and no cases are reported back to the School without prior
permission from the student.
In addition, of course, your supervisor, the Schools Postgraduate Research

Student Advisor and your Head of Research Group will be on hand to help and
offer confidential advice if that is seen to be more appropriate. See Section 20.1,
Frequent Staff Contacts.
Some problems may be gender-related and you might prefer to discuss them
with a member of staff of the appropriate sex. For female students, the School
has appointed a Tutor to Women Students, currently Dr Susanne Pumpln. It is
anticipated that male students would approach the current SPSA, who is male,
their supervisor, if appropriate, or Head of Research Group (who are all currently
male) in this context.
If your attendance is being affected, or you are considering voluntary interruption

or withdrawal, please also refer to Section 14, Attendance.
13.2. Academic Difficulties

Academic problems, which are fortunately very rare, may also arise from time to
time. These might be the result of a personality clash between the student and
supervisor or perhaps inadequate progress by the student (see Section 6.4,
Further Reviews and Unsatisfactory Progress). In general, as soon as a student or
supervisor is aware of a problem, or a potential problem, they should discuss it
with the other. The SPSA should be informed. If there are reasons why the
student is unable to discuss a matter with the supervisor, then they should
approach the SPSA as an independent. If the SPSA is part of the supervision
team, then the matter should be taken to the Head of Research Group. In these
meetings, it is quite normal for a written account to be made, agreed and signed
between the involved parties and filed in a secure filing cabinet. These will be
treated with the strictest confidence.
Advice and information on regulations may be obtained from the Student

Services Centre located on B Floor, Portland Extension Building. The Quality
Manual includes detailed procedures for student grievances, complaints and
appeals.
36
13.3. International Students

The Student Support Section of the International Office works to help and advise
international students studying at Nottingham. This can be quite varied and
covers issues such as immigration, employment, finance, personal/family
concerns and academic difficulties. The service offered is professional and
confidential.
Should you need assistance with specific problems, the SPSA or certain senior
members of the School, in particular the Head of Research Groups, may be
approached; in general academic staff here are less remote and more
approachable than in many other countries. A variety of counselling provision can
also be accessed via the Universitys International Office.
13.4. Equipment
Problems with furniture and office equipment in general should be reported to the
PGR Support Administrator, School Manager or School IT Assistant.
37
14. Attendance
Students must attend all teaching activities necessary for the pursuit of their
studies, undertake all associated assessments and attend meetings and other
activities as required by their School or the University. Where students face
difficulty in attending sessions or undertaking assessments and examinations, it
is their responsibility to inform their School of this fact and to provide a
satisfactory explanation. Attendance regulations are detailed in the Quality
Manual.
14.1. Attendance Monitoring

The university monitors the attendance of all students. The School must confirm
to Student Administration on set dates throughout the year that a minimum
number of interactions between student and supervisor have occurred.
Attendance is monitored using signed Supervision Meeting Record forms. The

University requires there to be a minimum of ten supervision meetings recorded
for full-time students per year. The Schools working rule is one per month (see
Section 4, Supervision).
Thesis-pending students who have an active Confirmation of Acceptance of

Studies (CAS) certificate are included in the attendance monitoring census. For
students who return home during their thesis-pending period, the completion of
Supervision Meeting Record forms may not be practical. Supervision should
continue via whatever medium is most suitable (all correspondence should be
kept in case a problem arises and evidence is needed). In these instances the
supervisor will confirm to the PGR Support Administrator that the student has
continued to engage with their studies and the student will be reported as
authorised absence (this will not interfere with the students re-entry to the UK).
Unauthorised absences are reported to Student Administration and recorded as

appropriate. Student Administration, or the School, will write to the student
informing them of the consequences of non-attendance. Where students are
absent without authorisation, to the point that it is not possible to continue with
the course, Student Administration will write to the student stating that they will
be deemed to have withdrawn from the University and their student record will
be amended to show that they have withdrawn. Where required, the University
will report non-attendance to appropriate authorities including the UK Border
Agency.
Therefore, it is important that Supervision Meeting Record forms are completed

on a monthly basis and returned to the PGR Support Administrator promptly.
The PGR Support Administrator will endeavour to check the accuracy of records
before reporting a non-attendance, but it is the responsibility of the supervisor
and student to submit completed forms promptly with the PGR Support
Administrator and to keep their own record of the number and dates of forms
returned.
14.2. Holiday leave

The practice concerning holiday leave is as specified in Research Council
regulations, regardless of the actual source of funding. A working rule is that up
38
to eight weeks per year may be taken, inclusive of normal public holidays, but
this is at the discretion of the Head of Research Group. Any time away must be
agreed with and approved by your supervisor prior to any arrangements being
made. Leave during term-time, as well as extended periods of absence (e.g.
three weeks or more), will not normally be allowed.
14.3. Illness or prolonged absence

If you expect to be away from the School for any significant length of time,
meaning more than a day or so, then it is important to keep the School informed,
via your supervisor, regardless of the reasons. Illness should be reported as
soon as possible to your supervisor or the PGR Support Administrator (0115 951
3838).
Should circumstances occur such as prolonged illness, maternity (see

below), unavoidable family commitments, etc, during your period of study,
it is important that a Voluntary Interruption of Study be applied for (formally
called voluntary suspension of registration). This is effectively a pause of your
studies, for an agreed length of time, which will extend your annual reviews and
submission deadline by an equal length of time. Your supervisor or SPSA will be
able to advise you in such a case. International students should be aware that
interrupting your registration may affect your visa status; seek advice from
Student Services Centre or the International Office.
14.3.1. Maternity and Paternity Leave
Maternity Leave
All students, regardless of funding, will be able to take up to 12 months away
from their studies in terms of an interruption of study for maternity purposes.
School Procedures for PGR students taking maternity leave who received
funding from the University. The Universitys policy is to fund 4 months of
maternity leave. However, the School of Mathematical Sciences has a policy in
line with that of the Research Councils: All Research Council funded students are
entitled to take 6 months of maternity leave on full stipend and a further 6
months of unpaid maternity leave.
This policy has been adopted to ensure equity across all our students in receipt of
stipends paid through the University, rather than offering different terms to
different students depending on their funding sources. To clarify, this only applies
to students who are in receipt of a stipend paid to them directly by the School
and not to students whose scholarships are paid directly to them by an outside
source e.g. an overseas sponsor.
Regardless of the stipend rate normally paid, during a period of maternity leave
this rate will be capped at the standard RCUK rate.
Documentary evidence relating to the birth will be required by the School.
Paternity Leave
Students will be allowed up to two weeks unpaid paternity leave to support their
partners on the birth of a child. This will be in addition to the standard eight
weeks of paid annual leave PGR students receive per year. Documentary
evidence relating to the birth will be required by the School.
39
14.4. Withdrawal
Serious consideration should be given before a request to withdraw is made.
Please read the advice on Personal and Academic Difficulties in Section 13.
Alternatives to withdrawal:
'interrupt' your studies, where you effectively apply to pause your studies
for a prearranged amount of time (see Section 14.2 above).
change your research area and/or supervisor, although this may affect
your end date and funding and is usually only allowed in the first year of
study (refer to Academic Difficulties, Section 13.2).
Should you withdrawn at any stage after registration, or if you complete your
studies early, your stipend payments will be discontinued.
A Withdrawal Form is available from the PGR Support Administrator. A student

wishing to withdraw should discuss their decision with their supervisor or the
SPSA, who should email the PGR Support Administrator to confirm that
alternatives have been discussed with the student and advice given. Before
counter-signing the form, the School Manager will check that this has happened.
Return the withdrawal form to the PGR Support Administrator who will forward it
to Student Administration.
Once Student Administration has been informed, the decision cannot be reversed.
A student wishing to begin their studies again must reapply, although the
university does not allow students to reapply for a degree they have withdrawn
from (irrespective whether it is a different topic within the subject).
Student Administration will inform Student Financial Services (Fees Office) of

your withdrawal, who, if appropriate, will arrange for a pro-rata refund of any
paid tuition fees. This will be made by cheque, sent to your home address as
recorded in the Student Portal. If you wish the cheque to be sent elsewhere,
please either update the Portal or email Student Financial Services at
'studentfees-helpdesk@nottingham.ac.uk'.
40
15. Students with Disabilities

The University of Nottingham is committed to promoting access for students who have a
disability and/or a long-term medical condition. Services provided aim to enable
students to fulfil the inherent requirements of the course as independently as possible.
What we need you to do

Students are encouraged to make the University aware of their individual requirements.
Students who have a disability, specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) or long-
term medical condition are urged to inform their supervisor and/or the Disability Liaison
Officer for the School (see below).
The School has a Disability Disclosure and Confidentiality Policy through which students
can choose either to request that information concerning their circumstances remain
confidential between themselves and the staff member to whom they disclose, or
alternatively to sign a Disability Disclosure Form which then permits staff to share
information on a need-to-know basis in order to extend support to the student. Letting
us know what you might need at an early stage will help us to help you.
What we can offer you

The Disability Policy Advisory Unit provides information on services and facilities
available throughout the University, and the Universitys Disability Statement.
The Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) for the School of Mathematical Sciences is
Andrea Blackbourn (Room B19, Tel: 0115 95 14941). If you have any
requirements or concerns talk in the first instance to her - or contact your
supervisor.
Academic Support, in Student Services, includes the Disability Support and

Dyslexia Support teams, and offers a range of academic and practical support for
all students. Academic Support can provide information about Disabled Students
Allowances (DSAs). Academic Support is responsible for making
recommendations for alternative arrangements such as those required in
examinations, assessments and for timetabling. Assistance can also be given with
regard to queries about adapted accommodation and University provision of
accessible transport. Tel: 0115 951 3710
Minicom: 0155 951 4378
The Students Union has a voluntary group, Disabled Students' Network, which
works to make sure that all students who have a disability can access a fair
provision of education and services. They provide information, support and
advice to students, as well as organising social events.
41
16. Facilities
There is support for work-related Inter Library Loans, in-house printing and
photocopying facilities, and access to fax and postal services. Wherever possible,
students (and staff alike) are encouraged to use e-mail and attachments as a means of
communication.
16.1. Library
There are several library facilities that will be of use. The main one is the George
Green Library which is located across the road from the Schools main entrance,
between the Physics and Pope Buildings. This is the principal source of books and
journals; the library catalogue is available online. The Greenfield Library, located
in the Queens Medical Centre, may be of interest to those involved with
mathematical medicine. Inter-library loan vouchers are available from Daisy
Carter, room C40.
Students entering their thesis-pending period will automatically receive an

extension to their library access.
16.2. Offices
The School has several study rooms for the shared use of PGR students. Most of
these are large rooms containing between 9 and 28 desks. Workrooms are
intended to be quiet places, particularly as they are near academic offices. For
chats and discussions, PGR students are encouraged to either use the eight
break-out rooms, common room, their supervisors office or student seating
areas on the ground floor.
Soon after arrival, a desk with a PC (or lap-top plus personal/shared desk,
depending on availability) will be allocated to you within the School for your use
during your period of registered study. Study rooms are also furnished with some
storage and filing space and a shared telephone (for internal and incoming calls).
Office allocation is the responsibility of the School Manager and takes place
annually; when doing so, account is taken of each student's requirements and
preferences, wherever possible.
Due to space restraints we would ask that if you do not attend the University
regularly you inform the PGR Support Administrator, who will then ensure that a
space is available to you using a system of hot-desking. If you share a hot-desk
you must be considerate to others by making sure the area is left clean and tidy
when you have finished your work. Do not lock the drawers or computer
keyboard nor store belongings or work in a way that would obstruct other users.
When you enter your thesis-pending period, submit your thesis or commence
employment, the School may ask you to relinquish your desk to a full-time
studying student. If you are still to submit, the School will make every effort to
offer you a temporary or shared desk. Each case will be decided on
circumstances at the time. All personal computers and laptops can be stored and,
should you need to complete any corrections following your viva and the
examiners' report, be reinstalled or made available for remote access.
42
On vacating your desk, ensure all work and belongings are removed from the
desk, drawers, shelves, noticeboards etc. Please leave desk keys in the top desk
drawer. Return the room key to Krystyna Glowczewska (room B44).
Office access. Each postgraduate student will be given a key to their office. You
are urged to be particularly careful with all keys as any losses pose a security
risk. Unattended rooms must be locked by the last person to leave, even if, for
example: it is the middle of the day; it will only be for a short time; someone
elses computer is on/bag is in the room and you arent sure if they have their
key with them. To aid this, please remember to keep your room key with you so
you can unlock your room if you find it locked.
Building access. Evening and weekend entry to the buildings is gained using the
University Card. All users of the building outside normal working hours must sign
in and out of the building, in the book near the relevant entrance.
Any other general office concerns should be brought to the attention of School
Manager, PGR Support Administrator or student representatives.
16.2.1. Considerate Working
The PGR study rooms are intended to be used as quiet study areas; please be
considerate towards other students who are studying in your room. Students are
expected to exhibit responsibility concerning security and safety issues in and
around their offices.
It is imperative that in order to maintain a good professional working

environment within the rooms, the following protocols should be respected and
supported. In the case where a student can be identified as being in breach of
this protocol, the School retains the right to take further action against a student
in accordance with the Universitys regulations.
No loud music or excessive noise is permitted. Please be considerate to those

in adjacent rooms. If you wish to have music, use personal headphones at a
considerate volume, so that others are not disturbed in their work.
Do not put up decorations or do any work that could damage the finishes or
fabric of the building. This includes marking the fabric or fittings in any way.
No damage to the furniture within the study room is permissible.
Do not move the furniture or computer equipment. Furniture must not
obstruct other users especially along fire escape routes, which must be
kept clear at all times. Fire extinguishers should be left in their designated
location (moving them without good reason is especially dangerous).
Please ensure the buildings and work rooms are secure by checking that
windows and doors are closed and locked when unattended, especially in the
evenings and during quiet periods. The University is not responsible for
personal belongings including laptops, books, etc being lost, damaged or
stolen. Do not leave small valuable items such as phones, wallets, watches
and calculators unattended on desks. Make use of the lockable desk drawers
provided to keep your belongings and work safe.
Bicycles are prohibited inside University buildings. They inevitably lead to the
creation of obstructions, either within work areas or along fire escape routes.
They may result in additional wear or even damage of the buildings fixtures,
fittings and flooring, and could also create an unfavourable impression upon
visitors.
The cleaning staff work during the early mornings. They will not remove
material from worktops, but things falling onto the floor may be cleared away
43
so be careful! It is your responsibility to put all waste into the appropriate

bin.
Casual visitors and children are not allowed in the PGR study rooms.
Smoking is prohibited inside all buildings.
Students are reminded to use the eight break-out rooms, their supervisors
office, common room or student seating areas on the ground floor for
discussions.
16.3. Telephone
Research students have reasonable access to telephones that permit in-coming
calls but limit out-going calls to University extensions only. Other out-going calls
must be approved by your Supervisor.
16.4. Break-out rooms

There are 8 break-out rooms within the Mathematical Sciences building, for the
use of anyone wishing to work there. If undergraduates students are occupying a
breakout room but not working, you may politely ask them to leave. Any
problems, please see the PGR Support Administrator, School Manager or any
member of staff.
16.5. Common Room

Maths PGR students are welcome to use the common room (B29), which has
facilities to make hot drinks and heat food. Everyone is responsible for keeping
this area clean and tidy. Those who do not will have this privilege remove. There
is a rota of volunteers for overseeing use of the dishwasher.
Tea, coffee, sugar and milk are provided for your use free of charge (in plastic
containers on the work-top). Drinks from the machine are chargeable and must
be recorded in the honesty book.
Be considerate to others who are wishing to have a break from work. If work-
related conversations becomes large, in-depth or involve laptops and
presentations please move to a break-out room. There is a delicate balance, for
which you are asked to use your own judgement and common sense.
Friends and taught students (undergraduate and MSc) are not allowed in the
common room. Masters students may be allowed in the common room only if
they are invited in after a seminar.
16.6. Other University Facilities and Support for Students

The University has many facilities for students. The list below gives a flavour of
whats available. The campus map gives their location. Browse on the universitys
A to Z search.
Academic Support
Accommodation Office
Arts Centre
Banking Facilities
Campus Buses
Car Parking
Catering Facilities
o Main Catering Facilities
44
o Coffee Bars
o Vending Machines
o Licensed Bars
Centre for Career Development
The Centre for English Language Education (CELE)
Centres of Worship
Chaplaincy
Child Care Services
Counselling Service
The Disability Policy Advisory Unit
Financial Support
The Graduate School
Health Facilities
o Cripps Health Centre
o Cripps Dental Centre
o Nottingham Occupational Health Service
Information Services
International Office
IT Help Line
Library Services
Lost Property
Museum
Retail Outlets
o Bookshops
o Hairdresser
o Insurance
o Shops
Security
Sports Facilities
Student Advice and Representation Centre
Student Services Centres
Students' Union
Nightline
45
17. Computing Facilities and Codes of

Practice
17.1. Getting Started

After registration with the University, new students must self-register themselves
onto the Universitys computer system. Instructions are given in Information
Services webpages.
Open access computers can be found in the libraries, the Pope Building (rooms
A15 and A16), Coates (C19, C20) and the Engineering and Science Learning
Centre. All, except the libraries, have 24-hour access using your University card,
and are managed by Information Services (IS).
17.2. Computer Provision in the School

The School will provide studying students with a Windows or Linux PC on their
allocated desk or a Windows or Linux laptop and shared desk space. Apple Mac
equipment will only be provided when a case for one has been made by the
supervisor and approved by the School Manager. If there are no overwhelming
academic reasons for choosing a particular operating system, then the choice is
down to personal taste. This is a decision that needs to be discussed with your
supervisor. The provision of desks is described further in Section 16.2, Offices.
The Schools Moodle site has excellent information relevant to postgraduate

students. From here, there are links to common sources of information,
computing resources and much more besides.
Filestore Allocation. Windows users have 4Gb of networked filestore (Z: drive).
Linux users have 4Gb home plus access to various types of scratch space. Mac
users have a 4Gb samba share on request. All users have access to the local disk
of their computer. There is extensive information on filestore options on the
School website.
Wireless connection for personal laptops. Secure wireless access is

available. The process of connecting your laptop is described on Information
Services (IS) pages.
Email provision. Windows users will be provided with a Microsoft Outlook client
on their desktop. Linux and Mac users will use Outlook Web Access available at
https://email.nottingham.ac.uk/. The University does not differentiate between
taught and research postgraduates when accounts are created and research
students can have their quota increased from the default by ringing the IT
Service Desk on 16677. The University and School will send email
correspondence to a students University pmx email address. It is the students
responsibility to check this address for mail.
Installation of Software Programs. There is no need to ask permission to

install bona fide software that does not breach University regulations. All other
software is absolutely prohibited and this applies, in particular, to file-sharing
programs. If you want to install a software package that is licensed, you should
contact the Computer Officers for permission.
46
17.3. Code of Practice for School Computing Facilities

The use of University computing facilities is governed by the University Code of
Practice, the terms of which you agreed to at registration. In addition:
Your account is for your exclusive use only. You are expected to take
reasonable security measures. You must not reveal passwords (yours or
others) to other users; you must choose your own passwords carefully; you
must not leave your terminal or computer unattended while you are logged
in; you must not import ANY software onto the Schools computers without
express permission from the Schools Computer Officer.
Do not waste disk space, paper or other resources.
You must use the facilities in a responsible way. In particular, many of the
programs used within the School are subject to licence or copyright
agreements, which you must observe. Similarly, any software which you
import into the School must be imported legally, and used within the terms
of any licence or copyright restrictions. You are responsible for finding out
whether a proposed use is permitted by our agreements. Do not copy
software without permission. The Computer Officer can advise in cases of
doubt.
You are absolutely forbidden to interfere with legitimate activities of other
users. You must not, for example, delete or humorously edit their files as a
prank. You will be held responsible for any nefarious activity which is traced
to your account unless you can show that you have taken reasonable steps
to prevent it.
You are allowed to use the Internet, e-mail and similar facilities provided,
within the limits of the JANET code (part of the IS code). However, if you are
doing so for non-academic purposes, you must give way immediately and
without question to anyone who wishes to make academic use of the Schools
facilities. You must not send unsolicited email (spam) to large numbers of
recipients.
Do not attempt to breach the security of any of the computer systems.
You should report faulty equipment, bugs or other problems to the Computer
Officer.
Users who do not behave responsibly will be banned from our systems. If
you are aggrieved by this, or by any provision of this Code, you may appeal
to the Head of School. Attempts to breach security may also attract
disciplinary action.
You agree to be bound by the conditions of the Data Protection Act 1998, and
allow your name and details concerning your course to be held in accordance
with the Data Protection Act.
17.4. Computing Problems

Problems associated with University usernames can quickly be resolved by
phoning the IT Service Desk (16677). Most other problems can be resolved by
checking the comprehensive FAQs page. If the previous two options do not sort
out your problem, check the School web pages which contain extensive
information on who to contact for help and advice.
17.5. Mathematics Access Grid - MAGIC

As part of your study you will be able to attend postgraduate-level lecture
courses in mathematics, broadcast live from universities around the UK using
sophisticated video conferencing equipment in our MAGIC room, C1. For further
details, see the MAGIC website. The PGR Support Administrator will register you
onto the MAGIC website in the week following your University registration.
47
17.6. Data Protection

All data processed by the School has to comply with the Universitys Data
Protection Policy.
The limited amount of data we keep on our students is held securely at all times
and is only used for specific purposes. At the end of your studies, the data is
reviewed and information that is no longer relevant will be shredded. Key
elements of data will be held in perpetuity to enable us to give references and
proof of qualifications at any future stage.
Each year the PGR Support Administrator will produce a list of studying PGR
students alongside their photographs (those up-loaded by students for university
records), which is displayed on PGR room notice-boards and circulated to key
school staff. Your name, contact details, and research title, abstract and
supervisors will appear on the Schools website. The purpose of this is to assist
students and staff to get to know one another and contact you. Please see the
School Manager if you have any objection to your details being included.
48
18. Safety Procedures

The School Manager is the Schools Safety Officer. If students have any concerns
regarding safety, they should raise it immediately with the Schools Safety Officer.
Emergencies Ext. 8888

University Security Ext. 13013
School Safety Officer Ext. 14941
University Safety Office Ext. 13401
18.1. Fire
If you discover a fire:
Raise the Alarm by breaking the nearest break glass call point.
If possible inform the Security Control Room on ext. 8888 (mobile: 0115
951 8888) with details of the incident.
Tackle the fire with an appropriate fire extinguisher only if safe to do so.
Do not put yourself at risk.
Leave the building by the nearest exit, closing doors and windows as you
leave. Pass on any information you may have to a School Fire Marshall,
Security or the fire brigade. This Building does not have a token system so
there is no need to collect tokens as you leave.
Please go to the Assembly Point (grassed area by the side of the George
Green Library).
If you hear the fire alarm

Leave the building using the nearest exit, closing doors and windows as
you leave.
Members of staff should begin the evacuation process, ensuring that all
students and visitors are leaving the building.
Report to the assembly point (grassed area by the side of the George
Green Library) and pass on any relevant information to the School Fire
Marshalls, Security or the Fire Brigade.
Do not re-enter the building until Security or the Fire Brigade say it is safe
to do so.
Fire Test/Drill
The fire alarm is tested weekly and will ring for 10 seconds. The test takes place
every Thursday at about 9.50am.
An unannounced fire drill will be carried out at least once a year.
Location of Exits, Fire Alarms and Fire Extinguishers

All persons should familiarise themselves with the various exits to the building,
and particularly the fire exits, which are for emergency use only.
18.2. Accidents
Any accidents or incidents involving injury or near misses within the School must
be reported to the School Safety Officer. An Accident Report Form must be
completed and returned to the Safety Officer.
49
It is the duty of all members of the School to draw any hazards observed to the
attention of the School Safety Officer. The Safety Officer will carry out an annual
inspection of the School in order to monitor safety standards.
18.3. First Aid

In case of accidents or illness you can obtain assistance from any first-aiders
listed on the safety noticeboards.
The Schools qualified First-Aiders are:

Helen Cunliffe, also trained in defibrillator use (A18, tel 13838);
Andrea Blackbourn (B19, tel 14921);
Ria Symonds (A19, tel 32052);
Barbara Homer (B44, tel 13847).
Alternatively, telephone 8888 for Security, who will co-ordinate a response.
18.4. Out-of-Hours Working

A person's safety can be affected outside normal working hours by fire, accidents
and unauthorised intruders. To minimise such dangers and to assist the work of
security officers, all users of the building outside normal working hours must sign
in and out of the building, in the book near the relevant entrances. It is in the
best interests of anybody working alone to make contact with others in the
building who may be able to help in an emergency.
For this purpose "Outside normal working hours" are deemed to be 7pm - 7am
Monday to Friday, and weekends.
18.5. Use of VDU Equipment

The School Safety Officer will carry out Display Screen Equipment checks and
give advice accordingly. Vision screening is recommended before and during
habitual work with VDUs. Free eye tests, if eligible, can be arranged via the
School Safety Officer.
18.6. Electrical Testing

Computer officer Dave Parkin carries out all the electrical tests for the School.
Please see him before you bring any items of electrical equipment into the
School.
18.7. General Security

It only requires a few seconds for a thief to walk into an office and steal a wallet,
phone, laptop or other valuables. Do not leave handbags and jackets lying
around. Lock all personal property away. On leaving your work area for any
length of time, please ensure your windows and doors are locked. If you see
someone acting in a suspicious manner or disruptively, particularly out-of-hours,
contact the Security Control Room on extension 13013 (extension 8888 in
emergencies).
18.8. Smoking
Smoking is not permitted inside any University building.
50
19. Notable dates

A detailed list, including future years, can be found on the Universitys website.
19.1. Terms and Semesters

Autumn Term Monday 21 September 2015 Friday 11 December 2015
Spring Term Monday 11 January 2016 Friday 18 March 2016
Summer Term Monday 18 April 2016 Friday 17 June 2016
Autumn Semester Monday 21 September 2015 Saturday 23 January 2016

Spring Semester Monday 25 January 2016 Friday 17 June 2016
19.2. Bank Holidays and other days of closure

Buildings will be closed on the following dates in the session 2015-2016, except
for any special arrangements which may be made by Heads of Schools or
Services or any arrangements which may be made by the Conference Office or in
the Sports Centre.
Thursday 24 December UH Friday 25 March PH

Friday 25 December PH Saturday 26 March C
Saturday 26 December C Sunday 27 March C
Sunday 27 December C Monday 28 March PH
Monday 28 December PH Tuesday 29 March UH
Tuesday 29 December UH Monday 02 May PH
Wednesday 30 December UH Monday 30 May PH
Thursday 31 December UH Saturday 27 August C
Friday 01 January PH Sunday 28 August C
Monday 29 August PH
UH = University Holidays C = Closure of Buildings

PH = Public and Bank Holidays
Notes
During these closures access to 24 hour ISCRAs (Information Services Computer
Resource Areas) will be by University Card. Arrangements will be made to
provide access to libraries as far as possible.
19.3. School Committees

Postgraduate Affairs w/c 16 November 2015
Committee w/c 01 February 2016
w/c 06 June 2016
Resources Committee September 2015, to be confirmed

February 2016, to be confirmed
May 2016, to be confirmed
51
20. Contact Details
20.1. Frequent Staff Contacts

Head of Research Groups:
Algebra and Analysis - Prof Kewei Zhang, C06, 14929;
Mathematical Medicine and Biology - Prof Markus Owen, C5, 67214;
Mathematical Physics - Dr Madalin Guta, B38, 14993 (autumn)
- Prof John Barrett, B17, 14956 (spring)
Industrial and Applied Mathematics - Prof J Billingham, B47, 13846;
Number Theory and Geometry - Prof Ivan Fesenko, C9, 14952;
Scientific Computation - Prof Michael Tretyakov, C04, 14954;
Statistics and Probability - Prof Andy Wood, C10, 14983.
School Postgraduate Research Student Advisor (SPSA)

Dr Kris van der Zee C49, Ext. 13855, KG.vanderZee@nottingham.ac.uk
School Manager
Andrea Blackbourn B19, Ext. 14941, andrea.blackbourn@nottingham.ac.uk
PGR Support Administrator

Helen Cunliffe A18, Ext: 13838, helen.cunliffe@nottingham.ac.uk
Teaching Support Administrator

Claire Parnell A18, Ext: 14934, claire.parnell@nottingham.ac.uk
Internship Officer
Dr Gerardo Adesso B42, Ext: 66165, gerardo.adesso@nottingham.ac.uk
School Postgraduate Research Admissions Officer

Dr Daniele Avitabile B23, Ext. 14946, Daniele.Avitabile@nottingham.ac.uk
Research Support Officer

Daisy Carter C40, Ext. 68287, Daisy.Carter@nottingham.ac.uk
Ethics Officer
Dr David Hawker C57, Ext. 14937, david.hawker@nottingham.ac.uk
Further information regarding staff roles and staff contact information can be
found on the Schools website.
20.2. School Group Email Addresses

All staff (lecturer + postdocs + support staff) PM-Staff
All research postgraduates PM-PGR
Research Groups (only includes staff, not PGR
students)
Algebra and Analysis PM-AA
Industrial and Applied Mathematics PM-IAM
Mathematical Medicine and Biology PM-MMB
Mathematical Physics PM-MP
Number Theory and Geometry PM-NT
Scientific Computation PM-SCA
Statistics and Probability PM-SP
52
20.3. Postgraduate Locations

Postgraduate contact information, can be found on the Schools intranet.
Workrooms are allocated randomly, not in year or research groups. Workrooms

are intended to be quiet places. For chats and discussions, PGR students are
encouraged to use either the eight break-out rooms, common room or student
seating areas on the ground floor. Postgraduates within the School are located in
the following rooms: A14, B8, B15, B16, C11, C17, C18 & C32.
20.4. Other Useful Numbers

University numbers begin with 951 or 846.
Number External Internal

Campus Emergencies 0115 951 8888 8888
Security 0115 951 3013 13013 (24 hours)
Local police 101
University Switchboard 0115 951 5151 0
Student Services Centre 0115 951 3710 13710

(incorporating Student
Administration)
International Office 0115 951 5247 15247
Research & Graduate Services 0115 951 5670 15670
Graduate School 0115 846 8400 68400
Accommodation Office 0115 951 3697 13697
Careers Advice Service 0115 951 3680 13680
Sports Centre 0115 951 5515 15515
University of Nottingham 0115 846 8800 68800

Students Union - enquiries
Student Advice Centre 0115 846 8730 68730

Student Counselling Service 0115 951 3695 13695
Cripps Health Centre 0115 846 8888 68888
Nightline 0115 951 4985 14985 (7pm to 8am)
Student IT Service Desk 0115 951 6677 16677 8am to 6pm

Monday to Friday
(except Bank Holidays
and closure days).
Outside these hours,
calls are handled by a
third party.
12/8/15
53

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11.2. Marking ............................................................................................... 32

Overall responsibility for the implementation of policies related to postgraduate

3.1. New Students

New postgraduates should contact their supervisor as soon as possible after

3.2. Returning Students

3.3. Extension to course length

3.4. Letters to Confirm Student Status

Finally, an arrangement should be made for regular supervisory meetings, which is

Training and support for supervisors

The supervision of a postgraduate research (PGR) student involves providing:

4.1. You and your Supervisors

Your aim as a research student is eventually to become a mathematician, in

4.2. Students studying in outside organisations

Quality Manual. This includes students studying in outside organisations, on The

4.3. Students Buddy Scheme

The responsibility of the 'buddy' is:

The training programme is tailored to the needs of individual students, and is

Training activities will be recorded in a Training Portfolio, maintained by the PGR

5.1. General Training

The agreed minimum requirements are normally to:

Attendance at further general training sessions is strongly encouraged, and may

Postgraduate students are also encouraged (subject to approval from their

5.2. Training in Mathematics

5.2.1. Informal Training

You will improve on your general mathematical knowledge by attending

5.2.2. Assessed Training

In particular, 3-year PhD students must complete at least 10 credits worth

To ensure the broadening aspect of the training, at least 10 credits of

Assessed modules (broadening and subject-specific) can be chosen from:

In order to pass a module a student needs to gain a mark of at least 50%

5.3. Procedures for Assessed Training

5.3.2. Changes or up-dates to assessed training plans

5.3.3. Assessment for School taught modules

5.3.4. Assessment for MAGIC modules

5.3.5. Extenuating Circumstances

See Section 7, Exceptional circumstances affecting assessment.

5.3.6. Notification and Recording of Results

5.4. Seminars and Presentations

Attending mathematics seminars, even colloquia, can be daunting; at first you

The Head of Research Group is responsible for arranging, or delegating, the

5.5. Conferences and Workshops

5.5.1. Payment and travel

All research-related travel arrangements, be they by plane, train or coach, in the

A students status as a PhD candidate is probationary during the first year of

Assessors Recommendations. At the end of all Confirmation and Progression viva

Part-time students, please refer to Section 10, Part-time Students.

6.1. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 3-year course

Review Months Consists of

2nd year 21 A Research Report; containing

6.2. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 3.5-year course

Review Months Consists of

Confirmation 18 Email from PGR Support Administrator.

3rd year 33 A Research Report; containing

6.3. Schedule of Reviews for students on a 4-year course

Review Months Consists of

2nd year 21 A Research Report; containing

Confirmation 24 Email from PGR Support Administrator.

6.4. Unsatisfactory Progress and Further Reviews

Further reviews may be deemed necessary following an unsatisfactory

7. Exceptional circumstances affecting

7.1. Extenuating circumstances and absence from assessments

Absence from an Examination