Research Degrees Examination Board

The role of the exam board

23.1. The Research Degrees Examination Board decides on awards and other outcomes for research degree examinations. Examiners’ recommendations are provisional until the Board has decided on the result.

23.2. The Board can accept, change, or reject the examiners’ recommendation. It can also require examiners to revise joint final reports and for independent chairs to revise their reports if they are incorrectly completed or insufficiently detailed.

23.3. The Board can also award degrees under the policy on failure to complete assessment for research degrees.

23.4. The Board is responsible for the policy on academic misconduct for PGR degree examinations and awards. 

23.5. Discussions held by the Board are confidential.

23.6. The Board will communicate its decisions to students. The Board will also send the examiners' reports to students and their supervisors once a decision has been made. Communications are normally sent within two weeks of the Board meeting.

23.7. A student can appeal against a decision of the Research Degrees Examination Board as set out in the PGR student outcome appeals section.

The authority to grant and withdraw academic awards

23.8. On the recommendation of the Research Degrees Examination Board, subject to the overriding authority of Senate and the Board of Trustees, the University will grant an academic award to any person who has fulfilled all conditions prescribed for their research degree in statutes, ordinances, and regulations.

23.9. On the recommendation of Senate, the Board of Trustees can award a degree of the University as an honorary degree. An honorary degree will not however be granted if the degree denotes that the holder as being fit to practice in a professional capacity.

23.10. On the recommendation of Senate, the Board of Trustees can withdraw an academic award, distinction, or prize of the University if it is subsequently discovered that the award, distinction, or prize was improperly obtained.

23.11. On the recommendation of Senate, the Board of Trustees can accept a request from any person to resign an academic award, distinction, or prize of the University.

23.12. On the recommendation of Senate, the Board of Trustees can restore an academic award, distinction, or prize of the University to a person who has been deprived of it or who has voluntarily resigned it.

Name on certificates issued by the University

23.13. The University issues degree certificates in the student’s legal name. No subsequent changes are permitted to the name shown on the certificate except where a graduate who has undergone gender reassignment legally changes their name.

Summary of research degrees and higher doctorates

23.14. The University can award research degrees and higher doctorates as listed below.

23.15. From 1 August 2022, higher doctorates by published work are no longer open as an examined degree for new entrants. Higher doctorates continue to be awarded as honorary degrees.

Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences

Research degrees

• Doctor of Philosophy denoted by PhD
• Doctor of Education denoted by EdD
• Doctor of Educational Psychology denoted by DEdPsy
• Master of Music denoted by MMus
• Master of Philosophy denoted by MPhil
• Master of Science by Research denoted by MScR

Higher doctorates

• Doctor of Science denoted by DSc
• Doctor of Laws denoted by LLD
• Doctor of Music denoted by DMus
• Doctor of Letters denoted by DLitt

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Research degrees

• Doctor of Philosophy denoted by PhD
• Doctor of Dental Surgery denoted by DDS
• Doctor of Medicine denoted by MD
• Master of Science by Research denoted by MScR

Higher doctorates

• Doctor of Science denoted by DSc

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Research degrees

• Doctor of Philosophy denoted by PhD
• Engineering Doctorate denoted by EngD
• Master of Science by Research denoted by MScR

Higher doctorates

• Doctor of Science denoted by DSc
• Doctor of Engineering denoted by DEng