Summary of changes

This section summarises the significant changes made to the Code of Practice for 2025/26.

  1. Update to faculty names and roles (multiple sections) to align with the new faculty structure.
  1. Doctoral students who fail mandatory taught units (1.12, 1.21, 1.33, 1.40, 1.50, and 13.2). Clarification that a doctoral student who fails a mandatory credit-bearing unit linked to progression after the resubmission attempt will be required to withdraw from the doctoral programme. Plus, a clarification that PGR students who have failed a unit at the first attempt are not usually eligible for enhanced academic support process.
  1. Statement on the use of the student’s published and collaborative work (2.17, 17.13, 17.15, 18.19, 18.24 to 18.30, and in the policy on integrating publications as chapters). New requirement for all PGR students to include a statement in their dissertation on the use of their own published work and on the use of collaborative work.
  1. The commentary for doctoral degrees by published work (2.17). An increase in the word count for the commentary from 10,000 words to 15,000 words.
  1. Part-time study (4.11). Change to the regulations so that part-time study is normally at least 50% of the full-time level unless there is a reasonable adjustment for disability or another justified reason for a lower level.
  1. Student leave entitlements (4.29, 4.32, 4.35, 6.1 to 6.54, and 11.14). New leave types and rules on when suspensions are permitted have been incorporated into regulation for medical, family and other reasons. This includes the phased return to study and for annual leave to be accrued during medical, family, and baby-loss leave.
  1. Mode of attendance (4.56). Removal of the limitation on how often a student can change their mode of attendance except for the final year of study.
  1. PGR student outcome appeals (8.1 to 8.27). Incorporation of revised appeal regulations, which were previously in the assessment regulations.
  1. PGR alternative exam arrangements (11.15, 20.3 to 20.6, 20.41.3, and 21.14 to 21.21). A more formalised approach to requesting alternative exam arrangements has been incorporated into regulation.
  1. Publication-like formats for the dissertation (18.33). New allowance for chapter-based reference lists rather than a unified list if this is appropriate for the dissertation. Removal of the requirement to include a list of tables and illustrations.
  1. Internal examiners and conflicts of interest (20.26). A list of conflicts of interest that would stop an academic from being appointed as an internal examiner has been added to regulation.
  1. How oral examinations are held (21.27 to 21.29, and in the policy for online oral examinations). Revision to regulation so that online and in-person oral examinations are treated as equal options coupled with the removal of the requirement to approve oral examination arrangements. Plus, a new requirement that permits a faculty to set a standard expectation on how oral examinations are held for specific PGR programmes.
  1. Unconditional awards and typographical errors (22.8, 22.11, 22.19, 24.2, and 25.3). New allowance for examiners to recommend an unconditional award where there are only a small number of typographical errors and no other issues.
  1. Academic misconduct (in policy on academic misconduct for PGR examinations and awards). New requirement for the nominated reviewer for the plagiarism review to provide the student and their main supervisor with evidence of any suspected issues when a case is referred to the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate.