Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA) PhD

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This programme will provide an innovative, high quality and comprehensive training programme to equip students with knowledge, skills, and expertise to identify and address complex environmental challenges and cut across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Excellence in research, directly informed by knowledge exchange with end- users, will underpin a multidisciplinary training environment that will support the development of skilled scientists to benefit future science, policy and the economy.

The programme provides transferable management, personal, and research impact skills alongside science and technical skills and will maximise the employability and long-term career prospects of students.

Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external and internal reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degrees
• Doctoral Degree Characteristics Statement (QAA)
• Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (SEEC)
• 含羞草视频 Quality Reviews
• Research Council Annual Reviews

Knowledge and Understanding

On completion of the PhD studies, students should:

1. lead on the creation, development and implementation of a significant programme of research that will lead to new knowledge disseminated through the production of a PhD thesis;
2. have a thorough knowledge of the literature and a comprehensive understanding of relevant methods and techniques applicable to their research;
3. be able to demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field;
4. have developed the ability to evaluate current research and research techniques and methodologies critically;
5. have knowledge of and be able to apply appropriate methods used in their field;
6. acquire and develop a range of transferable skills beyond those specific to their research field (for example, exposure to the public understanding, communication and engagement of science);
7. experience at least one placement in an organisation not directly related to their field of study for a period of at least 2 weeks;
8. have self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems;
9. be able to act autonomously in the planning and implementation of research; and
10. have the ability to report research outcomes in an appropriate way for the intended audience.

Skills and other attributes

Subject-specific cognitive skills:

• See above (i – iv)

Subject-specific practical skills:

• See above (v, x)

Key transferable skills:

• See above (vi – x)

University Regulations for Postgraduate Research study are set out in Regulation XXVI (Higher Degrees by Research).

Please see the Terms and Conditions of Study for detailed information on your contract with the University.

Cohort training and team building – Years 1-4

All students must complete 100 CENTA Training credits through participation in CENTA-provided and ‘free choice’ external training during the programme. A timetable of CENTA provided training opportunities will be made available to all students at the start of their studies and is updated each new academic year informed by a Training Needs Analysis of each cohort.

All students must complete a minimum 2-week placement in an organisation not directly related to their field of study. This can be completed at any time during R1, R2 or R3.

Part R1

Students will complete the following:

The following research training activities (on a pass/fail/attendance basis only):

• Students should aim to complete 40 CENTA training credits in R1.
• Attendance on the Speed PhD residential field trip
• Submission of a prospective poster and/or oral presentation at the annual CENTA conference.
• Submission of a research poster or oral presentation at the annual School PGR seminar day (if requested by the School)
• Submission of a 1,000-word research report after 6 months (part-time students only)
• Submission of a 2,000-word research report at the mid-way point of Part 1 and submission of a satisfactory 10,000-word research report (end of Part report) towards the end of Part 1 in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI.

Typically, the timetable for reports in R1 will follow the schedule below.

Part R2

Doctoral Researchers will complete the following:

The following research training activities (on a pass/fail/attendance basis):

• Students should aim to complete 60 CENTA training credits during parts R2 and R3.
• Submission of a research results poster or oral presentation at the annual CENTA conference (if not completed in R1).
• Submission of a research poster or oral presentation at the annual School PGR seminar day (if requested by the School)

PhD candidates: Submission of a mid-part review for part time Doctoral Researchers, and a satisfactory 10,000-word research report (end of Part report) towards the end of Part R2 in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI.

Typically, the timetable for reports in R2 will follow the schedule below.

MPhil candidates: Submission of their formal MPhil thesis for examination in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI at the end of part R2.

Part R3

Doctoral Researchers will complete the following:

The following research training activities (on a pass/fail/attendance basis)

• All students are expected to have completed a total of 100 CENTA Training credits by the end of R3
• Submission of a research results poster or oral presentation at the annual CENTA conference (if not completed in R1 or R2)
• Submission of a research poster or oral presentation at the annual School PGR seminar day (if requested by the School)

Mid-part reviews

Submission of a written report detailing the plan for submission (mid-Part report, expected 12 months into R3 for full-time Doctoral Researchers, and at 12 months and 24 months into R3 for part-time Doctoral Researchers).

Submission

At the end of R3, submission of a formal PhD thesis for examination in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI.

Typically, the timetable for reports in R3 will follow the schedule below.

To progress from Part R1 to Part R2 and from Part R2 to Part R3, and to be eligible for an award, candidates must satisfy the assessment requirements set out in Regulation XXVI.

Candidates must complete all the requirements for each Part outlined above in order to progress to the next Part. If an end of part report does not meet the standards required for progression, candidates may undertake further work and resubmit the report on one occasion only in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI.