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Research Degrees Student Handbook 2012-2013

3.1 The Research Degrees Office

The Research Degrees Office is responsible for the administration of the University’s research degrees programme and implements policy developed by the Research Degrees Committee. It will be the main point of contact with the University for most postgraduate research students.

Its main areas of activity are the administration underpinning the:

• recruitment and admission of full-time and part-time research students.
• appointment of supervisors.
• arrangements for monitoring research students’ progress (the six-monthly progress monitoring reports, and probation assessment reports).
• research degree examinations.
• payments to students, supervisors and examiners. This includes:

• grants payments for full-time research students whose awards are funded by The Open University or based on Open University terms and conditions
• the fund for full-time students who have financial dependants
• fee and expense payments for supervisors and examiners.

The Research Degrees Office also plays a major role in events, projects and initiatives to improve the quality of the University’s research degree provision and the experience of its research students.

Please ask the Research Degrees Office if you need advice or have any questions about your research degree studies or if you have any comments or suggestions for improvements.