Arts and Humanities
Progression Milestones for Humanities and Winchester School of Art
On this page you will find information about the processes and outcomes for your doctoral programme progression milestones. Depending on when you commenced your PhD you will be subject to different regulations regarding progression monitoring. Please make sure you read the correct set of regulations for your commencement date. However, all progression milestones regardless of when you started will follow the same workflow process which is detailed in the flow charts. Please click on the image to the right to view the full size Progression Milestones Flow Chart.
Students who enrolled on their doctoral studies before 1 August 2016
Transfer/Upgrade from MPhil to PhD
For research students who registered prior to 1 August 2016, the ‘Confirmation of PhD status’ procedure will be referred to as ‘upgrade from MPhil to PhD registration’ or ‘transfer from MPhil to PhD registration’. Research students who registered before 1 August 2016 will follow the timings for upgrade/transfer from MPhil to PhD registration that applied at the time of their admission, and the Code of Practice for Research Degree Candidature and Supervision provides a summary of these timings depending on year of entry.
For other progression requirements, research students who registered before 1 August 2016 will follow the timings and procedures as determined by their Faculty which applied at the time of their admission. Research students should refer back to their Faculty for further information.
The student must meet the criteria set, and provide the supporting evidence, as detailed in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Candidature and Supervision. Generic guidelines for the format of submission, and criteria to be used to define the outcomes from Confirmation of Doctoral Candidature/Transfer/Upgrade from MPhil to PhD, are detailed in the Quality Handbook. However, the precise requirements can vary by Faculty, and by discipline.
Students should be aware that the Panel may recommend that a student is transferred to an MPhil programme if the criteria are not met. With regards to the transfer of programme, the University will comply with its obligations under the relevant immigration legislation which may be updated from time to time.
A student who is concerned about their entitlement to remain in the UK following a failure to progress should seek urgent advice from the Visa and Immigration Student Advice Service.
Note that ALL upgrade/confirmation panels must consist of at least two independent assessors and no members of the supervisory team, regardless of year of entry.
Students who enrolled on their doctoral studies after 1 August 2016
As stated in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Candidature and Supervision, if you enrolled on your doctoral studies after 1 August 2016, you will be required to undertake Progression Reviews during your studies within the timescales shown in the Tabletable in the section below (Submission Timings - Standard PhD Programmes).
The second Progression Review is known as Confirmation of Doctoral Candidature and must be successfully completed before you may submit your thesis for examination.
The ‘decision’ time windows refer to periods in which progression decisions must be made. These timings may be adjusted on a pro-rata basis for students registered on non-standard research programmes where other duties are a formal part of the programme; these timings are shown in the Tables B, C and D below.
Your assessment in each Progression Review will be based on a piece of submitted work, followed by a viva voce with a Progression Review Panel. You will be required to provide all the relevant material by a submission deadline stated in PGR Tracker (or equivalent system).
Two attempts at each review are permitted. The second attempt at the Progression Review will involve a repeat viva voce. However, if the assessors deem that the Report is sufficient to progress, the repeat viva voce will be cancelled.
Failure to meet the criteria for a successful progression review will lead to a termination of candidature in line with the Procedures for Circumstances that may lead to Withdrawal or Termination. Interim Progression Reviews will take place for part-time students who have not undergone a Progression Review in the previous 12 months of candidature. Exceptional Progression Reviews may be scheduled, on the stipulation of your Faculty Director of the Graduate School, if significant academic concerns have been raised about your candidature.
Confirmation of PhD Status
If you enrolled on the degree of PhD after 1 August 2016, you must successfully meet the requirements of a Confirmation panel to submit for a PhD. The Second Progression Review will form the Confirmation.
Submission Timings - Standard PhD Programmes
Progression Review submission and decision windows for standard programmes
*The submission deadline for second attempts will be set in the action plan following your first attempt.
| Standard Programmes | Full Time | Part Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Submission | First Attempt Decision | Second Attempt Decision* | Student Submission | First Attempt Decision | Second Attempt Decision* | |
| First Progression Review | Months 7 - 9 | Months 8 - 10 | Before the end of month 12 | Months 17 - 20 | Months 18 - 21 | Before the end of month 24 |
| Second Progression Review (Confirmation) | Months 17-20 | Months 18-21 | Before the end of month 24 | Months 29-41 | Months 30-42 | Before the end of month 48 |
| Third Progression Review | Months 29-32 | Months 30-33 | Before the end of month 36 | Months 60-65 | Months 61-66 | Before the end of month 72 |
Submission Timings - iPhD Programmes
Progression Review submission and decision windows for iPhD programmes
*The submission deadline for second attempts will be set in the action plan following your first attempt.
| iPhD Programmes | Full Time | Part Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Submission | First Attempt Decision | Second Attempt Decision* | Student Submission | First Attempt Decision | Second Attempt Decision* | |
| First Progression Review | Months 19-21 | Months 20-22 | Before the end of month 24 | Months 38-41 | Months 39-42 | Before the end of month 45 |
| Second Progression Review (Confirmation) | Months 29-32 | Months 30-33 | Before the end of month 36 | Months 49-59 | Months 50-60 | Before the end of month 65 |
| Third Progression Review | Months 41-44 | Months 42-45 | Before the end of month 48 | Months 75-80 | Months 76-81 | Before the end of month 86 |
Please note that individual programmes of study may have timings that are different to those conveyed in the table above. Students should consult Section VI of the University Calendar, Academic Regulations where they can find the regulations specific to their programme of study.
Submission Timings - EngD Programmes
Progression Review submission and decision windows for EngD programmes
*The submission deadline for second attempts will be set in the action plan following your first attempt.
| EngD Programmes | Full Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Submission | First Attempt Decision | Second Attempt Decision* | |
| First Progression Review | Months 19-21 | Months 20-22 | Before the end of month 24 |
| Second Progression Review (Confirmation) | Months 29-32 | Months 30-33 | Before the end of month 36 |
| Third Progression Review | Months 41-44 | Months 42-45 | Before the end of month 48 |
Submission Timings - Mayflower Programmes
Progression Review submission and decision windows for Mayflower programmes
*The submission deadline for second attempts will be set in the action plan following your first attempt.
| Mayflower Programmes | Full Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Submission | First Attempt Decision | Second Attempt Decision* | |
| First Progression Review | Months 7-9 | Months 8-10 | Before the end of month 12 |
| Second Progression Review (Confirmation) | Months 23-26 | Months 24-27 | Before the end of month 30 |
| Third Progression Review | Months 35-38 | Months 36-39 | Before the end of month 42 |
Faculty and School Information on Progression Milestones
Generic guidelines for the format of submission and criteria to be used to define the outcomes from Progression Reviews are detailed in the Quality Handbook. However, the precise requirements can vary by Faculty, and by discipline.
Further information about Progression Reviews are detailed in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Candidature and Supervision.
Details of Faculty and School specific requirements can be found via your Faculty below:
Chemistry
Progression Milestones for Chemistry
Electronics and Computer Sciences
Progression Milestones for ECS
Engineering
Progression Milestones for Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Progression Milestones for Physics and Astronomy
The Zepler Institute
Progression Milestones for the Zepler Institute
Biological Sciences
Progression Milestones for Biological Sciences
Geography & Environmental Sciences
Progression Milestones for Geography & Environmental Sciences
Health Sciences
Progression Milestones for Health Sciences
Ocean & Earth Science
Progression Milestones for Ocean and Earth Science
Psychology
Progression Milestones for Psychology
Social Sciences
Progression Milestones for Education, Maths and Economic, Social and Political Science, Southampton Business School and Southampton Law School.
External Requirements
If your studies are funded partly or fully by an external organisation, there may be a requirement for you or your supervisor to complete additional reports for your sponsor. These reports do not form part of the University’s progression processes. As part of the annual enrolment process, all students give their consent for the University to provide appropriate information on request to third parties, such as sponsoring organisations.
Supervisors must not return these completed forms to the sponsor directly. They must communicate such reports to the sponsor via the Faculty Graduate School Office so that they can be scrutinised by the Doctoral Programme Director/Director of the Graduate School and recorded on file.
If you are funded in whole or in part by a UKRI research council, you will need to comply with the UKRI grant terms and conditions. These include an expectation that you should submit your thesis within the funding period. You should discuss this with your supervisor throughout your study to ensure that you are in a position to meet this expectation.
Unsatisfactory Progress
Your supervisor should inform you of unsatisfactory progress as soon as it becomes apparent. Your supervisor should discuss this with you and put in place steps to resolve the issue. If there is continued unsatisfactory progress, the Faculty will follow the procedures as laid out in the Procedures for Circumstances that may lead to Withdrawal or Termination.
Termination of Candidature
There are several circumstances where a Faculty may recommend termination of candidature. The Procedures for Circumstances that may lead to Withdrawal or Termination outline procedures for:
- Termination as a result of a recommendation from a Progression Review (including from an Upgrade/Transfer or Confirmation Panel)
- Termination outside of a Progression Review (Exceptional Progression Review) due to significant academic concerns (including Interim Progression Reviews)
- Termination as a result of failure to undertake the expected responsibilities of a PGR student
- Termination as a result of failing to comply with progression review deadlines
- Termination (deemed withdrawn) due to lack of contact
- Termination (deemed withdrawn) as a result of failure to submit a thesis by the end of the maximum period of candidature.
