Your Supervisor

Supervisors play a fundamental role in supporting postgraduate researchers throughout their programme. Your supervisor or supervisory team is responsible for helping you to manage your research, as well as being your primary link to your department and the University. Your main supervisor is your first point of contact for any issues that arise throughout your programme.

Each research student has a first supervisor appointed by the Board of Graduate Research Committee (Prof. Karen Mumford) who will usually be responsible for the direction of the study. In addition, the sub-committee will appoint a second supervisor. Each research team is responsible for specifying the role of each supervisor. It is the student’s responsibility in concert with their supervisors, to ensure that they develop a good working relationship that suits all parties. Should problems arise the student should, where possible, speak to their supervisor/s and attempt to resolve these issues. In the case that this cannot be resolved or the student feels unable to address the issue with the supervisor/s then the student should contact Prof. Karen Mumford , Director of Postgraduate Research, or Dr Philip Garnett, Deputy Director of Postgraduate Research, should the former be problematic. The obligations and expectations of each party are outlined in the Principles of Supervision document, which is signed by both supervisor and student at the beginning of the Programme.

If the first supervisor is, for any reason, unable to continue supervising, an appropriate supervisor will be appointed to assume the role. A replacement supervisor should be appointed within two months of the main supervisor becoming unavailable. In the meantime, a member of the TAP will assume a general supervisory role. Research students will be informed if their supervisor resigns from the University.

According to University Regulations, the responsibilities of supervisors of research students include:

1. Providing satisfactory advice and guidance on the conduct of the research and on the preparation of the thesis;

2. Monitoring the progress of the student’s research programme, reporting on progress to the departmental graduate school board, and ensuring the student is aware of the need to submit the thesis by the specified deadline;

3. Encouraging students to participate fully in the planning of their research and to take personal responsibility for the decisions made;

4. Maintaining regular contact with research students, including during any periods in which students are working on their research away from the University;

5. Having input into the assessment of a student’s development needs, and ensuring that instruction is provided in research methods relevant to the student’s research;

6. Monitoring the student’s Graduate Professional Development;

7. Providing timely, constructive and effective feedback on the student’s work and overall progress within the programme;

8. Ensuring that the student is aware of the need to exercise probity and to conduct research according to ethical principles, and of the implications of research misconduct;

9. Ensuring that the student is aware of sources of advice within the University, including careers guidance, disability services, health and safety legislation and equal opportunities policy;

10. Providing effective pastoral support and, where appropriate, referring the student to other sources of such support within the University;

11. Helping and encouraging the student to interact with others working in the field of research (e.g., through conferences), to keep themselves informed of developments within their subject, and where appropriate to submit conference papers and articles to refereed journals;

12. Maintaining the necessary supervisory expertise;

13. Exercising sensitivity to the diverse needs of individual students, including overseas students.

Furthermore, in order effectively to supervise students at doctoral level, the School has certain minimum expectations of its staff. Individuals may only supervise where they continue to meet these standards:

All supervisors will have appropriate expertise for their role, with at least one member of the supervisory team being currently engaged in research in an appropriate area of the relevant discipline(s), so as to ensure that the direction and monitoring of the student’s progress is informed by up-to-date subject knowledge and research developments. At least one of the supervisors will have experience of supporting research students through to successful completion of their programme.

Furthermore, in appointing a supervisor, the School will ensure that the supervisor’s ability to meet these responsibilities is not put at risk as a result of an excessive volume or range of other responsibilities.

The maximum number of full-time students that can be supervised by an academic is 6.

Members of staff joining the University as early career academics will receive training in research supervision as part of the York Certificate of Academic Practice. All supervisors in the School will also receive training on both introductory and advanced issues relating to supervision.

Supervisors will provide advice and guidance on the conduct of the research and on the preparation of the thesis. They will encourage you to participate fully in the planning of your research and to take personal responsibility for the decisions made. They will provide timely, constructive, and effective feedback on the student’s work and overall progress within the programme, ensuring that the student is aware of the need to exercise probity and to conduct research according to ethical principles, and of the implications of research misconduct. They will also ensure you are aware of the need to submit the thesis by the specified deadline.

In terms of your skill development, your supervisory team will ensure that instruction is provided in research methods relevant to your research as well as assessing your generic skill requirements for progress and career aspirations.

In addition to the above, you can reasonably expect your supervisor to read drafts of your work and to provide detailed comments and suggestions for improvement. It is the responsibility of the student to discuss with their supervisors the nature of the written work produced and how much is read. Your supervisors should read a full draft of the thesis and give constructive and thorough written feedback. They will also offer advice and assessment on other modes of academic work and delivery (e.g. presentations, Forum Chairing, publications, etc.).

Your supervisor is your first point of contact with the School and the University system, and you can seek their advice and assistance with any University related matter e.g. provision for any special needs you may have for medical or other reasons. Your supervisor will ensure that you are aware of sources of advice within the University, including careers guidance, health and safety legislation and equal opportunities policy. Similarly, your supervisor is there to direct you when you need to deal with external bodies such as research councils and sponsors. He or she may also be able to introduce you to the national and international research community in your field, to help you to establish useful research contacts and to keep you informed about relevant conferences and workshops.

A good working relationship between student and supervisor is clearly very important. Any problems that develop in this relationship need to be resolved at an early stage. The Researcher Development Team offers courses to assist in this process.

During your 6 monthly TAP meetings, you will have the chance to comment on the quality of supervision and discuss and record any issues you might be having with your supervisory team. These discussions all take place with your TAP team member. You are also welcome to talk to the Director of the PhD Programme.

If, for any reason, there are issues that you wish to discuss concerning your supervisor(s), then the first person to discuss these with is the Director of Postgraduate Research, Prof. Karen Mumford or the Deputy Director of Postgraduate Research, Dr Philip Garnett. You may also discuss any issues with the Research Director, or the Student Office.

In addition, support outside the School is available, at the Graduate Students Association (GSA). The GSA is the primary representative body for all registered postgraduate students at the University of York. Postgraduates are automatically members of the GSA, are encouraged to take part in any of their activities, and are welcome to use any of their services.

The University has a complaints procedure for dealing with complaints of an academic and non-academic nature from students and others.