What is the unsatisfactory academic progress procedure?

This is a procedure for postgraduate research students to ensure appropriate progress is made at each stage of the degree. If your supervisor has concerns about your progress they should put these in writing, normally via GRAD, the progress monitoring system.

You should get a chance to discuss your progress and raise any issues you feel might be affecting your work. This is part of the normal supervision process and should be recorded on GRAD in the same way.

If your progress doesn’t improve then your supervisor will raise the issue with the Postgraduate Research Tutor (or the Head of School if your supervisor is your PGRT). The Postgraduate Research Tutor will decide if the concerns are enough to start the procedure.

If the procedure begins one of two things will happen:

1) If they think the progress concerns do impact on whether you can complete your program, but there’s a chance you could recover this if you improve your performance, you’ll need to go to a meeting to discuss your progress and create a plan on how you’ll improve. If this is the case you’ll get a letter and the meeting will happen within 10 working days.

2) In extreme circumstances, where your lack of progress means you can’t finish your programme, the PGRT can make a recommendation to the Programs of Study and Audit Group that you are withdrawn from the course. This should only happen if there have been serious concerns raised over a period of time and there’s evidence that you’ve been offered support.

The meeting

At the meeting there’ll be the PGRT, one member of your supervisory team, and a supporter if you want to bring one.

You need to attend the meeting, otherwise a decision will have to be made without you being present. If you’re not in the UK the meeting can happen over Skype. The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss any issues with your academic progress and how these can be solved. Your progress will then be reviewed in the next few months.

One of four things could come from the meeting:

You have made satisfactory progress and no further action needs to be taken
A decision on progression could be deferred for a maximum of three months.
For PhD students only, that satisfactory progress hasn’t been made, but you can carry on for the degree of M Phil

You haven’t made satisfactory progress so a recommendation will be made to the Programmes of Study and Audit Group that you cannot carry on with your studies.

How we can help?

We can help with all stages of the process.

We can:

· Discuss your situation and options with you

· Give you an honest opinion

· Help you write any statements required

· Advise you on any response that you receive

· Accompany you to a meeting

· Advise you on the next stages if you are not successful