Supervising Research Degrees is designed for academic staff. It aims to support your development as you begin to supervise PhD students. This unit focuses on supervision within theoretical and practice-based arts disciplines.
The unit is offered by the Exchange as continuing professional development (CPD). Successful completion leads to an accredited SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association) qualification.
Applications are now open for the Autumn 2024 unit
Application deadline: Friday 13 September 2024, 5pm
This unit is for colleagues who are already supervising doctoral students. You must be part of a PhD supervision team at UAL or its partner colleges. Follow the pathway process outlined below to join the unit.
Pathway to Supervising Research Degrees
1. Check you have been officially confirmed as a PhD supervisor
If you work at UAL, check with your College Research administration contact. If you are employed at a partner institution, check locally as appropriate.
2. Attend an Introduction to Supervision workshop
This CPD workshop focuses on supporting students through their PhD journey. You will learn about UAL PhD processes from initial enquiries, applications and recruitment to the viva voce examinations.
Attendance at this workshop is mandatory.
3. Apply to the Supervising Research Degrees unit
Apply to join the unit when:
- you have attended the Introduction to Supervision workshop
- you are supervising doctoral (PhD) student(s) in the current academic year.
The next Supervising Research Degrees unit will begin in October 2024. To be eligible to join, new supervisors must have held a first supervisory meeting with PhD student(s) on or before 30 August 2024.
Supervising Research Degrees unit
The unit aims to support your development as a PhD supervisor. You’ll explore the different theoretical approaches to the doctorate degree and consider their implications for your supervisory practice.
You’ll reflect on your role as a supervisor and how to gather the institutional resources and knowledge to support your research students. We’ll consider the challenges that doctoral students face at each stage of the MPhil/PhD process and the strategies that supervisors can develop to help them.
We’ll discuss relevant literature as you consider successful, ethical and inclusive supervisory practices, which aim to enhance students’ capacity to find a place within their own research communities. You’ll be encouraged to both reflect on your current supervision practice and to define strategies for further development.
Mode of study
Supervising Research Degrees is a part-time unit of study. Under the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, this unit is Level 7 and credit-rated at 20 credits.
Successful completion of this unit leads to an accredited SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association) qualification.
Learning, teaching and assessment
The teaching and learning methods used on this unit include seminars, peer-led workshops, individual and group tutorials, group work and independent study.
For example, in the Autumn term 2024/25 the unit will start in October. From mid-October to end-November you’ll attend workshop sessions and 2 short tutorials. Session dates are:
- Session 1: Wednesday 16 October, 10am-4pm
- Tutorial 1: Wednesday 30 October
- Session 2: Wednesday 6 November, 10am - 4pm
- Tutorial 2: Wednesday 20 November
- Session 3: Wednesday 27 November 10am - 4pm
You’ll be required to complete 3 assignments relating to postgraduate research supervision policy, theory and practice.
Download the Supervising Research Degrees Unit Descriptor (Word 29KB).
Entry requirements
Applicants for this unit must:
- be part of a supervision team at UAL or a UAL partner institution.
- have attended an Introduction to Supervision CPD workshop.
- be supervising doctoral students in the current academic year:
- you must have held a first supervision meeting with PhD student(s) on or before 30 August 2024 to join the unit in October 2024.
- if you join a supervision team after 30 August you will be eligible to apply for the unit at a later date.
All applications must be supported by your line manager and UAL College Research administration (UAL staff) or your employer (external applicants).
Fees and Funding
There is no charge to UAL colleagues (or College Research Offices) for this unit.
The fee for this unit for external participants in 2024/25 is £1,480 for Home students and £3,170 for Overseas non-UK students.
How to apply
Step 1. Complete the authorisation form
Internal (UAL) applicants
- Download the Internal authorisation form (Word 42KB).
- Both your UAL line manager and your Research Administration contact must agree you can apply to study.
- Save an electronic copy of the signed form, ready to apply online.
External applicants
- Download the External authorisation form (Word 42KB).
- Ask your employer to sign to authorise your application and confirm they will pay the fee for the unit.
- Save an electronic copy of the signed form, ready to apply online.
Step 2. Complete an online application
Internal (UAL) and external applicants
You will need to create an account using an external (non-UAL) email address and upload:
- A copy of your passport
- If this is a non-UK passport please also upload a copy of your residence permit.
- A copy of the certificate for your highest level qualification
- A copy of your completed authorisation form (saved electronically) in the reference section.
What happens next?
After you apply you will receive an automated email to confirm your application has been submitted.
You will be notified of the decision on your application by email: please check the non-UAL email account that you used to apply online.
We will enrol you onto the unit when we receive confirmation that you have attended the Introduction to Supervision CPD Workshop and that you are supervising PhD students in the current academic year.
Places on this unit are limited. If we are oversubscribed places will be allocated in consultation with your College/Institute/Department.
Opportunities for all
UAL is committed to diversity, individuality and equality. We support all students, including those who have dyslexia, long term health conditions, mental health issues, physical or sensory impairments or autism spectrum disorders.
If you have, or think that you might have, a disability please contact the University Disability Service as soon as possible to discuss your support needs. All enquiries are treated confidentially.
Contacting the Disability Service in good time means that the right support can be put in place for you should you need it.
Disability Service: +44 (0)20 7514 6156/6157 or disability@arts.ac.uk