Code of Practice on Research Students
The University's Code of Practice on Research Students outlines a minimum set of requirements for all parties involved in the awarding of doctoral degrees.
View the Code of Practice on Research Students
Monitoring and assessment templates
We have a number of University templates for students, supervisors and assessors that facilitate the process of monitoring the progress of students on research degrees.
- Learning needs analysis of training needs and supervision discussion points
- Annual review of progress (student/supervisor template) (Word document, 0.02 MB)
- Annual review of progress (assessor template) (Word document, 0.02 MB)
- Confirmation of registration (student/supervisor template) (Word document, 0.02 MB)
- Confirmation of registration (assessor template) (Word document, 0.02 MB)
Programme specifications
All our PhD programmes have a programme specification which outlines details about what your studies will entail.
Read more about programme specifications
Submitting your thesis
Find out more about the process of submitting your thesis if you are studying for a PhD, MPhil, or LLM. We also have specific guidance for submitting your doctoral thesis electronically.
Thesis submission and examination
Electronic deposition of doctoral theses
Guides for students
The Doctoral and Researcher College has created guides specifically for doctoral students in order to accompany some of the University's formal policies.
Immigration
We provide detailed guidance for all doctoral students who need a visa to enter the UK and study at the University.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for doctoral students
If you are doing research or fieldwork involving young people or vulnerable adults, you may require a DBS check.
DBS checks for research and fieldwork
Research councils' open access and research data policies
If you are a doctoral researcher funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), you need to be aware of the UKRI open access and research data policies.
How to comply with research councils' open access and research data policies
Researchfish
Researchfish is the system that UK research councils use to gather feedback from all research council-funded researchers – including doctoral researchers – about the outcomes from their research work.
Find out more about submitting feedback to Researchfish
Research ethics
All research raises ethical issues. Some research cannot be carried out by members of this University without the approval of the Research Ethics Committee.
Ethics guidance on the University's research and enterprise website
Academic misconduct
Research students are expected to uphold the University's expected standards on academic integrity and academic misconduct (PDF, 0.2 MB).
University of Reading statement on academic misconduct
Procedures for appeals against confirmation of registration decisions
This document sets out the procedure by which a student may appeal against a school’s decision to alter the registration from PhD to MPhil.
Please note that the procedures do not apply in cases where the recommendation of the "confirmation of registration" process is that a student's registration be terminated.
Procedures for appeals against termination of registration resulting from non-submission of a thesis by the maximum registration date
The purpose of this document is to outline the appropriate procedures to be followed in the event that a research student does not submit their thesis by their Maximum Registration Date. The policy and procedures set out in the document apply specifically to PhD and MPhil students. They also normally apply in cases where the research element of a Professional Doctorate programme has not been submitted by the Maximum Registration Date.