INSTITUTE of

COMMONWEALTH STUDIES








MPhil / PhD Student Handbook
2012-13






3
CONTENTS
Introduction 5
Doctoral Studies at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
Welcome from the Dean
The School of Advanced Study

Contact Details 6

Academic Staff Office Hours 7

Key Dates / Term Dates 7

Introducing the Staff 8

Induction: Programme for Registration and Orientation 10

Research Students Induction 11

Doctoral Preparation and Mentoring 12
Initial Stages
Meetings and Evaluations

Progress and Assessment 13
Annual Progress Report

Procedures and Timetable for the Progression and Upgrading of
Research Students
13
Full-time Students
Part-time Students
Intermission

Research Methodologies 16
Programme 2009-10

Quality Assurance: MPhil & PhD Degrees 18
Responsibilities of Students and Supervisors
Code of Practice
Students Responsibilities
The Library Handbook 20

General Information 23
Admission
Tuition Fees

General Resources and Facilities 25
School of Advanced Study ID Card
SCONUL Access Scheme
Research Skills Training
Academic Advice
4
Computers and Email 27
SAS Email accounts
ULRLS Digital Resource Centre
Catalogue Access and Web Kiosk
Laptop Usage
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
SAS-Space E-Repository

SAS Student Representatives Committee 29

University of London Careers Group Information, Advice and
Workshops
29

Student Welfare 29
Accommodation
Personal Safety
Counselling and Advice
Financial Welfare
Council Tax
Health
Overseas Students
University of London Students Union
Disability and Special Needs Access
School of Advanced Study Disability Support

Academic Discipline; Harassment and Discrimination 40
Attendance and Academic Performance
Harassment and Discrimination

Regulations for MPhil and PhD Degrees 42

Plagiarism 44

Ethical Practice 46

Procedures Governing Academic Misconduct in Relation to
Assessment
48

Graduation 51

Equality and Diversity 52
Disability
















5


Introduction


Doctoral Studies at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
The Institute of Commonwealth Studies is the only postgraduate academic institution in the UK
devoted to the study of the Commonwealth. It is the national and international centre of excellence for
policy-relevant research and teaching on Commonwealth studies, focusing on North-South relations,
global peace and security, development, good governance, human rights and the politics of civil
society.
The Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICwS) has been supervising, examining and awarding
interdisciplinary doctoral degrees for over half a century. Most of its current doctoral research is in the
social sciences especially in the fields of development studies, human rights and human development,
international relations, sociology, political science and public policy. It also covers Commonwealth
history. However, research is not limited to Commonwealth countries as ICwS also looks at other
countries as comparators and investigates the global role of the Commonwealth itself and its non-state
civil society associations.

Welcome from the Dean

I would like to welcome you to the School of Advanced Study, whether you are joining us for the first
time, or returning for further research. The School is a unique institution in UK Higher Education,
uniting ten Research Institutes of international repute, seven of them with significant library resources;
we believe that we offer an outstanding multidisciplinary environment for advanced learning and
research in the humanities and social sciences, and we greatly value the contribution that all our
students make to this environment.

We are glad that you have decided to bring your talents to the School and to participate in the vital and
exciting enterprise of pursuing and disseminating knowledge. The purpose of this handbook is to give
you full information about what is available, what to expect, how to get it, and what to do if problems
arise. While your home Institute will be responsible for most aspects of your studies, the School and its
Registry play an overarching role in ensuring that you progress smoothly through your course or
research, and that from the time of your registration to the awarding of your degree your academic and
personal interests are safeguarded. We hope that you will find this handbook useful (and would
welcome suggestions for ways in which it might be improved), and that it will help to guarantee that
your period of study at the School is as rewarding an experience as you, and we, would wish.

Professor Roger Kain
Dean

Description of the School

The School (or SAS) unites ten specialist humanities and social science
research Institutes at the centre of the University of London. Located in
Bloomsbury, the School has strong links with the Colleges of the University
and with the wider national and international research community in each of
its disciplines. The School and Institutes run a varied programme of
seminars, conferences, lectures, workshops, and research training events.
The combined collections of the Institute libraries and the Senate House
Library form the Senate House Libraries.

The School has a unique atmosphere of both specialised scholarly study and
interdisciplinary collegiality. There are approximately 300 Masters and
Research students in the School who, with staff and researchers, form a
friendly and lively academic community.
6

Contact Details

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

School of Advanced Study
2
nd
Floor, South Block,
Senate House, Malet Street,
London, WC1E 7HU
Tel: +44 (0)20 7862 8844 Fax: +44 (0)20 7862 8813
Email:ics@sas.ac.uk http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/

Academic Staff

Name and Title Phone Number Room Email
Prof Philip Murphy
Director
020 7862 8841 223 Philip.Murphy@sas.ac.uk

Prof James Manor
Emeka Anyaoku Chair
020 7862 8826 222 James.Manor@sas.ac.uk

Dr Damien Short
Senior Lecturer
in Human Rights
020 7862 8836 228 Damien.Short@sas.ac.uk

Dr Corinne Lennox
MA Course Convenor
020 7664 5582 229 Corinne.Lennox@sas.ac.uk

Dr David Cantor
Lecturer in International Human
Rights Law
020 7862 8827 231A David.Cantor@sas.ac.uk

Dr Leo Zeilig
Assistant Director, Commonwealth
Advisory Bureau
020 7862 8864 230 Leo.Zeilig@sas.ac.uk

Administrative Staff

Name and Title Phone Number Room Email
Administrative Manager
Paul Sullivan
020 7862 8828 225 Paul.Sullivan@sas.ac.uk
Student Officer
Simon Lund-Lack
020 7862 8844 211
(8am-4pm)
Simon.Lund-
Lack@sas.ac.uk

School of Advanced Study Registry

Rosemary Lambeth, Registrar (Rosemary.Lambeth@sas.ac.uk)
Rachel Stickland, Deputy Registrar (Rachel.Stickland@sas.ac.uk)
Kalinda Hughes, Assistant Registrar (Kalinda.Huges@sas.ac.uk)
Katie Barton, Assistant Registrar (Katie.Barton@sas.ac.uk)
Evert Nivari, Admissions & Finance (Evert.Nivari@sas.ac.uk)

Room 204 and Room 211, South Block
Senate House, Malet Street
London WC1E 7HU
Tel: +44 (0)20 7862 8661 (Evert) / 8662 (Rachel) / 8663 (Katie) / 8873 (Kalinda)
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7862 8657
General email: SAS.Registry@sas.ac.uk
School Website: www.sas.ac.uk
School Intranet: https://intranet.sas.ac.uk/ (log-in details required)










7


Introducing the Staff

Director of the Institute

Professor Philip Murphy, BA, DPhil (Oxon.); became director of the Institute of Commonwealth
studies in September 2009. He previously taught at the University of Reading. His work has
concentrated on post-war British decolonization and the history of the British and Commonwealth
intelligence community. He is the author of Party Politics and Decolonization: The Conservative Party
and British Colonial Policy in Tropical Africa 1951-1964 (1995) and Alan Lennox-Boyd: A Biography
(1999), and editor of British Documents on the End of Empire: Central Africa (2005). He is currently
writing a book for Oxford University Press on the British Monarchy and the post-war Commonwealth.
Philip Murphy's work on intelligence history has included a number of articles examining intelligence
liaison as an aspect of Commonwealth relations. He is currently co-editor of The Journal of Imperial
and Commonwealth History.

Professor James Manor, BA (Yale), DPhil (Sussex); the second Emeka Anyaoku Professor at the
Institute holds a D.Phil. from the University of Sussex, and is the co-author of Against the Odds:
Politicians and Institutions in the Struggle against Poverty, and with Professor Crook of Democracy
and Decentralisation in South Asia and West Africa; the author of The Political Economy of
Democratic Decentralisation (World Bank, Washington, 1999); and the editor of Aid that Works:
Successful Development in Fragile States (World Bank, Washington, 2006), along with several other
books. Between 2006 and 2008, he was also the V.K.R.V. Rao Professor at the Institute for Social and
Economic Change, Bangalore, India. He has previously taught at Yale, Harvard, London and Sussex
Universities. He was the Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies for four years during the
1990s

Dr Damien Short, LLB (University of Wales), MA, PhD (University of Essex); is a Senior Lecturer in
Human Rights, and Director of the Human Rights Consortium. He was a Senior Lecturer in human
rights at Roehampton University, London and Convener of the Erasmus Mundus MA Human Rights
Practice. Prior to this he was a postdoctoral fellow in the department of sociology and the Human
Rights Centre at the University of Essex. He has published many articles on indigenous peoples,
reconciliation and on the social construction of land rights. His interests include sociological and
anthropological approaches to human rights, indigenous rights, reconciliation initiatives and genocide
studies. A monograph titled Reconciliation and Colonial Power: Indigenous Rights in Australia
(Aldershot: Ashgate) was published in March 2008. He is currently working on a new monograph
titled Genocides? for Zed Books.

Dr Corinne Lennox, BA (McMaster), MA (Essex), MSc, PhD (LSE), Corinne Lennox is the course
convenor for the MA in Human Rights and responsible for the Securing Human Rights modules. Her
research focuses on issues of minority rights protection, and on human rights and development. As an
ESRC scholar, she completed her PhD in the Department of International Relations at the London
School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2009 with a focus on the transnational
mobilisation and norm entrepreneurship of Roma, Afro-descendants and Dalits. She has worked for
many years as a human rights practitioner and trainer with various NGOs, including at Minority Rights
Group International from 2001-2006. She has been a consultant on minority rights for the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights and the Swiss government. She has been a visiting lecturer in human rights for the Open
Society Institute, Roehampton University and at the University of Essex, where she co-designed the
undergraduate programme in human rights.

Dr David Cantor, BA Hons (Cantab.), MSc Dist. (SOAS), PhD (Essex); teaches the Translating
Human Rights into Law modules. His doctorate in international law at the University of Essex focused
on the return of internally displaced persons to their homes during situations of armed conflict and
involved in-depth field research across rural Colombia. In 2008-09, he taught refugee and human rights
law on the Masters programs at University of Essex. In 2007-08 he was a Visiting Research Professor
in Law at Javeriana University, Bogot. Until 2006, David was Legal Officer at the Refugee Legal
Centre, London, and has also worked within the United Nations High Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR). He is a graduate of Kings College Cambridge and SOAS. He has also worked in Papua
New Guinea, North America and Ecuador.
Dr Leo Zeilig has written extensively on movements for democratic change and political transitions in
sub-Saharan Africa. He has also worked as an independent journalist and during the presidential
elections in Zimbabwe in 2002 he coordinated the Independent Media Centre. He has worked as a
lecturer at Universit Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal, and as a lecturer and researcher at Brunel
8
University, London; the Centre for Sociological Research at the University of Johannesburg and as a
Senior Lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Administrative Manager
Paul Sullivan is the Administrative Manager of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and is
responsible for all day to day operations of the Institute, including its financial and administrative
functions, working closely with the Director and with colleagues within the School of Advanced Study.

Student Officer
Simon Lund-Lack is the Institutes Student Officer. His responsibilities include student information
and support, clerical support for the Institutes research and taught degrees, processing applications and
helping with student enquiries


Academic Calendar 2012-13

Term Dates 2012-13
Registration Day: Monday 1
st
October 2012
Autumn: Monday 1
st
October - Friday 14
th
December 2012
Spring: Monday 7
th
January - Friday 22
nd
March 2013
Summer: Tuesday 7
th
May - Friday 28
th
June 2013
Holidays and Observances
Easter Holiday: Wednesday 27
th
March Tuesday 2
nd
April 2013 inclusive.
Good Friday Friday 29
th
March 2013
Easter Sunday Sunday 31
st
March 2013
Easter Monday Monday 1
st
April 2013
May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 6
th
May 2013
Spring Bank Holiday: Monday 27
th
May 2013
Summer Bank Holiday Monday 26
th
August 2013
University Closure Dates

Christmas /New Year: Saturday 22
nd
December 2012 to Tuesday 1
st
January 2013 inclusive. Offices
will shut at the close of business on Friday 21
st
December 2012 and re-open on Wednesday 2
nd
January
2013. Easter: Thursday 28
th
March 2013 to Tuesday 2
nd
April inclusive. Also, please note that on
Foundation Day (Wednesday 28
th
November 2012), the University will be closed from 3pm onwards.

9
Induction: Programme for Registration and Orientation

Research Student induction takes place on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 October 2012. Its
essential for all new research students to attend. Details and a full programme will be sent to you
shortly, but for further information please contact Katie Barton (Katie.barton@sas.ac.uk).

Research Skills Training

The School of Advanced Study draws on its research and teaching expertise to provide full
programmes of tailored research and skills training to support its students and graduate researchers in
their wider preparation for careers in academia and elsewhere. The School has a varied and challenging
research training programme offered centrally through the School and individually through its
Institutes. Details are available at www.sas.ac.uk/researchtraining.html, or contact Katie Barton
(katie.barton@sas.ac.uk) for more information. The School produces an annual Handbook on Research
Skills Training, which is made available online at the website address above and given to all students in
hard copy following registration

As well as the generic research skills workshops and the two-day research students induction (see
annex), the programme includes an extensive research methodologies course aimed at first-year
research students in the social sciences; and for all research students a intensive Managing Information
for Research Course, run by specialist Senate House librarians. Details of these, and the wealth of
other training opportunities available, can be sought from Katie Barton.

Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network
www.ucl.ac.uk/gradschool/bloomsbury

The School collaborates in the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network (BPSN) with University
College London, Institute of Education, School of Oriental and African Studies, School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Royal Veterinary College, London Business School and
Birkbeck College.

BPSN is an online community network which allows its participating institutions to publicise their
research training courses and making them available to each others students. A wide range of courses
in generic and transferable skills training are on offer, all of which are free to research students.
Students in member institutions may take skills training courses in other institutions subject to
availability of places.

For information on courses available, and the method of application and registration see the Network
website: www.ucl.ac.uk/gradschool/bloomsbury. SAS research students can book a place on any of the
non-SAS courses online via BPSN.

Tuition Fees

Course fees for the 2012/13 academic year are as follows:

Fee Status Mode of Study Fee (2012/13)
Home/EU Full-Time 5,489
Continuing Full-Time 4,515
Home/EU Part-Time 2,745
Continuing Part-Time 2,257
Overseas Full-Time 13,500
Continuing Full-Time 12,000
Please note that tuition fees are subject to a yearly uplift.
Payment

A copy of the Schools comprehensive Tuition Fee Policy is included in your registration packs, and is
viewable here: http://www.sas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/graduate-
study/Tuition%20fee%20policy.pdf. Please be aware of the key points.

10
You should ensure that you have the funds available to pay your fees before you embark on a
programme. Payment of tuition fees in full or payment of the first instalment is required prior to
registration. You will not be permitted to proceed to your viva, or be awarded your degree unless you
have paid all fees and any other amount owing to another institution, such as library fines, residence
fees etc.

Please communicate with Registry if you run into financial difficulties during the course of your
studies, such that you cannot pay your fees on time.


Doctoral Preparation and Mentoring

Each research student should buy at least one book on the challenge (psychological as well as
intellectual) and process of conceiving, researching, preparing, revising and defending a doctoral
dissertation: for example: Patrick Dunleavy on Authoring a PhD: How to Plan, Draft, Write and
Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003), Kate A Turabian, A
Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations , John M Swales and Christine B Freak
Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills (University of Michigan Press,
2004 second edition) and Derek Swetnam, Writing Your Dissertation: How to Plan, Prepare and
Present Successful Work (Oxford: Howtobooks, 2004 third edition). These are available a short walk
away from the Institute on the first floor of Waterstones on the corner of Malet Street and Torrington
Place, under Style/Essay.

Initial Stages

Discussion of your research subject area with your Supervisor who can advise on the suitability of
the proposed topic and good sources of research material.

Conduct an initial literature review. Identify your main sources for the thesis.

Based on your initial literature review and in discussion with your Supervisor, narrow the subject
down and make a clear, concise outline of the project. If you are researching a long period in time
or a wide ranging subject - specify which years, which geographical location or particular aspect of
the subject area you will concentrate on in your thesis. It is better to cover a specific topic in depth
than a broad topic superficially. Summarise the arguments you might address within the thesis.

Research
checking library databases
searching electronic sources
gathering books and articles
reading

Writing up the Chapter/Thesis
devising the Chapter/Thesis structure
writing up Chapter/Thesis
re-reading to ensure that it makes sense
editing any irrelevant information
ensuring that your introduction, argument and conclusions follow on and relate to each other
proof-reading for any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes
writing up a complete and correct bibliography.


Meetings and Evaluations

The Institutes Research and Higher Degrees Committee (RHDC) meets once a term, three times a
year, to discuss all aspects of the MPhil / PhD attached to the Institute. Your progress is monitored
closely via your own reports and your supervisors reports, to this Committee.
The RHDC acts as an Audit Committee when reviewing and monitoring teaching, and approves new
programmes or modules. It reports to the School of Advanced Study Academic Quality and Standards
Committee (AQSC).





11
Progress and Assessment
By the end of the second term of the first year, or by end of the first term in the second year in the
case of part-time students, you should have achieved the following:
portfolio of work related to the training course
10,000 word report, comprising a research proposal, a review of the relevant literature
pertaining to the thesis topic, and a detailed bibliography.
This documentation will be assessed by your Supervisor. This assessment will take place
at the end of the Summer Term for full-time students and at the end of the second Autumn
Term for part-time students. Only students who satisfy their Supervisor and the Institute's
Higher Degrees Committee that they have successfully completed their training year and
have a manageable research proposal will be permitted to proceed.
In subsequent years formal assessment will be undertaken at least annually by your Supervisor
who reports to the Higher Degrees Committee.
The formal assessment of each year depends on reports by you, the student, and your Supervisor.
This will be supplemented by your papers to seminars.
Students whose progress is deemed unsatisfactory by the student's Supervisor may be asked to
suspend registration.
The Higher Degrees Committee will also receive a short mid-year progress form, completed by the
supervisor, at the beginning of each Term.
If you consider that your work is not progressing satisfactorily for reasons outside your control,
representations can be made to the Institutes Higher Degrees Committee. You may consult the
Convener about any matter concerned with the progress of academic work. If the Research
Postgraduate Convener [who is the RPC convenor?] is your Supervisor, you may consult the
Director, or contact the Registry.
When you have established your field of research and produced work of an appropriate quality
(normally at least two completed draft chapters and a detailed outline of the thesis), your
Supervisor may recommend that your registration be transferred from MPhil to PhD.
If you are aiming for a PhD your thesis must form a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the
subject and contain evidence of originality shown by the discovery of new facts and/or by the
exercise of independent critical power. You will be expected to be enrolled full-time for three
years (or five years in the case of part-time students), and to submit the thesis within four years of
registration (or six years for part-time students).


Annual Progress Report

Research Students are required to complete the Annual Progress Report Form recording their progress
during the academic session and research plans for the following year, in advanced of the May Higher
Degrees Committee (RHDC) meeting. The Annual Progress Report Form is the basis for discussion of
the student's progression during the year with their Supervisor.

General Resources and Information

University of London Careers Group: Information, Advice & Workshops

Many Postgraduate students are interested in developing their careers, either within their current field
of work or in something completely new. C2, part of the University of London Careers Group, offers
expertise and experience in working with students and graduates of all ages and at all stages of career
development. As well as job alerts, and a careers library, very Friday from 3.20 pm to 5.00 pm, C2 runs
fifteen minute one-to-one discussions for SAS students . They can work as a signposting session for
students with general queries, but is also ideal for CV, covering letter and application form checks.
Where necessary, it can also lead on to a longer career discussion. Get in touch with to book your
appointment: by phone, 020 7863 6030 or by email: c2education@careers.lon.ac.uk

They also offer Personality Assessment Workshops, Specialist Workshops for PhD and Masters
Students, Employer Presentations, Computer-based Career Guidance Programs as well as invaluable
information on Course Funding.

For more information visit the http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/output/Page19.asp




12
Accommodation

We hope that by the time you register with us, your accommodation needs will have been met.
However, if this is not the case, or you encounter problems with your current accommodation, you
should contact the University of Housing Services in the ULU Building, Malet Street on 020 7862
8880, or email housing@lon.ac.uk. The Office also provides general information and advice on
housing and living costs in London. Other useful information can be found at www.housing.lon.ac.uk
and http://www.studenthousing.lon.ac.uk/cms/. If you require accommodation for future years, these
addresses will also be of use. There is also a section on the SAS website, which lists some useful
information: http://www.sas.ac.uk/facstud.html#c706.

Intercollegiate Halls of Residence

First year SAS students can apply for Intercollegiate Halls of Residence accommodation via the
Registry. Only full-time students are eligible to apply. However, part-time students with disabilities
that prevent them from studying on a full-time basis are also eligible. Detailed information on the
application process is sent to all eligible students from the Registry in the May/June. Unfortunately, the
School only has a small quota of 13 places.

There is a separate application process for disabled (specially adapted), couples and family-sized Halls
accommodation, which fall outside of the Schools quota. Please contact the SAS Registry for advice
on the application process or the Intercollegiate Halls Accommodation Bureau (contact details as
follows):

Intercollegiate Halls Accommodation Bureau
International Hall
Lansdowne Terrace
London WC1N 1AS
Telephone: (+44) (0)207 822 3333
Fax: (+44) (0)207 278 9720
Email: info.halls@london.ac.uk

A waiting list for late or unsuccessful applicants will be held in early September for all Halls. Students
who are not in their first year of study in the 2012-13 academic year can also apply to the waiting list.
A list of the Halls and further information on how to apply to the waiting list will be posted on the
University of London website in early September 2012: http://www.london.ac.uk/112.html. Any
applicants on the Schools reserves list will automatically receive further details of the waiting list
application process.

Halls of Residence can also often offer short-term accommodation to students and visitors over the
summer months. Please contact the Accommodation Bureau for further information.



Counselling and Advice

Students may find the following contact numbers useful.

For general welfare advice
Nightline (6 pm to 8 am): 020 7631 0101

For legal advice
Citizens Advice Bureau: www.adviceguide.org.uk. The local bureau for the School is: 3rd
Floor, Holborn Library, 32-38 Theobalds Road, London, WC1X 8PA, tel: 08451 202965.
Community Legal Service Direct: www.clsdirect.org.uk: enables users to find providers
funded by the Legal Services Commission (LSC)

For advice on debt
National Debtline: 0808 808 4000; www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

For counselling services
Waterloo Counselling Service: http://cypdirectory.southwark.gov.uk/AtoZEntry.aspx?id=607
Offers general counselling services as well as multi ethnic counselling
Tel 020 7928 3462; Barley Mow Clinic, Frazier Street, London, SE1 7BD
Please note that there is a cost for this service (approximately 10 per session for students)

For advice on mental health issues
13
Mind: www.mind.org.uk/: a national charity which can provide help and advice to students
experiencing any form of mental distress
Depression: www.studentdepression.org and www.Cwmt.org have helpful information and
advice

If you have longer term mental health difficulties, you may wish to consider declaring this as a
disability. This may thus entitle you to counselling from the Schools disability advisors (see p x
below). This counselling is specifically geared to assisting you complete your studies successfully.


Grants and studentships

You may be eligible to apply for an AHRC studentship under the Schools Block Group Partnership
(BGP). Applicants must have been ordinarily resident in the UK other than for the sole purpose of full-
time education, for three consecutive years immediately prior to the application. EU applicants are
normally eligible for a fees only award. Applications are made through the School and you should
contact your Institute Administrator or tutor/supervisor if you are considering making an application
for the 2013-14 academic.

Further information on funding can be found in the Prospects Postgraduate Funding guide, at
www.prospects.ac.uk under funding my further study, at www.hero.ac.uk/ and on the Direct Gov
website in the Funding Postgraduate Study pages www.direct.gov.uk.

Access to Learning Fund

The Access to Learning Fund (ALF) provides discretionary financial assistance for home students
particularly to meet extra costs that cannot be met from other sources of support. The Fund is intended
to alleviate unexpected financial hardship, but cannot be used to pay towards the tuition fees. Students
should have explored other sources of funding they might be eligible for. You can apply for help from
the Fund at any time during the academic year including the summer period. Completed applications
will be considered upon receipt and decisions will be announced as soon as possible. No student will
have to wait longer than 5 weeks for a decision on their application and grants will normally be made
immediately. The School will, where necessary, make provision for emergency or short-term help.
Grants from the Fund are non-repayable. Unfortunately, overseas students are not eligible. Forms and
further information are available from the Schools Registry Office, and from the Schools Intranet:
https://intranet.sas.ac.uk/forms.html (login details required).

Professional and Career Development Loans

A Professional and Career Development Loan (PCDL) is a deferred repayment bank loan to help you
pay for vocational learning or education. Loans are offered at reduced customer interest rates. You may
be able to borrow between 300 and 10,000, which can be used to cover up to 80% of course fees
(100% if you have been unemployed for three months or more at the time of application) plus any
related expenses including books, childcare, and travel. Visit
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/C
areerDevelopmentLoans/index.htm, or call 0800 585 505. The Schools Learning Provider Number is
2901.

US Federal Loans
US Federal Loans

William D Ford Federal Direct Loans
The School of Advanced Study participates in the Federal Direct Loan programme:
https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action. Unsubsidized Loans and Plus Loans are available
through the Direct Loan programme operated by the US Education Department. Direct Loans are
educational loans to assist US citizens with the costs of studying. Unsubsidized Direct Loans should be
considered first as this is usually the cheapest way of borrowing. If needed, additional funding should
then be considered by applying for a Direct Plus Loan. The maximum total borrowed from Direct
Loans cannot exceed the annual maximum Cost of Attendance as set by the School. The Schools
Direct Loan Federal Code is G06696 listed under School of Advanced Study University of London

Applying for Federal Loans at the School of Advanced Study
You should have accepted an unconditional offer for a place on an on-campus degree at the School and
be an eligible US citizen to apply for a US Federal Direct Loan. Please note that only on-campus
degree students are eligible for Federal Direct Loans at SAS. Students studying by distance-learning or
at certificate or diploma level are not eligible. There are a number of steps to applying for a Direct
Loan. Applications usually take 4-6 weeks to be processed so early application is advised.
14

Contact details for US Loan queries: Miss Kalinda Hughes, US Federal Loans Financial Aid
Administrator
Email: sas.registry@sas.ac.uk; tel: +44 (0)20 7862 8873; fax: +44 (0)20 7862 8657.

Benefits

The majority of students cannot apply for benefits. Exceptions may include lone parents, students with
disabilities, pensioners, and part-time students on low incomes. Students should contact their local
benefits office for more details or browse the Direct Gov web site at
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm.

Council Tax

The Council Tax is a tax payable on dwellings. If you are a full-time student you are exempt from
paying Council Tax. You will not have to pay Council Tax if you live in:

University Halls;
A shared house or flat where all residents are students.

If you live in a bedsit or rent a room from a landlord, the landlord should be responsible for payment of
Council Tax.

If you live in a house with non-students Council Tax will probably apply and the other occupants may
wish to pass on some of the cost to you.

If you are a full-time student living at home with a lone parent your parent should be able to claim 25%
discount on their Council Tax.
If you are a full-time student living with both parents there will be no reduction to their Council Tax
bill.

The Schools Registry can provide full-time students with written confirmation that you are a student
registered at the University of London and therefore exempt from Council Tax.

Health

You are advised to register with a local doctor (GP surgery). All students including overseas students
(and their dependants) are entitled to health care under the NHS. If you are living near here, you may
wish to register at one of two local GP surgeries nearby:

20 Gower Street London WC1E 6DP. This offers a comprehensive health service, including:

o Doctors appointments. To see a doctor, you should make an appointment (phone 020
7636 7628)
o Daily nurses clinics. Walk-in sessions
o Travel Clinic. You can get both inoculations and advice on overseas travel.
Appointment necessary
o Psychiatric help and counselling

Other services provided include: cervical smears, contraception, asthma clinics, child health,
immunisation, health checks, healthy lifestyle and diet clinics, minor surgery, maternity care
and repeat prescription service.

Bedford Square Medical Centre, which is located at 60 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B
3QU, telephone: 020 7580 7128, fax: 020 7580 2062.

If you live outside the catchment areas for the GP surgeries listed above, or wish to choose another, you
should visit the NHS Choices website, where you can search for local doctors and dentists:
www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/Pages/ServiceSearch.aspx.

Additional Information for Overseas Students

There are several sources of information and support available for overseas students.

1. UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA): 9-17 St Albans Place, London, N1 0NX,
http://www.ukcosa.org.uk/, tel: outside the UK - +44 20 7107 9922, inside the UK - 020 7107
9922.
15
2. British Council Education UK: 10 Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2BN, www.britishcouncil.org,
www.educationuk.org, tel: 0161 957 7755 (general enquiries)
3. British Refugee Council: 240-250 Ferndale Road, London SW9 8BB, www.refugeecouncil.org.uk,
tel: 020 7346 6700.
4. International Students House, 229 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PN, www.ish.org.uk, tel
020 7631 8300.
5. BrightsideUNIAID, information about careers, budgeting and Student Wiki.
www.brightsideuniaid.org



Visas

You will be aware that stringent UK immigration regulations have been introduced over recent years.
International students need to apply for Tier 4 General Student Visa for entry to the UK. For detailed
information on the student visa application process, please visit the UK Border Agencys (UKBA)
website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/

Under the new system, the School has a number of legal responsibilities in order to fulfil its obligations
as a student sponsor. If you enter the UK on a student visas you should be aware of these. The UKBA
website lists both the sponsors and students obligations in full, but please note that we are legally
required to

keep copies of students' passports and visas;
keep up-to-date contact details for students; and
inform the UKBA if a student fails to enrol on their programme, stops their studies or misses
10 expected contacts (for instance, meetings with your supervisor) on their programmes of
study without reasonably granted permission.

University of London Students Union (ULU)

The Union provides a wide range of social and catering facilities. Most of the facilities are based at the
Unions buildings at Malet Street (tel: 020 7664 2000 or visit the website at www.ulu.co.uk). Facilities
include bars, shops, games rooms, printing, photocopying, faxing, meeting and television rooms,
advice centres (careers and housing), a weekly book market, minibus and launderette. In addition
Endsleigh Insurance and STA Travel, University Vision Opticians, and Ticketline (for booking
coaches, trains, gigs etc.) are based at ULU.

Sports Facilities

ULUs Energy Base fitness club offers fully-equipped fitness suites, a swimming pool, a squash court,
two gymnasiums, a sports hall and new changing rooms. In addition fitness classes and treatments such
as massage, reflexology, physiotherapy, and beauty treatments are on offer.


Graduation


Students graduating in 2013 will be notified of their graduation ceremony date in due course. Detailed
information is sent to students following successful completion of the examination.
16
MA Understanding and Securing Human Rights

THE LIBRARY HANDBOOK

http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/library

Contact Details and Opening Times

Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library
6
th
floor, Senate House Library
Senate House, Malet Street
London WC1E 7HU

Tel: 0207 862 8500
David Clover: Commonwealth Studies Librarian
David.Clover@london.ac.uk

Term opening hours:
Mon-Thu: 09.00 - 21.00
Fri: 09.00 - 18.30
Sat: 09.45 - 17.30

Vacation opening hours:
Mon-Fri 09.00 - 18.00
Sat 09.45 - 17.30

Introduction

The Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library is housed within the Senate House Library and
includes a Teaching Collection dedicated to the taught Masters course at the Institute. It contains
books, reports, periodicals and access to electronic resources relating to the study of human rights.

Senate House Library
www.shl.lon.ac.uk

The Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library is now part of the wider Senate House Library. This
humanities and social sciences library has over two million titles in its collections. It is an invaluable
resource for ICwS students, who may borrow up to ten books for, in most cases, four weeks. Useful
collections include Politics, Economics, Geography and the Latin American and Caribbean collection.

The Commonwealth Studies Library is currently located on the 6th Floor of the Senate House Library,
entered via the 4
th
Floor Library entrance. This space holds relevant collections as well as providing
access to PCs, and has both network access points (you can borrow a cable) and is enabled for wifi
access.

The Librarys Reference Collection supports research in the history, politics, governance, economic
development, and international relations of the Commonwealth and its member states. The importance
of the collection is recognized internationally, and includes a unique collection of political ephemera
and other archival material from the Commonwealth. Most of these resources can be found on the
Library catalogue encore.ulrls.lon.ac.uk and on the Archives and Manuscripts catalogue
archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk . The Reference Collection includes over 200,000 books, 8,000 serial titles, and
230 archive collections, and concentrates on the Commonwealth as an organization, and on the history,
politics, economics, and international relations of its individual member countries outside the UK.

The Librarys holdings of material on issues surrounding human rights within Commonwealth
countries, and on the struggle against the South African apartheid regime are of particular relevance to
MA students. The Library has, in addition to published works, several important archive
collections relating to the apartheid era, including a collection of pamphlets produced by political
parties, trade unions and pressure groups, and archive collections including material related to the
African National Congress [ICS1], from various campaign groups and the papers of Ruth First, the
journalist and anti-apartheid activist assassinated in 1982 [ICS117].

The Senate House Libraries comprise the collections and services of the School of Advanced Study
institute libraries and Senate House Library.
As members of the Senate House Libraries, ICwS students have
borrowing rights to Senate House Library and to the IALS Library (see below);
reference access to most SAS institute library collections within the Senate House Libraries;




access to a wide range of online resources see:
http://www.shl.lon.ac.uk/resources/databases.shtml
17

The Teaching Collection
This collection of short-loan books and journals supports the MA and is located on open access shelves
in the Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library. The Teaching Collection contains a reference and
short-loan collection of books and monographs, along with reference-only journals and offprints, as
well as access to e-books and e-journals and databases. The library provides students with access to
resources via the Virtual Learning Environment (Studyonline).

New materials are being added continuously and suggestions are welcome.

Books and reports
The Teaching Collections human rights material focuses on recommended readings and
the philosophy and theory of human rights;
international human rights law;
the role and activities of NGOs and intergovernmental organizations.
reports and publications from governments; human rights commissions; and NGOs.

J ournals
The Library has current subscriptions to around 30 journals in the Teaching Collection, including
Human Rights Quarterly;
International Journal of Human Rights;
Journal of Genocide Research;
Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights.

ICwS students borrowing rights from the teaching collection depend on their mode of study:
Full-time students may borrow up to 3 books for a period of two days.
Part-time students can borrow up to 2 books for a period of one week.
To ensure their prompt return, fines of 1/day are charged for overdue items.
Journals are reference-only at all times.

The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): Study Online
http://studyonline.sas.ac.uk
The Library uses Study Online, also known as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), to provide
information about and access to required readings either by linking to online materials or digitizing
print format extracts (subject to copyright and licence restrictions). Students will also find that the main
ICwS area of Study Online has a range of Library guides and training resources for the Catalogue and a
number of other information services. It is available from any location with an Internet connection.

Online resources
The Library provides access to a number of important journal article databases, including Ingenta,
Web of Science, and Academic Search Complete, as well as specialist legal databases, and subscribes
to many online journals. Backdated editions of many journals are available online via JSTOR. These
resources are available within the Library to students, and most may also be accessed from home. See
our online resources web page for more information:
http://www.shl.lon.ac.uk/resources/databases.shtml

Training

During October and June, the Library runs training sessions offering a hands-on introduction to the
information resources available to ICwS students, plus guidance on developing good research
techniques. These sessions are advertised in the Library and around the Institute. These courses are
designed to help you develop the skills and confidence in using research tools that are essential to
produce coursework of the required standard at postgraduate level.










18
Online Resources training includes how to:

find journal articles and conference papers for your coursework and dissertation;
set up services that will inform you when articles in your subject(s) are published;
search for and access full-text articles in subscribed and free electronic journals;
find and access books and journals held in other libraries.




Senate House Libraries Catalogue
encore.ulrls.lon.ac.uk

The SAS Institute libraries together with Senate House Library form the Senate House Libraries, with a
shared library catalogue, available from any location with an Internet connection.
The library catalogue will automatically search across the collections of all of its member libraries: any
items held in our collections display the location identifier ICOMM or ICOMM Teaching Collection.
Our online resources can also be accessed via the Catalogue.
















































19

School of Advanced Study
Student Charter

The School is the UKs national centre for the support and promotion of research in the humanities and
social sciences. Its 10 research institutes at the University of London offer a unique scholarly
community in which to pursue post-graduate study and research.

The Charter below sets out the rights and responsibilities of the School and its students.

THE SCHOOLS RESPONSIBILITIES

The School undertakes to

Encourage its employees to treat students and colleagues equally and respectfully

and to provide

High standards of teaching, support, advice and guidance
Access to activities that will enhance employability and personal development
Support for student participation in academic development and programme management,
including elections of representatives
Clearly defined access to library and IT facilities
Clear deadlines and timeframes in programme handbooks for feedback on work submitted
by students.
Programme handbooks for students which detail assessment criteria, contact hours, mode of
delivery
Details on examination arrangements and regulations, academic guidance and support, appeals
and complaints procedures
Clear information on programme costs, payment options and deadlines.

Its teaching staff undertake to

Treat students responsibly and with respect
Familiarise themselves with the Quality Assurance Framework and School supervisory
practice
Keep themselves up to date with best practice in relation to teaching and supervision,
including undertaking, where appropriate, training in research student supervision
Be accessible to students during term time and advise them of any absences likely to exceed
two successive weeks during the vacation. Keep each student well informed in advance about
any prospective periods of leave and the planned supervisory arrangements during the leave
Advise students on progress in a timely fashion and warn where work is not of the appropriate
standard or is being produced too slowly, and of steps which might be taken to remedy the
situation
Provide constructive timely written feedback on all written work submitted by the student and keep
copies on file
Ensure that students understand the requirements of the degree, provide guidance on the
examination process, and help students to prepare
Provide students with guidance as to essential reading, including information as to where this
may be found, before the start of the academic year if possible, or at induction
Avoid cancelling classes or meetings unless for a completely unavoidable reason, and always
advise in good time; rearrange any cancelled classes/meetings
Treat student data with integrity and be aware of responsibilities in relation to the Data
Protection, Freedom of Information and Equality Acts.

STUDENTS RESPONSIBILITIES

Students undertake to:

Observe the Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of the University of London
Treat staff and their fellow students equally and respectfully
Attend induction, read documentation provided, including regulations for their degree and
Student Handbooks
Participate in timetabled classes, attend meetings with tutors
Obtain agreement from their tutors, in advance, for any essential absences
20
Take responsibility for managing their own learning: actively engaging in their course;
ensuring they spend sufficient regular time in private study; participating fully in group
learning activities; maintaining a record, in consultation with their supervisors, of supervisory
meetings; inform supervisors promptly if circumstances arise which are likely to affect their
work; discuss any teaching / supervisor problems with their supervisor(s) or with Institute
Director (or other senior staff member)
Submit assessed work by stated deadlines, actively participate in feedback
Familiarise themselves with guidelines on ethical research, data protection matters, and be
aware of health and safety and intellectual property implications
Make prompt payment of charges made by the institution
Support programme representatives and participate in systems which will lead to
improvements in the quality of learning and teaching
Respect the physical environment of the University of London.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF RESEARCH STUDENTS AND SUPERVISORS

The below supplements the Schools Student Charter, and outlines the particular responsibilities of the
Schools research students, their supervisors, and the School.

The research student is expected to:

agree with the supervisor (or the Subject Supervisor where more than one supervisor
is appointed) the topic for research, and work on that topic;
discuss with supervisor(s) the type of guidance and form of comment found most
helpful;
agree on a schedule of meetings;
take appropriate initiative in raising problems or difficulties in research;
discuss training needs and opportunities, and undertake any research training or
taught course or seminar required by supervisor(s);
produce work in accordance with the plan and schedule agreed with supervisor(s),
and, in particular, submit written material in sufficient time to allow for proper
comment and discussion;
keep formal records of meetings with supervisor(s);
provide formal progress reports as required (normally twice a year);
discuss with supervisor(s) the preparation of the thesis and decide when to submit.

The supervisor is expected to:

give guidance on the nature of the research and the standard expected;
advise on the planning of the research programme and appropriate training, and on
the relevant literature and sources;
encourage familiarity with developments in the subject;
give advice about techniques and methods;
ensure that the student is fully aware of the progress of the work in relation to the
expected standard and the agreed programme;
promote awareness of ethical and legal matters relevant to research, including
plagiarism;
maintain contact through regular personal supervision in arrangements agreed with
the student, and provide reasonable access for consultation at other times;
direct the student to undertake research training, attend taught courses, seminars and
workshops etc. as necessary;
request written work as appropriate and return it with constructive criticism and in
good time;
give detailed advice on completion dates of successive stages of the work so that the
whole may be submitted within the scheduled time;
arrange for the student to present work to staff/graduate seminars;
keep formal records of meetings with students;
write reports on the progress of the work normally at least twice a year such reports
to be considered by the RDC within the prescribed progress review procedures and to
be kept in the students record;
arrange for the necessary administrative steps to be taken and ensure the Student
receives any help necessary.

The students institute is responsible
21

through its RDC and by other appropriate means, for ensuring that appropriate administrative
procedures are followed, including the maintenance of records of meetings (of the RDC or of other
bodies or persons in the Institute if appropriate) and reports concerning progress of MPhil and PhD
Students.

PLAGIARISM

The School is committed to ensuring the quality and status of the degrees it awards through the
University of London. Plagiarism is a threat to that quality and is a serious academic offence and cases
are dealt with under the University of Londons Regulations for Proceedings in Respect of
Examination Offences (Paragraph 12, Ordinance 15).

What constitutes plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the taking of another persons thoughts, ideas, words, results, judgements, results, images
etc and presenting them as your own. If you submit any piece of work for assessment that contains
work that is not your own, without indicating this to the marker (acknowledging your sources) you are
committing plagiarism.

The following are examples of plagiarism. These are not exhaustive:

Direct quotations from the published or unpublished work of others without being identified as
such
Copying the work of another student with or without their permission
Using text downloaded from the internet
Borrowing statistics or assembled facts from another person or source
Buying/borrowing an essay/report and presenting it as your own
Copying graphs, images, charts etc without proper citation
Paraphrasing - putting another persons ideas and judgements into your own words without
acknowledgement of the origin
Submitting the same piece of your own assessed work (or a significant part thereof) more
than once (credit can only be given once)

Students should feel free to discuss these issues with their personal tutors or other members of staff at
any time, but they should also recognise that they must take personal responsibility for the integrity of
their academic writing, which includes learning what is expected of them by those responsible for
marking their work.

What could happen if you do plagiarise
If it is found that you have plagiarised, this may result in:

Expulsion from the School
A mark of zero
A record on your student file
Becoming the subject of an investigation
Cancellation of your examinations
Not being allowed to re-enter an examination
Loss of reputation

Why you should not do it
Assignments provide a vehicle for assessing your performance during the programme and contribute to
your overall result. However, they also assist you in understanding your subject and aid your learning
on the programme. When you attempt to use the ideas and material independently, you learn more
thoroughly and develop your own writing style. You are also likely to perform better in examinations.

There are good reasons why you should cite your source:

Good scholarly practice
Gives proper credit to other peoples work and ideas
Shows that you have researched widely
Strengthens your work by lending weight to your ideas
Enables others to check the evidence and accuracy of your information

When plagiarised material is included in your assignments tutors are likely to notice the shift in style
and are more than likely to recognise the source.

22
Referencing
There are a number of different referencing style guides. You should check with your Institute if it
requires a specific style to be adopted. These will be explained in your Student Handbook and at
induction.

Paraphrasing
That is, where you restate information/ideas in your own words. However, just changing a few words
here and there does not make them your own and you must still cite your source. Always check your
paraphrasing against the original text to ensure that you havent copied the same phrases.

Web sources
Treat information found on the web in exactly the same as printed material but also make sure that you
write the complete URL address and date accessed.

Agencies
Students should note that the use of, or contribution to, online essay banks, ghost-writing agencies, or
agencies who offer to edit essays in order to improve grades is strictly forbidden.

What to do if you are suspected of plagiarism

Cooperate fully with the investigation. It is your interests to be open and honest.
Get some help. Registry staff can direct those accused of plagiarism to sources of advice.
Web advice
How not to plagiarise: http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/plagsep.html
School responsibilities
The School recognises its responsibility for managing plagiarism and will undertake to:

Ensure that all its students are provided with information about plagiarism in the Handbooks
and at induction. This will include what constitutes plagiarism, how to avoid it, and an idea of the
penalties associated with it.
Ensure that students are given information on the correct referencing methods for the
discipline.

Responsibilities of the Student

Act responsibly dont plagiarise
If you need help, ask for it!
Plan your work properly. If you need more time to submit, please see your tutor.
Always submit your work with the relevant statement of authorship form - your Institute will
provide you with one.




ETHICS

The Schools Statement of Good Practice in Research is viewable from here:
http://www.sas.ac.uk/researchethics.html from where the Schools Ethics Procedures may also be
viewed.

The management of the Schools ethical issues in the matter of research is the responsibility of the
Research Ethics Committee, whose primary role is to protect the dignity, rights and welfare of research
participants. Consideration is also given to the consequences of the proposed research (directly, or
those who might benefit or suffer from its outcomes). The REC also considers the safety of researchers.
The REC determines the ethical propriety of research projects that are submitted to it. Specifically it
considers whether:

the way the project is designed and will be undertaken is in line with the principles outlined in
the Schools Code of Good Practice in Research;
the subjects are informed about the aim and intended use of the research; what their
participation entails; what risks, if any, are involved;
if the research subjects request it, the information they supply shall be confidential, and their
anonymity respected;
23
participants in the study are participating voluntarily ;
participants in the study will be safe;
researchers have taken proper advice on their own safety.

It is also the role of the REC to

provide up-to-date advice on good practice (including practical advice, such as the design of
interview consent forms)
review its own procedures and determine action it considers necessary
report as appropriate to Research Committee, with a summary of reviewed projects and any
other matters
receive reports on the research training in ethics undertaken by students and staff.

The Institutes of the School of Advanced Study are committed to maintaining high standards of
integrity and probity in the conduct of research by both staff and students.


EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

The School of Advanced Study is proud of the diversity of its community and is committed to ensuring
all of our staff and students are treated with dignity and respect. The School is fully committed to being
an equal opportunities employer and providing equality of opportunity for all of its staff, students,
applicants and visitors. The School will not tolerate unfair or unlawful discrimination on the grounds of
age, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation or any other distinction.

The School is covered by the University of Londons equality policies, for example the Equal
Opportunities Policy and the other such schemes. However, to ensure that the School is meeting all the
legislative requirements and in line with best practice we have developed a Single Equality Scheme. A
full copy of the scheme is available on the Schools website at http://www.sas.ac.uk/policies.html

The School believes that engagement in the development of equality polices and related action plans
are very important. We uphold the principle that all students and members of staff have a right to be
involved in matters that affect them. If you would like to talk to someone in confidence please contact
the Schools Registrar: Rosemary Lambeth (rosemary.lambeth@sas.ac.uk).

DISABILITY

The School of Advanced Study is a small institution and has external specialist disabilities support. The
School has around 300 students registered each year, with approximately 4% declaring disabilities.
Each of the seven teaching Institutes in the School forms its own academic community, with between
15 and 80 students. Lecture and seminar sizes are relatively small, so that people know and support
each other.

The Postgraduate Study pages of the Schools website include a comprehensive section on disability
support for students, which includes the Schools full Disability Statement and guidance and good
practice for teaching staff: http://www.sas.ac.uk/disability.html. The key aspects for students are listed
below.
How your application was dealt with
When your application form was received, an initial assessment was made of whether you satisfied the
entry requirements for the programme you were applying for. The application form invited you to say
whether you have special access or support needs and asked you to provide the information on a
separate sheet. This information was treated as confidential and retained by the Schools Registry until
after your application had been considered on its academic merits. Disability is not a factor in making
the judgement about whether applicants should be offered a place. There is no fee reduction for
students declaring a disability.
Students who disclosed a disability on their application form are sent a Pre-Entry Support Needs Form
with their offer letters. Students who have already registered for a programme and who later disclose a
disability will be asked to complete a Support Needs Form). The purpose of both forms is for the
School to establish the level of additional support needs resulting from disability/disabilities.

Services for disabled students

24
The School of Advanced Study aims to enable all students to study at a level commensurate with their
abilities and is developing its services in order to promote inclusion across the School. Support for
disabled students at the School is provided by a specialist organisation, Equality Focus (EF). Students
do not need to be registered disabled to draw on EFs services, though in order to provide services in
the long term we will need to ask for medical or other evidence, as appropriate.

We aim to treat every person as an individual, with needs which may differ from those of other people
with a superficially similar disability. We do not therefore have standard procedures for students with
dyslexia, nor standard procedures for visually impaired students: each person's needs are considered
individually.

We provide support for students with a range of disabilities:

a sensory (visual / hearing / speech) impairment
a mental health issue
a mobility impairment
a dexterity impairment
a physical disability
Aspergers Syndrome or other autistic spectrum disorders
chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, epilepsy, H.I.V.)
chronic pain / chronic fatigue
specific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia)
any other condition which has a long-term and adverse effect on studying.

EF can also support people who have a temporary mobility / dexterity impairment / other difficulty as a
result of an accident, injury, illness or surgery.

Students who wish to discuss any support needs are welcome to contact the Schools external disabilities
adviser at any time: Sharon Renkema, Equality Focus: Sharon@equalityfocus.co.uk
Telephone: 07896 599 657

DISCLOSURE OF DISABILITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Disclosure
Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 part IV, the School of Advanced Study is deemed to
know about a students disability or medical condition if:

either it is obvious,
or the student has provided information about it,

and we must therefore make whatever reasonable adjustments are appropriate.

We encourage students to disclose information about their disability or medical condition if possible so
support can be arranged.

Confidentiality
Any information students provide regarding their disability is confidential and held only within
Registry and with Equality Focus where they are involved.
Where students need support, it may be necessary to provide some limited details of their disability to
help staff understand their needs. This would only be with individual students agreement and after a
Support Plan has been negotiated.
Like other academic institutions, we maintain records of the number of students with disabilities, and
whether they are known to receive the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA). Access to this information
on the student records database is restricted to the student administration. The reason for keeping such
records is to enable us to monitor the data in order to check that we are not, unwittingly, discriminating
against any particular category of applicants. For other purposes (such as submitting statistics to the
Higher Education Statistics Agency) the information is aggregated and presented anonymously.
If you are still concerned that revealing information may disadvantage you, you can make telephone
enquiries without being pressed to reveal your name.
25
Remember, also, that under the Data Protection Act students have the right to read any information that
the School holds about them.

Reasonable Adjustments and Support
This section details some examples of reasonable adjustments and the type of support disabled students
may be offered from the School. Please note this list is not exhaustive and are only examples.

All student-related documents can be provided in alternative formats for disabled students,
whether this be enlarged print, alternative colour backgrounds or audio tape. These issues will
be discussed with students in negotiation of their Support Plan (see below).
Some examples of special arrangements include separate invigilation, extra time, rest periods,
the use of a word processor, specialist keyboards, voice-activated software, a support worker,
tutor or mentor, special seating (e.g. an office-type or lumbar support chair), enlarged print
examination papers. These issues will be discussed with students in negotiation of the Support
Plan.
As a student at the School of Advanced Study, if you suspect that you may have a specific
learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, but have never been formally diagnosed, we can help to
arrange this. You should make an appointment to see Equality Focus in the first instance
Equality Focus are able to help students identify and recruit suitably qualified support workers
and subsequently help to administer the support worker budget. These arrangements include
British Sign Language interpreters, communicators, readers, note takers and personal
assistants. This may also extend to tutors and mentors.

Students and prospective students should contact us as soon as possible to let us know about any
support needs they may have so we can consider any relevant disability-related issues in good time.
Special arrangements can be made for any interviews and/or entrance tests that may be necessary as
part of the admissions process.

Students requiring adjustments to the examination arrangements for unseen examinations must make
these known at least one month before the date of the examination.
We may make adjustments, but we will not change the academic standards required to pass.
Support Plan
All disabled students have the opportunity to have their needs clearly stated and a Support Plan drawn
up between them and the School of Advanced Study.

We strongly advise students to take up this opportunity as this will mean that they will not have to
rearticulate their needs to different staff members. We also believe that this arrangement will lead to
an equitable level of support across the School and also help to maintain confidentiality.

Students will need to negotiate a Support Plan with Equality Focus.
Changes in Circumstances
Occasionally, a disability may be diagnosed after you have registered, or you may develop a condition
which disables you, either permanently or temporarily. If this happens, you should notify relevant
Institute staff and/or the Schools Registry immediately. This is especially important if your disability
would not otherwise be obvious. Reasonable arrangements will be made to support you.
Access to Buildings
The following offices, Institutes and libraries of the School are housed in Senate House South Block.
- Central Offices (Deans Office; Registry; Marketing & Research Support Office)
- Institute of Classical Studies (and its Library) (IClS) (including the Societies)
- Institute of Commonwealth Studies (and its Library) (ICwS)
- Institute of English Studies (IES)
- Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies (and its Library) (IGRS)
- Institute of Historical Research
- Institute of Musical Research
- Institute of Philosophy
- Institute for the Study of the Americas (and its Library) (ISA)
Senate House is a listed building and as such there are some limitations to the alterations that can be
made. However, there are ramps, lifts, and accessible toilets, and there is ongoing work to improve
26
accessibility. Wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility are able to access all necessary
facilities although it may not always easy for them to do so in a fully independent way.
A number of teaching and meeting rooms in Senate House are equipped with a fixed induction loop
system for hearing-impaired students, and there is a mobile induction loop system for use elsewhere.
The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Warburg Institute are in nearby buildings which have
ramps, lifts, and accessible toilets. Again, although wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility
are able to access all necessary facilities, it is not always easy for them to do so in a fully independent
way.
The limitations of physical access to parts of the Schools buildings are discussed with potential
students for whom access may pose difficulties. It is very important that the School is made aware of
any accessibility difficulties so that action can be taken to address these.
It is possible to arrange for new students with impaired vision to be accompanied both within the
building and to the tube station or bus stop, until they have become familiar with these routes. The
Schools external disabilities advisors can help arrange this in conjunction with Camdens Sensory
Disabilities Team.

Senate House Libraries (www.ulrls.lon.ac.uk )
The Senate House Library and the Institute Libraries combined catalogues are available online with
access for registered students to online research resources and journals. If you have disabilities which
affect your use of the library, arrangements will be made for you to meet relevant library staff to
discuss how best to help you.
The Warburg Institute Library, in Woburn Square, and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Library,
in Russell Square, have ramped access. The libraries of Historical Research and Classical Studies, and
the Germanic and Romance, United States and Latin American, English and Philosophy collections are
all located in Senate House.
Access by lift is available to all major open-access areas in Senate House Library. Staff assistance is
made available to users where physical mobility is a problem. This includes assistance with
wheelchairs, using computers, locating and fetching material, and photocopying. A postal service is
offered for loanable texts and ordered photocopy offprints, the latter can be delivered as electronic
attachments via e-mail. An e-mail enquiry service (enquiries@shl.ac.uk) is available.
Using Computers
Disabled students, including many dyslexic students, who qualify for the DSA may receive support for
computer purchase. Remote e-mail access and web access to the Research Librarys electronic
research resources and journals are available via the internet. Advice on personal computer adaptation
can be obtained free from AbilityNet (www.abilitynet.org.uk). AbilityNet will also carry out
assessments of individual need. It is not possible to alter the set-up of the computers in the School or
Library but your personal profile could be adapted to your needs please contact your Student
Administrator to discuss this. There is also some specialist software and hardware available for use in
the Library Training Suite (JAWS etc).
Careers Advice
The University of London Careers Group (www.careers.lon.ac.uk) can advise on the legal aspects of
disability and employment, give information on organisations providing specialised advice for disabled
individuals, as well as information on jobs, postgraduate study, issues around disclosure, and specialist
equipment. The Careers Group staff will provide one-to-one advice and respond to letter, e-mail or
telephone enquiries. Any information disclosed is treated as confidential. The Careers Library
contains reference files specifically for students with disabilities covering general information,
employment, education, and training. The Careers Group in based on the first floor of Stewart House,
with good accessibility.
Transport
Most people access Senate House and the Bloomsbury area by public transport. Some disabled people
living in the London area may be eligible for a London Transport Freedom Pass
(www.freedompass.org) which allows free travel on public transport; the borough where you live will
be able to tell you if you are eligible. There are a number of underground stations near to the School
and many buses, but the streets and the transport tend to be crowded, and may pose some difficulties
for some disabled people.
27
Transport for Londons Access and Mobility unit has information about schemes such as Dial-a-Ride
and Taxicard for subsidised door-to-door transport for people who have serious mobility impairment
and difficulty in using public transport:

Access & Mobility, Transport for London
Windsor House, 42/50 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0TL

www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/ph_mobility.shtml email: travinfo@tfl.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 7222 1234 Textphone: 020 7918 3015
(Both these London Travel Information lines are open 24 hours)

Parking
There are limited disabled parking spaces at Senate House. Only vehicles issued with a disabled permit
will be eligible for parking in the designated disabled spaces. Disabled drivers should book a parking
space 48 hours in advance, with details of the date and duration for which the space is required together
with your vehicle details. Please make the Helpdesk operator aware if assistance will be required on
arrival. Your details will be maintained on the Helpdesk database for future bookings. Contact the
Registry for help with contacting Facilities Management.

Emergency Evacuation
If you have a disability which might cause delay in recognising or responding to an emergency alarm a
personal emergency evacuation plan will be agreed with the University Safety Officer. If your
disability is likely to affect your ability to evacuate the building, we should notify your tutors of your
evacuation plan, so that others know how to help you in an emergency.
Residential Accommodation
The Schools students are eligible to apply for accommodation in the University of London
Intercollegiate Halls. A number of the Halls have a quota of specially-adapted rooms for students with
disabilities. Although Halls accommodation is normally only offered to full-time students, part-time
students who have a disability which prevents them from studying on a full-time basis are also eligible
to apply. Accommodation for students with disabilities falls outside of the Schools quota places.
Students should contact the Intercollegiate Halls of Residence Accommodation Bureau for further
information and advice on the residences and types of accommodation available within Halls for
students with disabilities:
Intercollegiate Halls Accommodation Bureau
International Hall, Lansdowne Terrace, London WC1N 1AS
Telephone: (+44) (0)207 822 3333 Email: info.halls@london.ac.uk
The deadline for applications for disabled accommodation within Halls is usually 30 June. However,
applicants wishing to apply after this time should contact the Accommodation Bureau to discuss
vacancies.
The University of London Accommodation Office (http://housing.lon.ac.uk) has a database of private
accommodation for rent and can give advice to disabled students on finding accommodation.
Financial Help for Disabled Students
You may find that, because of your disability, you incur additional costs as a student. This section
summarises two sources of financial help for disabled students. Equality Focus will also be able to
advise on other financial support that may be available.
Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) Arrangements
Home students and some EU students only, are eligible for the Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA).
There is one DSA allowance for postgraduate students to meet disability-related costs of up to 10,260
(2010/11). The allowances are not means-tested and there is no age limit. More information is
available at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/EducationAndTraining/HigherEducation/DG_10034898.

As a general guide, to be eligible for the DSA you must:

have been resident in the UK for three years immediately before the start of your programme, and
have settled status in the UK (although there are some special arrangements for European
Economic Area migrant workers and for refugees)

28
be taking an eligible full time programme. If you are taking a part time programme, the
programme must last more than a year, but must not take more than twice as long to complete as
the equivalent full-time programme.

The DSA is administered by Student Finance England and Research Councils, and Equality Focus can
assist students in applying for it, and can help to arrange the study needs assessment which is required
to access the allowances.
The Students responsibilities
Please:
let us know about your needs in good time so that we have the appropriate opportunity to address
them
give both positive and negative feedback so that we can improve our services let us know if the
recommendations for your support are not carried out and you do not receive alternative format
handouts, for example
let us know if your situation changes and you need more, or different kinds, of support.

Feedback and Contacts
Feedback, comments and suggestions, in confidence if preferred, can be made to, the Schools Registry
or Equality Focus (Sharon@equalityfocus.co.uk; Telephone: 07896 599 657)


29
PROGRESSION AND UPGRADING OF RESEARCH STUDENTS

The below is an extract from the Schools Quality Assurance Framework, viewable here:
http://www.sas.ac.uk/about-us/policies.

The timetables assume a normal rate of progress and a September registration.

5.5.1 Full-time students: year 1
All students are registered initially as MPhil students.
At the start of their studies, students will be required to submit a research plan to their
supervisor(s) outlining the thesis topic and broad aims, projected timetable and
methodology, proposed sources and initial bibliography.

5.5.2 Full-time students: Progression from year 1 to year 2
In order to progress to a second year of study, students will be required, by end-June in year 1,
to submit to their supervisor(s):

a substantial piece of written work based on original research and at least equivalent
to a chapter in length;
a brief outline of the whole thesis.
The work submitted must demonstrate the students ability to:

engage critically with a range of primary sources and to provide an independent
interpretation of them;
synthesize information and demonstrate that it provides context for the study;
organise arguments and ideas in a logical fashion.

Having considered the written work the supervisor(s) may recommend:
that the student progress to year 2;
that the students registration be terminated;
deferral of a decision for an agreed period, up to a maximum of six months, to allow
the student time to rectify problems identified by supervisor(s)s. Deferral of a
decision may only take place once per candidate.

The supervisory recommendation is then submitted to the RDC of the Institute for
consideration. All recommendations are subject to the approval of the RDC of the Institute and
the usual Academic Appeals processes of the University of London.

5.5.3 Full-time students: year 2: Upgrading from MPhil to PhD
If the student is considered to have progressed quickly enough by the end of year 1, the
upgrade procedure may replace the year 1 to year 2 progression procedure described above.
Normally, however, at some point between the end of year 1 and the end of year 2, in order to
upgrade from MPhil to PhD, students should be required to:

submit a substantial portion of the draft thesis (usually between 25% and 50%, but
some supervisors will require substantially more) to an upgrade panel for
consideration;
attend an interview with an upgrade panel.

The composition of the upgrade panel should be as follows:

an external assessor;
an assessor with knowledge of the topic;
the students supervisor(s).

Having considered the written work and performance at interview, the upgrade panel may
recommend to an Institute's RDC:

that the student be upgraded to PhD registration;
that the student should be advised to proceed towards a less substantial thesis for the
degree of MPhil;
that the student should be allowed to reapply for upgrading, within a specified period
(not more than nine months), to allow time to rectify problems identified by the
panel. Reapplication for an upgrade decision may only take place once.

30
The upgrade panel's recommendation is then submitted to the RDC of the Institute for
consideration. All recommendations are subject to the approval of the RDC of the Institute and
the usual Academic Appeals processes of the University of London.

Upgrade to PhD registration is conditional upon the RDC of the Institute being satisfied that
the work is of a sufficiently high standard.

Deferral of the upgrade procedure may be made for six months in exceptional cases (for
example, if students are away for long periods of fieldwork).

In exceptional cases, the upgrade process may allow the student to submit written work to an
upgrade panel without the accompanying interview. In these cases, the panel recommendation,
once it has been endorsed by the Institute's RDC, must be considered by the AQSC,
accompanied by (a) a statement from the supervisor(s) as to why an upgrade interview is not
necessary and (b) approval from the RDC of this exemption.

5.5.4 Part-time students: Progression from year 2 to year 3
In order to progress to a third year of study, students will be required, by end-June in year 2, to
submit to their supervisor(s)

a substantial piece of written work based on original research and at least equivalent
to a chapter in length (see 5.5.2 above);
a brief outline of the whole thesis.

Having considered the written work the supervisor(s) may recommend:

that the student progress to year 3;
that the students registration be terminated;
deferral of a decision for an agreed period, up to a maximum of six months, to allow
the student time to rectify problems identified by supervisor(s)s. Deferral of a
decision may only take place once per candidate.

The supervisory recommendation is then submitted to the RDC of the Institute for
consideration as above.

5.5.5 Part-time students: Year 34: Upgrading from MPhil to PhD
If the student is considered to have progressed quickly enough by the end of year 2, the
upgrade procedure may replace the year 2 to year 3 progression procedure described above.
Normally, however, at some point during year 3 and the first half of year 4, in order to
upgrade from MPhil to PhD, students should be required to:
submit a substantial portion of the draft thesis (usually between 25% and 50%, but in
some supervisors will require substantially more) to an upgrade panel for
consideration;
attend an interview with an upgrade panel (for the composition of which see above,
5.5.3)

Having considered the written work and performance at interview, the upgrade panel may
recommend to an Institute's RDC:

that the student be upgraded to PhD registration;
that the student should be advised to proceed towards a less substantial thesis for the
degree of MPhil;
that the student should be allowed to reapply for upgrading, within a specified period
(not more than nine months), to allow time to rectify problems identified by the
panel. Reapplication for an upgrade decision may only take place once.

The upgrade panel's recommendation is then submitted to the RDC of the Institute for
consideration as above.

Deferral of the upgrade procedure may be made to the second half of year 4 in exceptional
cases (for example, if students are away for long periods of fieldwork).

In exceptional cases, the upgrade process may allow the student to submit written work to an
upgrade panel without the accompanying interview (with the conditions outlined above).

31
REGULATIONS FOR MPHIL AND PHD DEGREES

The below are extracts from the Schools Quality Assurance Framework, viewable in full here
http://www.sas.ac.uk/about-us/policies

General
9.1 The criteria for award of MPhil and PhD are set out in Regulation 1: Section C, para 5052.6
and 5658.8 and in the University Regulations for the Degrees of MPhil and PhD. The
Regulations of the School are supplementary to the Universitys Regulations. In case of doubt,
the University Regulations shall take precedence.

Examination
9.3 Assessment shall be by submission of a thesis and an oral examination, which shall be
conducted in English (except as provided for under a joint supervision arrangement; see 9.2
above). The scope of the thesis shall be what might reasonably be expected after (for MPhil)
two or at most three years, or (for PhD) three or at most four years of full-time study.

9.4 The thesis shall:

(i) consist of the candidates own account of his/her investigations, the greater
proportion of which shall have been undertaken during the period of registration
under supervision for the degree;

(ii) for PhD: form a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the subject and afford
evidence of originality by the discovery of new facts and/or by the exercise of
independent critical power;

(iii) for MPhil: be either a record of original work or of an ordered and critical exposition
of existing knowledge and provide evidence that the field has been surveyed
thoroughly;

(iv) be an integrated whole and present a coherent argument;

(v) [A series of papers, whether published or otherwise, is not acceptable for submission
as a thesis.
Research work already published, or submitted for publication, at the time of
submission of the thesis, either by the candidate alone or jointly with others, may be
included in the thesis. The published papers themselves may not be included in the
body of the thesis, but may be adapted to form an integral part of the thesis and
thereby make a relevant contribution to the main theme of the thesis. Publications
derived from the work in the thesis may be bound as supplementary material at the
back of the thesis.]

(vi) give a critical assessment of the relevant literature, describe the method of research
and its findings, include a discussion on those findings (and, for PhD, indicate in
what respects they appear to the candidate to advance the study of the subject; in so
doing, demonstrate a deep and synoptic understanding of the field of study the
candidate being able to place the thesis in a wider context, showing objectivity and
the capacity for judgement in complex situations and autonomous work in that field);

(vii) be written in English and of satisfactory literary presentation; in the case of a thesis in
the field of modern foreign languages and literatures, on the application of the RDC
of the Institute at which the candidate is or will be registered, the AQSC, if it sees fit,
may submit an application for the thesis to be written in the language of study; such
request will be considered on an exceptional basis by the AQSC; if permission is
granted, the thesis shall include additionally a submission of between 10,000 and
20,000 words in English which shall summarise the main arguments of the thesis;

(viii) include a full bibliography and references;

(ix) not exceed 60,000 words (for MPhil) or 100,000 words (for PhD); the bibliography is
excluded from the word count; footnotes are included within the word count;
appendices are excluded from the word count and should only include material which
examiners are not required to read in order to examine the thesis, but to which they
may refer if they wish;

32
(x) for PhD: demonstrate research skills relevant to the thesis being presented;

(xi) for PhD: be of a standard to merit publication in whole or in part or in a revised form
(for example, as a monograph or as a number of articles in learned journals).

9.5.1 The greater proportion of the work submitted in a thesis must have been done after the initial
registration for a research degree, except that in the case of a Student accepted with exemption
from part of the course of study under paragraph 1.4 of the University Regulations there shall
be allowance for the fact that the Student commenced his/her registration at another
institution.

9.5.2 A candidate will not be permitted to submit as his/her thesis one which has been submitted for
a degree or comparable award of this or any other university or institution, but a candidate
shall not be precluded from incorporating in a thesis covering a wider field work which he/she
has already submitted for a degree or comparable award of this or any other university or
institution provided that he/she shall indicate on his/her entry form and also on his/her thesis
any work which has been so incorporated.

9.5.3 A candidate must include in each copy of his/her thesis a signed declaration that the work
presented in the thesis is his/her own (see also 9.6.6 below) and that the thesis presented is the
one upon which the candidate expects to be examined.

9.5.4 A thesis must be presented for examination in a final form in typescript of print and be bound
in accordance with the instructions issued by the University (see www.london.ac.uk/binding).

9.5.5 A request for the thesis to be submitted in A3 format and/or printed on both sides of the page
shall be considered in accordance with procedures made by the School and may be approved
when there is a demonstrable need.

9.5.6 A candidate may submit the results of work done in conjunction with his/her supervisor and/or
with fellow research workers provided that the candidate states clearly his/her own personal
share in the investigation and that the statement is certified by supervisor(s) (see also 9.6(3)
above).

9.5.7 A candidate must have the title of his/her thesis approved in accordance with the procedures
specified by the School.

9.5.8 The decision to submit a thesis in any particular form rests with the candidate alone and the
outcome of the examination is determined by two or more examiners acting jointly.


Transfer of registration from MPhil to PhD or from PhD to MPhil

9.11 Transfer from MPhil to PhD or from PhD to MPhil will be decided in accordance with the
procedures and criteria set out below (upgrade from MPhil to PhD).

9.12 The School may permit a student to transfer from a postgraduate taught degree to the MPhil
degree, or from the MPhil degree to the PhD degree, in accordance with the conditions
specified by the School, provided that no transfer of registration is permitted after entry to the
examination for any one of these degrees. Registration for the degree to which transfer has
been made may date from initial registration for the degree from which the transfer has been
made.

9.13 On transfer of registration, the registration for the original degree will lapse.

Attendance and duration of study and provision for off-campus study

9.15 The requirement of the University is that the minimum length of a course of study for the
degrees of MPhil and PhD shall be two calendar years of full-time study or its equivalent in
part-time study.

9.16 Subject to the above minimum requirement, the Institute will determine the length of the
course of study for MPhil or PhD. The normal minimum period of full-fee registration in the
School shall be three years full-time for PhD and two years full-time for MPhil, or the
equivalent in part-time study. The maximum period of study for PhD, including interruptions
shall be 10 years. A students period of registration may only be extended beyond 10 years
33
through successful application to the AQSC. In such instances the maximum period of
registration may only be extended for a period of one academic year at a time to a maximum
period of no more than 11 years.

9.17 The student shall centre his or her academic activities on the Institute, and is expected to be
resident in the UK for the entire period of their research degree. Notwithstanding this
requirement the minimum time a student must be resident in the UK is for the first two years
(full time) or first four years (part time). Subject to this, the RDC may permit the student to
spend part of the programme in off-campus study in order to carry out research for his or her
thesis and shall prescribe the conditions which shall apply, which shall include regular contact
with his/her supervisor. The RDC shall record in its minutes the periods of off-campus study
allowed to a student, and the conditions attached, which is reportable to the AQSC. The
student will continue to be registered during a period of off-campus study. Such period will
count towards the overall registration period, and normal fees are payable during such off-
campus study.

Interruption of study

9.18 An Institute may, on the proposal of the RDC normally following the recommendation of
supervisor(s), allow an interruption in the programme of study on grounds of illness or other
adequate cause for a maximum period of two years. Students may continue their interruption
beyond the stated period only through successful application to the AQSC. In such cases an
interruption for one further year only can be made (maximum permitted interruption being no
more than three years). Students who have not re-enrolled or communicated their intentions
towards their studies by the end of this period shall be withdrawn from the programme.

Continuation (writing-up) fee

9.19 At the end of the normal period of full fee registration, where the student is in the final process
of writing up or editing their thesis prior to submission for examination, but not before the
fourth year (full time) or seventh year (part time) of continuous registration, the Institute may
permit a student to continue their registration on payment of a reduced continuation fee.

9.20 Continuation fee status will not be granted before the transfer from MPhil to PhD registration.

9.21 The continuation fee shall be the same in all Institutes in the School, and shall be the same for
Home/EU and overseas students. The fee will be no more than 25% of the standard full-time
Home/EU fee.

9.22 Subject to the provisions of the following paragraph, the maximum period of registration on
continuation fee status will normally be 12 months; permission to continue for a further 12
months will be at the discretion of the Institute. Students may continue on the continuation
fee beyond two years only through successful application to the AQSC. In such cases the fee
can be applied for one further year only (maximum permitted time on the continuation fee
being no more than three years). Students who have not submitted by the end of the third year
will be returned to the relevant PhD fee. The fee charged is at the discretion of the Institute but
it is to be higher than the continuation fee.

9.23 The Institute may require a student who has been examined and who has been required by the
examiners to carry out corrections and/or further work on the thesis to pay the full fee or the
continuation fee or such fee as the Institute shall determine.

9.24 The liability for payment of fees will normally continue until the date of award of the degree.

Thesis submission

9.25 After the examination has been completed and before the degree is awarded, successful
candidates are required to submit to the Registry, for lodging in the Institute/School and
University libraries, two copies of their thesis, one hard-bound and one soft-bound, in
accordance with the instructions in the University, if the copies of the thesis submitted for the
examination did not conform with this specification.

9.26 Every candidate is required to present a short abstract of his/her thesis of not more than 300
words and bound with each copy of the thesis submitted. One additional loose copy of the
abstract must also be provided.

34
Availability of theses

9.27 It is a requirement for the award of the degree that one copy of a successful thesis is placed in
the School/Institute library and one copy in Senate House Library. Where, in the opinion of
the Institute, the thesis includes material that is of significance for national security,
arrangements may be made, with the agreement of the graduate concerned, so that the copies
of the thesis placed in the public domain may have certain parts excised from them; in such
cases the copies of the thesis placed in the public domain shall include an accompanying
statement indicating by whom and at what location the full thesis on which the award was
made may be consulted.

9.28 Subject to 11.32 below, candidates for the MPhil and PhD degrees will at the time of entry to
the examination be required to sign a declaration in the following terms:

(a) I authorise that the thesis presented by me in [year] for examination for the MPhil/PhD
degree of the University of London shall, if a degree is awarded, be deposited in the
library or electronic institutional repository of the School and in Senate House Library
and that, subject to the condition set out in (d) below, my thesis be made available for
public reference, inter-library loan and copying.

(b) I authorise the School or University authorities as appropriate to supply a copy of the
abstract of my thesis for inclusion in any published list of theses offered for higher
degrees in British universities or in any supplement thereto, or for consultation in any
central file of abstracts of such theses.

(c) I authorise the School and the University of London Libraries or their designated agents
to make a microform or digital copy of my thesis for the purposes of electronic access,
inter-library loan and the supply of copies.

(d) I understand that before my thesis is made available for public reference, inter-library
loan and copying, the following statement will have been included at the beginning of my
thesis or clearly associated with any electronic version: The copyright of this thesis rests
with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published
without the prior written consent of the author.

(e) I authorise the School and/or the University of London to make a microform or digital
copy of my thesis in due course as the archival copy for permanent retention in
substitution for the original copy.

(f) I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of
any third party.

(g) I understand that in the event of my thesis not being approved by the examiners, this
declaration will become void.
9.29 A candidate may apply to the School for restriction of access, for a period not exceeding two
years, to his/her thesis and/or the abstract of the thesis on the grounds of commercial
exploitation or patenting or in very exceptional circumstances and in accordance with the
procedure adopted by the College for consideration of such applications.

Submission of thesis in a foreign language

9.30 The RDC shall refer to AQSC for agreement an application by a student wishing to present a
thesis in the field of modern languages in the language of study. If agreed the thesis shall
include additionally a submission of between 10,000 and 20,000 words which shall be written
in English and shall summarise the main arguments of the thesis.

VIVA VOCE EXAMINATIONS

9.31 Deferred entry to examination
The RDC shall refer to AQSC a request from a Student wishing to defer entry to the
examination to a date later than one calendar year after completion of the programme of study,
with a statement indicating whether or not the RDC supports the request.

9.32 Appointment of Examiners
Examiners are discussed by the RDC, to whom nominations are made by the students
supervisor. The decision is approved by the AQSC.
35

9.33 Conduct of Examination
See the University of Londons Regulations for the degrees of MPhil and PhD,
Regulation 1, Section E, 7999.

9.34 Regulations for the use of video/tele-conferencing for the viva voce examination
Video/tele-conferencing facilities may be used in viva voce examinations only when an
examiner is based at such a distance from London (normally outside the UK) that s/he is not
able, for reasons of prohibitively high cost, difficulties of time or restricted mobility, to travel
to the School in order to conduct or participate in a viva voce examination at an appropriate
time.

9.34.1 The option of video/tele-conferencing will not be available for candidates.

9.34.2 Procedures for using video conferencing in viva voce examinations
(a) Advice should be sought, in the first instance, from the Registrar/Registry;

(b) Video/tele-conferencing may be used only with the written agreement of the candidate
and all proposed members of the panel. This agreement should be sought and confirmed
prior to the proposal being considered by the AQSC;

(c) The AQSC should be informed at the time of the appointment of the panel of Examiners
of the intention to use video/tele-conferencing facilities in the viva voce examination.
The AQSC has the right to request further information in relation to a proposal to use
video/tele-conferencing or to refuse a request where it feels a strong enough case has not
been made. The decision of the AQSC is final. In exceptional circumstances eg an
emergency situation where the viva was intended to be conducted conventionally but an
instant occurs which prevents this, the Dean can make the decision to proceed with a
video or telephone link. The same principles will apply to this situation;

(d) Where permission is granted the supervisor should appoint an independent Chair to
oversee the proceedings. The Chair will take no part in the actual examining process. A
Chair can be sourced from within SAS but must have had no contact with the candidate
prior to the viva;

(e) The lead supervisor is responsible for ensuring that all parties involved in the
examination are informed of the details of the arrangements;

(f) Any time differences between the two locations must be taken into account to ensure that
the candidate is not disadvantaged by an examination taking place at an inappropriate
time;

(g) When arranging video conferencing the quality of the equipment and technological
infrastructure used should be taken into account. Equipment must be tested prior to the
event taking place. Contingency plans are essential in the event of technology failure;

(h) The candidate must be given the opportunity to practice speaking to another party using
the facilities in advance of the viva voce examination;

(i) When concluding a viva voce examination which has involved video/tele-conferencing,
all participants should be asked to confirm that the holding of the examination by
video/tele-conference has had no substantive bearing on the examination process.
Examiners will be invited to comment on the conduct of the viva voce examination using
the standard examiners report form and should refer explicitly to the use of video/tele-
conferencing.

9.35 Timescales between submission and examination
The normal length of time between submission of the thesis and its examination by viva voce
is 2 3 months.

9.36 Result of examination
Copies of examiners reports for MPhil and PhD degrees are transmitted to the candidate via
the School Registry and also to the Dean; the Dean will forward a copy to the Director of the
Institute where the student was registered, with such comment as may be appropriate.

9.37 Referral
36
Should a thesis be referred for major revisions:

- the students supervisor will be asked to (a) comment on any circumstances which
may have led to the outcome and (b) describe how the student will be supported in
revising the thesis;
- a meeting should be arranged with an appropriate academic officer and the students
supervisor to organise a work plan for revision;
- monitoring of progress on the revision should take place by the Institutes RDC (or
HDC).

9.38 Appeals.
See full QAF for the appeals process: http://www.sas.ac.uk/about-us/policies

Examination offences

9.39 The Universitys Regulations for Proceedings in Respect of Examination Offences by
Candidates for University Awards should be referred to.

9.40 All work submitted as part of the requirements for any examination of the University of
London must be expressed in the candidates own words and incorporate his/her own ideas
and judgements. Plagiarism is the presentation of another persons thoughts or words as
though they were the candidates own and is an examination offence. Direct quotations from
the published or unpublished work of another must always be clearly identified as such by
being placed inside quotation marks, and a full reference to their source must be provided in
the proper form. A series of short quotations from several different sources, if not clearly
identified as such, constitutes plagiarism as much as does a single unacknowledged long
quotation from a single source. Equally, if another persons ideas or judgements are
summarised, the candidate must refer to that person in his/her text, and include the work to
which reference is made in the bibliography.

9.41 Allegations of plagiarism will be considered under the appropriate procedure of the School of
Advanced Study, unless the procedure specifically excludes MPhil and PhD degrees, in which
case the allegation will be considered under the Regulations for Proceedings in Respect of
Examination Offences by Candidates for University Awards, as will any other allegations of
examination misconduct, including but not limited to:

(1) deliberate attempts to represent falsely or unfairly the ideas or work of others;
(2) the invention or fabrication of data;
(3) the submission of work commissioned by another person.

Debt

9.42 If a candidate has entered the examination for the MPhil or PhD degree, any account
outstanding and with no acceptable arrangements having been made to settle it, no report will
be made on the result of the examination until the same authority certifies that payment has
been made in full.

37
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE, COMPLAINTS, HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION

The below is an extract from the Schools Quality Assurance Framework, viewable here:
http://www.sas.ac.uk/about-us/policies.


6.1 ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE

The following regulations form part of the agreement made by the student in accepting the
offer of a place to study for a degree or diploma in the School.

6.2 Attendance and academic performance
Students are expected to attend regularly the scheduled classes and seminars on their
programmes and to be available for consultation with tutors with reasonable notice. A student
who is unable to attend a class or other arranged meeting should inform the tutor or supervisor
(via the appropriate administrative officer or directly). Prolonged absence caused by sickness
must be reported to the Institute, and medical evidence must be provided.

6.3 The provisions of Ordinance 15 [Termination of Registration on Academic Grounds
(other than failure in a prescribed examination)] shall apply. A students registration may
be terminated on academic grounds where his or her academic performance, progress,
attendance or attainment falls below the required standard in a way that suggests that the
programme of study is unlikely to be completed satisfactorily or successfully. This includes
(but is not limited to) absence from classes, seminars or other required activities, failure to
submit required work, submission of work significantly below the required standard, and any
other factors that impede academic progress, such as lack of cooperation with a tutor or
supervisor.

6.4 Lateness in submitting written work in taught Masters degrees and diplomas, without cause
acceptable to the Institute, will result in a penalty in the mark awarded, or in the work not
being marked. The sanctions, and the conditions for their application, must be included in the
relevant guidelines and communicated to students.

6.5 The Board of Examiners will receive a report on mark deductions or other penalties for late
submission of work.

COMPLAINTS

6.29 A complaint by a Student on matters (including academic matters) other than those referred to
in 6.26.6 above will be dealt with using the following procedure. This procedure reflects the
model procedure set out in Ordinance 19: Student Complaints. The emphasis is on
informality, with the object of solving problems quickly, simply and fairly. It is hoped that
most issues can be settled amicably at the first stage, and that complaints will only
exceptionally reach the third stage. Every effort shall be made to ensure that complaints are
dealt with within the maximum time limits set out below.

(i) First Stage (Mention of Grievance). The object of this first stage is to resolve
problems quickly and simply, with the minimum of formality. A student should initially raise
a grievance with the member of staff concerned. If the student feels unable to approach that
person, he or she should raise it with an appropriate senior member of the academic or
administrative staff of the Institute. Issues of a non-personal nature (e.g. problems with a
particular practice within the relevant Institute) might be raised at the Staff-Student Liaison
Committee or equivalent body in the Institute. The first stage should normally be completed
within two weeks of the grievance being raised. Students may seek advice regarding making
complaints and other sources of help from the Registry.

(ii) Second Stage (Informal Complaint). If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily at
the first stage, the student may refer it to the Director of the Institute as an informal
complaint. The Director has discretion as to how the complaint is investigated and
determined. The Director shall keep an informal record of each complaint the name
of the complainant, the nature of the complaint and how it has been resolved. The
second stage should normally be completed within two weeks of referral to the
Director.

(iii) Third Stage (Formal Complaint). If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily at the
second stage, or in the event that the student is not satisfied that the grievance has
38
been dealt with satisfactorily, the Student may make a formal complaint to the Dean.
Only in exceptional circumstances will the Dean consider a complaint that has not
been through the two previous stages. The Dean will investigate and will resolve the
matter if he or she is able to in whatever way he or she deems appropriate. The Dean
shall determine the question as soon as practicable, and shall give written notice to
the student, the Director of the Institute and the Registrar of the School of his or her
decision and any action taken or to be taken. Appropriate records will be kept by the
Registrar. The third stage should normally be completed within six weeks of referral
of a formal complaint to the Dean.

6.30 A student who has exhausted the above procedure but remains unsatisfied with the handling or
the outcome of a complaint, including any grievance concerning the procedures applied by or
decision made by the Dean, may write to the Vice Chancellor.

6.31 Complaints which are allegations of malpractice or concern some other matter which the
student believes he or she is unable to raise in the relevant Institute shall be made in
accordance with the Universitys Public Interest Disclosure Procedure.
6.32 There shall be no disciplinary or other adverse implications for a student who makes a
complaint or allegation providing the student acts in good faith, within the law, and not
vexatiously, or with malice, and in accordance with established procedures including those
above.

6.33 The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
The procedure above completes the Universitys consideration of the matter. Attention is
drawn, however, to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIAHE).
The OIAHE provides an independent scheme for the review of student complaints about a
final decision of a Universitys disciplinary or appeal body. Full details of the OIAHE and
how to make a complaint are available on the website of the OIAHE: www.oiahe.org.uk.
Postal address: Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, Fifth floor,
Thames Tower, Station Road, Reading RG1 1LX (tel: 0118 959 9813).

HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION

6.34 The following paragraphs reflect the provisions of Ordinance 19: Student Complaints
(Annex 2: Model Procedure on Harassment, Discrimination and Bullying of Students).

6.35 The University does not consider it to be acceptable for a student to be subjected to
discrimination or harassment in any form by a fellow student, a member of staff, or by any
other person on University premises or in connection with their study in the University. If
possible, the student should make it clear to the person causing offence that their behaviour is
unacceptable. If direct representation is not possible, or is not effective, the student may seek
help and advice as follows.

6.36 The Student is advised to seek a confidential interview with the person designated in the
students Institute. The person designated shall be the Director of the Institute unless
otherwise stipulated. If the Director (or other person designated) is the subject of the
complaint, the person designated will be the Dean of the School. The purpose of a confidential
interview is to discuss the nature of the problem and arrive at an acceptable solution. Further
action will not normally be taken without the express permission of the student. However, it
will usually not be possible to deal with the matter adequately if such permission is withheld.

6.37 If the problem is serious or has not been resolved as a result of the confidential interview, the
student may make a formal complaint (as set out in Annex 1 to Ordinance 19) which will lead
to the initiation of disciplinary proceedings. It will be useful for the Student to keep a note of
the details and dates of relevant incidents.

6.38 Institutes will keep lists of organisations and individuals which will provide additional help
and advice, especially in more serious cases.

6.39 The Universitys Policy in Respect of Offences that are also Criminal Offences is set out at
Annex 1 to Ordinance 17: Code of Student Discipline. A Student who is the victim of a
racial, sexual or physical assault may seek help from appropriate organisations, and may
report the matter to the police.



39
Personal Safety a Quick Guide


As with all major cities, London has its share of street crime. Students, staff and visitors to the
University, particularly those who have not previously experienced city life, are advised to note the
following police advice and talk to a Warden or member of staff if in doubt.

In any public place, keep your bag or briefcase closed and in a place where you can see or feel it
on your lap or touching your feet, not hung on the back of a chair.
Be aware of all personal property when using internet cafes.
Be aware of who is around you when using a walkman or mobile phone. Know your phones
IMEI (serial) number, found by dialling *#06#.
If you carry a personal attack alarm, make sure it is available for immediate use, not lost in your
bag or pocket.
Plan your journeys so that you can avoid dark alleyways, paths or anywhere that makes you feel
unsafe.
Always ensure that you use a licensed taxi or minicab. Around 10 women are sexually assaulted
by unlicensed bogus minicab drivers every month in the capital while male passengers risk being
robbed or attacked. You should never get into a minicab in the street; only black taxis are allowed
to pick up passengers in this way. If you are out at night and do not have a lift home, use the
CABWISE service by texting the word HOME to the number 60835 to get details of nearby
licensed minicab and taxi firms, wherever you are in London. The CABWISE service can be used
in any part of the capital, 24 hours a day.
When walking at night, walk to face oncoming traffic, be sure of your route and walk with
purpose. Whenever possible, try to travel with friends or as part of a group. Do not use a walkman
or iPod when walking at night.
If you are confronted, unable to get away and believe things might get violent, try to shout Call
the Police or Fire as this may unsettle your potential attacker.
Thieves are opportunists. Keep expensive (or expensive looking) watches or jewellery out of
sight, eg by tucking them under your sleeves.
If you use an iPod, replace the conspicuous white earphones with plain ones.
If you carry a laptop, place the padded bag inside a holdall or carrier bag, branded laptop carriers
are targets for muggers.
Keep your wallet in an inside pocket. Take everything out of your jacket before hanging it up
somewhere.
Wear your bag across your body and so that it opens on the side facing you. In winter, wear your
coat over your bag to hide it.
Your safety is more important than any if your belongings. You are less likely to be hurt if you let
your bag, phone wallet etc go and dont fight to keep it.
Keep your keys in a different pocket than anything that has your address on it such as ID cards or
letters.
Do not carry valuables in the outside pocket of a rucksack or backpack.
Never write down your PIN or give it to anyone. If you have trouble remembering your PIN, write
it as part of a phone number, never on its own.
If you see a leaflet holder or strange object attached to an ATM do not use it and inform the bank
at once. It may be hiding a hidden camera or card-reader.
Put your cash away before leaving the ATM.
Some drugs have been linked to rape and sexual assault they have no colour or flavour and
dissolve quickly making them undetectable when put into drinks. Dont risk having your drink
spiked by leaving it unattended; dont accept drinks from strangers; and look out for your friends.
If you start to feel unwell seek help from friends or staff immediately.
For further information and downloadable guides, please visit:
The Home Office: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/how-you-can-prevent-crime
The British Council: www.educationuk.org/downloads/safety_1st.pdf, to download a copy of
Safety First: A personal safety guide for international students
Metropolitan Police: www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention/index.htm.


40



School of Advanced Study
Support Needs Pre-entry Form

CONFIDENTIAL

DATA PROTECTION

The purpose of this form is to enable the Disability Support Office to make an informed and
constructive decision on the support needs of students who might be coming to attend the School
of Advanced Study. It does not take into account at any stage a students academic ability but is
solely concerned with the Universitys ability to support any expected additional needs that a
student might have arising from his or her disability.
Any information provided will be forwarded to the Schools External Disability Support Office
and held by the SAS Registry and Student Administrator of the respective institute of study.
Information will be treated in the strictest confidence and only disclosed on a need to know
basis.
If you decide to join the School of Advanced Study, the information you have provided below
will be kept on your file. If you do not join the School of Advanced Study the file will be
destroyed after one year. You will be contacted once the completed form has been received to
develop a support agreement.
For alternative formats of this form please contact the SAS Registry at SAS.Registry@sas.ac.uk
or 020 7862 8661/8662/8663.

Personal Details

Name:

Address:




Telephone Number:
Other contacts:
(e.g. mobile phone, e-mail)

Course applied for:

Starting year/date:


Facilitation and Access Requirements

Disability or Special Access Needs

41
How does your disability affect your ABILITY to study?
Some examples are difficulties with concentration, memory, reading, writing, hearing













Are you currently receiving any treatment (including medication and medical
procedures) relating to your disability? If so how might this affect your studies?
(Similar to above but in some cases may be irrelevant.)


a) What medication/procedures?



b) How would (a) affect your study/time at university?





What type of assistive software have you used in the past to help you in your
studies?

Do you currently use any communication and/or mobility support
technology? (For example, hearing aid, adjustable desk, wheelchair,
Braille.)








Do you currently use any of the following support workers?

Support Workers.


Yes

No

Additional
Information

Inspiration

Magnifier
Text Help

Zoom Text
Via Voice

JAWS
Adapted computer facilities (please
specify)



42

Note taker


Reader


Scribe


Mentor


One to One Support Tutor (non-subject related) i.e.
Dyslexia


Library Assistant



Guide Dog for the Blind



Campus Support Worker




Support within the Course

Please describe any support received in the past and/or required now, such as information in
large print, signer, extra time in examinations. You may find it helpful to consider the support
you might need under the following headings: lectures, tutorials, seminars, examinations, and
Vivas (for PhD).

Have you been given any disability/learning support in your previous education? If so
what sort and how useful was it?

Support for Lectures/ Exams/ Assignments

Yes No Extra
information
(i.e. 25%
extra time in
exams)

Copy of OHPs and Power Point frames prior to lectures.
(State if enlarged versions)

Written materials in Braille


Adjustments in exams (for example, extra time,
interpreters, scribes)


Extensions on assignments



43
Support from Information Services


Book fetching service


Extended Book Loans


Use of a resource room (for example, with AT equipment)


General Support


Use of a quiet medical room


Disabled parking permit


Personal Emergency Egress Plan (for example if you
struggle to hear the fire alarm, or find your way in
unfamiliar buildings)


Other


Other



Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)

Have you applied for Disabled Students Allowance?

If yes, please state below when you submitted your application and, if known, how it is
progressing





If no, please state below if/when you intend to make an application


Further information about DSA eligibility and the application process is available at -
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/EducationAndTraining/HigherEducation/DG_1003
4898

Access to buildings

Please describe in detail your requirements. For example, whether you can climb stairs;
whether you can find your way in unfamiliar buildings?










Please indicate whether you would like to visit the Institute to assess access and
facilities available

*Yes / No
(*delete as appropriate)

Declaration
44

The School of Advanced Study is a small institution and has an external specialist Disability
Advisor. We aim to make our courses accessible to disabled students, to support them in their
study and to make adjustments wherever possible. In order to do this, it will often be necessary
to share information about your disclosed disability/disabilities with relevant School of
Advanced Study staff members, and other relevant agencies, on a confidential basis, as
deemed appropriate. Please sign the statement below to confirm that you agree to this.


*I AGREE / DO NOT AGREE THAT THE INFORMATION DISCLOSED ON THIS FORM
MAY BE SHARED WITH STAFF WITHIN THE SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDY AND
OTHER RELEVANT AGENCIES, AS APPROPRIATE.
(*delete as appropriate)



Signed: Date:

Please note that if you do not agree, you may be limiting the level of support that the
School is able to provide.


PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO:

School of Advanced Study Registry
University of London
Room 211, Second Floor, Senate House, South Block
Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU
Telephone: (+44) (0)207 862 8662/8663
Fax: (+44) (0)207 862 8725
Email: sas.registry@sas.ac.uk
Website: www.sas.ac.uk