PhD Distance Learning Applied Linguistics 2024-25

Progression Reviews – Timings 

Research students who enrolled on their doctoral studies after 1 August 2016 are required to undertake Progression Reviews as outlined in the Summary of timings of progression reviews for research students who enrolled on their doctoral studies on or after 1 August 2016 tables below. The second Progression Review is known as confirmation of doctoral candidature and must be successfully completed before a research student may submit a thesis for examination. 

Research students will be required to submit the material for a Progression Review normally not later than four working weeks in advance of the decision deadline.  These timings are defined to enable the Assessment Panel to consider the submitted material, hold the Review, and make a recommendation within the specified timeframe.  Timings refer to the full month, i.e. the decision from the first attempt at the First Progression Review should be made before the end of month 10. 

Research students who first enrolled on their doctoral studies before 1 August 2016 will follow the progression monitoring timings and procedures that applied at the time of their year of entry and as determined by their Faculty (including those for upgrade/transfer from MPhil to PhD).  A summary of the applicable timings, depending on year of entry, is set out in the table below and students should refer to their Faculty for further information. However, the policy and procedure outlined in section 18 of this Code (Progression Monitoring and Reviews: The second progression review (confirmation of doctoral Candidature)) will apply to research students who first enrolled on their doctoral studies before 1 August 2016 when completing their upgrade/transfer from MPhil to PhD. 

^{1  These timings may be adjusted on a pro-rata basis for research students registered on non-standard research programmes where other duties are a formal part of the programme; for example, the Clinical Doctorate Research Fellowship scheme or the Mayflower Scholarship scheme.}

Normally all first progression reviews will be held face-to-face in Southampton or via videoconferencing or other suitable technologically-based communication. If a sufficiently large cohort is located in one geographical region, University of Southampton staff may travel to a regional centre where a cohort of students can have their first progression review vivas. 

Where this is not possible, alternative arrangements will be made, e.g. they may be conducted via videoconferencing or other suitable technologically-based communication. 

Confirmations/Upgrades/Transfers are normally conducted via videoconferencing or other suitable technologically-based communication. 

The final viva voce will take place in Southampton, however in exceptional circumstances alternative arrangements may be made with the approval of the Faculty Graduate School directorate. 

Each student will agree an individual arrangements document setting out the arrangements pertinent to themselves with their supervisor prior to commencing their studies. 

In addition to the above: 

For students commencing their candidature after 1 August 2016 the first progression review will take place between months eight and ten for the first attempt and before the end of month twelve for the second attempt if required.