Change of Programme & Modes of Attendance

During your research programme your circumstances may change, prompting you to change modes of attendance for your course. To do this you would need to complete this form PGR Change of Programme Form [XLS 112KB] if you would like to request to change your programme of study or mode of attendance either within the same School/Institute or to move to another School/Institute within Queen Mary. Please follow instruction on the form to obtain departmental approval and return the form to the Research Degrees Office.

The following modes of attendance are available to students:

1. Full-time
2. Part-time (50% of the workload of a full-time student per year)

You are expected to continue in the same mode of study for which you originally registered; however, transfer between full-time and part-time study may be permitted.  If you are permitted to change your mode of attendance, your minimum and maximum registration periods and expected submission date will be adjusted accordingly.

You should discuss the implications of changing your mode of attendance with your supervisor. You might find it helpful to speak with the Advice and Counselling team. Students who are in receipt of a studentship should refer to the terms and conditions of their studentship for guidance on the implications for their funding and expected submission date. Part-time students are not entitled to exemption from Council Tax. Part-time students are usually not entitled to an 18+ Oystercard.

If you decide to change your mode of study, please write to the Research Degrees Office for your School. If you are in receipt of a studentship your School must also send the Research Degrees Office a signed Studentship Change of Details form.

Full-time and part-time milestones

Transfer between full-time and part-time study has implications for academic progression points and the period of registration. Progression is a formal process that permits a student to continue to the next stage/period of their research studies programme.

Please note that your “period of study” is calculated from the date of enrolment to the date of submission of the thesis.

• The minimum period of full-time study for the awards of MPhil, PhD, MD(Res), DrPS and DClinDent is 2 calendar years.
• The maximum period of full-time study for the awards of MPhil, PhD, MD(Res), DrPS and DClinDent is 4 calendar years (including any writing up period).
• The minimum period of part-time study for the awards of MPhil, PhD, MD(Res), DrPS and DClinDent is 4 calendar years.
• The maximum period of part-time study for the awards of MPhil, PhD, MD(Res), DrPS and DClinDent is 7 calendar years (including any writing up period).
• The maximum period for ‘writing up’ is one calendar year regardless of the mode of attendance of the student.
• For students registered after 1st September 2010, the normal minimum progression points for a full-time student occur between 6 to 9 months after registration on the research studies programme.  For a part-time student the normal progression points occur between 12 to 18 months after registration on the research studies programme.
• A student registered before 1st September 2010 for a research studies programme leading to the award of MPhil/PhD may transfer his/her registration to PhD.  The transfer process normally takes place between 12 to 24 months for a full-time student and 24 to 48 months for a part-time student.
  
  

If you have any confusion regarding this process of implications, you may contact the Research Degree Office in the first instance who may be able to answer your query or signpost to the appropriate resource within Queen Mary.