ISIG MPhil/PhD Upgrade Process

On commencing the PhD programme, students will spend the Michaelmas Term developing their literature review, refining their methodology and planning their fieldwork. They should work out a timetable of regular meetings with their supervisor(s).

The Upgrade from MPhil to PhD takes place in the second year of study and consists of a ‘process’ composed of the following components:

• Presentation
• Feedback (verbal)
• Submission of research proposal and logistical plan
• Feedback (written)
• Response to feedback
• Upgrade viva
• Submission of Abstract

The MPhil/PhD Upgrade viva will take place once a year. The process commences in Lent Term.

Presentation

Each candidate is required to present their research in front of faculty and students (30 minutes presentation and 10 minutes of questions).

Feedback

The student will receive feedback from the audience following the presentation. This will include feedback from the assessors as well as from other students. Submission of Research Proposal and Logistical Plan

The upgrade document (research proposal and logical plan) is due a few weeks after the presentation (date tba). The document should be 10,000 words in length and in standard ISIG format (see ISIG guidelines available on Moodle). The student should hand in 5 hard copies including an essay submission form and front cover (which can be collected from the Student Support Desk a week before the deadline). An electronic copy must also be sent to the Research Coordinator. Below are some guidelines for the content of the research proposal document:

• Introduction – Problem Area Description (up to 500 words)
• Review of the Literature (up to 1500 words)
• Problem Statement – including research questions (up to 500 words)
• Conceptual Framework (up to 3000 words)
• Empirical Investigation – including gaining access, data collection/handling, method of interpretation/analysis (up to 3000 words)
• Expected Contribution (up to 1000 words)
• Logistical Plan (up to 500 words)

Responding to Assessors’ Feedback

Written feedback from the assessors is sent to the Research Coordinator around a month later (date tbc) who collates it and distributes it to the candidate (copy goes to the PhD Programme Director).

The supervisor should consult with the assessors regarding the exact form that the response to assessor document should take. A written summary of the required changes will be prepared by the supervisor and agreed with the assessors.

When the assessors state that the quality of work is generally of the standard that they expect at MPhil/PhD level but that they have specific issues relating to research design and contribution, the candidate will be asked to write a brief response document. Each of the main points made by the assessors should be extracted and highlighted in bold. Underneath the assessors’ points, the candidate should write a brief response. The response by each student to assessors’ comments should be between 1-3 pages in length and meet the standard ISIG format requirements (although document covers are not required in this instance). All substantive points raised by the assessors must be addressed in this document. It should be noted that the candidate does not have to agree with all the points made by the assessors. Rather they are required to clearly articulate their position and how they intend to proceed. The assessors must be satisfied that the candidates have thought through the issues, understood the concerns that have been raised, and have proposed a viable way forward.

In cases where the assessors have serious concerns regarding the current status of the material submitted, the candidate may be asked to rewrite the research proposal in order to strengthen its overall content.

The response document should be submitted electronically to the Research Coordinator (deadline tbc), who will forward it to the assessors, supervisor, the external moderator and the PhD Programme Director.

The Upgrade Viva

The formal upgrade decision will be made at the MPhil/PhD upgrade viva. The candidate, the two assessors, the student’s supervisor, an appropriate Chairperson (normally the PhD Programme Director), and the ISIG PhD External Moderator will be present at the viva.

• The Chair invites the two assessors to discuss the candidate’s position vis-à-vis upgrade status. The assessors lay out those areas with which they are satisfied alongside any points of concern. In this way, the agenda for the upgrade (i.e. the particular issues to be discussed during the viva) is drawn up.
• The Chair invites the supervisor to make any comments about the student’s general performance and any mitigating circumstances.
• The Chair invites the candidate into the room and the upgrade viva lasting approximately 45 minutes takes place. Students will not be required to make a formal presentation at this meeting. The exam will take the form of a discussion between the student and the assessors. This may cover any or all of the upgrade components (presentation, response, viva discussion) focusing on any areas of interest/concern that the assessors may have.
• The Chair asks the candidate to leave the room in order to allow the upgrade committee to reach a decision. The decision will be communicated to the student the following day.

(a) upgrade the candidate from MPhil to PhD status and allow them to proceed to their second year of study (subject to the preparation of an abstract of their thesis suitable for publication on the ISIG website)

(b) ask the candidate to submit for a 2nd upgrade attempt at the next session. In this case the supervisor should arrange a meeting with the assessors with the aim of reaching a mutual understanding between all concerned regarding the changes required. A written summary of these changes should be produced and agreed with the assessors. The candidate is not required to present to the ISI Group again (unless this is requested), but must produce the material requested by the upgrade committee and submit it on the next upgrade document submission deadline (date TBA). After the second MPhil/PhD upgrade viva, the candidate will either pass and progress to the second year of study (subject to the preparation of an abstract of their thesis for publication on the ISIG website) or will be invited to submit for an MPhil degree (details of requirements are on the LSE website).

Submission of Abstract

This is a condition for proceeding onto the second year of study on the doctoral programme and all students who are upgraded need to submit their thesis abstract for the ISIG website within three weeks of their viva (this can be edited at a later date).

page last updated 17 January 2012

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