Pen y Fan trip with PhD / PGR students, June 1st 2021

New Postgraduate Research Students

We're here to help you

On the first day of your new programme, you will need to formally enrol online. You will then be set up on the University's systems and will receive your student ID card. The process if different for international students so please Procedures for International Postgraduate Researchersread this information.

The Graduate School Office is located in 8 Forest Grove, Treforest Campus. We are currently working remotely. To get in touch, please email us at [email protected].

You will be introduced to relevant postgraduate research degree regulations, policies, procedures and expectations.You will also receive information about the Graduate School's Calendar of Events to help support you in your studies.

Your Director of Studies will ensure you receive a local induction at Faculty and Research Group level. 

One of the first things you will need to do is to register your project through PhD Manager. You should upload your research proposal to PhD Manager at this stage. 

You should make clear whether you are studying through the medium of Welsh or English and if you are studying for a PhD, the intended form of submission (i.e. thesis, portfolio or publication). In the case of publication route, you will provide details of the publications.

When you register you agree to abide by the University's Research Degree Regulations which you should be familiar with and which can be found here.

Once you have submitted your registration it is signed by your Director of Studies and noted by the Faculty Research Degrees Committee. 

Your registration period commences on the start date of your course. For details of the minimum, maximum and normal expected registration periods for each course please refer to the Research Degree Regulations.

In your first meeting with your Director of Studies you should undertake a skills need analysis to determine if there is any specific training you need to support your studies. This could be subject specific training, research methods or generic skills training.

You can use Vitae's Researcher Development Framework tool to help with this.

In addition to being assigned a supervision team with expertise in your topic of study, all students will have:

  • Suitable space will be provided that is appropriate for your studies. e.g. laboratory facilities, desk space, practitioner study space and/or subject specialist workshops.
  • These spaces are located as close as possible to the relevant subject group for your work, and will include personal storage space wherever appropriate.
  • Access to a computer or laptop, and to IT facilities, including a University email account.
  • Appropriate access to internal, and where required for the project, external telephone networks.
  • Anticipated and necessary laboratory consumables, scientific instrumentation, and subject specialist IT packages will be agreed before commencing the project. Reasonable additional requirements that arise during studies will be considered by the relevant Faculty and met where appropriate.
  • A range of library services and resources, e.g. inter-library loans, access to other libraries, EndNote bibliographic software, books, journals and electronic databases.
  • A broad programme of development opportunities aligned to Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework.
  • Access to the Graduate School located in Ty Crawshay on the Treforest Campus, and appropriate similar PGR space at other campuses; facilities include group study areas, bookable meeting spaces, quiet study spaces and social spaces.
  • Opportunities to practice presenting your work, and to obtain feedback on this in a supportive environment.

If your project requires ethical approval by the University it is essential that this is obtained prior to undertaking data collection. Your supervisors will be able to advise on this.

There are a number of essential resources to help with your studies and with which you should be familiar, in particular the Research Degree Regulations and the University's Research Governance Framework.

You are expected to read the resources carefully so you know what is expected of you in terms of your progression and in terms of good practice in research conduct.

Life Sciences & Education:

Jane MacCuish (Graduate School Officer)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01443 482788

Computing, Engineering and Science:

Llinos Spargo (Graduate School Co-ordinator)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01443 483568

Creative Industries:

Alison Crudgington (Graduate School Officer)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01443 654269 

Research Student Representatives