Doctoral students at Solent are supported by staff from across the University’s Schools, as well as learning and information services. Specialist advisers in the Student Hub also ensure you are fully supported throughout your doctoral studies.
Community space
Full-time doctoral students have access to working spaces in the doctoral researchers area where IT resources are available, including:
- the use of a PC,
- standard software,
- printing and photocopying.
Part-time doctoral students are also welcome to hot-desk in the doctoral researchers area.
In addition, the research launchpad is an inviting and informal space available to all researchers at the University. This space hosts many of the training sessions. Researchers are welcome to book the launchpad for meetings, planning sessions and workshops, or use it on a drop-in basis (when available) for informal meetings or catching up over lunch.
The doctoral researchers area is based close to the post-doctoral researchers and research fellows area. This creates an exciting hub for cross-disciplinary discourse. A mentoring scheme pairing doctoral students with post-doctoral researchers who share their experience of completing the PhD adds to the supportive research community at Solent.
Find out more about the mentoring scheme
Doctoral support team
Doctoral students are also supported by the Doctoral Support team in Research, Innovation and Enterprise who are always happy to help and to answer questions about the research journey, processes and forms.
Contact details
Helen Marland, Doctoral Support Office
Research, Innovation and Enterprise, room A223
Solent University
East Park Terrace
Southampton SO14 0YN
Telephone: 023 8201 3577
Email: research.degree@solent.ac.uk.
Office hours are 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday (please telephone or email ahead of your visit)
Dr Nic Percivall, Research Programmes and Development Manager
Research, Innovation and Enterprise, room A223
Solent University
East Park Terrace
Southampton SO14 0YN
Telephone: 023 8201 6496
Email: research.degree@solent.ac.uk.
Research student support and welfare
Solent University research students can access specialist services for students through Student Support
The Student Hub is a centrally located student information area in the Andrews Building concourse which acts as a source of information and support.
Services range across all aspects of student life, from obtaining a council tax exemption certificate, to seeking advice on disability support from, and from accessing counselling services to getting guidance on visas from the team or speaking to a funding advisor.
Student welfare
Doctoral students are expected to participate fully and to take responsibility for planning their research - this includes following safety codes and advice scrupulously. All doctoral students are required to review health and safety aspects relating to their programme of study with their supervision team in the project approval phase of their studies.
PGR students whose research necessitates they engage in periods of study offsite may be required to complete a risk assessment form and students whose research requires that they undertake periods of research outside the UK will need to contact the International Office for advice on completing an overseas risk assessment with the support of their supervision team.
In addition, UKUI regulations require international students to inform the University whenever they are not in the UK. Contact the Doctoral Support Team at research.degrees@solent.ac.uk for further guidance on this requirement.
Doctoral students training and resources
Induction
All new doctoral students are required to attend an Induction event when they enrol, introducing them to the resources and services they can access at Solent. The induction dates for the 2018/19 academic year are:
- 9 October 2018
- 15 January 2019
Find out more about induction
Researcher development programme
Solent’s Researcher Development Programme (RDP) offers a range of opportunities to develop research, professional and personal skills.
The programme is designed to be flexible and responsive, helping you to design a development route to suit your needs. With a range of subjects and delivery methods, you can choose the activities which are right for you at each stage of your researcher development.
In addition to face to face sessions, postgraduate researchers can also access our online training materials and webinars, supplied in partnership with the University of East Anglia and Angel Productions.
Find out more
Library resources
Our librarians can support you with inter-library loans, arranging SCONUL access to other university libraries, using referencing software and many other enquiries.
Find out more
Research ethics
As a PGR student you will need to consider whether there are any ethical implications of your research. In addition to receiving advice from your supervisory team, you can access guidance and links to the University's application processes for ethical review.
It is expected that research degree students (level 8) will have an advanced understanding of research integrity. They will demonstrate the highest standards in their acknowledgement of the work of others and in the presentation of their own research data. Work submitted for feedback from your supervision team, as well as at formal progression points along your research programme, will need to meet these standards. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the referencing and research data conventions appropriate to your field of research.
Vitae
Vitae is an organisation providing support for the professional development of researchers. Their website includes news and events of interest to researchers looking to improve their overall professional development.
Find out more
Additionally Vitae has developed the online Researcher Development Framework planner app to which Solent subscribes. This app can help you to map your professional development as a researcher.
If you would like to explore the planner as part of your development programme contact research.degree@solent.ac.uk and ask for an institutional log in.
eTHos
The Electronic Thesis Online Service (eTHos) is hosted by the British Library and searches across over 300,000 theses for free. You can order full text quickly and easily using the eTHos website.
Research student representation and mentoring
We value your feedback and are keen to learn from you where there are areas for enhancement that we can address and also about the areas we do well.
Solent University’s Research Degrees Committee (RDC) is responsible to the Academic Board of the University for the effectiveness of the University’s postgraduate research provision. PGR students are represented on the RDC by a full-time and part-time student cohort representative.
Your representatives are:
If you have any ideas or questions relating to enhancing PGR student experience please let your representative know. You can also contact your Postgraduate Research Hub Coordinator, and the Students’ Union offers a wide range of general support and representation.
Find out more about the RDC
You can also contact your Postgraduate Research Hub Coordinator
Visit the Solent’s Students’ Union website
Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES)
In addition to hearing from your representatives at our committee meetings and through the student union, your views will also be sought through the annual Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES). The survey is a national exercise, similar to the NSS for undergraduates, and is an opportunity for students to evaluate their overall experience as doctoral researchers. Please look out for the links to this survey which are circulated to all doctoral students each Spring.
Mentoring and peer support
A mentoring scheme pairing PGR students with Post-doctoral researchers who share their experience of completing the PhD adds to the supportive research community at Solent.
Find out more about the mentoring scheme
Peer support is also available through an online PGR Hub which is run by the doctoral students themselves. This hub hosts discussion forums and opportunities to seek peer feedback.
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