Regulations for Senior Doctoral Degrees

INTRODUCTION

For the purpose of the Regulations for the senior doctoral awards, the University has defined “published work” as publicly available research outputs.
Regulations follow for the award of the senior doctoral degrees shown below:
• Doctor of Letters (DLitt);
• Doctor of Science (DSc);
• Doctor of Laws (LLD)

REGULATIONS

1. Eligibility

1.1 An applicant for a higher doctorate awarded by the University shall normally be a Graduate of the University of not less than two years’ standing and may be admitted to candidature during or subsequently to:
(i) the second year after having qualified for the degree of Doctor of    Philosophy;
(ii) the third year after having qualified for the degree of Master of Philosophy;
(iii) or the tenth year after having qualified for the degree of Bachelor in    any Faculty.
1.2 A full-time member of the teaching, research, administrative, library or technical  staff of the University who is a graduate of another University may become a  candidate provided:
(i) that they have taken their initial degree at least ten years previously, and
(ii) that they have been a full-time member of the staff of the University for a   least five years.

2. Criteria

2.1 The required condition for admission to the degree is that, in the judgement of the University, a candidate’s published worked will be seen as internationally significant and represent a substantial contribution to the advancement of knowledge.  A candidature may be based on joint work provided an estimate can be made of the candidate’s share and that it is possible to apply to it the criteria used in judging independent work. 

3. Submission

3.1 A Notice of Candidature Form DSc Application Form must be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor, along with three copies of each of the published works, and three sets of the following documents:
(i) particulars of the candidate’s degrees, other qualifications and research  experience, including all particulars required to establish eligibility under the University’s regulations;
(ii) a summary, of four or five pages in length, giving an indication of the field or fields in which the candidate has specialised, and indicating also the contribution to knowledge in that field which in their opinion their work has made;
(iii) where work involves joint authorship or collaboration, a statement signed by each collaborator indicating the nature and amount of work done in collaboration.
(iv) a statement of how much, if any, of the work has been submitted or is being currently submitted in candidature for any other degree.
3.2 At the discretion of the Senior Doctoral Degree Committee, the candidate may be  summoned to an  interview.
3.3 Notice may be given at any time during the academic year, but if it is given later than  31 January, the result of the candidature will not ordinarily be determined at such date as to allow the candidate, if successful, to be admitted to the degree in that  academic year.
3.4 One copy of every work approved by the Internal Committee shall be deposited in  the  University Library, and the other in the National Library of Wales,  Aberystwyth.
3.5 The fee for admission (£2,000) to candidature must be forwarded to the  Vice-Chancellor, together with the official form of notice of candidature.

4. Conduct of Examinations

4.1  The award of the Senior Doctoral Degree will be on the basis of the candidate’s  publications (normally the 20 most significant publications or a smaller number if the  publications are of appropriate scale and scope).

4.2  An application for entry to a Senior Doctoral Degree shall initially be scrutinised by  the Senior Doctoral Degree Committee whose role will encompass 3 stages: -

(a) Initial vetting of the application to establish if it can proceed
(b) Communication with the external referees (chosen by the Senior Doctoral Degree Committee)
(d) Discussion of the referees comments and final decision on the award of the Senior Doctoral Degree

4.3 If the Senior Doctoral Degree Committee agrees that an application can proceed, the  Senior Doctoral Degree Committee will select three external referees to examine the candidate’s statement and publications. If Senior Doctoral Degree Committee determines that an application cannot proceed, 75% of the prescribed fee will be refunded.

4.4 The Senior Doctoral Degree Committee will determine whether the conditions of the award of the Senior Doctoral Degree have been met in the light of the individual reports from the three external referees.

5.  Notification of Results and Award of Degree

5.1 Every candidate will be notified by the Chairman of the Senior Doctoral Degree Committee whether or not they are to be recommended for the award of the degree.

5.2 A diploma under the Seal of Aberystwyth University shall be subsequently delivered to each candidate who has been awarded the Senior Doctoral Degree.

5.3  If an electronic version of a Senior Doctoral Degree submission is presented to the Library, the Library will add a digital copy of the Senior Doctoral Degree submission, consisting of the author’s review, contents list, bibliography, to the Aberystwyth Research Portal where it shall be freely accessible to all. The University Archives will add to their collection a print copy of the submission for which the Senior Doctoral Degree has been conferred. The Library recommends that the author also adds a copy of each of the published works to Senior Doctoral Degree (subject to copyright regulations).

5.4  Appeal Procedure: candidate to write to the Vice-Chancellor outlining the alleged procedural irregularity.

6. Re-entry to Examination

A candidate who fails to qualify for the award of a Senior Doctoral Degree will be required on re-entry to comply with the regulations in force at that time.