INFORMATION for Mphil/Phd STUDENTS

Last updated: 09 Sep 2015

UCL INTERACTION CENTRE

INFORMATION FOR MPhil/PhD STUDENTS

2016-2017

Checklist

The following is brief checklist of responsibilities for PhD students. The rest of the document provides considerably greater detail regarding each point and will hopefully serve as a useful reference.

·  With primary supervisor, select a secondary supervisor by the end of the first week.

·  It is strongly recommended that all students take 2 taught modules in the first 1 – 2 years of registration. Typically these will be from the recommended list:

o  Statistics or Qualitative Methods* (both offered by the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences (PALS) - *note that students funded by ESRC studentships need to complete both courses),

o  A programming course – e.g.:

Programming (offered by PALS),

Introductory programming - http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/students/syllabus/msccs/gc01_introductory_programming/

Introduction to Programming and Database Querying – (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dis/study/pg/INSTG018) – a good follow-up to Programming for Psychology and recommended for building tasks or tools

o  One Master’s module (in PALS or Computer Science (CS) Dept or another dept).

The following courses have additionally been found by other students to be particularly useful:

o  Code Academy (http://www.codecademy.com/) teaches all main web programming languages and is free

o  Week long course in Scientific Python run by CS - http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/scipython/

Furthermore, all PhD students must present at the UCLIC PhD showcase event (normally in May).

·  Students should complete relevant courses throughout their period of study and should also read and critique two theses in their first year.

·  All PhD students are expected to attend the weekly UCLIC Departmental seminars (usually Wed, 3pm).

·  In their first year, students should ensure that they have completed all relevant ethical clearance processes needed for their studies and ensure that they comply with data protection and approved ethical procedures throughout their studies.

·  Students are expected to pass their first year viva, usually around their 9th month of registration and then upgrade from MPhil to PhD about 6 months later, and normally not later than their 18th month of registration. Part-time students and those with Divisional studentships have additional time.

·  Complete 20 points worth of transferable skill training per year and mark these in the Research Log.

·  Update the Research Log book with your progress and status at the regular intervals listed in the Research Log.

·  Students should attend or present at an external seminar or workshop each year and should submit a conference paper in their second and third years. They should publish a journal paper each year after their second year. They should start planning for their future in their third year.

·  Aim to submit the PhD thesis within 3 (sometimes 4) years of starting the program for full-time students, 4 years for Divisional studentships, or 5 years for part-time students. The viva normally takes place within three months of submitting the thesis.

·  4-6 months before submitting the thesis, complete and submit a Research Degree Examination Entry Form and an Examiner Nomination form.

·  If you require additional time after the end of your funding, then register for Completing Research Students (CRS) status. This provides full time students with the fourth year or part-time students with the sixth and seventh years at minimal cost. More details are available in the UCL Academic Manual: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/srs/academic-manual/overview.

Contents

Introduction 5

The Division of Psychology and Language Sciences and Dept of Computer Science 5

Term Dates for 2016/2017 Academic Year 5

Useful Contacts 6

Postgraduate Administrators 6

Melanie Johnson 6

Induction Events 7

Monday 26th September 2016 7

Tuesday 27th September 2016 7

Wednesday 28th September 2016 8

Thursday 29th September 2016 8

Friday 3rd October 2016 8

Notes on Enrolment……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9

Supervision………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10

Principal Supervisor…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10

Subsidiary Supervisor……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...10

Graduate Tutor………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...10

Advanced Graduate Training…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….11

Required Courses and Seminars………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11

Doctoral School Courses 12

Training in teaching methods………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12

Other research seminars 12

PhD Timetables

Term 1……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13

Term 2……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14

Monitoring of Progress…………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………15

Research Student Log……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15

Purpose of the Research Student Log 15

How to use the Research Student Log 15

Expected yearly progression for students 15

Aims of the upgrading process 15

Time Frame 16

Criteria for Upgrade 17

Components of Upgrade 17

Report by Principal Supervisor 17

The Upgrade Report 17

The Upgrade Panel 18

The Upgrade Viva 18

Outcomes 18

The Structure of a Thesis 19

Abtract 19

Introduction 19

Body 19

Conclusion 19

Finishing the PhD:Thesis and Viva………………………………………………………………………………………………………..20

Thesis Binding………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….20

Final Copies……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...21

Interruption of study……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………21

Resources and other useful information………………………………………………………………………………………………..22

(1) Ethical approval for non-invasive research with healthy adult participants…………………………………..22

(2) Research equipment for PhD students…………………………………………………………………………………………22

(3) UCL Union…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..22

(4) The Doctoral School…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23

(5) Subject Payment……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…23

(6) Library 24

(7) Post and Telephones 24

(8) Portico………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..24

(9) Conference and training expenses…………………………………………………………………………………………….....25

(10) Emergency……………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………….....25

(11) ID and keys…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....25

(12) Communicating with you…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..25

(13) First Aid (minor injury)………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....25

(14) health and safety……………………………………,,,…………………………………………………………………………….....25

(15) Postgraduate Peer Group (PPG………………………………………………………………………………………………….26

(16) Student Input/feedback to the department 26

(17) Intellectual Porperty Rights………………………………………………………………………………………………………26

(18) Equal Opportunity Liaison Officer……………………………………………………………………………………………...26

What To Do if You Have a Problem………………………………………………………………………………………………………..27

Useful Web Links………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….29

Resources……………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………….29

UCL Rules and Regulations governing Research Degrees……………………………………………………………………29

General…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….29

PhD programme checklist…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………30

Introduction

Welcome to the UCL Interaction Centre. We hope you will have a happy and rewarding time here. This handbook is for all graduate students registered in UCLIC in 2016/17, and should be read in conjunction with UCL Doctoral School’s Code of Practice, which is available via http://www.grad.ucl.ac.uk/essinfo/. Its aim is to inform you on matters relating to your chosen degree course, both from an academic and practical point of view. Please read the handbook carefully and keep it for future use.

The information in this booklet covers the induction events (for new students), aspects of supervision, the process of upgrading from MPhil to PhD status, and submitting a thesis. In addition, some useful resources are included towards the end of the document. It is accurate at the time of going to press, and adjustments that are necessary in the future will be disseminated as widely as possible.

The Division of Psychology and Language Sciences and Department of Computer Science

UCL Interaction Centre (UCLIC) is one of eight research departments within the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences (PALS) that consists of staff from both PALS and the Department of Computer Science (CS). UCLIC is based in 66 – 72 Gower Street. Many members of UCLIC are also members of the Human Centred Systems Research Group in Computer Science. PhD students in UCLIC may be registered in either Computer Science (CS) or UCLIC (PALS). Procedures and regulations may be slightly different for the two departments – contact Louise Gaynor for advice if registered in PALS or Sarah Turnbull for advice if registered in CS. We have tried to highlight any differences in this document.

Term Dates for 2014/2015 Academic Year

Term 1: Monday 26th September 2016 – Friday 16th December 2016

Reading Week: 7th – 11th November 2016

Christmas CLOSE – Friday 23rd December 2016 at 5.30 p.m

RE-OPEN – Tuesday 3rd January 2017

Term 2: Monday 9th January 2017 – Friday 24th March 2017

Reading Week: 13th – 17th February 2017

Easter CLOSE – Thursday 13th April 2017 at 5.30 p.m.

RE-OPEN –Thursday 20th April 2017

Term 3: Monday 24th April 2017 – Friday 9th June 2016

For future term dates see: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/staff/term-dates/

2015 Bank Holidays Monday 1st and 29th May and Monday 28th August

Although these are the official term dates, PhD students have access to the building via the ID card throughout the year and are expected to be in attendance.

Useful Contacts

UCLIC

Graduate Tutor
Dr Paul Marshall
Email:
Office: room 2.09 66-72 Gower St (66GS)
Tel: 020 3108 7066
As Graduate Tutor, Paul is responsible for ensuring the overall progression and successful completion of research students in the department, for duties related to the well-being of individual students, and for the implementation of departmental policies as they affect the body of research students as a whole.
Some examples of typical matters dealt with by the Graduate Tutor are: advising on changes in supervision and on matters associated with registration and examination and ensuring that assessments are organised on time.
Director/ Head of Department
Professor Yvonne Rogers
Email:
Office: room 2.13 66GS
Tel: 020 3108 7073 (x 57073) / Research Student Representative
Joe Newbold
Email:
Office: room 2.04 66GS
Tel: 020 3108 7057 (x 57057)
PhD Administrator
Dr Louise Gaynor
Email:
Office: room 2.03 66GS
Tel: 020 3108 7050 (x 57050) / Research Student Representative
Britta Schulte
Email:
Office: room 2.06 66GS
Tel: 020 3108 7061 (x 57061)

PALS

Head of Division
Professor David Shanks
Email:
Office: 301 Bedford Way
Tel: 020 7679 7588 (x 27588) / Executive Officer to Head of Division
Ms. Harriet Lilley
Email:
Office: 302 Bedford Way
Email only
Director of Graduate Research
Dr Leun Otten
Email:
Office: Room 107, ICN 17 Queen Sq.
Tel: 020 7679 1124 (x 21124) / Deputy Faculty Manager
Mr John Draper
Email:
Office: 306 Bedford Way
Tel: 020 7679 5338 (x 25338)

CS

Head of Department
Professor John Shawe-Taylor
Email:
Office: 5.14 MPEB
Phone: 020 7679 7680 (x 37680) / CS Graduate Tutor
Professor Anthony Hunter
Email:
Office: 4.14 66GS
Phone: 020 3108 7113 (x 57113)

Postgraduate Administrator

Sarah Turnbull

Office: 1.04A, 66GS
Tel: 020 3108 7042 (x 57042)

Our intranet pages (https://uclic.ucl.ac.uk/intranet) have considerable information about working in UCLIC in general, with information for PhD students specifically at https://uclic.ucl.ac.uk/intranet/old-staff-intranet/for-phds . You can access these and the PALS Intranet pages with your UCLIC login details – Judith Borghouts or Louise Gaynor can set this up for you.

Additional contact information can be found on the UCLIC web page at

(https://uclic.ucl.ac.uk/intranet/old-staff-intranet/useful-contacts ) and on the PALS divisional web page (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/people) and on the CS people pages (http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/cs_people/).

INDUCTION EVENTS

The schedule below provides details of the events occurring during the main induction week (Monday 29th September – Sunday 4th October 2016). Some events begin the week beforehand. It is compulsory that all incoming MPhil/PhD students attend all relevant events.

Induction Week Timetable September 2016
Time / Event / Venue
Wed 21, Thurs 22, Fri 23 September 2016
9.30 – 17.00 / International Students Orientation programme (ISOP) Enrolment (optional, will be online also – see http://www.ucl.ac.uk/iss/orientation) / Front Quadrangle, main UCL entrance - see C3 on *Map*.
Sat 24 September 2016
10.00 – 16.00 / Weekend Enrolment* – see notes on Enrolment below / Front Quadrangle, main UCL entrance
Sun 25 September 2016
10.00 – 14.00 / Weekend Enrolment* / Front Quadrangle, main UCL entrance
Monday 26 September
10.00 – 10.45 / Welcome to UCLIC and Staff presentations / Room B17, 1-19 Torrington Place, see Map
10.45 – 11.30 / Meet Sarah Turnbull and IT accounts set up (Computer Science Postgraduate administrator) / Hub Room 1, 66-72 Gower St
see Map
11.30 – 12.00 / Tour of UCLIC and desk allocation – Louise Gaynor (UCLIC manager) / Meet at Hub Room 2, 66-72 GS
Break
13.00 – 15.00 / UCLIC PhD Induction - Louise Gaynor / Hub Room 2, 66-72 GS
16.00 – 18.00 / UCLIC Start of Term reception / Japanese Garden pavilion, see Map
Tuesday 27 September
10.45 – 12.00 / Library Tour and Computer Science (CS) Induction with Sarah Turnbull / Science Library, DMS Watson, Map
Break
13.30 – 13.45 / Ethics applications and risk assessments (in Psychology Division but relevant to all students) – Dr Adam Harris / Room 305, 26 Bedford Way
See *Map*
13.45 – 14.00 / Psychology Postgraduate Peer Group (PPG) – student led group, UCLIC-CS students welcome / As above
14.00 – 14.20 / Sustainability at UCL – John Draper / As above
14.20 – 14.30 / Student support and well-being video / As above
15.00 – 16.00 / CS health and Safety induction – Sarah Turnbull / Room 405, 66-72 GS - Map
Wednesday 28 September
10.30 – 11.00 / Being a Teaching Assistant (TA) in CS – Sarah Turnbull / Room 405, 66-72 GS - Map
11.00 – 12.00 / UCLU & Volunteering Induction / Room 405, 66-72 GS
14.00 – 15.00 / Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harrassment / Room 405, 66-72 GS
Thursday 29 September
14.00 – 14.30 / Enrolment slot for CS registered PhD students* / Front Quadrangle, main UCL entrance
14.30 – 15.00 / Students Union & PGR students intro / Room 405, 66-72 GS
15.00 – 16.00 / CS Postgraduate Tutor welcome – Prof. Anthony Hunter / Room 405, 66-72 GS
16.00 – 19.00 / PhD Pizza party / Common Room, Grd floor, 66-72 Gower Street
Friday 30 September
11.00 – 12.30 / Doctoral School Welcome Event - the purpose of this short welcome is to let students know something about the wealth of facilities offered to research students, and to give new students a flavour of the exciting research community at UCL – please register at this link. / Logan Hall, UCL institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way
see Map
Sat 3 and Sun 4 October 2016
10.30 – 16.00 / UCLU Welcome Fair / Wilkins Building and Front Quad

Please also note that there will be Inductions on the Doctoral Skills Development programme and the Research Student Log from the Doctoral School. There will be three identical sessions, so students only need attend one. The dates of these sessions are as follows:

Mon 10th October 2016, Tues 8th November 2015 and Wed 25th January 2017 - all events will be at from 2 – 4pm, venue tbc for each one. For more information and to register please see:
http://courses.grad.ucl.ac.uk/course-details.pht?course_ID=2375 –opens on Mon 26 Sept 2016.

*Notes on Enrolment

Once you have completed pre-enrolment you will be sent an email telling you when and where to enrol. If you fail to complete pre-enrolment or don't receive any communication about these arrangements before you are due to arrive please contact the New Students Team (). All students are required to enrol in person within the two weeks from their official programme start date. This normally takes place at the Student Centre, but there will be additional enrolment centres during Induction week – please go to the Front Quad where volunteers will be able to advise where to go. There are specific timeslots for specific programmes, but it’s possible to enrol at any time. On completion of enrolment you will then be able to access all the facilities and services you are entitled to as a student at UCL.