Research Degrees in Computing Science and Mathematics
Structure and Content |
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The programme is broadly the same for both the MPhil and the PhD degrees, with different goals and timescales. A full-time research degree normally lasts one year for an MPhil and three years for a PhD. An MPhil may be typified as taking existing research and applying it to a new area, while a PhD will tend to modify and expand the work of others to make a contribution to the research field. Each student and topic is unique, and the programme varies tremendously depending on those two variables; however, there are some general points to be made.
Each student is allocated a supervisor and a second supervisor. Students generally meet weekly with their supervisors to discuss progress. Support is also available from other researchers with the same research interests through the research group structure. Most groups have regular meetings throughout the semester. Peer support is available through the monthly Postgraduate Research Students group, PG Tips. The Postgraduate Tutor is available to give general advice to research students.
Most training is carried out relatively informally on a one-to-one basis between student and supervisor. To learn about specific subjects students may attend advanced courses in the department, or specialist schools outside the department. In addition to the Department's research training, research students have access to the Stirling University Graduate Research School. This offers research training on matters such as intellectual property rights, patents, technology transfer, information retrieval and communication skills. All students are encouraged to attend the UK GRAD programme courses, which offer transferable skills such as team building, networking, and career development.
Delivery and Assessment
A major challenge for students, especially in the PhD programme, is to structure their work over a long period of time. The Department requires students to meet regular milestones to help them focus on achievable short term goals, and to ensure adequate progress towards the final goal of submitting their thesis.
Students are admitted initially for postgraduate study. A major milestone occurs 10 months into the PhD programme when confirmation to PhD registration is made. In addition, students must submit a report annually and be orally examined by a viva panel consisting of their two supervisors and one other member of the department. This provides valuable preparation for the final thesis and viva. A less formal milestone is the annual Student Talks Day, at which research students have the opportunity to present their work to a larger audience.
