About supervision
Information and guidance on supervision for PGR students.
Essential practice
All postgraduate research students will be allocated a supervisory team comprised of at least two members of staff, one or more of whom will be a member of academic staff of the University, who will support them through their academic and development programme. The primary supervisor is normally an academic from the department/school in which the student is registered.
In addition to the two named supervisors, all postgraduate research students will have access to an academic member of staff, based in their department/school, who is unconnected to the research project and who is available to provide advice and support on pastoral issues when required. Departments/Schools will inform their students about the role and responsibilities of such support, including its boundaries and limitations.
Departments/Schools vary in the terminology used to describe this person (eg Personal Tutor, Advisor etc.), but whatever title is used they should form part of a wider 'supervisory team', which may also include the PGR Lead (where this is not also the personal tutor), Head of Department/School, relevant PGR support staff, etc. These individuals are not expected to take part in the day-to-day supervision of the students, but should be available to provide advice and support in certain circumstances, or to deal with issues that have been referred to them.
It is acceptable for more than one 'model' of supervision to be used within the same department/school, and specific arrangements for supervision should be agreed according to students' needs, provided they fall within the minimum expectations outlined above.
Members of academic staff new to the University will have had their research supervisory calibre assessed as part of the recruitment and selection process. New members of academic staff without previous supervisory experience are appointed a mentor to act as part of their supervisory team as a source of advice and guidance.
The Head of Department/School is responsible for assigning academic staff workload, including deciding the maximum number of research students that any one member of academic staff can supervise. It is acceptable for some supervisors to exceptionally take on more than 6 FTE students, providing this is taken into account in the individual's overall workload and is agreed by the Head of Department/School (bearing in mind duty of care to staff).
There should be a reasonable expectation that, all things being equal, the appointed supervisors will be in post for the duration of the student’s degree, i.e. not on short-term contracts.
Where students are undertaking a collaborative or interdisciplinary degree involving supervision by more than one department/school (or university), the primary supervisor will normally be an academic from the department/school in which the student is registered.
All supervisors are selected for their expertise and involvement in the appropriate field of study and should have the appropriate skills and subject expertise to effectively support the student’s research project. This does not mean that supervisors already know all there is to know about the subjects they supervise, and the best supervisor-student relationships are those in which there is a two-way interaction of research and learning, and in which the student explores and gains insights into aspects of the subject which are stimulating to the supervisor as well.
The relationship between student and supervisor is not static and students often find that as they become more familiar with their field of research, they become less directly dependent on their supervisor.
It is important that students can speak to someone in their academic department/school, in confidence, if they have any concerns about the supervision they are receiving. This could be another member of the supervisory team, a personal or pastoral tutor, the PGR Lead or Head of Department/School. Departments/Schools should ensure that students are aware of the opportunity for providing confidential feedback on supervision and the mechanism for doing so.
The University has agreed a policy statement on supervision eligibility for postgraduate research degrees.
Supervisory meetings: frequency and record-keeping
Essential practice
Formal meetings between the research student and supervisor(s) to review progress should normally take place at least every four weeks for full-time students (pro-rata for part-time students). It is essential for written records of formal student-supervisor meetings to be made, either by the student or the supervisor, and for both to maintain a copy.
Notes of supervisory meetings need not be lengthy or detailed documents, but should record the progress made on the project, key points discussed and any agreed actions or objectives to be achieved before the next meeting. This could take the form of a series of bullet points.
This is essential for both pedagogic reasons (to ensure the student's understanding of points made by the supervisor) and to provide an accurate record of the supervisory sessions. Students often take the lead in producing these records. An online form to record formal supervisory meetings between PGR students and supervisors is available via the Personal Academic Tutoring System (PATS). PATS can be accessed via the 'All Services' menu on MUSE.
Supervisory meetings should be conducted in English and the written records of such meetings should also be in English, even if the student and supervisor share a different native language. This is to assist the student in developing the necessary written and oral English language skills that are required for conducting successful doctoral research in the UK.
Students who are undertaking research away from the University, e.g. on fieldwork, should make arrangements in advance with their supervisory team for maintaining an appropriate level and means of contact whilst they are away from Sheffield.
Supervision should continue throughout the different stages of the degree, including when the student is writing the thesis or undertaking post-viva corrections. There should be a minimum of one supervisory meeting every 4 weeks.
If a supervisor is going to be absent from the University for more than the length of time between two supervisory meetings, then the department/school must ensure that there are appropriate supervisory arrangements in place for the student(s) affected.
This may involve another member of the supervisory team taking a lead role during the period of absence, or the appointment of a new supervisor, on either a temporary or permanent basis, depending on the specific circumstances and the length of the absence. These issues should be managed on a case by case basis.
Guidance on changes within a supervisor team
A number of situations may arise that require the replacement of a member within a PGR student’s supervisory team. In such cases it is the responsibility of the Head of Department/School (HoD/S), or nominated deputy, to manage any new appointment of supervisors, and arrange for cover of supervision should a supervisor leave before the end of the student’s research programme (in accordance with the University's Supervision Eligibility Policy).
The primary aims should be to ensure the continuity and quality of supervision, and that the student is duly cared for and consulted from the outset. The Department/School’s PGR Lead, and the Faculty Graduate School (FGS), should be consulted each time such a situation arises. Research, Partnerships and Innovation must also be informed, as this is essential both for the effective monitoring of student progression and to ensure the accuracy of University records, which are used to make key data returns. A statement should be provided detailing the situation, as well as an assessment of the progress of the student and the feasibility of completion by the time limit. The statement should also provide evidence that all parties (student and supervisors) agree with the changes and progress statement.
The situations that may require a change of within the supervisory team include:
- A relationship has broken down – Should significant problems emerge between the student and a supervisor, these should be flagged at the earliest opportunity to the Departmental/School PGR Lead, and flagged to the FGS for consultation. If, regardless of resolution attempts, the relationship eventually does break down, the PGR Lead should discuss the circumstances with both student and supervisor, and make them aware of the University's policies regarding Appeals, Complaints and Conduct. If necessary, the HoD/S should identify a new supervisor who can ensure continuity in the project, and consult the FGS for their input, as necessary.
- A supervisor moves to another institution, or retires – the supervisor may continue to advise on the project, provided that a suitable local supervisor is appointed, and a contract of expectations is signed by the departing supervisor and the student to establish responsibilities, including: how much time the supervisor will continue to dedicate to the project, and how often they will meet (in person or online) with the student. The level of responsibility taken on by departing supervisors may vary and should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, so Human Resources should be consulted to advise on the appropriate form of appointment for their new role within the supervisory team. The main supervisory responsibilities (including provision of feedback, nomination of examiners, and liaison with sponsors) will, however, reside with the new Sheffield supervisor. The delineation of responsibilities within the supervisory team should be clearly defined to the student. A role as secondary supervisor may be appropriate for a retiree, and academics should in general avoid taking on new students in a supervisory capacity if they anticipate that they will retire before project completion. N.B. When an academic leaves the University, their departure may affect a number of different students, not only with reference to supervisory roles, but also relating to confirmation review assessments or vivas. All of these instances must be considered. It may be necessary to instigate the transition of the student to their new supervisory team ahead of their previous supervisor’s departure if this best ensures continuity of support.
- A supervisor is absent (e.g. sabbatical or illness) – Where a supervisor is likely to be absent from the University for an extended period of time (broadly, a semester or more), including where a serious illness occurs and may result in a disruption of unknown duration, it is recommended that another supervisor be appointed to guide the project during the period of absence. In some cases this may be another supervisor from the existing team. If circumstances allow it, plans for handover should be discussed with the Departmental/School PGR Lead prior to the departure of the supervisor, and progression milestones for the duration of the project should be agreed. For sudden absences, an initial meeting with the new acting supervisor, Departmental/School PGR Lead and the student is recommended to review progress to date and agree future milestones. Similarly, upon return of the supervisor, a handover meeting including the PGR Lead and student is required. Note that during a period of study leave, staff remain responsible for their research projects and PGR supervision throughout the leave period, although another supervisor from the existing team may take more day-to-day responsibility during this time.
In the unfortunate case of the death of a supervisor, the Departmental/School PGR Lead, HoD/S and the supervisory team must work together to recruit a new supervisor. The student may be signposted to SSID for bereavement support if necessary, and a period of LOA could be discussed.
In all instances of a change in the supervisory team, it is recommended that the Departmental/School PGR Lead attends an initial meeting with the student and new supervisor(s) to agree on a plan of supervision, review the project and agree on milestones and deadlines for progression. If a supervisor and student change Departments/Schools, then the PGR Lead from the new Department/School should also attend this initial meeting. If a supervisor is leaving the project (or the University), they are requested to provide a statement of progress as input into this meeting, and to attend if possible/appropriate. It would be advisable to hold a follow up meeting 3-6 months later, to check on progress.