Monitoring is the formal element of tracking a student’s attendance and is distinct from the six-monthly review and annual progression exercise. 

Class certificates
In order to be eligible to submit themselves for examination, students must have a Class Certificate for the course in question. A Class Certificate is confirmation that a candidate has duly performed the work prescribed for a course. There is no physical certificate. A student who has been validly registered for a research programme, and who has not withdrawn from that programme prior to their viva examination (or been deemed to have withdrawn, in accordance with General Regulation 25, or to have had their class certificate refused), is regarded as having obtained a Class Certificate for that course automatically.

The University operates a monitoring system for all PGR students to identify students who may be experiencing difficulties with their studies. If a supervisor is concerned with a student’s attendance, then a rigorous monitoring system will ensure that students are informed, via email, that there is concern over their attendance. As part of this process, the student will be asked to explain their absence. Failure to meet the attendance requirements for a course may result in the Class Certificate for that course being refused (C7). Full details of the University’s monitoring procedures are available in the Academic Quality Handbook.

Except with the permission of Senate, candidates shall not be permitted to present themselves for the assessment of a research degree unless they have obtained a Class Certificate. Unless good cause is demonstrated, students who have not met the expected attendance and monitoring requirements will be refused a Class Certificate. Students not granted a Class Certificate under these circumstances will be barred from appearing for the assessment for the degree and will be withdrawn from study. It shall be for Senate to determine what constitutes good cause for absence. 


 

496 Monitoring