Transfer & Confirmation of status procedures

Students must complete their Transfer of Status by the end of their 4^th term (8^th term for part-time); and DPhil students must complete their Confirmation of Status before the end of their 9^th term (18^th term for part-time). The deadlines are when the processes must be complete - i.e. approved by the divisional board. More detailed information about the processes can be found on the Medical Sciences Graduate School Canvas site.

The university recently introduced an online compulsory research integrity training module which needs to be passed as part of the transfer of status application for PRS students, and later in other circumstances. you can find the course here: Research Integrity: Core introductory course

Transfer of status procedure

1) Student and supervisor discuss assessors; supervisor will normally contact assessors to arrange a time and date. (Two assessors are required, neither of whom should have acted in a supervisory capacity to the student. Both assessors should be internal to Oxford and at least one assessor should have supervised a student in Oxford to completion.)

2) Student completes the online application via the My Student Record tab in Student Self Service (with TNA attached). The system will send the application to supervisors, college & DGS for approvals. This should be completed at least 4 weeks before assessment.

3) Graduate Studies Officer grants assessors access to documents on the system and send assessment sheet and assessor instructions to the assessors in advance of the assessment.

4) Student uploads transfer report directly to application on self-service at least 2 weeks before assessment.

The assessors will need to see the following points addressed in your transfer report, within the word limit (5,000 words including abstract; introduction; methods; results; discussion; appendices; and future plans including a proposed timetable for completion; but excluding tables and references)

• That there is a clear and defined project
• That an investigative strategy has been devised
• That some initial progress has been made in terms of method development and acquisition of results.
• That there is a clear and timetabled path towards completion of the project.

5) After the assessment, the assessors upload the paperwork to Medical Sciences Division for final approval.

6) The division send out confirmation of the result to the student; supervisors; college; and department.

The deadline for this entire process to be complete is the end of your 4^th term (8^th term for part-time students)

Resources

• Further information (including possible results and their consequences) can be found on the Medical Sciences Division Graduate School Canvas site: https://canvas.ox.ac.uk/courses/22105
• The GSO2 form can be downloaded from the university website: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/graduate/progression?wssl=1
• Guidelines for transfer of status assessors in the Medical Sciences
• Guidelines for DGSs in the Selection of Transfer Assessors

Confirmation of status procedure

1) Student and supervisor discuss assessors; supervisor will normally contact assessors to arrange a time and date. (Two assessors are required, neither of whom should have acted in a supervisory capacity to the student. Both assessors should be internal to Oxford and at least one assessor should have supervised a student in Oxford to completion.)

2) Student completes the online application via the My Student Record tab in Student Self Service. The system will send the application to supervisors, college & DGS for approvals. This should be completed at least 4 weeks before assessment. Student ensures that a full thesis contents list, milestones of any remaining work to be undertaken and dates for the submission of draft chapters to the supervisor (with TNA attached) is uploaded to the system at least 2 weeks before assessment.

3) Graduate Studies Officer grants assessors access to documents on the system and send assessment sheet and assessor instructions to the assessors in advance of the assessment.

4) At the assessment, the student presents their project and plans for completion to the assessors.

5)  After the assessment, the assessors upload the assessment sheet and any comments to the system to go to Medical Sciences Division for final approval.

6) The division send out confirmation of the result to the student; supervisors; college; and department.

The deadline for this entire process to be complete is the end of your 9^th term (18^th term for part-time students)

Resources

• Further information (including possible results and their consequences) can be found on the Medical Sciences Division Graduate School Canvas site: https://canvas.ox.ac.uk/courses/22105
• The GSO14 form can be downloaded from the university website: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/graduate/progression?wssl=1
• Guidelines for Confirmation of Status Assessors in the Medical Sciences
• DGS Guidelines for Confirmation of Status Procedures

Please remember that at least one of the assessors for both Transfer and Confirmation should have supervised a student to completion at Oxford. Current members of the department who fulfil this criterion are: