Regulations for awards (research degrees): Section G

Section G: Regulations for the Award of Higher Doctorates

The following regulations govern the specific rules for award of Higher Doctorates. They should be read in conjunction with the General Regulations Governing all Research Degrees.

G1. Awards available

G1.1.1 The University awards the following Higher Doctorates:

  • Doctor of Letters (DLitt).
  • Doctor of Science (DSc).
  • Doctor of Music (DMus).
  • Doctor of Laws (LLD).  

G1.1.2 Candidates are required to state the Higher Doctorate for which they wish their work to be considered.

 

G1.2 Criteria

G1.2.1 The work submitted must be of high distinction, must constitute an original and significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge or to the application of knowledge or to both and must establish that the applicant is a leading authority in the field or fields of study concerned.

 

G2. Regulations for candidature

G2.1 Candidates should normally be:

  • Graduates of the University of Huddersfield, graduates of the CNAA who took their degrees as a registered student of the Polytechnic of Huddersfield or graduates of another degree awarding body of not less than 10 years’ standing following conferment of an appropriate first degree or not less than seven years’ standing from conferment of the degree of MPhil or PhD; AND
  • Members of the University of Huddersfield staff of not less than 10 years’ standing from conferment of an appropriate first degree who have served for not less than three years on the academic staff of the University of Huddersfield; or
  • Persons who can demonstrate exceptional and original contribution to the enhancement of knowledge or to the application of knowledge or both and have a demonstrable connection to the University and/or the town of Huddersfield.

 

G3. Application for candidature

G3.1 Persons who wish to be accepted as candidates for a Higher Doctorate must submit a formal written letter to the Registry Research team and must submit a full curriculum vitae, including attachments of any published work on which they propose to base their application. 

G3.2 The candidate must identify under which entry criteria the request is being made.  Candidates may not submit work previously submitted for a Higher Doctorate. 

G3.3 The Director of Registry will circulate the application to members of the Higher Doctoral Board for consideration. Applications will be considered within 20 working days.

G3.4 The Higher Doctoral Board acting on behalf of the Senate, shall decide whether a person shall or shall not be accepted as a candidate. In order for a candidate to be accepted, support is required from a simple majority of Board members. 

G3.5 Where a recommendation for formal examination to proceed is made, the Registry Research team, acting on behalf of the Higher Doctoral Board shall arrange for the issue of a registration form and guidance document to the candidate.

G3.6 Where an application is deemed not suitable for examination, the Registry Research team shall advise the candidate of this recommendation. A candidate may not re-apply for candidature of a Higher Doctorate until 24 months have elapsed from the date of this original request. 

G3.7 Registration will be on a part-time basis and the normal period of study will be one year.

 

G4. Form of submission

G4.1 Applications from persons whose candidature has been accepted for the degrees must be submitted by email to the Registry Research team (registryresearch@hud.ac.uk) and must be accompanied by an electronic submission of the following:

  • A copy of the published work indicating key publications on which the application is based and a list of this work; for the award of DMus the candidate will normally submit a body of published musicological research or a folio of between five and seven compositions, comprising scores, primary documentation or recorded performances and electronic or other recorded material, or a mix of the above. If the candidate is permitted to submit a hard copy of their published work, then four copies must be provided for the panel.  
  • An abstract related to the submission of approximately 250 words.
  • A brief overview of approximately 1000 words in length, of their research career and their perspective of the significance of their published work and its wider importance, together with an indication of their role in the research.
  • The registration fee if appropriate.

G4.2 The submission, normally in English, may take the form of books, contributions to journals, patent specifications, reports, specifications and design studies or other relevant evidence of original work. Where possible, these are required to be submitted electronically. 

G4.3 Candidates submitting work of which they are not the sole authors must also submit a statement explaining their contribution to the work in such a way that it relates to each publication included in the submission. The extent of the contribution of others will be taken into account by the examiners in assessing how far the candidate’s work meets the criterion for award of the degree.

G4.4 Work which has not been published shall not normally be taken into account by the examiners.

 

G5. Examination

G5.1.1 A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Music or Doctor of Science shall be examined by three examiners appointed for the purpose by the Higher Doctoral Board acting on behalf of the Senate.

G5.1.2 The candidate will propose three examiners which will be approved by the Higher Doctoral Board acting on behalf of the Senate.

G5.1.3 Not more than one examiner may be a member of the academic staff of the University of Huddersfield, except in the case of candidates who are themselves members of the academic staff of the University of Huddersfield who shall be examined by three external examiners.

G5.1.4 Candidate’s must have no contact with the examiners, in connection with their work, between the appointment of the examiners and receiving their examination outcome.

G5.1.5 Candidates may be required by the examiners to present themselves for oral and other examinations.

G5.1.6 The examiners shall recommend that the result of the examination shall be pass or fail. No submission is permitted. The report and recommendation of the examiners shall be approved by the Higher Doctoral Board on behalf of the Senate.

 

G5.2 Outcome

G5.2.1 If the examiners decide that the candidate’s work merits the awarding of a Higher Doctorate, the Higher Doctoral Board on behalf of the Senate will consider the examiner reports and may recommend that the degree be awarded.

G5.2.2 If after considering the examiner reports, the Higher Doctoral Board on behalf of the Senate, decide that the candidate’s work does not merit the awarding of a higher doctorate, the Higher Doctoral Board may recommend that the degree not be awarded.

G5.2.3 Whether the degree outcome is positive or negative, all candidates will be informed of the outcome which will be signed by the Director of Registry on behalf of the Senate.

 

G6. Retention of work submitted

G6.1 One copy of the publications submitted by a successful candidate for the degree of Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Music or Doctor of Science may be retained by the University Library and will in that event become the property of the University.

 

G7. Appeal of Outcome

G7.1 Candidates who are unhappy with the outcome of the examination for a Higher Doctorate award may submit an appeal providing they can evidence a material irregularity within the approved process. Candidates cannot challenge the academic judgement of the examiners or the Higher Doctoral Board.

G7.2 Candidates should submit their appeal to the Director of Registry, in writing, within 10 working days from the date of the outcome letter, giving reasons for the appeal.

G7.3 The Director of Registry will establish if grounds for appeal have been evidenced within the appeal. If grounds for appeal exist, the Director of Registry shall refer the appeal to the Vice-Chancellor for review. The student will receive a response providing reasons for the decision normally no later than 20 working days from the date you submit the appeal. 

G7.4 The decision of the Vice-Chancellor is final.