Confirmation process: implementation in School of Population Health
This web page sets out the process within the School for confirmation of the candidature of MPhil and PhD candidates. The Graduate School guidelines for this may be found at http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/confirmation-of-candidature .
Timing: Confirmation is due between 9-15 months of equivalent full-time candidature (EFTC) for PhD candidates and 4-8 months of EFTC for MPhil candidates. Candidates and their advisory team should initiate this process at the start of the appropriate window, and plan to complete it before the end of the window.
Preparation: The candidate/advisor must prepare the necessary materials for the confirmation process, which comprise:
- A school form with candidate and advisor sections completed
- A confirmation document, including a literature review, research aims and objectives, outline of a research plan, a timeline for the research, and a budget
- A presentation, about 20 minutes duration
- The confirmation recommendation form, with candidate details completed (see http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/candidature-forms )
In addition they will recruit a confirmation panel which will comprise
- The candidate’s current advisory team
- Two members external to the advisory team, with relevant content, or methodological expertise.
- A chairperson, external to the advisory team
The candidate/advisor will also notify the confirmation convenor (Archie Clements) and the RHD administrative support officer (Mary Roset) of the intended date of confirmation, and clarify any details of the process with them. The candidate and the advisory team will also identify and book a suitable venue and time for the confirmation meeting. One and a half hours should be allowed.
Documentation (including copies of the slides for presentation) must be sent to all members of the panel, the confirmation convenor, and the RHD administrative support officer at least 2 weeks before the confirmation meeting date.
The confirmation meeting: The confirmation meeting will start with the presentation by the candidate (if the candidate agrees this may be a public presentation). This is followed by discussion, a discussion with the advisory team, but with the candidate absent, and a discussion with the candidate, with the advisory team absent. The meeting concludes with a final session (all present) to inform the candidate of the outcome of the confirmation process.
Outcome: see attached policy for possible outcomes of the confirmation process. The most common outcome is a recommendation to confirm candidature (with or without additional recommendations for the candidate and the advisory team), but the panel may recommend an extension of provisional candidature, or termination of candidature. Rarely, additional advice may need to be sought, in exceptional circumstances, before a final recommendation is possible.
The school form and confirmation recommendation form must be completed, with summary recommendations and signatures, and returned to the RHD administrative support officer. If any candidature changes are recommended (e.g. changes to the advisory team), appropriate forms (see above link for forms) must also be completed and signed at this time. The RHD Coordinator (Gail Williams) reviews the material, signs the confirmation recommendation form and sends it and the school form to the Graduate School. Subsequently the candidate and advisory team are notified of the final decision of the Graduate School.
If you have any questions or need assistance contact Mary Roset (m.roset@uq.edu.au), Gail Williams(g.williams@uq.edu.au) or Archie Clements (a.clements@uq.edu.au)
