Overview

Post-graduate research is a key activity, which needs to benefit both the individual student and the discipline of Zoology. Successful research and its professional dissemination enhances the standing of the discipline and the students who pass through it. Career prospects are improved by early publication of research. Post-graduate research requires clearly formulated hypotheses and a sound scientific approach. The GUIDANCE DOCUMENT FOR POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS sets out the strategy to support post-graduate research students and their supervisors in achieving the full potential of research activities. We aim to foster mutually supportive responsibility among students and staff.

In order to monitor the development of research students and promote high quality research, there are periodic formal meetings between research students and their supervisory panel (research committee). The research committee comprises the research supervisor, a supplementary advisor, usually not involved with the research directly, and the post-graduate coordinator (or his/her nominee, usually the head of discipline, where the post grad coordinator is either the supervisor or the supplementary advisor), who will act as the Chair for the meetings. Members of the committee may be drawn only from academic staff eligible to supervise. Additional members may be included if this enhances the quality of the committee; rather than because they represent the interests of a research sponsor or third party.