Science Honours

Your responsibilities | Your supervisor | Fellow students | Fellow scientists

Your supervisor

Your relationship with your supervisor will be the most important of your working relationships. The process of selecting a supervisor is a significant hurdle in itself. While some departments may allocate you a supervisor, it is very helpful if you have in mind the person you think would be most suitable.

Departments are keen to attract research students, so it is worth your while to make appointments, and speak to various people about supervision. Remember too when looking for a supervisor, to consider questions of availability, expertise, and personalities.

The overriding responsibility of a supervisor is to provide continuing support to students in researching and producing an Honours thesis to the best of the student's ability. In accordance with Section 3 of the Code of Practice - Honours, specific other responsibilities of the supervisor include:

to advise the head of the academic unit of any situation which might lead to a conflict of interest which could unduly advantage or disadvantage a student, e.g. if there is or has been a close personal relationship between a supervisor and an actual or potential student;
to advise students about their procedural and substantive rights and responsibilities contained in the Code of Practice - Honours;
to advise and assist students to comply with occupational health and safety and ethics requirements where relevant;
to support students in developing a proposal for their Honours project within a negotiated time frame;
to assist students to develop a plan for completing the Honours requirements within an appropriate time frame;
to maintain regular contact with students in order to monitor their progress;
to inform students about any planned absences during the candidature and arrangements for supervision during those absences;
to provide timely and helpful written feedback to students on any submissions and to assist them to develop solutions as problems are identified;
to advise students of inadequate progress or work below the standard generally required and to suggest appropriate action;
to attend meetings of the Faculty Assessment Committees (Honours) where students' grades are determined.

Grievances Concerning Supervision

As with any major relationship, things occasionally go wrong. Should any problems arise, Section 5 of the Code of Practice - Honours sets out the following procedures to deal with grievances concerning supervision:

5.1: Any unresolved problems or disagreements between a student and supervisor during the candidature may be referred in writing by the student to the Honours Co-ordinator. If the matter cannot be resolved at this level then students wishing to take further action must follow the procedure set out in section 2.3.4(iii)-(vii) of the Code of Practice - Teaching and Assessment

5.2: If the Honours Co-ordinator or one of the people specified in section 2.3.4(iv) is the supervisor, then there is a clear conflict of interest and the student may refer the matter directly to the next designated person in the Faculty.

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