Assessing Doctorates

Assessing Doctorates is a project that investigates the assessment of dance, drama and music doctorates in the UK.

Currently, there is much debate surrounding the nature and purpose of the doctorate (Park 2007), the increasing pressure to adhere to four-year completion rates (Blackburn 2008), the various types of submitted “product”, and the agreeing of standards for assessment of practice-based doctoral work (SCUDD 2008).

PALATINE is mapping current guidelines and practice in the assessment of doctoral work in dance, drama and music. In order to identify and explore the unique challenges faced in our disciplines, we are collecting and analysing submission policies and guidelines and interviewing doctoral students, supervisors and examiners.

The project will ask to what extent current assessment requirements and practices concur with the nature of doctoral work in our disciplines and the expectations of students, supervisors, examiners, and the departments in which they work. Challenges include the variety of “products” that might be assessed, changing funding policies, and institutional requirements for doctoral assessment.

PALATINE would also be delighted to hear about and discuss people’s experiences of doctoral work in dance, drama and music. The project is interested in conventional text-based theses as well as practice-led or creative forms of documentation that are perhaps stretching or challenging existing conventions. We will collect examples of institutional or departmental policies or guidelines to help us map current requirements for the preparation and assessment of doctoral work.

Contact Miriam Murtin or David Pearson.

References and resources

Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Awards Scheme.

Assessing Doctorates: The Student Perspective, 7 July 2008, Lancaster University. (Includes notes from Open Space discussion.)

Blackburn, Simon (2007) “The Era of McDoctorates.” Times Higher Education, 17 January, 24.

Higher Education Academy Doctorate Debate

Leonard, Diana, Janet Metcalfe, Rosamunde Becker, and Jennifer Evans (2006) “Review of literature on the impact of working context and support on the postgraduate research student learning experience.” York: The Higher Education Academy.

Nelson, Robin and Stuart Andrews (2003) "Practice as Research: Regulations, Protocols and Guidelines." Draft report. PALATINE.

Park, Chris (2007) “Redefining the Doctorate.” York: The Higher Education Academy.

Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (Higher Education Academy).

QAA code of practice for postgraduate research programmes.

SCUDD (Standing Conference of UK Drama Departments) (2008) “SCUDD group on standards in the external examining of ‘Practice as Research’ PhDs.” Draft report.

Vitae website. Vitae builds on the work of the UK GRAD programme and UKHERD and is aimed at researchers, supervisors, research managers and employers.

Williams, Sadie (2003) “Postgraduate Training in Research Methods: Current Practice and Future Needs in English.” English Subject Centre.

Date:	1/3/2008 - 31/3/2009
Contact:	Miriam Murtin, David Pearson 01524 592969, 01524 593579, m.murtin@lancaster.ac.uk, davidpearson@lancaster.ac.uk