The practical supervisory arrangements vary. Much supervision occurs organically as tasks are completed or problems arise, and most student-supervisor teams will discuss work in this way at least once every week. Formal meetings to discuss progress vary in frequency, with some teams having formally scheduled meetings every week while others rely more heavily on frequent informal meetings. In the latter case formal meetings would normally occur at least every six weeks.
The Department allocates students by collegial discussion, with timeliness of research project, number of other commitments, critical mass in particular areas, and the match to applicant's skills and interests all taken into account. The Department's allocation of teaching and administrative duties is reduced by an allowance of 1/16 of a full load per full-time PhD student supervised.
Initial training for inexperienced supervisors is performed through a one day workshop (held three times a year). University policy requires those appointed as internal supervisors to have: academic competence in the area of the proposed research topic; a PhD; experience of research degree supervision, including the successful completion of at least one student; experience of research degree examination. If the prospective internal supervisor does not fulfil all of these criteria, a co-supervision arrangement is required. Co-supervision enables inexperienced staff to gain experience of the supervision process in a context which is intended to safeguard the student by appointing a supervision team which collectively has the required experience. This team approach to research degree supervision is encouraged irrespective of whether the proposed internal supervisor is experienced or not.
The University runs regular one-day Research Degree Supervisor Training Courses. These courses are led by experienced facilitators both from within, and external to, the University. They are designed both for new, inexperienced supervisors and for longer standing members of staff who benefit from refreshing their skills and knowledge.
New members of staff are assigned a 'mentor' for the first four years of their appointment whose duty it is to train and guide them on a one-to-one basis on all aspects of University work, including the supervision of research students. Also, the STM895 course, mentioned earlier, contains a Supervisor's Guide which accompanies the student course.
Finally, the Physics and Astronomy Department appoints an experienced staff member as Graduate Tutor, who provides guidance and support not only for the postgraduate students themselves but to the individual supervisors as well.
