Coronavirus Information for PGR students

We have advised from the beginning of lockdown to work with your supervisory team to schedule all supervision meeting via phone calls, video conferencing or email, ensuring these are recorded on PhD Manager to facilitate continuing support. Given the current situation, students and staff should review risk assessments, for example, in the context of fieldwork, there should be an additional consideration in the context of the pandemic adhering to Government advice and social distancing. If you work in specialist facilities on campus, the risk assessments should be reviewed in the context of lone working and University advice about working on site during the current pandemic.

If you require access to an office or a facility managed by your College, please contact your supervisory team or Chair of College Research Committee.

Please discuss your individual circumstances and deadlines with your supervisory team. Based on your Annual Progress Report, including the associated report from your supervisory team in July, College Research Committees (CRCs) assess each individual student's circumstances and provide advice to support your progression and academic outcomes. This will formally be kept under review by CRCs based on your Progression Reviews which should be submitted in November and March/April.

Please discuss your individual circumstances with your supervisory team. They will advise if an extension to your Maximum Registration (length of your programme) is the appropriate action. Extension requests should be submitted via PhD Manager (login required). Guides are available in the Guides section on PhD Manager.

Please discuss your individual circumstances and deadlines with your supervisory team. Based on your Annual Progress Review, including the associated report from your supervisory team in July, College Research Committees assess each individual student's circumstances and provide recommendations for fee waivers. These will formally be kept under review by CRCs based on your Progression Reviews which should be submitted in November and March/April.

Thesis submissions and resubmissions are only required in electronic format via PhD Manager (login required).

For the foreseeable future, viva voce exams will be organised via Microsoft Teams. Your supervision team will support you with mock vivas to prepare you for the online exam. The Research Student Office will contact you with instructions, so you know what to expect in your video call exam.

The University is following the Government’s advice on public health and social distancing and there are a number of measures in place to ensure that the Campus remains safe.

To keep updated on the latest information and guidance, please refer to the University’s Coronavirus pages.

Your Libraries are open to visit again. To make sure that everybody is safe, there have been changes to how they will operate, primarily that you need to book a slot for your visit. The latest library information is updated as and when the situation changes. 

Do not forget the extensive collection of e-books and online resources to support your research. To reduce the risk of infection to our students and staff, they will not be supplying print books from other libraries until further notice. Your Libraries will continue to supply by email electronic copies of journal articles and book chapters.

For the Kedleston Road E8 PGR hot-desk offices, we have created an online booking system which you can use to book a space in E806 and E807:

The PGR hot-desk offices have a fixed capacity for use so all visits must be booked in advance to ensure we follow the University’s Health & Safety protocols.

For more details, please see the PGR tile on UDo.

If you require access to an office or a facility managed by your College, please contact your supervisory team or Chair of College Research Committee.

We understand that things are quite different at the moment, and this might include your finances. You might find that your income is reduced now because of the Coronavirus, and this can make things tricky. Your Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to support with advice on budgeting, keeping track of your spending including ongoing payments such as subscriptions, your rights on private rentals, speaking to your utility providers and advising on free services available to you as a student. For further information and advice, email the team at smart@derby.ac.uk.  

There are lots of virtual events taking place remotely (such as the monthly PGR get-together) and offer the opportunity to socialise and network with other PGR students. See the Calendar of Events on your PhD Manager for full details.

Your Union of Students has been planning some great activities to help you keep safe while socialising.

We have created a MS Teams PGR Group where you can connect with other PGR students.

You can also join the student-led PGR Network on Facebook and on Twitter @DerbyUniPGR.

During this difficult period, it is important that you also take care of yourself and ensure your wellness is maintained.

If at any time you need some help please fill in an appointment request form (login required) and a member of you Student Wellbeing Team will get in touch with you to discuss how they might be able to help.  

There is additional information, advice and guidance available on UDo Student Wellbeing (login required) pages that you might find useful. 

You can also find helpful information and guidance about looking after your mental health at Studentminds.org.uk and thewellbeingthesis.org.uk.

All training and events are still taking place virtually. This includes the Research Support Librarian Clinic, MRes masterclasses and researcher development events. See the Calendar of Events on your PhD Manager for full details.

Remember to visit the PGR tile on UDo (login required) which has been updated with additional training resources. We encourage you to check regularly as more resources will be updated.