Home Straight: SEED’s completion support programme

Background

The university’s standard measure of PGR completion is the rate of success within five years. Within SEED’s PGR community (excluding ProfDocs), only 60-65% of PG Researchers complete within this timeframe. In a recent feedback session, PG Researchers identified late completion as their single biggest concern.

The ‘Home Straight’ intervention is based on a similar initiative launched by colleagues in the School of Social Sciences, which was positively evaluated by PG Researchers and has resulted in a higher proportion of timely completions. 

Content

As soon as a PG Researcher is enrolled on Home Straight, they are allocated a ‘sponsor’. The sponsor’s job is not to provide academic supervision but rather to support the PG Researcher, troubleshoot problems and offer an outsider’s perspective on their progress. The sponsor’s time is fully work loaded. A small number of regular meetings with the PG Researcher are arranged. Targets are set for key milestones, and any non-academic barriers to timely completion are discussed and addressed.

Referral

SEED’s PGR Committee agreed the following five mechanisms for identifying PG Researchers that are at risk of late completion or non-completion. Two mechanisms automatically trigger the PG Researcher being enrolled on Home Straight:

  • a) PG Researcher self-referral – PG Researchers who are concerned about their progress at any point during Year Two or Year Three of their full-time studies (or equivalent for part-time studies) may self-enrol by contacting Hums.doctoralacademy.support@manchester.ac.uk
  • b) Supervisor referral - supervisors who are concerned about a PG Researchers progress at any point during Year Two or Year Three of their full-time studies (or equivalent for part-time studies) may self-enrol by contacting Hums.doctoralacademy.support@manchester.ac.uk

Three further mechanisms trigger an invitation for the PG Researcher to join Home Straight:

  • c) The PGR Researcher’s progress is considered unsatisfactory at any review (regardless of subsequent outcome).
  • d) The PG Researcher has periods of interruption that exceed three months in total.
  • e) The PG Researcher submits an extension request.

All main supervisors will be contacted by DCOs annually to say whether their supervisees’ completion dates are likely to be met and, if not, whether they would like the PGR office to issue an invitation for them to join Home Straight.