Staff Guide

Overview

This guide covers staff responsibilities across the MSc Dissertation Framework. The framework operates through a Three-Track System (Track A: Pre-approved topics, Track B: Student-proposed topics, Track C: External/collaborative projects) and progresses through multiple stages from proposal development through final assessment.

Framework Stages
  1. Stage 1: Initial Exploration - Students explore interests; PDT assesses English and advises on track
  2. Stage 2: Proposal Development - Students develop proposals; PDT provides feedback
  3. Stage 3: Formal Approval - Module Leader approves proposals
  4. Stage 4: Supervision Allocation - Supervisors and IEs assigned

After allocation, the Supervision Phase begins (12 weeks), followed by the Assessment Phase (marking, viva, final grade).

Visual Timeline: See the full interactive dissertation timeline for a visual overview of all roles and responsibilities.

Understanding the Timeline

Students enter the MSc programme in three different calendar trimesters (September, January, or May), creating overlapping cohorts. To avoid confusion, this guide uses two distinct time references:

Calendar Trimester - University's absolute calendar
  • Calendar Trimester 1: September - December
  • Calendar Trimester 2: January - April
  • Calendar Trimester 3: May - August
Dissertation Stage - Student's relative progression
  • Stage 1: Initial Exploration (student's first trimester)
  • Stage 2: Proposal Development (student's second trimester, early weeks)
  • Stage 3: Formal Approval (student's second trimester, weeks 6-7)
  • Stage 4: Supervision Allocation (student's second trimester, weeks 8-9)
  • Supervision Phase: Active supervision (student's third trimester, 12 weeks)
  • Assessment Phase: Marking, viva, final grade (post-submission)
Example: A September-entry student completes Stage 1 during Calendar Trimester 1 (Sept-Dec). A January-entry student completes Stage 1 during Calendar Trimester 2 (Jan-Apr). Both students are in Stage 1, but at different calendar times.

Staff Workflows

Select a workflow below for detailed guidance on that phase of the dissertation process.

Proposal Preparation

September project sourcing through Stage 4 allocation

  • Topic posting
  • PDT meetings (Stages 1-2)
  • Proposal approval (Stage 3)
  • Allocation (Stage 4)
Supervision & Monitoring

Supervision Phase (12 weeks)

  • Initial meeting
  • 6+ supervision meetings
  • Mid-point review (Week 6)
  • Red flag protocol
Viva Management

Assessment Phase (post-submission)

  • Marking & joint recommendation
  • Tier assignment
  • Viva conduct (28 minutes)
  • Final grading

Timeline Quick Reference

Note: Timeline shown for September-entry students. For January-entry or May-entry students, the dissertation stages occur in different calendar trimesters.

Phase PDT Supervisor IE Panel ML
September
Annual		 - Post topics - - Coordinate collection
Stage 1
First PDT		 Assess English; advise track - - - -
Stage 2
Second trimester, week 2		 Receive proposal - - - -
Stage 2
Second PDT		 Review proposal; feedback - - - -
Stage 3
Second trimester, weeks 6-7		 - - - - Approve proposals
Stage 4
Second trimester, weeks 8-9		 - - - - Allocate Supervisor/IE
Supervision Phase
Week 1		 - Initial meeting - - -
Supervision Phase
Weeks 1-12		 - Conduct 6+ meetings - - -
Supervision Phase
Week 6		 - Review Initial Report Review Initial Report - Receive red flags
Supervision Phase
Week 12		 - Mark dissertation Mark dissertation - Receive submissions
Assessment Phase
Post-submission		 - Agree mark; Joint Rec. Agree mark; Joint Rec. - Assign tiers; form panels
Assessment Phase
Pre-viva		 - Submit Joint Rec. Submit Joint Rec. Review evidence Provide summaries
Assessment Phase
Viva day		 - Not on panel Not on panel Conduct viva Available for consultation
Assessment Phase
Post-viva		 - Provide evidence if needed Provide evidence if needed Confirm final mark Review borderline

Note: The viva panel comprises two independent examiners who are neither the Supervisor nor the Internal Examiner.

Creating Project Definitions

Well-structured project definitions help students find suitable projects and set clear expectations. Each definition should include:

Field Purpose
Title A summary of the project's topic in a single, accessible sentence
Aim A more precise statement of the project's purpose extending the title with detail such as scope
Objectives A series of intermediate milestones building up to the delivery of the main aim
Deliverables A statement of the final target outputs from the project
Research Questions Questions the project sets out to answer, related to the state of the art
Methodology Methods the student will apply in delivering the project
Evaluation Specific methods/approaches for evaluating project results
Prerequisites Background knowledge or skills required
Availability Number of students who may undertake this project in each calendar trimester (T1: Sept-Dec, T2: Jan-Apr, T3: May-Aug). This manages supervision workload and prevents over-allocation.
References Academic references providing context for the project

For more detailed guidance on structuring project definitions, see bdavison.napier.ac.uk/projects.

Quick Actions
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Student Contact

When students view your published projects, they can contact you directly via the email address on your account, or an alternative email if you specify one in the project definition.

Future Features

The following features are planned for future implementation:

  • PDT meeting notes capture
  • Proposal feedback forms
  • Supervision meeting notes system
  • Joint Marker Recommendation submission
  • Traffic light status tracking
  • Flag system for concerns
  • Tier assignment interface
  • Viva assessment forms
  • Automated notifications