Annual Reviews
Advice on what’s involved in Annual Reviews and how we’ll be reviewing your progress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Your progress as a postgraduate research student needs to be reviewed at nine to 12 month intervals each year of your programme until thesis submission.
The Annual Review process maximises your chances of successfully completing your PhD on time. As well as providing a formal record of how your research project is going, it also gives you and your supervisor(s) the opportunity to reflect on your achievements and to discuss professional development opportunities, training needs, and career aims.
The first review takes place within nine months to one calendar year of matriculation. If you’re a full-time student, your progress will then be assessed at nine to 12 month intervals in each year of study until you submit your thesis.
The process is similar for part-time students, but the reviewers will make allowance for your study mode, with your formal first year review taking place at the second annual review meeting. Appropriate milestones for each year of study will be agreed with your supervisor(s).
Annual Reviews in 2021 to 2022
All Annual Reviews should continue to take place this academic year (2021 to 2022).
We appreciate that this is a stressful time, and the Annual Reviews will be run in a helpful and supportive manner to ensure that you are able to continue your research as smoothly as possible.
Review meetings will be held via remote video call in June 2022.
You will receive an email from EUCLID, with relevant links, at around eight months into your current year of study.
Annual Review timeline 2021 to 2022
These deadlines apply to all PhD students in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), with the exceptions of January-starts, or students who have taken interruptions. If you feel that you cannot meet these deadlines, then please contact your supervisor as soon as you can.
- You’ll receive an online Annual Review form to fill in via an email from EUCLID.
- 1 June 2022. Complete the form on the Annual Review site by this deadline. You should also upload: sample work; an overview of work to date (including word count of all work produced); a thesis overview/chapter breakdown; a timeline for completion; and a note on any circumstances that might have affected your progress this year.
- June 2022. You will meet remotely with your supervision team to discuss your progress. An external reader or assessor is not required, but your supervisors may request one.
- 1 July 2022. Your Principal Supervisor will complete the final report and provide a review decision. If there is a need for a repeat review, this will take place within three months and will involve a remote meeting and an external assessor.
- 1 July to 15 July 2022. You will sign off on your online review.
- Departmental Postgraduate Research (PGR) Directors will review decisions and recommend outcome.
- PGR Director will confirm final decision.
If you have any queries, please contact your supervisor or email the LLC Postgraduate Research Office
Email the LLC Postgraduate Research Office
Ethics Review (mandatory)
Like all PhD students, you will need to complete an Ethics Review at least once during your studies.
If you are a first year PhD student, you must complete this Ethics Review before your first Annual Review.
If you are in your second year or beyond, and have not yet completed an Ethics Review, then you must do so as soon as possible.
Find out more and complete an Ethics Review
January-start PhDs
If you began your PhD in January and have taken no interruptions, the deadline for your Annual Review documentation is 1 October and the review itself will take place in November.
Further advice and guidance
Postgraduate Assessment Regulations
Code of Practice for Supervisors and Research Students