/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/study/doctoral-school/Slim-banner-Doctoral-School.png)
Supporting your research journey
As a postgraduate researcher at Durham University, you are part of a vibrant and collaborative research community. Throughout your degree, the Doctoral School, academic departments, professional services, and colleges work together to provide the resources, guidance, and support you need to succeed.
This section brings together the key information, tools, and services that support you throughout your doctoral journey, from accessing research resources and understanding regulations to navigating key processes and maintaining the highest standards of research integrity
Current postgraduate researchers (link to Doctoral School sharepoint?)
-
My Digital Durham
Whether you are studying on campus, online, or a mixture of both, the university’s CIS teams are here to help you have the best digital experience possible.
My Digital Durham (accessible via SharePoint for current students) outlines everything you need to know about studying, learning, and socialising digitally at Durham, and will be your guide on everything digital throughout your time at the University.
The IT Service Desk is your first point of contact to raise IT requests, report IT issues, and get answers to queries about University-provided IT facilities and services. For more information, please see our Services and FAQs sections on SharePoint.
Academic department Postgraduate Research (PGR) resources
Each department provides maintains PGR SharePoint sites, which may include programme information, relevant departmental policies, supervision information, and department-specific contacts. Please consult your department’s specific SharePoint site for more information.
Library and Collections
Alongside library facilities and study spaces, Library and Collections provides comprehensive resources and specialist expertise to support researchers.
Library facilities and study spaces
All registered staff and students have access to the university’s principal library and study spaces:
Bill Bryson Library (Mountjoy site)
Barker Research Library (Palace Green)
Teaching and Learning Centre (Level 2 study spaces)
Resources and support
The Library provides access to an extensive range of academic resources, including print collections, electronic journals and databases, E-books and digital collections, and specialist research guides.
Researchers can find research support from Faculty Librarians, covering Arts & Humanities, Business, Science, and Social Sciences.
The Research Support Service provide guidance on research publishing and authorship, open research and open access publishing, copyright, research impact, and research communication.
Archives and special collections
Durham has significant archives and special collections holdings, including over 70,000 books published before 1850, medieval manuscripts, maps, prints, and photographs. These collections are housed at Palace Green Library, along with the archives of the University itself, dating back to 1832. They represent a rich resource for learning, teaching and research, and are available for anyone to consult.
Please see our pages for how to search our collections, how to use our collections for research, and how our expert staff can support your teaching, research and impact activities.
Museums, galleries and exhibitions
The museums, galleries and exhibitions team cares for more than 100,000 objects across the Oriental Museum, Museum of Archaeology and Durham Castle Museum, and the University Art Collection and Biosciences Collection.
Curators provide support and guidance to students and academics, enabling them to work with our collections physically and online in support of teaching, research, outreach and impact.
Please see our pages to find out more about our collections and how to search and access them.
University Research Institutes (URIs)
Durham’s ten University Research Institutes are powerhouses of interdisciplinary innovation. Extending across faculties and departments, URIs bring together researchers from diverse disciplines and perspectives. PGR students can participate in institute-led research programmes, workshops, public engagement activities, conferences, and funding initiatives. They are also great places to broaden your networks and develop collaborative research relationships.
Research Centres
There are over 80 Research Centres at Durham, hosted in faculties and departments, which bring together researchers from different disciplines to address shared themes and challenges. The Centres provide great opportunities to build interdisciplinary connections, learn new research methods and perspectives, and engage with visiting scholars and wider research networks. You can find out about Durham’s Research Centres through your department and faculty SharePoint sites.
-
The Learning and Teaching Handbook
The Learning and Teaching Handbook, accessible via SharePoint for current students and staff, is the collation of existing University guidance on Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching and learning matters falling within the remit of the University's Education Committee.
Information relating to Postgraduate Research Degrees is contained in Section 8 of the Handbook.
Core regulations
Core regulations for research degrees. include admission requirements, registration and periods of study, supervision arrangements, progression reviews, thesis requirements, examination and award criteria, and continuation and completion periods.
Ethics and research integrity
The University’s Research Ethics and Research Integrity Policy and Code of Good Practice outlines the University’s expectations regarding ethical review, and provides guidance on the responsibilities of researchers in relation to ethics and governance. All staff and students are expected to adhere to this policy.
Current postgraduate research students and supervisors can find further comprehensive information, support, and toolkits via the Research Ethics and Governance Hub on SharePoint.
Key policies:
Research Integrity Policy and Code of Practice
-
Changes to programme
Concessions
A concession is a request to make changes to your programme of studies. These changes are considered by your academic department and Faculty. Students wishing to apply for a concession should contact their department in the first instance.
There are three main types of concession:
Suspension of supervised study (for those students within your period of study). Normal reasons for suspensions include ill health (with evidence provided), taking a break for financial, employment or personal reasons, including caring responsibilities. If approved, your end of study and thesis submission will be extended to take into account the interruption of study.
Extension to supervised study (normally for funded students). This would typically include changes to your funding including placements, maternity or sick leave under UKRI terms and conditions. For self-funded students, extensions would have fee implications for any additional supervision.
Extension to thesis submission deadline. This applies to students who have completed their period of supervised studies, including those who are in the continuation period. Typical reasons for extensions may include ill health (with medical evidence provided as appropriate), taking a break for financial, employment or personal reasons such as care of children/dependents. You will need to agree a (monthly/weekly) thesis completion plan with your supervisory team.
Other concessions
These are used in very specific limited circumstances. Your academic department’s PGR Co-ordinator can provide details where these are applicable (including, Lapsed registration, Exceeding word limit of thesis)
- Change to mode of study - Changes from full-time to part-time study (and vice versa). Please contact your academic department’s PGR Co-Ordinator for help and guidance.
Where students are funded (e.g. through a UKRI research council) there will be specific requirements in accordance with funding conditions including any evidence needed to support a concession. Your academic department’s PGR Co-Ordinator will be able to help you and process the necessary documentation.
If you are an International student, there are also particular implications for those on a student visa and we recommend that you seek further information from your department’s PGR Co-Ordinator and the Student Immigration team in the first instance.
Academic appeals and academic misconduct
Academic appeals and academic misconduct The Academic Quality Service (AQS) administers University-level appeals from current or former students relating to academic decisions about their study at Durham and institutional disciplinary processes resulting from academic misconduct.