Major Review of Progress

The major review of progress occurs twelve months or half time equivalent from the commencement of candidature. The purpose of the review is to assess your progress against both the quality and quantity of work required for completion of your degree within the required timeframe (namely, your capacity to achieve thesis submission within three to three and a half years if you are a doctoral candidate, or eighteen months to two years if you are a Masters by Research candidate).

The review will be undertaken by the Candidature Confirmation Committee, which normally comprises, at a minimum, your supervisors and Postgraduate Coordinator. The purpose of the review is to:

• Ensure that the scope of your research project is achievable within the required timeframe for the degree;
• Identify, document and resolve any problems or issues which are beyond your control that are likely to affect your ability to complete within the required timeframe of the degree;
• Assess your relationships with your supervisor(s) to determine whether your professional compatibility is sufficient to facilitate completion of the degree within the required timeframe;
• Recommend confirmation of candidature, extension of provisional status, conversion to a Masters enrolment (where applicable) or termination;
• Where an extension of provisional candidature is recommended, set a series of tasks/milestones which enable you by completing them, to demonstrate your competence to finish the program within the required timeframe.
• Undertake a further review of progress following an extension of provisional candidature and recommend confirmation, termination or conversion to a Masters enrolment.

To fulfil the requirements of the major review of progress, you must have:

• satisfactorily completed all the preceding milestones, including the Adelaide Graduate Centre induction program
• regularly attended the School seminar program (remote students are exempted);
• submitted a GANTT chart or timeline with your major review documentation which details your research plan from candidature commencement to thesis submission; and
• made satisfactory progress during your provisional candidature in terms of both the quality and quantity of work required for completion within the required timeframe for your degree.

In determining whether or not your overall progress has been satisfactory, the Candidature Confirmation Committee may require additional tasks to be completed during a further period of provisional enrolment of three to six months in duration. Where this is the case, you will undertake an extended Major Review at the end of the extended provisional period. This review will confirm candidature, recommend conversion to the appropriate Master (if applicable) or recommend termination of candidature. No further extensions of the provisional status will be permitted.

The Graduate Centre will advise you and your principal supervisor approximately one month in advance that your major review is due and direct you to the web site where you can download a copy of the form (a form will be mailed to you on request). The due date for return of your major review form is the first day of the thirteenth month (or half time equivalent) from the commencement of your candidature. For example, if you are a full time student who commenced between the 1st and the 31st of January, your major review of progress documentation must be returned to the Graduate Centre by the 1st February of the following year.