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STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016–17 DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY AND CANCER Faculty of Medicine MRes in Cancer Biology
STUDENT HANDBOOK
2016–17
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY AND CANCER
Faculty of Medicine
MRes in Cancer Biology
Contents
Welcome to the College .......................................................................................... 4
Welcome ........................................................................................................................... 5
Welcome ........................................................................................................................... 5
The Graduate School ........................................................................................................ 7
Imperial Success Guide ..................................................................................................... 7
Introduction from the President of the Graduate Students’ Union ...................................... 8
1. Introduction to the Department ............................................................................ 8
Welcome from Head of Division......................................................................................... 8
Academic and Administrative Staff .................................................................................... 9
English Language Requirement....................................................................................... 10
Attendance and Absence................................................................................................. 10
Key Dates 2016–17 ......................................................................................................... 10
2. Programme information ..................................................................................... 11
Imperial Mobile App ......................................................................................................... 17
3. Assessment ....................................................................................................... 18
Assessment Dates........................................................................................................... 18
Research Project Guidelines ........................................................................................... 18
Writing the Research Project Thesis ................................................................................ 20
Viva Voce Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 23
Other assessed work ....................................................................................................... 23
Other core teaching ......................................................................................................... 24
Marking and Feedback .................................................................................................... 24
Plagiarism ....................................................................................................................... 25
4. Board of Examiners ........................................................................................... 26
5. Location and facilities ........................................................................................ 27
6. Placements ........................................................................................................ 28
7. Working while studying ...................................................................................... 28
8. Health and safety ............................................................................................... 29
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/fom-staff/support-and-services/health-and-
safety/safety-contacts/ ................................................................................................. 30
9. College policies and procedures ........................................................................ 30
Regulations for students .................................................................................................. 30
Appeal and complaints procedures .................................................................................. 30
Academic integrity ........................................................................................................... 31
Cheating offences policy and procedures ........................................................................ 31
Intellectual property rights policy...................................................................................... 31
Use of IT facilities ............................................................................................................ 31
MRes Code of Practice .................................................................................................... 31
10. Animal research ............................................................................................. 32
11. Well-being and advice .................................................................................... 32
Student Space ................................................................................................................. 32
Director of Student Support ............................................................................................. 32
Departmental support and College tutors ........................................................................ 33
Advice services ............................................................................................................... 33
Health services ................................................................................................................ 35
Disability support ............................................................................................................. 35
Library and IT .................................................................................................................. 36
Support for international students .................................................................................... 37
12. Student Records and Data ............................................................................. 38
13. Work-life balance ............................................................................................ 39
Imperial College Union .................................................................................................... 39
Graduate Students’ Union ............................................................................................... 39
Sport ............................................................................................................................... 39
14. Student feedback and representation ............................................................. 40
Feedback from students .................................................................................................. 40
Student representation .................................................................................................... 40
Staff-Student Committee ................................................................................................. 40
15. Student surveys .............................................................................................. 41
16. And finally ....................................................................................................... 42
Alumni services ............................................................................................................... 42
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Welcome to the College
Congratulations on joining Imperial College London, the only university in the UK to focus exclusively on science, medicine, engineering and business.
From Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin to Gabor’s invention of holography, Imperial has been changing the world for well over 100 years. You’re now part of this prestigious community of discovery and we hope you will take this opportunity to make your own unique contribution.
We’re committed to providing you with the very best academic resources to enrich your experience. We also provide a dedicated support network and a range of specialist support services to make sure you have access to the appropriate help, whether that’s further training in an academic skill like note taking or simply having someone to talk to.
You’ll have access to an innovative range of professional development courses within our Graduate School throughout your time here, as well as opportunities to meet students from across the College at academic and social events – see page 6 for more information.
We actively encourage you to seek out help when you need it and try to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Our choice of over 340 clubs, societies and projects is one of the largest of any UK university, making it easy to do something different with your downtime. You also have free access to gym (following a one-off orientation fee of £40 in 2016) and swimming facilities across our campuses.
As one of the best universities in the world, we are committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, clinicians and business leaders by continuing to share the wonder of what we do through public engagement events. Postgraduate students, alongside our academics and undergraduate students, make a significant contribution to events such as our annual Imperial Festival and our term-time Imperial Fringe events – if you’re interested in getting involved then there will be opportunities for you to do so.
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Welcome Professor Sue Gibson,
Director of the Graduate
School
The Graduate School has several roles but our main functions are to provide a broad, effective and innovative range of professional skills development courses and to facilitate interdisciplinary interactions by providing opportunities for students to meet at academic and social events. Whether you wish to pursue a career in academia, industry or something else, professional skills development training will improve your personal impact and will help you to become a productive and successful researcher. Professional skills courses for Master’s students are called “Masterclasses” and they cover a range of themes, for example, presentation skills, academic writing and leadership skills (see page 6 for more information). All Masterclasses are free of charge to Imperial Master’s students and I would encourage you to take as many as you can to supplement your academic training. The Graduate School works closely with the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) and is keen to respond to student needs, so if there is an area of skills training or an activity that you would like us to offer, but which is not currently provided, please do get in touch (see page 6). The Graduate School also runs a number of exciting social events throughout the year which are an opportunity to broaden your knowledge as well as to meet other students and have fun. Particular highlights include the Ig Nobel Awards Tour Show, the Chemistry Show and the 3-minute thesis competition. You should regularly check the Graduate School’s website and e-newsletters to keep up to date with all the events and training courses available to you. Finally, I hope that you enjoy your studies here at
Imperial, and I wish you well.
Welcome Dr Janet De Wilde,
Head of Postgraduate
Professional Development
I would like to welcome you to the Graduate School programme for postgraduate professional development. Our team of tutors come from a wide variety of experiences and we understand just how important it is to develop professional skills whilst undertaking postgraduate studies and research. Not only will this development improve your success during your time at Imperial, it will also prepare you for your future careers. We are continually working to develop the courses we offer and over this year you will see a range of new courses including face-to-face workshops, interactive webinars and online self-paced courses. I encourage you to explore and engage with the diverse range of opportunities on offer from the graduate school and I wish you well in your studies.
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The Graduate School
You automatically become a member of the Graduate School when you register as a
postgraduate student at Imperial.
The Graduate School has been set up to support all postgraduate students at the College
through:
Training and development courses
Networking activities, social and
academic events to encourage cross-
disciplinary interactions
Forums to represent the views of
postgraduate students throughout the
College
‘Masterclass’ professional skills courses
You can see the full range of free professional
skills courses for postgraduate students on the
Graduate School website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/graduate-
school/professional-skills/masters
All courses can be booked online.
Contact us
Level 3, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus
020 7594 1383
www.imperial.ac.uk/graduate-school
Imperial Success Guide The Imperial Success Guide is an online resource with advice
and tips on the transition to Master’s level study. More than just
a study guide, it is packed with advice created especially for
Imperial Master’s students, including information on support,
health and well-being and ideas to help you make the most of
London.
www.imperial.ac.uk/success-guide
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Introduction from the President of the Graduate Students’ Union I am delighted to welcome you to Imperial, and to the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU). I hope that your time here will be fulfilling and valuable, and the GSU is here to try and facilitate this. Imperial College London is such a wonderful and transformative place that provides a unique and thrilling environment for research and for advanced studies, and the graduate students are a vital and valued part of the wider community of Imperial. Our graduate students are at the forefront of the research done. Therefore, at the GSU we ensure that the experience here fosters both academic achievement and personal development in our students. The GSU is a University-wide representative body for postgraduate students at Imperial. It promotes the interests and welfare of its members, provides social and recreational activities and advocate for you and your opinions to the University and bodies external to the university. I encourage you to become an active member of the GSU– through involvement in your departments and the many University societies, and through our representational and campaigning activities. I wish you all a fantastic time here at Imperial. Please take advantage of our rich community, and hope to meet you all soon. Ahmed Shamso [email protected]
Programme Specification (Master’s Level)
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1. Introduction to the Department
Welcome from Head of Division Professor Bob Brown, Head of Division of Cancer Welcome to Imperial College London and, in particular, to the Masters of Research (MRes) in Cancer Biology. Imperial College London has been ranked 8th in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-16. We are pleased to welcome you into this institution of excellence, where we will support you as you strive to reach your highest potential. In order to accomplish this goal, we expect that you will take advantage of all the opportunities presented, for example, the journal club, internal seminars and lab meetings, and external seminars. This handbook has been designed to give you general information regarding the course and Imperial College’s regulations and procedures. Please read through these carefully, and find further information on the College website http://www.imperial.ac.uk/. Specifics of the course will be available on the virtual learning environment, Blackboard https://bb.imperial.ac.uk/. If you require any information or guidance, please contact a member of the team. I wish you well in your time with us.
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Academic and Administrative Staff
MRes Cancer Biology
Course Director Dr Olivier Pardo
Cancer Biology Stream Cancer Informatics Stream
Stream Director Dr Hector Keun
Stream Director Dr James Flanagan
Stream Tutor Dr Ernesto Yagüe
Stream Tutor Dr Ed Curry
Course Administrator Mrs Rebecca Cameron
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English Language Requirement
If you are not a native English speaker you must meet the College’s English language
requirements.
See the Admissions website for details:
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/english
For information on English language support available while you’re here, see page 28.
Attendance and Absence
Students wishing to take a period of absence at any time during the MRes outside of college
closure periods should have a valid reason for making the request and any absence must be
agreed with their project supervisor and the course administrator. If absent for more than
three days the stream tutor or director should also be informed. If the absence is due to
illness you must produce a medical certificate after seven days. If you miss an examination
through illness you must produce a medical certificate immediately. The Registry will be
informed of all student non-attendances as the College is obliged to report the non-
attendance of students on Tier 4 visas to the Home Office.
Key Dates 2016–17 Term dates
Autumn term: 1 October 2016 – 16 December 2016
Spring term: 7 January 2017 – 24 March 2017
Summer term: 29 April 2017 – 30 June 2017
Closure dates
Christmas/New year: 24 December 2016 – 2 January 2017
Easter holiday: 12 April 2017 – 18 April 2017
Early May bank holiday: 1 May 2017
Spring bank holiday: 29 May 2017
Summer bank holiday: 28 August 2017
Key events
Postgraduate Awards Ceremonies: 3 May 2017
Imperial Festival and Alumni Festival: 6–7 May 2017
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2. Programme information
Programme Title Cancer Biology Cancer Biology (Cancer Informatics)
Award(s) MRes
Programme Code A3CB A3CBI
Associateship None
Awarding Institution Imperial College London
Teaching Institution Imperial College London
Faculty Faculty of Medicine
Department Department of Surgery and Cancer
Mode and Period of Study 1 academic year, full time (12 months)
Cohort Entry Points Annually in October
Relevant QAA Benchmark Statement(s) and/or
other external reference points N/A
Total Credits ECTS: 90 CATS: 180
FHEQ Level Level 7
EHEA Level 2nd cycle
External Accreditor(s) None
Specification Details
Student cohorts covered by specification 2016-17 entry
Person responsible for the specification Dr Olivier E Pardo
Date of introduction of programme 2009
Date of programme specification/revision June 2016
Description of Programme Contents
The course comprises an initial eight week taught component in which the cellular and molecular basis of cancer biology is covered plus an introduction to the clinical and pathological aspects of carcinogenesis. Within this period will also be a series of workshops covering key transferable skills such as oral presentation of scientific data and grant writing. This is followed by two separate 19-week research placements within the recently created Imperial College Cancer Research UK Centre, the Faculty of Medicine at
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the Hammersmith Hospital campus of Imperial College and other collaborating institutes
across London (Sciences, Cancer). Some of the laboratories within the Division of Cancer in which you can do your research project can be found under “Cancer Research” at the Department of Surgery and Cancer.
The course comprises both theoretical and practical elements, embracing cutting-edge developments in the field. Students will experience some of the most technologically advanced approaches currently being applied to the broad field of cancer research. This course offers an additional stream, Cancer Informatics. The format of the stream and
assessment method is the same for all students, but the core programme and choice of research projects are determined by stream, i.e. Cancer Biology or Cancer Informatics.
Learning Outcomes
The Imperial Graduate Attributes are a set of core competencies which we expect students to achieve through completion of any Imperial College degree programme. The Graduate Attributes are available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-attributes
Knowledge and Understanding of: Issues that are currently topical in molecular, cellular and physiological science; Management and communication skills, including problem definition, project design, decision processes, teamwork, written and oral reports, scientific publications; Ethics of animal and human experimentation; Intellectual property issues; The principles and practice of modern molecular, cellular and physiological science through both theory and practical exposure; Advanced practical techniques of molecular, cellular and physiological science; Research techniques including information retrieval, experimental design, statistics and laboratory safety. Intellectual Skills: Critically evaluate current developments in the fields of molecular, cellular and physiological science using an integrated multidisciplinary approach involving a number of scientific disciplines; Integrate and evaluate information; Formulate and test hypotheses using appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis of data; Plan, conduct and write-up two independent programmes of original research. Practical skills: Plan and execute safely a series of experiments; Use laboratory methods to generate data; Analyse experimental results and determine their strength and validity; Prepare technical reports; Give technical presentations; Use the scientific literature effectively; Use computational tools and packages. Transferable Skills:
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Communicate effectively through oral presentations, computer processing and presentations, written reports and scientific publications; Apply statistical and modelling skills; Management skills: decision processes, objective criteria, problem definition, project design and evaluation, risk management, teamwork and coordination; Integrate and evaluate information from a variety of sources; Transfer techniques and solutions from one discipline to another; Use Information and Communications Technology; Manage resources and time; Learn independently with open-mindedness and critical enquiry; Learn effectively for the purpose of continuing professional development.
Entry Requirements
Academic Requirement Normally a 2:1 UK honours degree or equivalent in an appropriate science subject.
Non-academic Requirements Relevant lab experience
English Language Requirement Higher Requirements: IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each element or equivalent.
The programme’s competency standards documents can be found at: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-attributes/
Learning & Teaching Strategy
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Methods
Lectures Seminars Tutorials Technical workshops
E-learning & Blended Learning Methods N/A
Project and Placement Learning Methods Research projects
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Assessment Strategy
Assessment Methods Coursework Practical
Academic Feedback Policy
Both individual and group feedback is provided following all coursework, practical and project viva involving all internal examiners. Personal tutors will be able to assist students to monitor progress throughout the course based on this feedback. Students will receive literal grades for their assignments within a month of the assignment deadline. The research projects will be assessed at different stages with the academic supervisors providing input into methodologies and interpretation of results. Also, for the first research project, a mock viva is organised prior to the real viva in order to provide feedback to the students prior to the first course viva.
Re-sit Policy
The College’s Policy on Re-sits is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/exams/resit
Mitigating Circumstances Policy
The College’s Policy on Mitigating Circumstances is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/exams
Assessment Structure
Marking Scheme
The Pass Mark for all elements is 50%. Students must pass all elements including the statistics, bioinformatics assignment (informatics stream only) and grant writing exercises in order to be awarded a degree. Final Degree Classifications In order to be awarded a result of pass, a candidate must obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50%. In order to be awarded a result of merit, a candidate must obtain an aggregate mark of 60% or greater. In order to be awarded a result of distinction, a candidate must obtain an aggregate mark of 70% or greater. Where appropriate, a Board of Examiners may award a result of merit where a candidate has achieved an aggregate mark of 60% or greater across the programme as a whole AND has obtained a mark of 60% or greater in each element with the exception of one element AND has obtained a mark of 50% or greater in this latter element. Where appropriate, a Board of Examiners may award a result of distinction where a candidate has achieved an aggregate mark of 70% or greater across the programme as a whole AND has obtained a mark of 70% or greater in each element with the exception of one element AND has obtained a mark of 60% or greater in this latter element.
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Module Weightings (MRes Cancer Biology)
Module % Module Weighting
Statistics 0% (Pass/Fail only)
Poster presentation 9%
Grant Writing Exercise 9%
Project 1 - Cancer Biology 41%
Project 2 41%
Module Weightings (MRes Cancer Biology (Cancer Informatics))
Module % Module Weighting
Statistics 0% (Pass/Fail only)
Bioinformatics Assignment 8.2%
Poster presentation 9%
Grant Writing Exercise 9%
Project 1 - Informatics 32.8%
Project 2 41%
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Indicative Module List
Code Title Core/ Elective
L&T Hours
Ind. Study Hours
Place- ment Hours
Total Hours
% Written Exam
% Course-work
% Practical
FHEQ Level
ECTS
General Lectures CORE 68 0 0 68 0% 100% 0% 7 0
Statistics Training CORE 4 0 0 4 0% 0% 100% 7 0
Informatics ELECTIVE 60 100 0 160 0% 100% 0% 7 7.5
Tutorials CORE 8 2 0 10 0% 0% 0% 7 0
Book Chapter presentations CORE 20 20 0 40 0% 100% 0% 7 0
Poster presentation CORE 0 12 0 12 0% 100% 0% 7 8
Grant Writing Exercise CORE 1 12 0 13 0% 100% 0% 7 8
Project 1 - Informatics stream ELECTIVE 0 640 0 640 0% 100% 0% 7 29.5
Project 1 - Cancer Biology stream ELECTIVE 0 800 0 800 0% 100% 0% 7 37
Project 2 CORE 0 800 0 800 0% 100% 0% 7 37
Programme Specification (Master’s Level)
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Supporting Information
The Programme Handbook is available at: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/postgraduate/masters-programmes/mres-cancer-biology/
The Module Handbook is available at: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/postgraduate/masters-programmes/mres-cancer-biology/
The College’s entry requirements for postgraduate programmes can be found at: www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements
The College’s Quality & Enhancement Framework is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/proceduresandregulations/qualityassurance
The College’s Academic and Examination Regulations can be found at: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/proceduresandregulations/regulations
Imperial College is an independent corporation whose legal status derives from a Royal Charter granted under Letters Patent in 1907. In 2007 a Supplemental Charter and Statutes was granted by HM Queen Elizabeth II. This Supplemental Charter, which came into force on the date of the College's Centenary, 8th July 2007, established the College as a University with the name and style of "The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine". http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/secretariat/college-governance/charters-statutes-ordinances-and-regulations/
Imperial College London is regulated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) http://www.hefce.ac.uk/reg/of/
Imperial Mobile App
Don’t forget to download the free Imperial Mobile app for access to
College information and services, including your course timetable,
College emails and a library catalogue search tool.
www.imperial.ac.uk/imperialmobile
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3. Assessment
Assessment Dates
Day Date Time Stream Event/Title
Friday 02-Dec-16 16:00 Informatics Assignment - Deadline
Monday 10-Apr-17 16:00 All Project 1 - Deadline - Thesis
Thursday 27-Apr-17 10:00 – 16:00 All Project 1 - Viva
Tuesday 23-May-17 10:00 – 12:00 All Poster Presentation
Monday 31-Jul-17 16:00 All Deadline - Mock Grant Proposal
Thursday 07-Sep-17 16:00 All Project 2 - Deadline - Thesis
Thursday 21-Sep-17 10:00 – 16:00 All Project 2 - Viva
Research Project Guidelines Project Allocations Students are asked to submit preferences for their projects, giving their top five choices in rank order. These are taken into consideration by the Course directors when allocating projects. We strongly advise that you contact and/or meet with individual supervisors before selecting their project and that no more than two projects from the same supervisor (either primary or day-to-day supervisor) are nominated as preferences. Through the Shared Project Call, students from all MRes courses participating in the scheme may also apply for suitable selected projects on other MRes courses, however each course will prioritise allocation to its own students. Research Project Working in a research laboratory is a very different activity from attending lectures and practical classes: Typically, it is expected that you work in the lab at least Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17:00. For Safety and Security reasons, you must never work alone in the lab. Within Imperial College work outside of 7am-7pm Monday to Friday is only allowed upon completion of the relevant risk assessment, appropriate Divisional approval and if another experienced group member is also present. If deemed appropriate to work out of hours a Risk Assessment Form and Authorisation Form must be completed. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that such arrangements are in place. More information about out of hours working can be found here: http://www1.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/intranet/healthandsafety/loneworkingoutofhours/ Research requires commitment and organisation. There is no official timetable so you will need to organise your time efficiently. Experiments can be variable in length, and may contain quite long gaps (e.g. restriction enzyme digestions, PCR, etc.); do not waste these "gaps", use them to read scientific literature, collate previous data, plan future experiments or start to write your thesis.
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Research can be Unpredictable The protocol for an experiment should be fully discussed with your supervisor, or experienced member of the laboratory recommended by your supervisor, before you start this. This avoids unnecessary errors that can waste a lot of time and reagents. However, an experiment is designed to investigate the unknown, and therefore cannot always be guaranteed to be successful. It is not the equivalent of doing a class practical, where the teaching staff has tested everything thoroughly beforehand. You must therefore be prepared for disappointments as well as successes. Research Requires a Mixture of Intellectual and Practical Input It cannot all be done in the library, nor can it all be done at the laboratory bench. You need a balance of both activities. The more you read the more you will understand the background and significance of your research. This will help you to do better and more creative experiments. Research Literature The basic source of research information is the scientific journal. However, it is often best to read a good review article of your chosen area first. At the start of your project your supervisor should give you a selection of review and original articles to read. You should read these and also use them as a source of further reading. Experiments should be Planned in Advance Before you do an experiment you should think it out carefully in advance, planning all the appropriate controls as well as your experimental system. Discuss experimental design with your supervisor before you start the experiment. This can avoid mistakes and so save valuable time and reagents. Where possible, use the same batch of reagents (e.g. restriction enzyme) for all your experiments, to ensure reproducible results. Who to Ask for Advice and Help Ask anybody working in your lab. Do not be afraid to ask (they won’t bite). However, if you do not understand or are confused by the answer (two different people may give you two slightly different solutions to the problem), you should discuss the matter with your supervisor. How the Practical Work is Organised Now that you are working on your own research project, you are responsible for all aspects of your work. This means that you should learn to make up your own reagents (e.g. buffers) and should clean up your area of the laboratory when you have finished. This is crucial for the successful, integrated functioning of a research laboratory. Finance Research reagents are very expensive so please be very careful and do not waste them. All your reagents will be ordered via your supervisor or a designated person, with whom you can discuss your requirements fully. If you find that a reagent has been finished or is about to run out, you should inform them. Please remember that new reagents may take several days to arrive.
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Safety The laboratories are covered by strict health and safety regulations. You will be given a copy of these before you start to work in the laboratory. Make sure that you have read these and assessed all risks carefully before you start experimental work. If there is anything that you do not understand, please ask.
Writing the Research Project Thesis Warning: This always takes much longer than you think it will, so you should start well before the submission date. Length of the Manuscript Both project reports will take the form of research articles such as those published in scientific journals. The length of the paper will be limited to 14 pages and contain a maximum of 8 multi-panelled figures. Tables will be counted as figures. In addition, a maximum of 8 s upplementary figures may be provided at the end of the manuscript as well as two pages of supplementary methods if necessary. The manuscript must have a header containing the name of the first author, followed by “et al.” on the left-hand corner and the page number on the right-hand corner. Types for the Main Text of the Paper Title: Calibri font – 20 bold Authors: Calibri font – 9 bold Affiliations: Calibri font – 7 regular Main text: Calibri font – 9 regular Section titles: Calibri font – 9 bold Figure legends: Calibri font – 7 regular Organisation of the Paper The paper should be presented in 2 columns separated by a blank space of 0.6 cm with 2.5 cm margins on all sides. Please, refer to the template provided in your electronic memory stick if unsure. The paper must contain the following headings: Abstract, Background, Material and Methods, Results, Discussion, References, Abbreviations. In addition, the manuscript must have a Title followed by a list of authors (all individuals that participated to the work) and their affiliation. Title This must be concise, normally <15 words. Authors All authors should be listed with first and last names. Middle names should be as single capital letters. In addition, numbers linking authors to their affiliation should follow their
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names as superscript. Also, the name of the principal supervisor should be indicated by a star. Affiliations Affiliations should be numbered following the order in authors’ names. The numbering should be in bold followed by the name of the lab, institution details and country in Regular font. Abstract The abstract must be maximum 500 words long and relay the reasons why the work was undertaken, the principal findings and a short concluding remark on the significance or the results. Background This section must introduce the state of knowledge on the subject of the research undertaken, providing the reader with the information necessary to understand the various topics treated in the Results section. This information must be appropriately referenced. Material and Methods This section must enable the reader to assess the protocols and the origin of the reagents used. For common techniques, the reader can be forwarded to previous publications and the methods only stated briefly. Results This section may contain sub-headings. Title of these sub-headings must be in Italics. The results shall refer in order to the figures that must be embedded in the body of the manuscript rather than be provided at the end. This section must describe the results as they are and avoid over- interpretation. The presentation of the data must follow a logical order and the progression from one procedure/section to the next. Figures and Figure Legends Figures may contain images, tables or graphs and be multi-panelled. Figures embedded in the manuscript should fit within either single column or double column width, and must be no longer than one page. Lettering used in figures should be legible when printed in A4 format. Each panel must be indicated by a capital letter used for reference in the legend. The figure legend should indicate the Figure number, start with a short title for the results presented and then briefly explain/describe the data using the capital letters to refer to the corresponding panels. The type of data presented in graphs should be explained (e.g. Mean, Median, Fold increase) as well as the nature of error bars if present (e.g. SD, SEM). Statistics should be performed when possible to demonstrate significance of the data, significance indicated on the graphs using appropriate symbols and the nature of the statistical test used, the reference, the meaning of the symbols and degree of significance detailed in the figure legend rather than in the Material and Methods section alone.
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Discussion This section should not be a repeat of the Results but place the data into perspective with the published literature (that should be adequately referenced). The limitations of the data acquired should be discussed together with further work that would need to be done. References References should be linked to citations present throughout the body of the manuscript. The format of the references must follow that used by the journal Science. The referencing in your manuscript is most easily organised using reference management software (e.g. EndNote or Reference Manager). A Format file for Science can be downloaded from the internet and appended to your software format library if missing. Alternatively, please refer to the web site for Science to obtain formatting information from the instruction to authors section: www.sciencemag.org/ Abbreviations All abbreviations used throughout the manuscript should be explained here as a single block of text with abbreviations separated from their translation by a coma and each set of abbreviation/translation separated by semi-columns as follows: FOXM1, Fork head box protein M1; DBD, DNA binding domain; TAD, Trans-activation domain; Submission Submission will be electronic as a single pdf file containing both primary and supplementary data by uploading it on Blackboard via ‘Turnitin’. The submitted file must be entitled as follow: “Name of the author – Project X” with X referring to 1 or 2 depending on whether this is your first or second project. The file must be received by 16.00 on the submission deadline date. Late submission will automatically incur a zero. Please Note: Any deviation from the above format may result in a decrease mark for your written project by as much as 35 points. If for any reason, the nature of your data requires deviation from this compulsory format, you must clear this with the course organisers prior to proceeding.
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Viva Voce Guidelines Format of the Examination During the oral examination, you will be required to defend the work you have performed in your project with the help of a PowerPoint presentation. The presentation should transmit to the examiners:
The reason why the work was undertaken;
The methods used to address the problem;
The results obtained;
Further work that should be done to pursue the project. The oral presentation will be limited to 10-12 min and will be followed by questions from all examiners. Examiners Internal examiners and external examiners will be assessing your written report and your oral presentation. Neither your supervisor(s) nor your classmates will be present. Types of Questions Generally, the questions asked during your viva will fall within one of the three following categories:
Questions relating to your written report;
Questions relating to your oral presentation;
Questions of general knowledge in fields linked to your research project. Your performance to these different question types will have the same weighting. These questions will have for purpose to confirm that you understand the work you have undertaken, comprehend the methods, reagents (used in your experiments or buffers) and equipment used as well as the theoretical basis of your projects. Knowledge of the content of the textbook provided at the start of the course will be assumed and questions on subjects covered in this book relating to your projects may be asked. In addition, it is expected that you will have read profusely on the subject of your research and will be familiar with the general knowledge in that field. Note that the examiners may disagree with your interpretation of the data and will require you to defend your point of view. Hence, although it is expected that you will have been helped by your supervisor in the interpretation of your data, you are ultimately responsible for the content of your thesis and must fully understand and be able to defend the conclusion presented there.
Other assessed work Statistical training. All students are required to attend a tutorial on basic statistics; this usually takes place during March.
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Grant writing exercise This exercise is intended to give the student an idea of the grant writing process from the initial idea to the submission of the proposal. The task will cover several aspects including:
What are the key elements of a well written grant?
What issues should you consider when applying for a grant?
Generating hypotheses and aims.
Putting together a research plan.
Information required by funding bodies. Detailed guidance on the grant writing exercise is provided after completion of project one. Poster presentations After research project 1, students are required to present their research findings as a poster. This is a frequently used form of communicating research findings at scientific conferences and meetings. The posters will be displayed collectively and attended by the students who will be expected to discuss and defend their research. A group of staff will assess the research activity through examination of the poster and discussion with the student. The title of the poster needs to reflect the nature of your research project. Discuss with your project supervisor what the poster title should be and pointers as to what should be included. Your poster should be prepared using a word processor and appropriate graphics programmes. Remember that it is important not only for the content of the science to be right, but also its presentation.
If you produce a scrappy looking poster no one will want to read it.
Think about how much information you should put in the poster. Pages of detailed 9
point text are not easily read.
Diagrams help people to understand what you want to say.
Other core teaching Cancer Biology Lectures. Prior to commencing projects, ~five weeks of lectures are provided including induction material, basic principles of cancer biology, experimental methods and disease-specific knowledge. The lectures will also include some aspects of current research ongoing within the department. Book chapter presentations. The course textbook is ‘The Molecular Biology of Cancer: A Bridge from Bench to Bedside’ by Stella Pelengaris and Mike Kahn. To facilitate students’ learning of the text each chapter is presented by small groups of students one at a time over several weeks. Student presentations. These are held at the end of the lecture series to provide practice at presentation skills.
Marking and Feedback Students will be assessed by written report and a viva voce examination after the completion of each of the two projects and by performance in the grant-writing exercise, poster presentations and an informatics assessment (informatics stream only). Please see ‘Assessment structure’ above for weighting of individual elements. Note that the statistical training is a pass or fail element and does not contribute to the final aggregate mark nor the final degree class. In order to graduate from the course, students need only attend the statistical tutorial.
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The mark awarded for each of your projects will be a composite of the assessment of the written report (70%) and the oral viva performance (30%). Following each viva examination, a personal feedback on your performance both in the written report and viva will be e-mailed to you together with a literal mark to provide a range of possible marks you may have achieved. No numerical marks will be provided and only the final outcome of the course will be communicated to you by Registry at the end of the academic year. The literal marks/numerical marks correspondence is as follows: A+ 80-100 Distinction A 70-79 Distinction B+ 66-69 Merit B 60-65 Merit C+ 56-59 Pass C 50-55 Pass D 45-49 Fail E <45 Fail
Please, note that the final outcome of your course (Fail, Pass, Merit, and Distinction) will depend on your performance at each of your assessments individually and not just from averaging your performance throughout the course. Final results are decided at the Final Board of Examiners meeting held by the Course Organiser, the Course directors and the External Examiners following the final viva exam. A representative from Registry may also attend. Imperial College regulations state that students will only be able to find out their results through Student Records after this meeting has taken place.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s thoughts, words, images or diagrams as
though they were your own. Another form of plagiarism is self-plagiarism, which involves
using your own prior work without acknowledging its reuse.
Plagiarism is considered a cheating offence and must be avoided, with particular care on
coursework, essays, reports and projects written in your own time and also in open and
closed book written examinations.
Where plagiarism is detected in group work, members of that group may be deemed to have
collective responsibility for the integrity of work submitted by that group and may be liable for
any penalty imposed, proportionate to their contribution.
For further information, please refer to the Cheating Offences Policy and Procedures section on page 31 of this handbook.
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4. Board of Examiners
Board of Examiners
Rebecca Cameron
Dr Olivier Pardo
Dr Hector Keun
Dr James Flanagan
Dr Robert Kypta
External examiners
Dr Richard Grose, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary’s University London
Prof Parmjit Raj, University College London
Dr Andrew Sims, Univerisity of Edinburgh
It is common for Master’s level students to have some form of academic or social interaction
with their external examiners at some point during or after their studies as well as during the
assessment process itself.
It is inappropriate for you to submit complaints or representations direct to external
examiners or to seek to influence your external examiners. Inappropriate communication
towards an examiner would make you liable for disciplinary action.
External examiners reports can be found here:
www.imperial.ac.uk/staff/tools-and-reference/quality-assurance-enhancement/external-
examining/information-for-staff
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5. Location and facilities Imperial has a number of campuses in London and the South East. All have excellent travel
links and are easily accessible via public transport.
Your main location of study will be:
Hammersmith Campus
The Commonwealth Building, The Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN
For Imperial staff please use +44 (0)20 7589 5111 For the NHS hospital please use + 44 (0)20 3313 1000
Facilities
The MRes course has its own virtual learning site accessible at https://bb.imperial.ac.uk/. This site will act as a focus for information and communication, including a repository of course documents, timetables, lecture notes etc. The course administrator and both stream directors are based in the Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Biology (no. 4 on map via link below)
Shuttle bus A free shuttle bus runs between our South Kensington, White City and Hammersmith
Campuses on weekdays. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You need to
show your College ID card to board. Download the timetable at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/travel/shuttle-bus
Maps Campus maps and travel directions are available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/visit/campuses
Accessibility Information about the accessibility of our South Kensington Campus is available online
through the DisabledGo access guides:
www.disabledgo.com/organisations/imperial-college-london-2
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6. Placements
The College defines a placement as:
“work experience, assessed project work, a period of course-based study or a period of
research (for which academic credit is awarded and/or where the student remains subject to
College student regulations during the relevant period) and where there is a transfer of direct
supervision of the student to a third party (i.e. where a member of staff at the third party acts
as the day-to-day supervisor/manager) for a period of two weeks or more.”
Academic departments are responsible for managing any study or work placement which
forms part of your degree programme. It is expected that you will contribute to the process of
planning your placement.
For guidance on this, see the College’s Placement and Learning Policy and associated good
practice:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/placement-learning
For more information on placements visit the Placements website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/placements
If you are considering/planning a placement outside the UK you should also refer to the
Placement Abroad Handbook:
www.imperial.ac.uk/placements/information-for-imperial-college-students
7. Working while studying
If you are studying full time, the College recommends that you do not work part-time during
the duration of your course. If this is unavoidable we advise you to work no more than 10–15
hours per week, which should be principally at weekends and not within normal College
working hours.
Working in excess of these hours could impact adversely on your studies or health.
If you are here on a Tier 4 visa you can work no more than 20 hours a week during term
time. Some sponsors may not permit you to take up work outside your studies and others
may specify a limit.
If you are considering part-time work during term time you are strongly advised to discuss
this issue with your supervisor or Postgraduate Tutor. If you are on a Tier 4 visa you should
also seek advice from the International Student Support team regarding visa limitations on
employment.
Please refer to our policy on working while studying:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/faculty-of-
engineering/bioengineering/public/student/Student-Employment-During-Studies.pdf
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8. Health and safety
You are responsible for looking after your own health and safety and that of others affected
by your College-related work and leisure activities. You must:
comply with all local and College policies, procedures and codes of practice and with the arrangements which the College has in place to control health and safety risks.
ensure that your activities do not present unnecessary or uncontrolled risks to yourself or to others.
attend appropriate induction and training.
report any accidents, unsafe circumstances or work-related ill health of which you become aware to the appropriate person.
not interfere with any equipment provided for Health and Safety.
inform your supervisor or the person in charge of the activity in cases where you are not confident that you are competent to carry out a work or leisure activity safely, rather than compromise your own safety or the safety of others.
The College’s Health and Safety Policy can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/safety/internal/policies/Health-and-Safety-Policy-Statement-May-2015---re-signed-by-Provost.pdf
Your Departmental safety contacts can be found here:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/fom-staff/support-and-services/health-and-safety/safety-
contacts/
You may be required to complete inductions and attend training sessions to safely complete
this course. These include:
Day one induction
The College Safety Department
The Safety Department offers a range of specialist advice on all aspects of safety. This
includes anything which you feel might affect you directly, or which may be associated with
teaching, research or support service activities.
The College’s activities range from the use of hazardous materials (biological, chemical and
radiological substances) to field work, heavy or awkward lifting, driving, and working alone or
late.
All College activities are covered by general health and safety regulations, but higher risk
activities will have additional requirements.
The Safety Department helps departments and individuals ensure effective safety
management systems are in place throughout the College to comply with specific legal
requirements.
Sometimes the management systems fail, and an accident or a near-miss incident arises; it
is important that we learn lessons from such situations to prevent recurrence and the Safety
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Department can support such investigations. All accidents and incidents should be reported
online at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/safety
To report concerns or to ask for advice you should contact your programme director,
academic supervisor or departmental safety officer in the first instance. You may also
contact the Safety Department directly.
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/fom-staff/support-and-services/health-and-
safety/safety-contacts/
Occupational Health requirements
The College Occupational Health Service provides services to:
protect health at work
assess and advise on fitness for work
ensure that health issues are effectively managed
The Service promotes and supports a culture where the physical and psychological health of
staff, students and others involved in the College is respected, protected and improved
whilst at work.
www.imperial.ac.uk/occupational-health
9. College policies and procedures
Regulations for students All registered students of the College are subject to the Regulations for Students, the
College Academic and Examination Regulations and such other regulations that the College
may approve from time to time.
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-
governance/regulationswww.imperial.ac.uk/students/terms-and-conditions
Appeal and complaints procedures We have rigorous regulations in place to ensure assessments are conducted with fairness
and consistency. In the event that you believe that you have grounds for complaint about
academic or administrative services, or wish to appeal the outcome of an assessment or
final degree, we have laid out clear and consistent procedures through which complaints and
appeals can be investigated and considered:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-
policy/complaints-appeals-and-discipline
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Academic integrity You are expected to conduct all aspects of your academic life in a professional manner. A
full explanation of academic integrity, including information on the College’s approach to
plagiarism is available on the Student Records and Data website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/undergraduate-and-
taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/plagiarism-academic-integrity--
exam-offences
Cheating offences policy and procedures It is important that you learn how to properly attribute and acknowledge the work, data and
ideas of others. Plagiarism is scientific misconduct, and students whose assessments can
be shown to contain plagiarism are subject to penalties as outlined in the College’s Cheating
Offences Policy and Procedures – see Appendix 3 of the Examination Regulations which
can be found here:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations
Intellectual property rights policy For further guidance on the College’s Intellectual Property Rights Policy, please contact the
Research Office:
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/ip
Use of IT facilities View the Conditions of Use of IT Facilities:
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/secretariat/college-governance/charters-statutes-
ordinances-and-regulations/policies-regulations-and-codes-of-practice/information-systems-
security/iss-policies/policy2/
MRes Code of Practice The Code of Practice for MRes programmes is available here:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/masters-level-
precepts/Code-of-practice-for-MRes-programmes.pdf
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10. Animal research Understanding the basic biology of infections, injuries and chronic diseases is an essential step in finding new treatments and cures. From cancer to malaria and war wounds to heart disease, research using animals forms an important element of Imperial's work. The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and
animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their
use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances.
Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all
animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff and students
involved with this work show due consideration at every level.
For more information please see:
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-
integrity/animal-research
11. Well-being and advice
Student Space The Student Space website is the central point for information on health and well-being.
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-space
Director of Student Support The Director of Student Support has overall responsibility for all matters relating to student
support and well-being.
www.imperial.ac.uk/people/d.wright
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Departmental support and College tutors Your Department has a system of academic and pastoral care in place to make sure you
have access to the appropriate support throughout your time here. This includes:
Postgraduate tutor
The Department’s postgraduate tutor can offer pastoral support and advice. You can arrange
to have a meeting with him/her at any time during your studies – what you discuss will be
completely confidential.
If necessary they will direct you to an appropriate source of support. You can contact
Jennifer Simeon in the first instance.
Senior Postgraduate Education Administrator
Jennifer Simeon
College tutors
College tutors operate outside of any department. They provide guidance and assistance to
students in regard to welfare issues and are also involved in College disciplinary matters
involving students. For more information see:
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-space/here-for-you/college-tutors-and-departmental-support
Advice services The tutor system is complemented by a College-wide network of advice and support. This includes a number of specialist services. Careers Service
The Careers Service has strong links to your Department and you will have a named
Careers Consultant and Placement and Internship Adviser who will run both group sessions
and individual meetings within your Department. You can arrange to meet with your linked
Careers Consultant or Placement and Internship Adviser either in your Department or
centrally on Level 5 Sherfield where the Careers Service is based.
Visit the Career Service’s website to:
Book a careers appointment
Find resources and advice on successful career planning
www.imperial.ac.uk/careers
Counselling and Mental Health
The Student Counselling and Mental Health Advice Service offers short-term counselling to
all registered students. The service is free and confidential. Counsellors are available at the
South Kensington, Hammersmith and Silwood Park Campuses.
www.imperial.ac.uk/counselling
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Financial support and tuition fees
If you’ve got any questions about student financial support (loans, scholarships and research
council studentships, US and Canadian loans) then contact the Student Financial Support
team:
020 7594 9014
If you suddenly find yourself in financial difficulties or experience an unexpected change in
circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for emergency financial help through the
Student Support Fund. The Fund offers a one-off payment of up to £2,000 to cover such
emergencies as last minute accommodation and travel necessities, equipment and
childcare. It does not have to be repaid.
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/fees-and-funding/student-support-fund
For tuition fees queries, contact the Tuition Fees team:
020 7594 8011
Imperial College Union (ICU) Advice Centre
Imperial College Union runs the Advice Centre independently of the College with advisers on
hand to provide free, confidential, independent advice on a wide range of welfare issues
including housing, money and debt, employment and consumer rights, and personal safety.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/advice
Student Hub
The Student Hub represents a single point of contact for all key administrative information
and support. The Student Hub team can help you with enquiries about:
Accommodation (including checking contracts for private accommodation)
Admissions
International student enquiries
Research degrees
Student financial support
Student records
Tuition fees
Level 3, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus
020 7594 9444
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-hub
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Health services
NHS Health Centre and finding a doctor
Even if you’re fit and healthy we recommend that you register with a local doctor (GP) as
soon as you arrive in London. For help finding your nearest GP see the Student Space
website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-space/here-for-you/find-a-doctor
There is an NHS Health Centre on our South Kensington Campus which you may visit
during clinic hours if you’re feeling unwell. Students living within the practice catchment area
are encouraged to register with the Centre.
www.imperialcollegehealthcentre.co.uk
NHS Dentist (based in the Health Centre)
Imperial College Dental Centre offers a full range of NHS and private treatment options.
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-space/here-for-you/dentist
Disability support
Disability Advisory Service
The Disability Advisory Service provides confidential advice and support for all disabled
students and students with specific learning difficulties.
If you think you may have dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty but have never been
formally assessed, the Disability Advisory Service offers initial screening appointments.
Room 566, Level 5, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus
020 7594 9755
www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service
Departmental Disability Officers
Departmental Disability Officers are the first point of contact within your department. They
can apply for additional exam arrangements on your behalf, and will facilitate support within
your Department.
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Your Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) is Dr Michael McGarvey ([email protected],
Tel: 020 7594 9035)
More information on Departmental Disability Officers is available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service/support/ddos
More information on procedures for the consideration of additional exam arrangements in respect of disability is available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/exam-arrangements-and-re-sits/Exam-arrangements-in-respect-of-disability.pdf
Library and IT
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
If you’re having problems with technology (including computers, laptops and mobile
devices), you can get help from ICT’s Service Desk.
020 7594 9000
www.imperial.ac.uk/ict/service-desk
Software shop
The Software shop offers a variety of general and subject specific software programs and
packages for free or at a discounted price for Imperial students.
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/shop/software
Library services
The Central Library at South Kensington is open around the clock pretty much all year. Make
sure you find out who your departmental librarian is as they’ll be able to help you find
resources for your subject area. Also, don’t forget to check out the Library’s range of training
workshops and our other campus libraries for access to specialist medicine and life sciences
resources. Alongside these physical spaces and resources, the Library provides over
170,000 electronic books, journals and databases available both on and off campus and a
free document delivery service to help you source books and articles from around the UK
and the rest of the world:
www.imperial.ac.uk/library
Religious support
The Chaplaincy Multi-faith Centre has chaplains from many different religions, as well as
prayer rooms and information on places of worship. In addition, it runs meditation classes
and mindfulness workshops for stress management. There is a student-run Islamic prayer
room on campus and separate areas available for male and female Muslims.
www.imperial.ac.uk/chaplaincy
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Support for international students
English language support
The Centre for Academic English provides free in-sessional English courses for international
students while they are studying. These include classes and workshops on academic
language, social language, the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, 1-1
consultations with a tutor to work on a piece of academic writing or an oral presentation, self-
study resources in the VLE Blackboard, and the Conversation Project, which partners
students with a native-speaker volunteer to practise social and conversational English.
www.imperial.ac.uk/academic-english
International Student Support team
Students from outside the UK make up around half of our student population, so our
International student Support team offers year-round support to help our international
students settle into Imperial life. This includes UK visa and immigration advice and trips to
different places of interest.
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/international-students
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12. Student Records and Data
The Student Records and Data team are responsible for the administration and maintenance
of the student records for all students studying at the College. This includes enrolments,
programme transfers, interruption of studies, withdrawals and processing of examination
entry for research degree students. The team also use this information to fulfil reporting
duties to the Student Loans Company, Transport for London and the UKVI, as well as other
external bodies.
The team is currently responsible for the processing of student results and awards on the
student record system as well as the production and distribution of academic transcripts and
certificates of award.
Student Records and Data produce a variety of standard document requests for both current
and previous students including council tax letters, standard statements of attendance and
confirmation of degree letters.
Appeal administration also sits within the team, as does the responsibility for confirming
qualifications via the Higher Education Degree Datacheck service.
Student records and examinations
+44 (0)20 7594 7268
Degree certificates
+44 (0)20 7594 8037
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13. Work-life balance
The pace and intensity of postgraduate study at Imperial can be demanding so it’s important
to find time for outside interests.
Imperial College Union The Union’s range of 340+ student-led clubs, societies and projects is one of the largest of
any UK university, opening up lots of ways for you to enjoy your downtime.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/about-us
Graduate Students’ Union The Graduate Students’ Union is the postgraduate arm of Imperial College Union. The GSU
works alongside the Imperial College Union President to ensure that the requirements of
postgraduate students are catered for. It also organises a number of academic and social
events during the year.
www.union.ic.ac.uk/presidents/gsu
Sport Beginners and semi-professionals alike will receive a warm welcome in our sports clubs,
which are subsidised by Imperial College Union to make it a little bit cheaper to keep doing a
sport you love.
Access to swimming facilities, including sauna, steam room and spa at Ethos sports centre,
is completely free from your very first day. Gym facilities across all campuses are also free
after you’ve completed a fitness orientation for a one-off charge (£40 in 2016–17).
www.imperial.ac.uk/sport
Programme Specification (Master’s Level)
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14. Student feedback and representation
Feedback from students The College and Union is committed to continually improving your education and wider
experience and a key part of this is your feedback. Feedback is thoroughly discussed by
your student representatives and staff.
Student representation Student Representatives are recruited from every department to gather feedback from
students to discuss with staff. More information about the role, and instructions on how to
become an academic representative, are available on the Imperial College Union (ICU)
website.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/your-union/your-representatives/academic-
representatives/overview
Staff-Student Committee The Staff-Student Committee is designed to strengthen understanding and improve the flow
of communication between staff and students and, through open dialogue, promote high
standards of education and training, in a co-operative and constructive atmosphere. College
good practice guidelines for staff-student committees are available here:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/student-
feedback
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15. Student surveys
Your feedback is important to your department, the College and Imperial College Union.
Whilst there are a variety of ways to give your feedback on your Imperial experience, the
following College-wide surveys give you regular opportunities to make your voice heard:
PG SOLE lecturer/module Survey or departmental equivalent
Student Experience Survey (SES)
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) – next due to run in spring 2018
The PG SOLE lecturer/module survey or equivalent runs at the end of the autumn term. This
survey is your chance to tell us about the modules you have attended and the lecturers who
taught them.
For PG SOLE (or equivalent survey) your lecturers will receive their individual numerical
results and comments shortly after the survey closes. To make the most of your opportunity
to give your feedback, please do not use offensive language or make personal,
discriminatory or abusive remarks as these may cause offence and may be removed from
the results. Whilst this survey is anonymous, please avoid self-identification by referring to
personal or other identifying information in your free text comments.
The Student Experience Survey (SES) is another opportunity to leave your views on your
experience. This survey will cover your induction, welfare, pastoral and support services
experience.
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is the only national survey of Master’s
level (MSc, MRes, MBA and MPH) students we take part in. This is the only way for us to
compare how we are doing against the national average and to make changes that will
improve our Master’s students’ experience in future. PTES covers topics such as motivations
for taking the programme, depth of learning, organisation, dissertation and professional
development. PTES last ran in spring term 2016 and will run again in spring 2018.
All these surveys are anonymous and the more students that take part the more
representative the results so please take a few minutes to give your views.
The Union’s “You Said, We Did” campaign shows you some of the changes made as a result
of survey feedback:
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/you-said-we-did
If you would like to know more about any of these surveys or see the results from previous
surveys, please visit:
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/student-surveys/pg-student-surveys
For further information on surveys, please contact the Registry’s Surveys Team at:
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16. And finally
Alumni services When you graduate you will be part of a lifelong community of over 190,000 alumni, with
access to a range of alumni benefits including:
discounts on further study at the College and at Imperial College Business School
alumni email service
networking events
access to the Library and online resources
access to the full range of careers support offered to current students for up to three
years after you graduate
access to our Alumni Visitor Centre at the South Kensington Campus, with free Wifi,
complimentary drinks, newspapers and magazines, and daytime left luggage facility
Visit the Alumni website to find out more about your new community, including case studies
of other alumni and a directory of local alumni groups in countries across the world.
www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni
