Maintaining PhD Log records

The School monitors research student engagement for several reasons.

• Regular contact with your supervisor is an important part of your research degree experience. Supervisory interactions give you opportunities to discuss your research, review progress, identify problems, agree next steps and receive academic guidance. (Guidance on the School’s supervisory practice expectations can be found in the PhD Supervisor Hub.) The PhD Log is designed to help you to create a clear record of these interactions.
• PhD Log records help you, your supervisor and your department keep track of your progress over time. They provide an agreed record of key discussions and decisions, which can be important during annual progress review, upgrade, re-enrolment, change of circumstances applications, and other academic or registration processes.
• PhD Log records also help to protect students. If there is later a concern, complaint or appeal, the PhD Log records help to show what was discussed, when discussions took place, what advice was given, and what actions were agreed. This is why records should be clear, accurate and kept up to date.
• Engagement monitoring supports the School’s visa compliance responsibilities. The School holds a UKVI sponsor licence, which allows it to sponsor students who need a visa to study in the UK. To keep this licence, the School must be able to show that it has effective arrangements for monitoring all students’ engagement – not just those who hold School sponsored visas. The same PhD Log recording requirements therefore apply to all enrolled research students, regardless of nationality or visa status.
• If you hold a student visa, your PhD Log records are therefore especially important, because UKVI requires the School to have a satisfactory number of PhD Log records on file for each student in order to continue sponsoring their visas.

If you are registered full-time, you are entitled to at least three supervisory meetings per term. This is normally nine meetings per academic year.

If you are registered part-time, you are entitled to at least two supervisory meetings per term. This is normally six meetings per academic year.

These are minimum entitlements. Your department or supervisory team may reasonably expect you to meet more often, depending on your programme, stage of study, research plans, progress review requirements, upgrade arrangements, fieldwork, or other academic circumstances.

All students are required to record a minimum number of substantive supervisory interactions each academic year in the PhD.

• Full-time students: at least three supervisor-approved PhD log records per term, which equates to nine per academic year.
• Part-time students: at least two supervisor-approved PhD log records per term, which equated to six per academic year.

These records must be made in the PhD Log and confirmed by your supervisor. You should not leave this until the end of the academic year. You should keep your PhD Log up to date throughout the year.

You can record any substantive interaction with your supervisor or supervisory team where your research, progress, plans, next steps or academic development are discussed.

You have core entitlements to meetings (see above), which you should record, but PhD Log records may also include:

• email exchanges;
• telephone calls and online meetings;
• conversations occurring via messaging services (e.g. Teams, WhatsApp);
• progress review meetings;
• upgrade discussions meetings; and,
• other substantive academic interactions with your supervisor or supervisory team.

The record should give a clear and accurate summary of what was discussed and any next steps that were agreed.

A record will count towards the minimum engagement requirement if it has been (a) recorded in the PhD Log and also (b) confirmed by your supervisor.

Records that have not been confirmed by your supervisor will not normally count towards the minimum requirement unless the absence of confirmed records is explained to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Research Degrees Sub-Committee.

Alternative forms of evidence, such as attendance registers for classes, seminars or workshops, do not normally count as supervisory interaction records. These activities are important parts of your programme, but they do not replace the requirement to record substantive supervisory interactions in the PhD Log.

Yes. These requirements apply to all enrolled research students. The School applies the same minimum engagement recording requirement to students regardless of nationality or visa status.

Yes. If you remain enrolled, you are required to remain engaged with your programme and to record substantive supervisory interactions, even if you are away from campus.

Accordingly, you are required to continue recording interactions during periods when you are:

• carrying out fieldwork;
• studying elsewhere;
• temporarily residing outside the UK;
• undertaking a placement authorised by the LSE ESRC DTP or LAHP; or
• otherwise away from campus but still registered as a student.

If your circumstances mean that normal engagement is not possible despite the fact that you remain enrolled, you should speak to your supervisor and department as soon as possible. If you do not have the required number of supervisor-confirmed PhD Log records, it is likely that the lack of records will need to be explained to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Research Degrees Sub-Committee as part of a number of processes.

Yes. If you are enrolled while on fieldwork or studying elsewhere, you are required to remain in contact with your supervisor or supervisory team and to record substantive supervisory interactions in the PhD Log.

These interactions may take place online, by phone, by email, or through another suitable format agreed with your supervisor or department.

You should make sure that your records clearly explain the interaction and any next steps agreed. These records must be confirmed by your supervisor.

You normally only need to record supervisory interactions when you are enrolled. As students’ enrolment normally ends when they submit their thesis, they are not normally entitled to supervisory meetings following submission, and so are not required to record supervisory interactions.

However, students can ask to be re-enrolled following submission, in order to prepare for their viva. This can be granted, subject to support from their lead supervisor and programme director. Once students are re-enrolled, they are once again entitled to supervisory meetings and required to record substantive supervisory interactions in the PhD Log. During this stage, you should record supervisory interactions that relate to your viva preparation, progress, next steps, or any agreed academic support. These records must be confirmed by your supervisor.

You normally only need to record supervisory interactions when you are enrolled. As students’ enrolment normally ends when they submit their thesis, they are not entitled to supervisory meetings following submission, and so are not required to record supervisory interactions.

However, students can ask to be re-enrolled in order to complete their corrections. This can be granted, subject to support from their lead supervisor and programme director. Once students are re-enrolled, they are once again entitled to supervisory meetings, and required to record substantive supervisory interactions in the PhD Log. You should record interactions that relate to your corrections, progress, next steps, or any agreed academic support. These records must be confirmed by your supervisor.

If you are formally interrupted, you are not enrolled. You are not entitled to supervisory meetings during this period, and so not required to record supervisory interactions. Of course, you may meet with your supervisory team while you are interrupted – for example, for ‘return to study’ meetings in the period before you are due to re-enrol. You should record these meetings in the PhD Log.

You are entitled to regular supervisory contact.

• If you are registered full-time, you are entitled to at least three supervisory meetings per term. This is nine meetings per academic year.
• If you are registered part-time, you are entitled to at least two supervisory meetings per term. This is six meetings per academic year.

You also need enough substantive supervisory interaction to meet the School’s engagement monitoring requirements. If you are not being given enough opportunities to interact with your supervisor or supervisory team, you should raise this as soon as possible. You should not wait until annual progress review, upgrade, re-enrolment, or a change of circumstances application.

You should normally follow the escalation route set out below.

• Speak to your supervisor or supervisory team. Explain that you are concerned that you are not receiving enough opportunities for supervisory interaction to benefit from your entitlement or to meet the PhD Log engagement monitoring requirements.
• Speak to your programme director and programme manager. If the issue is not resolved, or if you do not feel able to raise it with your supervisor or supervisory team, you should contact your programme director and programme manager.
• Speak to your Head of Department. If the issue is still not resolved, or if you do not feel able to raise it with your programme director, you should contact your Head of Department.

You can also contact the PhD Academy for advice at any stage of the above process. Ultimately, if the issue cannot be resolved informally, you may wish to make a complaint using the School’s complaints procedure.

You should keep a record of the steps you have taken to seek supervisory contact. This may include emails requesting meetings, notes of conversations, or other relevant correspondence.

 Your PhD Log records are used as part of the School’s annual engagement and progress monitoring arrangements. Departments are expected to monitor students’ engagement using a number of mechanisms at various points in their enrolment. This includes the PhD Log, which helps to demonstrate that you have remained in substantive contact with your supervisor or supervisory team during the relevant period of study. Accordingly, the Research Degrees Sub-Committee Chair will not normally allow annual progress review outcomes to be processed unless and until you have the required number of supervisor-confirmed PhD Log records.

This means at least nine records per academic year if you are full-time, or at least six records per academic year if you are part-time, adjusted where appropriate for any period when you were formally interrupted and/or shifted between full- and part-time study during the preceding 12-month period. If you do not have the required number of supervisor-confirmed records, this will need to be explained to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Research Degrees Sub-Committee.

You should therefore submit PhD Log entries regularly, and check your records to ensure that your supervisor has confirmed your entries. You should not wait until the progress review process to check whether your records are complete.

Your PhD Log records are used as part of the School’s upgrade processes. Departments are expected to monitor students’ engagement using a number of mechanisms at various points in their enrolment. This includes the PhD Log, which helps to demonstrate that you have remained in substantive contact with your supervisor or supervisory team. Accordingly, the Research Degrees Sub-Committee Chair will not normally allow upgrade outcomes to be processed unless and until you have the required number of supervisor-confirmed PhD Log records.

This means at least nine records per academic year if you are full-time, or at least six records per academic year if you are part-time, adjusted where appropriate for any period when you were formally interrupted and/or shifted between full- and part-time study during the preceding 12-month period. If you do not have the required number of supervisor-confirmed records, this will need to be explained to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Research Degrees Sub-Committee.

You should therefore submit PhD Log entries regularly and check your records to ensure that your supervisor has confirmed your entries. You should not wait until the upgrade process to check whether your records are complete.

Your PhD Log records are used as part of the School’s progress review processes, which determine whether you will be allowed to re-enrol in the following academic year. Departments are expected to monitor students’ engagement using a number of mechanisms at various points in their enrolment. This includes the PhD Log, which helps to demonstrate that you have remained in substantive contact with your supervisor or supervisory team. Accordingly, the Research Degrees Sub-Committee Chair will not normally allow students to re-enrol unless and until they have the required number of supervisor-confirmed PhD Log records.

This means at least nine records per academic year if you are full-time, or at least six records per academic year if you are part-time, adjusted where appropriate for any period when you were formally interrupted and/or shifted between full- and part-time study during the preceding 12 month period. If you do not have the required number of supervisor-confirmed records, this will need to be explained to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Research Degrees Sub-Committee.

In some cases, the Research Degrees Sub-Committee Chair may only allow you to re-enrol with incomplete PhD Log records if your department makes satisfactory completion of those records a condition of re-enrolment.

You should therefore submit PhD Log entries regularly and check your records to ensure that your supervisor has confirmed your entries. You should not wait until the upgrade process to check whether your records are complete.

Satisfactory PhD Logs are normally required before change of circumstances applications can be processed. This includes, for example, requests to:

• interrupt your studies;
• extend your registration;
• change study mode;
• study elsewhere;
• undertake fieldwork;
• reside outside the UK, whether temporarily or permanently; or
• make another change to your registration or study arrangements.

Change of circumstances applications will not normally be processed unless and until you have the required number of supervisor-confirmed PhD Log records.

NB:Approval of a change of circumstances application is not automatic. Your engagement record will be considered alongside your academic progress, departmental support, the evidence you provide, and the requirements of the relevant regulations or procedure. Accordingly, if you cannot record the required number of supervisor-confirmed PhD Log entries, this will need to be explained to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Research Degrees Sub-Committee before your application can be processed.

PhD Log records may be considered as part of complaints and appeals processes.

Your records can help show what was discussed with your supervisor or supervisory team, when discussions took place, what advice was given, and what next steps were agreed. This is one reason why it is important to keep clear, accurate and timely records throughout your programme. You should not rely on memory or informal records if an issue needs to be considered later.