The Examination Regulations contain the ‘laws’ which govern your course, whether it is for an MSc or a DPhil degree. The explanations given throughout this site are largely an informal description and interpretation of these 'laws'. Any formal question must be settled by final reference to the University regulations and not this site.

You can search for a regulation or, if you are not sure of the title of a regulation on a particular matter, try the 'Topic' search or the Contents page. You should read the general section on your degree course and also the regulations for Research Degrees in the Medical Sciences. In the event that you need to apply for a dispensation from an Examination Regulation, there are processes to follow, depending on your situation. You can read more about when you might need to make such an application on the Dispensations from the requirements of the Examination Regulations page.

It must be stressed that the provisions of the Examination Regulations are paramount; to obtain your degree it is necessary to comply with them.

In addition to the Examination Regulations, you should also familiarise yourself with any conditions attached to your studentship.

Admission to the Clinical School and clinical appointments

In addition to the Examination Regulations, the following point is drawn to the attention of students and supervisors:

Serious problems can arise when students who have decided to do a research degree between their pre-clinical and clinical courses take up their places in the Clinical School before completion of the thesis. The Medical Sciences Board wishes to emphasise to students reading for the MSc and DPhil, and to their supervisors the importance of completing theses before embarking on the clinical course. The writing of a thesis can take up to six months of at least half time attention. There is unlikely to be more than two hours per week available for further work on the thesis in the first two years of the clinical course; the only time when any sustained work can conveniently be done is the elective period in the third year. In view of the serious strain experienced by those who endeavour to combine the clinical course with completion of a thesis it is of the utmost importance that this eventuality should be avoided.

A similar difficulty may be encountered by those who read for the MSc or DPhil after completing medical studies and proceed to a busy clinical appointment before completing the thesis. Again clinical appointments may not be compatible with the sustained work required for completion of a thesis and it is advisable wherever possible to ensure completion before taking up such appointments.