The Medical Sciences Divisional Board may be referred to as the Medical Sciences Board, the Divisional Board or, simply, the Board.

GSO form applications from postgraduate research degree students fall under the remit of the Medical Sciences Divisional Board. Although the Board only meets twice a term, GSO forms are considered on a weekly basis via Chair’s Action by two designated representatives (i.e. decisions are made by a number of designated representatives, on behalf of and under the authority of the committee's chair, without the need to consult the full committee).

Medical Sciences Divisional Board responsibilities:

(a) the admission of students intending to work in any of the division’s departments and the determination of their status as:

Probationer Research Students
MSc students (by course of special study)
MSc students (by research)
DPhil students

(b) authorising changes of status
(c) authorising changes of title
(d) authorising extension of the period within which a thesis for a research degree may be submitted
(e) appointing a university supervisor for each student
(f) appointing examiners for MSc by Research and DPhil candidates
(g) authorising, on the basis of the examiners’ reports, MSc by Research and DPhil candidates to supplicate for their degrees
(h) arranging and publishing details of lectures, classes and seminars
(i) authorising dispensation from the regulations.

These responsibilities are carried out according to the Statutes and Regulations published each year in the Examination Regulations. The explanations given throughout this site are largely an informal description and interpretation of those rules. Any formal question has to be settled by final reference to the University regulations and not this site.

Students with special problems will need to consult the Examination Regulations, preferably with the help of their supervisors. The Assistant Registrar (Graduate School) and the Chair of the Medical Sciences Board’s Graduate School Committee will often be able to help. Very rarely matters arise which need to be referred by the Medical Sciences Board to the University’s central Education Committee.

The Medical Sciences Board, composed in part of members elected by the division, meets in the 2nd and 8th weeks of each term.

The Medical Sciences Board’s Graduate School Committee

In practice, many of the responsibilities listed above are delegated by the Medical Sciences Board to the Graduate School Committee, which is a subcommittee of the Medical Sciences Board’s Educational Policy and Standards Committee. The Graduate Studies Committee advises the Medical Sciences Board on all general matters relating to graduate studies. The Graduate Studies Committee usually meets in the 1st and 6th weeks of term (and once during the Long Vacation, if necessary). Please contact the Assistant Registrar (Graduate School) for further information (01865 289545 or christopher.higham@medsci.ox.ac.uk).