Masters Supervisor Accreditation Policy and Procedures

All staff members who are currently supervising, or intend to supervise masters by research candidates at the University.

To outline the requirements for becoming an accredited supervisor of a masters by research candidate.

University staff must have accreditation in order to supervise masters by research students. The requirements for this accreditation are outlined below. These requirements apply to all University staff, but are not necessarily applicable to external co-supervisors who are not staff members of the University.

• Policy
• Procedures
  • All supervisors
  • Masters by research supervisors
  • Staff members new to supervision

1. All staff members engaged after 1 February 2001 must complete the CLeaR seminar Orientation to Doctoral Education Policy and Process “ORIDOC” within the initial four year term of employment or prior to supervising postgraduate students – see HR Continuation Policy.

Note - staff members may enrol in the ORIDOC seminar via the CLEAR website.

All supervisors

2. To gain and maintain accreditation, all supervisors must:

• attend ORIDOC or a Dean of Graduate Studies’ supervision briefing at least once every five years
• be employed in an academic staff position where the employment agreement includes a requirement that they undertake research
• be research active
  

Masters by research supervisors

3. Masters by research supervisors must have at least a masters degree or have equivalent research experience and, if required, have appropriate professional experience.

Staff members new to supervision

4. Staff members who are new to thesis/research portfolio supervision must attend the CLeaR workshop The Art of Graduate Research Supervision before they can take on any supervisory role.

Note: It is recommended that an academic new to supervision is mentored by a senior colleague experienced in supervision, or that they co­-supervise with a more experienced colleague before undertaking the role as sole supervisor of a masters candidate.

The following definitions apply to this document:

Masters by research students are students enrolled in a masters degree which includes a research component of at least 90 points.

Staff member refers to an individual employed on a full or part-time basis at the University.

University means the University of Auckland and includes all subsidiaries.

Include the following:

• Continuation Policy
• Postgraduate Supervision Guidelines
• CLeaR Academic Development Courses and Workshops
• CLeaR website

Owner: Pro Vice-Chancellor Education
Content manager: Manager, Academic Quality Office
Approved by: Board of Graduate Studies
Date approved: September 2018
Review date: September 2023