S.L. 327.669 Art. 63Supervision of Master’s Dissertations.

(1) In Master’s degrees, the Board shall appoint a principal supervisor for each student.

(2) If the nature/topic of research requires the input of another specialist, the Board may appoint a co-supervisor, in which case the two supervisors shall meet the student together to decide how they will divide their responsibility for advice and how future meetings are to be arranged.

(3) When a co-supervisor is appointed, the Principal supervisor shall retain the ultimate responsibility of leadership in supervision.

(4) A principal supervisor or co-supervisor shall not be related to a student by consanguinity or by affinity to the third degree inclusive or have a dual relationship with the student as defined in the document entitled “Consanguinity/Affinity/Dual Relationship Policy in relation to Examiners/Supervisors and Students” approved by Senate.

(5) Principal supervisors shall be responsible for providing guidance to students under their care in the following areas:

(a) assisting students to select and elaborate a research problem and to formulate a written proposal for their Dissertation;

(b) offering ideas and providing guidance and encouragement on the planning and progress of research, submission of the Dissertation, and publication of results;

(c) providing or arranging instruction in research methodology, including use of information technology and the use of plagiarism detection software;

(d) guiding students in acquiring and improving appropriate generic skills, including written and oral communication, numeracy, decision-taking and organisational and management skills;

(e) ensuring that the students are aware of the manner in which research results are reported and that they understand the implications of plagiarism and other unbecoming academic practices; and

(f) any other matters which require the attention of the Board or Senate.

(6) Principal supervisors shall meet students regularly to review progress. Meetings may be substituted by other verifiable means of communication.

(7) Principal supervisors and co-supervisors are neither responsible for proof-reading Dissertations nor for ensuring that Dissertations do not contain plagiarised parts.

(8) If supervisors detect plagiarism in drafts of a Dissertation prior to formal submission, they shall demand corrective action.

(9) For work submitted in replacement of a dissertation in terms of regulation 60 (1), supervision of the work shall be governed by the guidelines issued by the Board.