king's college phd examination

Centre for Doctoral Studies

Equipping doctoral research students at King's College London to excel

• PGR Community
• Meet the January 2024 winners of the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize!

Congratulations to the first round of winners of the 23/24 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize!

Each year a limited number of awards are given to celebrate truly outstanding research and theses completed by King’s doctoral students. The prizes are nominated by the external examiners and are judged by a panel consisting of the College’s Director of Research Talent and the Chair of the Research Degrees Examinations Board. There are two rounds, in January and June, and these are the winners from the first round in January 2024.

Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine

Dr Alice Beardmore-Gray

If you would like to find out more about Alice’s continuing research then you can find her on Twitter: @alicebgray

Dr Michelle Gibbs

After completing my BSc, MSc, PGDip, and MRes, I knew I wanted to pursue a PhD and developed my research ideas while I was working as a Dietitian in clinical practice in the NHS. My professional interests in malnutrition and oral nutritional support led me to ask key questions about how, why, for whom, and to what extent dietetic consultations worked, how they were experienced by nutritionally vulnerable older adults and other key stakeholders and how their value was perceived. These questions led me to use a convergent parallel mixed method approach to develop a novel programme theory for dietetic consultations that explained their underlying causal mechanisms, contextual influences and how they worked to generate outcomes, as well as understand how oral nutritional support consultations were experienced by older adult patients, their carers and the consulting dietitians, in various clinical contexts.

Since finishing my PhD, I’ve been putting my research knowledge and skills to good use in my current NHS role. I also continue to support student dietitian training at KCL. I am grateful for the opportunity to advance my clinical academic career in dietetics, with exciting post-doctoral plans to advance the body of work I began during my PhD. Further to this, I am engaged in various forms of dissemination at both local and international levels. Overall, I am grateful to be able to do purposeful work, both within and beyond academia, that contributes to improving the lives of others.

If you’d like to see more about Michelle’s current research you can follow her on Twitter here: @drmichellegibbs 

Dr Mathieu Ruthven

Prior to starting a PhD, I worked as a medical physicist specialised in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at Barts Health NHS Trust. As a health and care professional, I was eligible to apply for a HEE-NIHR Doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship which enabled me to undertake a PhD while continuing my professional practice and development. My PhD was clinically focused and multidisciplinary, at the interface of MR imaging, artificial intelligence (AI) and clinical assessment of speech. Its ultimate goal was to improve the clinical management and treatment of patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency. The main contributions of my PhD towards this goal were the development of AI-based methods to automatically extract clinically relevant information from MR images of the vocal tract, and creating and making publicly available a dataset to enable others to develop similar methods. More information about the methods and dataset is available in the following journal articles: Ruthven et al. (2021) , Ruthven et al. (2023a) , Ruthven et al. (2023b) .

The outputs of my PhD laid some of the foundations for a successful research funding grant application to Barts Charity. This funding has enabled further research to refine and extend the techniques and bring them closer to clinical translation.

If you would like to find out more about Mathieu’s research you can find him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthieu-ruthven/

Dr Maria Ibrahim

I am honoured to have received this Outstanding Thesis Prize from King’s. My PhD looked at deceased donor kidney transplantation in the UK. I examined how organs from deceased donors with perceived higher risk characteristics were utilised by UK transplant clinicians, and subsequent patient outcomes using UK transplant registry data. Globally, this is an important issue, as deceased donors become older, with more co-morbidities, thus posing a risk of poor long-term outcomes to potential recipients.

I am a nephrologist by training, and though this gave me an insight into the clinical application of my work, I learnt statistical skills and coding in order to analyse data from the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) registry.

My thesis has resulted in three first author publications (PMID  31758833 ,  32690721 , and  36706063 ) and I was able to contribute to a further five papers (PMID 36066902 ,  35185366 ,  33870619 ,  33756062 , and  34514110 ).

During the course of my PhD, I was able to identify that many perceptions around ‘higher risk’ organs are inaccurate, thus encouraging the broadening of the deceased donor pool and better outcomes for patients awaiting a transplant. I helped develop  transplant outcome prediction tools , used extensively by UK transplant clinicians to support patient decision-making.

I have received the support of many individuals throughout the course of my thesis and am especially grateful to my examiners for their nomination, to the statistics and clinical studies team at NHSBT for their continual guidance, and to my supervisors Chris Callaghan, John Forsythe and Rachel Johnson for their unwavering faith in me.

Following my research time I am back to full time clinical work but hope to use the skills I have developed to pursue dual clinical and academic roles in the future.

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

Dr Johanna Keeler

Prior to my time at KCL, I studied Psychology (Bsc, University of Exeter). Prior to that, my first job as an 18-year-old was working as a support worker in neurosurgical theatres, which sparked my interest in the workings of the brain and particularly in neuropsychology. My interests in neurobiology were further cemented during my undergraduate studies where I was fortunate to undertake some fantastic research placements that utilised methods and study designs including MRI, neuropsychology, and service evaluation/improvement work. Here I also co-founded an eating disorders peer support group for students. The experiences I had progressed my interests in the mind-body interface, translational research, and lived/living experience involvement, which had a huge influence on my PhD project.

My PhD thesis integrated several methodologies such as structural MRI, neuropsychology, investigations of inflammatory markers and growth factors, and qualitative methods, to examine brain changes in anorexia nervosa. A highlight of my research was translating basic research findings to the lived experience using qualitative methodology. I have disseminated these findings through delivering NHS training to a wide range of clinicians and am hoping to develop some psychoeducational resources for service users, clinicians and carers of people with eating disorders.

Several of the studies I conducted throughout my PhD were part of the groundwork that supported a grant application for a randomised controlled trial looking at the potential of oral ketamine to alleviate depressive symptoms in people with AN and treatment-resistant depression. We recently received funding for this project from the Medical Research Council, and I am currently employed as a postdoc at KCL to prepare the study which is scheduled to start in 2025.

You can find more about Johanna’s current research via her Twitter ( @jhnnklr ) or that of her team ( @kingsedresearch ) or via her research gate ( https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Johanna-Keeler ) or Pure profiles ( https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/johanna-keeler ).

Dr Laura Sichlinger

Prior to pursuing my PhD, I completed an MSc in Neuroscience at KCL and a BA in Phonetics and Speech Processing at the University of Munich. These experiences laid the groundwork for my passion for neuroscience and brain disorders.

Currently, I am privileged to be a member of the Heller lab (lead by Prof Elizabeth Heller) at the University of Pennsylvania and the ENDD team at the Children’s hospital of Philadelphia, where we are dedicated to advancing gene-targeted therapies for rare neurodevelopmental disorders such as STXBP1 and SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability.

Beyond my research, I am committed to fostering inclusivity and equality in STEM. During my PhD I had the honour to be co-president of Women of the Wohl, a student-led equality network, advocating for the rights of womxn and marginalised groups in the scientific community. I believe that diversity is not only essential for scientific progress but also enriches the fabric of our society.

If you want to see more about Laura’s current research then you can find her on Twitter via @LSichlinger

Faculty of Law

Dr Farnush Ghadery

If you’d like to find out more about Farnush’s current research then please check out her LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farnush-ghadery/

Faculty of Natural, Mechanical and Engineering Sciences

Dr Gergely Bodo

I feel honoured to have received the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize for my research on Stochastic Analysis for Cylindrical Lévy Processes. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the exceptional guidance and support from my supervisor, Markus Riedle (Department of Mathematics).

Moreover, I am immensely grateful to my thesis examiners, Rama Cont (University of Oxford) and Stefan Geiss (University of Jyväskylä), not only for nominating me for this award, but also for showing a genuine interest in my research by providing insightful suggestions on possible directions for future work. Their mathematical expertise and careful reading of my thesis led to a rather stimulating discussion during my defence.

In my thesis, together with Professor Riedle, we laid down the theoretical foundations necessary for the successful application of cylindrical Lévy processes as models of random perturbations of infinite-dimensional systems. By developing a comprehensive theory of stochastic integration with respect to cylindrical Lévy processes, our work allowed for the generalisation of fundamental tools in stochastic analysis such as Itô’s formula or the stochastic dominated convergence theorem. These results paved the way for the consideration of stochastic evolution equations driven by cylindrical Lévy processes.

During my time as a PhD student at King’s, I was presented with numerous opportunities to explore the mathematical landscape by giving talks at international conferences, attending summer schools and going on research visits. I would like to thank the Department of Mathematics for making all of these financially feasible.

After finishing my PhD, I joined the stochastics group of the Korteweg-de Vries Instituut of the University of Amsterdam, where I am currently a postdoctoral researcher under the guidance of Sonja Cox.

Dr Yannic Rath

My PhD at King’s College allowed me to build upon my great interest in studying scientific phenomena with computational approaches, which I developed in previous Physics and Computer Science courses at the Leibniz University Hannover and at Imperial College London. My PhD research focused on the development of novel computational tools to simulate the intricate interplay of particles on the quantum scale underpinning the characteristics of various types of matter. The sheer complexity of the quantum physical laws of nature limits accurate computational simulations, making suitable approximations necessary for tractable applications. Complementing a broad variety of algorithms tackling this long-standing task on various levels of abstraction, we were able to introduce a novel numerical toolbox expanding the predictive abilities of numerical simulations by bridging physical intuition with modern machine learning techniques. 

Building on the wonderful experience of my time at King’s College, I continue to follow my research interests as a computational scientist. I recently joined the National Physical Laboratory, where my focus remains the development of algorithms for the description, study, and utilization of quantum physical principles. I am looking forward to continuing studying interesting scientific questions, developing practical computational tools, and communicating research highlights to a broader community. 

  Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care

Dr Lesley Williamson

My thesis was generously funded by the Alzheimer’s Society, Cicley Saunders International, NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, and The Atlantic Philanthropies. It focuses on the determinants of emergency department (ED) attendance among people with dementia approaching the end of life. Mapped against the phases of a health programme planning model, I conducted a cohort study of routinely collected hospital and mortality data, a qualitative interview study with people living with dementia and current and bereaved caregivers, and a mixed methods integration to develop a conceptual model and key components of an intervention programme aiming to safely reduce ED attendance among people with dementia.

My PhD was informed by my longstanding commitment to improve dementia care, influenced by my background in psychology, medicine and clinical leadership, and my work as a psychiatry trainee, former National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow, and more recently, King’s Parliamentary Research intern . My thesis was greatly enriched by the valuable contributions of members of an expert panel of public representatives affected by dementia and the support of Alzheimer’s Society Research Network Monitors.

After submitting my thesis, I led the development and Parliamentary launch of a policy brief calling for better palliative and end-of-life care for people affected by dementia. I continue to promote the brief, which includes successfully submitting it to the World Health Organisation’s Global Dementia Observatory Knowledge Exchange Platform ( GDO KEP ).

I continue to research dementia and end-of-life care as a Research Associate at the Cicely Saunders Institute and NIHR Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit . As a Dem-Comm fellow , I am also one of the Dementia Community Research Network (DCRN) coordinators, working with public, community and research partners to reduce inequalities in research involvement among people from minoritised ethnic communities.

• Meet the winners of the second round of the 22/23 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize

Congratulations to the second round of winners of the 22/23 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize!

Each year a limited number of awards are given to celebrate truly outstanding research and theses completed by King’s doctoral students. The prizes are nominated by the external examiners and are judged by a panel consisting of the College’s Director of Research Talent and the Chair of the Research Degrees Examinations Board. There are two rounds, in January and June, and these are the winners from the second round in June 2023.

Meet our winners: 

Dr Jonathan Powell, Faculty of Arts and Humanities  

I am delighted and very grateful to have received this award, which would not have been possible without the support and kindness of some extraordinary people. In particular, the brilliance, patience, and guidance of my supervisor, Prof. Lucy Munro, was instrumental to the researching and writing of a thesis that looks very different to its original conception. My time at King’s has been backdropped – and to a large extent defined – by my work for the Centre for Early Modern Studies (CEMS), and I am grateful, too, to centre directors past and present for their trust and advice over the past four years. I am especially indebted to Dr Hannah Murphy, under whom it has been a privilege to learn and who has shaped my thinking in myriad ways. Thanks are also due to the Institute of Historical Research for their award of a doctoral fellowship, and to King’s more generally for the opportunity to pursue this research.  

My thesis proposed a new approach to early modern English theatrical history through the legal record, resulting in new understandings of how common law shaped theatrical consciousness during a period of extraordinary and still unsurpassed litigiousness. Key to this work was close readings of hundreds of Latin entries in the plea rolls of the common law court of King’s Bench, with a particular interest in the voices and experiences of many previously invisible women connected to England’s first commercial theatres. I have been fortunate enough to continue developing this aspect of my work through a pair of postdoctoral research fellowships: the first, a three-month position on the Leverhulme Trust-funded project ‘Engendering the Stage: The Records of Early Modern Performance’ (jointly based at King’s and the University of Roehampton), and now at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where I’m part of the ERC-funded FEATHERS project investigating early modern manuscript culture and the mediation of authorship.  

Dr Cathleen Hagemann, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial studies

I studied biology at the University of Bonn and discovered my fascination with the brain and its intricate functions. To deepen my understanding, I continued my studies at the 

University of Tübingen, specializing in cellular and molecular neuroscience. During this time, my focus was on the molecular composition of the neuronal cytoskeleton, utilizing super-resolution microscopy and click-chemistry techniques.  

I was fortunate to join Andrea Serio’s lab for my PhD, where I applied bioengineering methods to model the relationship between cell shape and function in vitro, with a specific emphasis on neurons. Our primary goal was to create a platform enabling us to investigate how neurons adapt to varying axon lengths. By using this platform, we were able to uncover significant changes in biological processes that occur with an increase in axonal length. Notably, we found that homeostasis and metabolic processes undergo significant alterations when comparing 1cm long axons to shorter ones measuring 3mm in length. We were happy to share our findings by publishing this work in Advanced Healthcare Materials . Outside of my PhD research, I thoroughly enjoyed supervising students through the in2 science program, aiming to inspire others about the fascinating intersection between engineering and biology.  

Currently, I am actively using our platform to delve deeper into the intricacies and communication processes within neurons. Simultaneously, we are working on developing protocols that would enable biologists, even those without prior bioengineering knowledge, to utilize bioengineering tools. Our hope is that this effort will contribute to making cell culture-friendly devices more accessible to everyone, allowing for modifications and creations in this field.  

Dr Emma Williams, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine

research focused on newborn lung disease including the novel use of non-invasive monitoring techniques, pulmonary mechanics, and predictive models of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. It was an honour to be awarded the Bengt Roberston award by the European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR) in 2020 for research concerning the neonatal lung, and I was recently elected as a junior council member onto the ESPR pulmonology board.

As a clinician I remain determined to improve the clinical outcomes of newborn infants by combining my passion of academia with clinical medicine. I am currently undertaking a neonatal fellowship in Canada at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto – expanding my clinical experience, forming research collaborations, and gaining an international perspective on healthcare. It was a huge privilege to be awarded a King’s Outstanding Thesis Award and I would like to thank my supervisors (Professor Anne Greenough & Professor Theodore Dassios) for all their support throughout this journey, without whom none of this would have been possible.

Dr Luo Li, Faculty of Law

I am Luo Li, and have acquired my PhD degree this spring from School of Law, King’s College London. Before I came to King’s, I studied law for many years in China and acquired the PhD degree in Wuhan University, China. Thanks to my strong interest in legal research, I chose to continue my study in King’s since Oct, 2018. With Professor Ozlem Gurses ’ patient guidance during these four and a half years, I made deep research into the topic of how the assured can be remedied for the insurer’s late payment by Section 13A of Insurance Act 2015. I also published two relevant papers, “Compound interest for late payment of the indemnity insurance claim” in British Insurance Law Association Journal, (2001) Issue 134 and “Reconsidering the reinsured’s damages and costs for late payment: a comparative analysis between English and American law” in Business Law Review, (2022) Issue 6. Now I have gone back to China and worked as an associate professor in Law School of Central China Normal University.  

Dr Julia Griem, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

It’s an honour to be awarded this prize and to have my doctoral work recognised by King’s College London. Thank you to everyone involved! I greatly enjoyed my time.

I studied Psychology (BSc, Royal Holloway) and Clinical Neuroscience (MSc, University College London) and was always planning to complete a PhD. This meant I spent valuable years before my PhD working as a research assistant – time I’d advise anybody wanting to complete a PhD to take! The RA work triggered my curiosity to study what is going on in the brains of people with personality disorders, and through the support of my colleague Dr John Tully, my supervisors Prof Nigel Blackwood and Prof Declan Murphy, and my funders the NIHR Maudsley BRC, I was able to pursue this for my PhD. I investigated the brain structure and function, as well as the impact of oxytocin, in males with a history of violent offending and antisocial personality disorder or psychopathy. I received the “Best Presentation” honourable mention award at the international congress of the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy for parts of my PhD research.

I was also awarded funding to conduct some patient and public involvement work. Together with 2 colleagues, we spoke to individuals in probation, prison, as well as medium- and high-secure forensic hospitals with the goal to break down barriers between academia and the criminal justice system. This was very informative for future research planning and helped us understand what people with lived experience want more understanding about. A summary of this work can be found here .

I am now working as a postdoctoral research fellow at University College London, studying the computational behavioural and neurobiological features of borderline personality disorder and mood disorders.

Dr Jessica Mundy, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

Prior to starting the PhD, I studied Human Sciences at Oxford University. This is where my interest in population genetics began. As part of the 1+3 PhD, I completed the MSc in Genes, Environment, and Development in Psychology and Psychiatry, which paired research methods in statistical genetics with the study of psychopathology. My PhD thesis explored how we can use self-reported data to improve the phenotypes used in genome-wide association studies of mood disorders.    

    A highlight of my PhD was working with Helena Davies to set up a study that investigated how we can educate people with mental health disorders about genetic and environmental risk factors, which is an area close to my heart. Other highlights included teaching MSc students to use R for statistics and presenting at conferences/seminars. Finally, it was a brilliant experience to be part of the SGDP’s Anti-Racism Working Group, which includes some truly inspiring people who do such valuable work for the SGDP community and beyond.    

    After leaving King’s, I started as a post-doc at the Department for Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University, Denmark. Here, I research how we can use polygenic scores to predict clinical outcomes in people with major depressive disorder. I also research the issue of genetic confounding in epidemiological studies. Once I have finished my position in Aarhus, I will be joining a team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who research child and adolescent mental health in the UK.    

Dr Mary Tanay, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care

My background as a cancer nurse significantly influenced my interest in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Prior to my PhD, I have explored the lived experiences of patients and the negative impact of CIPN symptoms on their quality of life particularly after cancer treatment. This greater understanding of CIPN motivated me to undertake research aimed at improving patient experience.   

A self-regulation model of CIPN was developed through my research. The model illustrates the complex processes involved in experiences of CIPN and ways to address this condition. By working with patients and clinicians, we co-designed a behavioural intervention for patients to help them self-monitor CIPN symptoms, communicate and report symptoms to clinicians early and participate in making chemotherapy dose modification decisions with their clinicians. The intervention also supports patients to engage in self-management and safety strategies to reduce the impact of symptoms.   

Since finishing my PhD, I have been working on the feasibility randomised controlled trial of the intervention which is ongoing.  I have also been invited to present my research in various local, national, and international conferences. I continue to work with the scientific community networks I have made links with during my PhD. Currently, I am a Lecturer at the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care of King’s College London and President -Elect of the United Kingdom Oncology Nursing Association.  

Dr Hui Huang, Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy

Prior to commencing a PhD at King’s Department of International Development, I got a master degree in University College London majoring Development Administration and Planning. My PHD thesis, entitled “The Algorithmic Antagonism: The Digital Contested Terrain of Control and Resistance in China’s Platform Economy”, which examines how the digital technology reshapes the capital-labour relations in the new digital workplace in China’s context. For this, I did almost one-year ethnographic research through working as a food-delivery driver in a famous food-delivery company. Due to this in-depth participatory study, my work was published in prestigious journals like Journal of Contemporary China, Journal of Contemporary Asia, and New Technology, Work and Employment. The research findings were also quoted in famous media includes Wired and Al Jazeera.  

I am now working as an assistant professor at the Department of Public Economics and Social Policy in Shanghai Jiao tong University, where I will continue and expand my research on the algorithmic management, platform economy and gig migrant workers.   

I am incredibly honored to receive the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize. I am especially grateful to my supervisors, Professor Matt Moran and Dr Heather Williams, for their steadfast guidance and to my examiners, Professor Andrew Futter and Professor Michal Onderco, for their thoughtful engagement with the thesis.   

My PhD examined U.S. public opinion of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. It introduced an original framework for assessing how various factors shape public responses to nuclear proliferation, shedding light on the public’s role in and engagement with nuclear issues. While studying as a Marshall Scholar, I also worked as a research assistant at the Centre for Science and Security Studies, working on projects related to the P5 Process, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; transatlantic deterrence; and the impact of social media on conflict escalation. I also worked in the Nuclear Policy Programme at the Royal United Services Institute on projects related to strategic stability, disarmament verification, and the UK Project on Nuclear Issues. I completed my final year of the PhD as a Stanton Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.   

Since finishing the PhD, I have stayed on at Carnegie as a Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program. There, my research focuses on public opinion of nuclear weapons issues; challenges climate change poses to nuclear weapons; and multilateral nuclear regimes.  

• Announcing the winner of the 2022 Tadion Rideal Prize 

We are pleased to announce the winner of the 2022 Tadion Rideal prize, Dr Francesca Mattedi!

This award was instituted in 1983 by a gift of £10,000 from Dr J. Tadion to commemorate his association with the late Sir Eric Rideal FRS and King’s College London.

The prize of £1,000 is awarded annually and is open to doctoral students of King’s College London who have carried out research for a PhD degree in Molecular Science. ‘Molecular Science’ is defined broadly and inclusively as: Research that involves studies at the molecular level.

Students are nominated by their supervisors; an expert panel of academics in the relevant fields assesses the nominations and provide a shortlist to the Director of Research Talent who selects the winner based on their recommendations.

Meet this year’s winner, Dr Francesca Mattedi:

It is a great honour for me to receive the 2022 Tadion Rideal Prize for my PhD thesis. I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. Alessio Vagnoni for his guidance over the years, as well as the members of the lab and all those who supported me during this time.

With this in mind, in February 2018 I started my PhD in the lab of Dr. Alessio Vagnoni at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London. My work focused on the study of the interplay between mitochondrial dynamics and function, to understand how they influence each other and how their impairment contributes to neuronal ageing. To this aim, a significant part of my project involved the development of optogenetic tools for the manipulation of both mitochondrial function and dynamics with spatiotemporal precision. I really enjoyed this process and I believe that generating innovative techniques is essential to improve our ability to answer scientific questions and our understanding of biological processes.

After my PhD, I was keen on applying the expertise I gained during this experience to investigate the pathways leading to neurodegeneration in human cellular models. Therefore, I have joined the lab of Prof. Pietro Fratta at the UCL Institute of Neurology as a postdoctoral research fellow. Here, I model the loss of TDP-43 nuclear function in human iPSC-derived lower motor neurons to study how it affects axons and neuronal physiology in ALS.

• Top 10s – Getting the best from supervision

Nigel Eady, Director of Research Talent.

Far and away the most important relationship during your PhD is with your primary supervisor.

Many successful academics were launched into their careers by a fantastic supervisor. However, it’s not a given that everything runs smoothly.

We know how important good supervision is and are part of a UK-wide project to develop the very best continuing professional development for research supervisors .

Having worked with numerous PhD students and supervisors in various guises since I finished my own PhD in 2003/4, here are my top 10 tips for getting the best from your supervisory relationship.

1. Discuss expectations and agree ways of working early on

It’s not a given that a student and supervisor’s expectations of how to work effectively together will match. You might be fortunate, but don’t make assumptions. Ideally in your first few supervisory meetings you should discuss how you’re going to work together and what you can expect of each other.

Your faculty should have a template document to guide you and your supervisor in this conversation. You can also download our template to get you started.  If you didn’t have that conversation at the start, don’t worry, have it now!

2. Review ways of working regularly

It’s also important to revisit the expectations conversation every now and then. As you progress in your PhD, your needs will change and the support your supervisor provides will likely change too. So revisit that conversation.

3. Remember your supervisor isn’t perfect!

It sounds obvious, but some students definitely have an unrealistic view of their supervisor. Remember they are human and likely have many other draws on their time, whether other students or other responsibilities, at work and at home. Be careful of slipping into bad habits – submitting work at the last minute and expecting a speedy response, for example.

4. Ask for help when you need it

Most PhD students are highly successful, hard-working people, used to getting top grades. Seriously! That’s you! As such, a PhD can be a challenge. You’re (suddenly) expected to be self-directed and you may come up against all sorts of issues. Your ideas are critiqued and pulled apart. Seemingly fruitful avenues of enquiry turn out to be dead ends. Experiments don’t work, archives don’t yield the information and insights you hoped for, fieldwork takes twice as long to plan as you’d imagined! Something happens in your personal life. You’ll need help. It’s normal.

5. If there are problems then raise them, don’t let them fester

Just ask for help sooner rather than later! There’s no shame in it. You’ll probably address the problems more quickly if you nip them in the bud. We’ve all been there, I can assure you.

There are lots of routes you can go depending on the issue:

• Is there a PGR officer in your dept? Someone in Professional Services who can help with practice things.
• Maybe you need to speak to your academic PGR Coordinator.
• There may be confidential advisors or personal tutors, depending on your faculty.
• There is also the Associate Dean for Doctoral Studies, your faculty PGR lead.
• And there is lots of support through Student Services – for mental health and wellbeing, counselling, money & housing advice and more
• Our PGR Wellbeing Hub has all the links and information com/pgrwh

6. Make use of your second supervisor

I hope you know who your second supervisor is! There’s no one shape for what a second supervisor can offer. Just make use of them. Have regular meetings even if they’re not that frequent. They might be a sounding board for new ideas. They might have a specific skill/interest/expertise that will enrich your research/thesis. They might be very experienced and therefore be a fount of knowledge or provide access to networks. Like I say, there’s no one type.

7. Manage upwards

If you’re not getting what you need from your supervisor then you may need to be more assertive. We can help you with that… book for our workshop

Getting the Best from your Supervisor ( PGR324 )

This course will help you to understand your supervisor’s perspective and expectations and will highlight areas for autonomy and supervision throughout a doctoral journey. Learn how to be assertive and persuasive in the way that you communicate with your supervisors to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

8. Celebrate your supervisor if they’re doing a good job!

A lot of supervisors put a lot of time and energy into supervision. If that’s your supervisor then I can assure you that a kind word of thanks goes a long way.

If your supervisor really is excellent then you might like to nominate them for one of our Supervisory Excellence Awards .

Supervisory Excellence Award Winners 2022/23

9. Remember it’s your PhD!

I’m probably speaking more to scientists and lab-based researchers here but fundamentally the PhD is yours! In some disciplines your supervisor may play a very close guiding role, especially the start, but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of dependence. You will have to defend your thesis in the final exam. So don’t be afraid to try things you think are important and to discuss options robustly with your supervisor(s). As you progress in your research you should be becoming an expert, so don’t give way to critique too quickly.

In other disciplines, you may be only too aware that it’s your PhD! So…

10. Draw on as many sources of wisdom and support as you can

It can be easy to get stuck in a rut. So don’t!

Seek out other sources of support, find a mentor or two. Attend seminars in other related departments. Approach other researchers and academics. Make the most of being at a comprehensive research-intensive institution. Time spent thinking about bigger issues, the broader research context is rarely wasted and may yield information, stimulate new ideas and help you move forward.

I wish you all the very best in your doctoral research.

Nigel Eady Director of Research Talent

• Top 10s – Who’s on your team?

Who are the people who are helping you to be successful? Are you making the most of that support? Is there more support you could draw on?

I’ve been watching a lot of the Athletics recently. My father loved running and whilst he wasn’t ever close to being national standard, he had friends who were pretty close to it. When I was young, the TV would always be on if there was a big event happening, especially the Olympics or European Championships.

I think athletics is a pretty good analogy for the journey of the PhD.

We tend to think of athletics as an individual sport, but it struck me how many of the athletes talked about all the other people who had enabled them to be successful – family, friends, coaches, other current athletes, former athletes, the list went on.

When it comes down to it, like the athlete in the championship on the race track, there’s only one person who writes the thesis and goes through the oral exam.

Yet also like the athlete, to be really successful, you need a whole host of people supporting you and cheering you on.

Thirty or more years ago, a PhD was a solitary pursuit. You did everything on your own, with just the guidance of your solitary supervisor. However those days should be long gone. It’s well recognised that effective training of inexperienced researchers requires much more than one person! So who is on your team? Every athlete draws on a slightly different group of people, or perhaps draws on some people more than others.

Here is a Top 10 of people whom you might draw on. There’s no ‘one size fits all’. However, I’d dare to suggest if you’re not making use of most of these possible supporters, then you’re giving yourself an unnecessary handicap!

1. Supervisor

Certainly the most crucial person in your team. How well are you working together? When I’m discussing challenges with doctoral researchers, it’s often the case that there are mismatches in expectations between student and supervisor. Maybe you discussed expectations when you started your research degree but things change. If you’re in the final phases of the PhD and writing up, you’re likely entering new territory in your relationship. What can you expect from your supervisor then? What do you think you need? Have you had a proper conversation about writing the thesis or is it all based on assumption, what you’ve heard from others? Use your time effectively by having a clear discussion with your supervisor about what you think you need and what they can offer you. And this is true throughout the PhD.

2. Second supervisor

Hopefully you know who your second supervisor is! How often do you meet them? What do you discuss? Every second supervisor will be a bit different. Maybe yours brings a particular interest or skill to the table. Maybe their research interests are related but in a somewhat different area. What do you need from them? Maybe it’s just general discussions about how to tackle the PhD. Do you know their strengths? What can you learn from them? How can they add either to your research or your skills?

3. Other academic colleagues, researchers/staff at different levels

Sometimes you just need someone who gets the academic and research environment but isn’t connected to your project. Someone else in your department or even in another School or Faculty. Maybe you share an interest outside your research. Maybe you’ve had an interesting conversation in a dept seminar and they seemed like someone you’d get on with. It’s great to have a few people around you who understand your world and can offer advice, contacts or experience.

Do you have a mentor? There are many ways to get a mentor – formal schemes and informal approaches. A mentor can be invaluable for navigating complex environments or for considering what next. Having run mentoring schemes in the past, I think you get the most value from a mentor when you, as a mentee, are in the driving seat, making sure the mentoring is providing what you need.

I hope you have a few people around you who know exactly what you’re going through now. You may be fortunate and have lab colleagues or peers in your dept who share an office with you. Downloading your woes to someone who understands can definitely be cathartic (as long as you promise to be that person for them when they need you!)

6. Staff who support doctoral students – academics and professional services

You should have a PGR Coordinator or equivalent in your department, whose role is to support and advise doctoral researchers. You may also have PS staff who support PhDs. They may be the people you ask very basic questions about the PhD and the process, they may be the ones who can guide you if problems arise, whether complex ones or very simple ones.

7. One-to-one expert support

Did you know you can meet one-to-one with a careers consultant to discuss any career related issue or question? You might have no idea what to do next or what you want to do? They’ll help you to start working that out. You might need advice on a job application or an interview. You can also meet one-to-one with a professional writer to help you with your writing. Maybe you’re struggling to get words on paper. Maybe you’ve got the words down but you’re struggling for clarity or to communicate your argument.

8. Support services

In a similar vein, there is lots of support at King’s – start with Student Services (housing, money and more), who will point you to the relevant team. Ask for help before it all gets too much.

Sometimes you just need someone to tell you to forget your research for a few hours or a weekend and do something completely different. As a friend of mine says, “Have breaks, make breakthroughs!”

I know not everyone is close to their family, but if you are, they are clearly a great resource. Perhaps your family are far away? If so, why not plan ahead – put a home visit in the diary, something to look forward to.

Like I say, different people need different help at different times. Just don’t suffer in silence!

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When will my exam results be available & how can I access them?

When will my results be available? 

Exam and assessment results, module results and final degree classifications will be made available on Student Records as soon as possible after your assessment board has met to finalise and ratify results.

Results are typically released in the following months:

• For Period 1 (January) assessments: March-April
• For Period 2 (May) assessments: July ​​​​
• For Period 3 (August) assessments: September

Additional information for postgraduate taught students

Most postgraduate taught (PGT) courses run from September to September. As such, the assessment boards for these courses meet between October and December, after the official end date of the course.

Some departments will release some module results before the official end of your course, and some departments will wait until after your course end date. In all cases, you should not expect to receive your degree award until after the official end of your course.

How will I be told my results are available?

When your results are available, you'll be sent an email with instructions, which also provides information on your progression from one year of study to the next or your final degree award.

How can I view my results?

You can view your results by logging into  Student Records . Once you have logged in, you'll see a 'My Modules' container on the homepage. This is where you can view your module results.

If you have also obtained your final award, you can view this in the My Award container, under View Final Result.  

Reviewing your results

In the table you can see your module, assessments and results. If your programme has any core modules , these will be shown in brackets after the module code.

How can I view my exam scripts?

As a student, you're entitled to view your marked exam scripts - this information can support your learning and help you to understand the mark you received. Faculties and departments are required to make exam scripts available to you, free of charge, after provisional results have been published.

When you make a request to view your exam scripts via your faculty/department, they will either:

•  Provide a photocopy of the exam script and let you know once it’s available to collect, or
•  Provide a scanned copy which will be sent to your King’s email address, or
•  Provide a timeslot for you to come to campus to view your script.

Faculties are required to arrange access to a copy of your exam script within 10 working days of receiving the request (excluding university closure periods). Exam scripts won’t necessarily contain detailed commentary. If you wish to discuss your exam script, you can make an appointment with your personal tutor or subject tutor.

Important to know :

• You'll be provided with copies only , not the original exam scripts.
• You're not entitled to copies of exam question papers.
• Multiple choice question exams (MCQs), objective structured clinical exams (OSCEs) and short answer question exams (SAQs) are all exempt from this process.

If you have any questions about accessing your exam scripts, please get in touch with your faculty or department .

Can I resit an exam or retake an assessment?

• Not meeting the academic requirements
• Submitting late or not submitting/not taking an online exam

If you are given an opportunity to resit, your module mark will be capped at the pass mark . You will normally be reassessed in the failed elements of assessment, and by the same methods as your first attempt.

We know that there are times when unexpected circumstances occur, such as an illness, bereavement, or difficult family circumstances, which can affect your ability to study or complete an assessment. We call situations like these 'mitigating circumstances'.  

A mitigating circumstance might:

• Affect your ability to study for, prepare and submit an assessed piece of work by a set deadline.
• Affect your ability to attend an exam, class or lab assessment on a date set by your department.

How do I apply for mitigating circumstances?

Please read our article How to apply for mitigating circumstances  for further information.

Who can I talk to if I need further academic support?

Your  personal tutor  can provide general guidance on academic practice and can help you understand feedback that you have received across your modules.

They will also encourage you to seek further specialist support with study skills if needed.      

Looking after your wellbeing

During this period, it's important to take care of your mental health and wellbeing.

King's offers an online support service called   Togetherall  that you can use at any time. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from any device with an internet connection. Our article   Mental health support from Togetherall   includes more information on using Togetherall for the first time.

I need to speak to someone

The Counselling & Mental Health Support Service offers free and confidential support. Read our article  Registering with the Counselling & Mental Health Support Service  for guidance on making an appointment.  

Other articles you may find useful:

• How can the Counselling & Mental Health Support Service help me?

Pastoral support at King's: 

• You can contact the Faculty Wellbeing Advisor dedicated to your faculty to help you navigate our wide range of support services. To find out more, please refer to  Who are the Faculty Wellbeing Advisors?  ​​​​
• The  Chaplaincy   is open to all  and can  provide emotional support. 

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Breast radiology postgraduate programme

• Medical Engineering and Physics training
• International Observership and Fellowship Programmes

We offer Postgraduate Pathway in Breast Imaging modules in partnership with London South Bank University . All applications have to be made directly with the University via their website. These can:

• be taken individually as standalone modules
• contribute to a PGCert (60 credits)
• contribute to a PGDip (120 credits)
• contribute to an MSc (180 credits)

Entry requirements

Applicants for post-graduate modules will need to meet the following criteria:

• registration with an appropriate regulatory body, for example, HCPC/NMC/GMC
• possession of a recognised appropriate qualification (at a minimum of level 6), for example, BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography
• be employed within the breast care field and have access to the necessary clinical workload for the module
• evidence of departmental support due to the nature of the clinical competency requirements
• if English is not the first language, students must have an IELTS average score of 7.0 with no individual element below 7.0

Visit the London South Bank University website for further details.

Fees and further information

Please note that all the academic aspects of the modules will be delivered online. Some modules still have a clinical element requiring attendance at King’s College Hospital. See individual module information.

See below for a summary of courses. For more information, contact our Training Centre .

Postgraduate Award in Breast Imaging

Pgcert in breast imaging (mammography theory and practice – 60 credits).

Completion of both Mammography Theory and Mammography Practice meets the eligibility criteria for the College of Radiographers Post Graduate Award in Mammography Practice and meets requirements to work as a mammographer within the NHS breast screening programme (NHSBSP).

Mammography Theory – 20 credits

There are five academic days delivered online at the start of the module. No in-person visits to King’s College Hospital are required.

Course dates

Monday 23 September to Friday 27 September 2024 – applications now being taken

Mammography Practice – 40 credits

Further days of practical training provided at King’s by individual arrangement. This can be undertaken before or after the theory element. Further details provided on application.

Price for 2024 intake of 60 credit PgCert

Postgraduate pathway in breast imaging, mammography image interpretation and reporting (40 credits).

For breast health care professionals who wish to engage in the interpretation and reporting of mammographic images.

This module is one academic year in length. There are five academic days delivered online at the start of the module. The remainder of learning takes place within the student’s own workplace. There are no in-person visits required to King’s College Hospital.

Monday 7 October to Friday 11 October 2024

Price for 2024 intake

Clinical breast evaluation (40 credits).

For breast health care professionals who wish to develop their skill set in clinical breast examination and respond to the communication needs of the patient.

This module is one academic year in length. There are three academic days delivered online at the start of the module. The remainder of learning takes place within the student’s own workplace. Students are required to attend one assessment in person, held at either King’s College Hospital or London South Bank University. Please note this module is a pre-requisite for the Breast Ultrasound modules.

Monday 30 September to Wednesday 2 October 2024

Breast Ultrasound (60 credits)

For health care professionals with no prior experience or qualification in ultrasound.

This module is two academic years in length. There are five academic days delivered online at the start of the module, followed by two to three face-to-face academic sessions in October to December (dates TBC).  The remainder of learning takes place within the student’s own workplace. Students are also required to attend up to three clinical sessions at King’s College Hospital.

Monday 16 September 2024

Breast Ultrasound (40 credits)

For qualified ultrasonographers looking to specialise in breast imaging.

This module is one academic year in length. There are two to three academic days delivered online at the start of the module. The remainder of learning takes place within the student’s own workplace. Students are also required to attend up to three clinical sessions at King’s College Hospital.

Ultrasound Guided Interventional Procedures (20 credits)

For sonographers who are already qualified in breast ultrasound.

This module is one academic year in length. There are two academic days delivered online at the start of the module. The remainder of learning takes place within the student’s own workplace. Students are also required to attend up to three clinical sessions at King’s College Hospital.

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University of Idaho murders 1 year later: Where the case stands

Four students were killed in an off-campus house on Nov. 13, 2022.

Monday marks one year since four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in a gruesome home invasion that garnered intrigue from people across the nation.

In the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022, roommates Kaylee Goncalves , Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend Ethan Chapin , were killed inside the girls' off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho. Two other roommates survived.

MORE: Idaho college murders: The complete timeline of events

After an intensive six-week search for a suspect, 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested on Dec. 30 at his family's Pennsylvania home.

Here's what you need to know as the case against Kohberger moves forward :

The shocking crime

One of the surviving roommates said she woke up around 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, from what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the third-floor bedrooms, according to court documents.

"A short time" after, the roommate said "she heard who she thought was Goncalves say something to the effect of 'there's someone here,'" the documents said. But that could have been Kernodle on her phone because records showed she was on TikTok at about 4:12 a.m., the affidavit said.

MORE: Lawyer for Idaho college killings suspect Bryan Kohberger says he was driving alone night of murders

The roommate said "she looked out of her bedroom but did not see anything when she heard the comment about someone being in the house," the documents said. "She opened her door a second time when she heard what she thought was crying coming from Kernodle's room."

The roommate "then said she heard a male voice say something to the effect of 'it's ok, I'm going to help you,'" according to the documents.

The roommate said she opened her door again after she heard the crying -- and then saw a "figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person's mouth and nose walking towards her," who she described as "5'10" or taller, male, not very muscular, but athletically built with bushy eyebrows," and who "walked past" her "towards the back sliding glass door" as the roommate stood in "frozen shock," according to a police affidavit.

Who were the victims?

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, were lifelong best friends and inseparable. Goncalves was set to graduate in December 2022 and move to Texas.

Goncalves' sister, Alivea Goncalves, considered Mogen a sister, too. She said she was comforted by the fact that the best friends were in the same bed together in their final moments.

"If I couldn't have been there to hold their hands and to take that pain from them, at least they had each other," she told ABC News.

The two other victims were 20-year-old Xana Kernodle, and her boyfriend, 20-year-old Ethan Chapin.

Chapin was a triplet. His brother and sister also attend the University of Idaho.

Chapin and Kernodle were the "perfect pair" who had an "unstoppable, loving relationship," a surviving roommate said in a statement in December.

"They both would look at each other with so much love," she said.

Pieces of evidence

After the victims were discovered, authorities reviewed surveillance video from the area and saw the suspect's white Hyundai Elantra go by the victims' house three times, before entering the area for a fourth time at 4:04 a.m, according to the affidavit.

Police said they traced the car's travel that night back to nearby Pullman, Washington, where the suspect lived while attending Washington State.

Kohberger's phone was tracked heading to Moscow before the attack and as the driver of the white Elantra returned to Pullman. However, the phone was off from 2:47 a.m. to 4:48 a.m., which "is consistent with Kohberger attempting to conceal his location during the quadruple homicide," the document said.

MORE: Idaho authorities probe Amazon 'click activity' for knives possibly connected to college killings

His phone was near the victims' house at least 12 times before the murders, at least as far back as August, the document said.

DNA from the suspect was also recovered on a knife sheath left on Mogen's bed, according to the documents.

Where does the case stand?

Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The former Ph.D. student declined to offer a plea at his arraignment in May, so the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

MORE: Trial for Idaho college killings suspect Bryan Kohberger delayed indefinitely

Kohberger's lawyers have said their client wasn't in the home where the homicides occurred and was driving around alone that night.

In August, Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial, indefinitely delaying what was supposed to be an Oct. 2 start date.

A new trial date has not been set.

What possible hurdles are ahead during trial?

The DNA discovered on the button snap of the knife sheath that was found near Mogen's body is a critical linchpin for the prosecution in what is a largely circumstantial case.

That DNA, authorities argued, undeniably links Kohberger to the crime scene, saying that DNA "showed a statistical match" with a cheek swab taken directly from Kohberger after his arrest.

Kohberger's attorneys have attempted to cast doubt on the strength of investigators' evidence and whether it pointed irrefutably to just their client, including the DNA. The defense has repeatedly asked for more information on the genealogical analyses used to zero in on Kohberger, and have pushed back on investigators' analysis that the DNA is a statistical match.

Kohberger's attorneys also highlight what they called a "total lack of DNA evidence" from the victims in Kohberger's home or car.

"There are so many layers that make this an extraordinary case -- and the defense is going to attack any aspect of it that they see as vulnerable," David Calviello, a former New Jersey prosecutor who is now a criminal defense attorney, told ABC News in August. "It makes sense for them to take shots at how certain evidence was presented to the grand jury -- whether there were missed steps, cut corners, chain of custody problems, contamination -- or not. "

The knife used in the murders has not been recovered.

A series of now-unsealed search warrant documents show investigators have sought records of Amazon purchases and click history data for an Amazon customer including "all detailed customer click activity pertaining to knives and accessories," as well as a long list of information that could flesh out the customer's full shopping movements and interests on the site, like items that were wish-listed or saved for later. If prosecutors can link Kohberger to the purchase of a knife that could have been used in the killings, experts say that could help bolster their case.

What will happen to the house?

The University of Idaho announced in February that the house where the four students were killed would be torn down, with university President Scott Green calling it "a healing step."

In June, a university spokesperson said the school planned to demolish the house before students returned to campus in the fall.

In July, the university announced a sudden halt to the demolition plans as they removed asbestos and lead from the home -- and amid objections from some of the victims' families who expressed concern that demolishing the house before Kohberger's trial could cause unanticipated problems for prosecutors as they try to secure a guilty verdict.

About two weeks after Kohberger waived his speedy right to a trial in August, university officials decided they would hold off on tearing down the home until at least the end of the fall semester, which ends in mid-December.

With no new trial date set, prosecutors asked the University of Idaho for access to the house.

The university said FBI agents would be at the house on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 "to get documentation to construct visual and audio exhibits and a physical model of the home."

"While the university still intends to demolish the home, it will not be done this semester," the university said on Oct. 31.

The families

Ethan Chapin, who was a triplet, had been planning his 21st birthday with his siblings "forever," his parents said. Last month, his brother, Hunter, and sister, Maizie, turned 21 without him.

As the Chapins face one year without Ethan, they said they plan on acknowledging Nov. 13 with a private fundraiser for their foundation, Ethan's Smile Foundation, to help provide scholarships to post-high school students so that they can follow their dreams. The Chapins said they can't think of a better way to honor their son than to support education.

"Ethan stood for love, kindness, laughter and loyalty," his mother, Stacy Chapin, told ABC News. "He was the very best."

Kaylee Goncalves' dad, Steve Goncalves, said Kaylee's younger siblings are now grappling with their own birthdays. He said "they don't want to be older than their sister."

To Steve Goncalves, Nov. 13 is not an anniversary.

"This is more like a memorial -- some type of an event that you have to look at and think about, but it's not something that you ever look forward to," he told ABC News.

"My daughter has allowed me to meet people across the world through her life and memory and her beauty. And I'll thank her one day when I see her," Steve Goncalves said. "I'll tell her how much she impacted the world and how proud of her I am."

FOLLOW THE PODCAST: " The King Road Killings: An Idaho Murder Mystery " from ABC News, available on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Amazon Music , or your preferred podcast player.

ABC News' Kayna Whitworth, Nick Cirone and Timmy Truong contributed to this report.

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Placement Testing and Exemptions

To ensure students are placed into the appropriate courses, King’s College requires all new students to complete a set of online placement tests that provide academic advisors with the necessary information to place them in the mathematics, writing, and/or language course that is consistent with their ability.

Placement tests can only be taken once, so we encourage everyone to do their best and take them seriously. All placement tests are for King’s College use only.

Required unless exempt( see Exemptions ).

The Mathematics Placement Test helps determine your placement in the appropriate mathematics course that is consistent with your mathematical ability and ultimately determines how you will fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning requirement in the King's College Core Curriculum. Based on this test and your academic profile/history (which will be thoroughly analyzed by the Mathematics Department), students will take either one math course equivalent to MATH 120: Mathematical Ideas or higher (depending on your major) or a sequence of two courses MATH 100: College Algebra and one Math course equivalent to MATH 120: Mathematical Ideas or higher (depending on your major). For more information about the Quantitative Reasoning Core requirement, review the King's College Catalog.

The Writing Placement Test helps determine your placement in the appropriate composition course that is consistent with your writing ability and ultimately determines how you will fulfill the Academic Writing requirement of the King's College Core Curriculum. Based on this test, students will either take ENGL 110: Academic Writing or a sequence of two courses ENGL 105: Composition and ENGL 110: Academic Writing. For more information about the Academic Writing Core requirement, review the King's College Catalog.

The Foreign Language Placement Test helps determine your placement in the appropriate foreign language course that is consistent with your ability and ultimately determines how you can satisfy the Intercultural Competence requirement in the King's College Core Curriculum. Based on this test and your academic profile/history (which will be thoroughly analyzed by the Foreign Language Department), students will be placed in an elementary, intermediate, or advanced level language course. Students who begin at the intermediate level or higher, who take two courses of the same language (6 credits), and who receive a "C" or better in each of these courses, may receive six additional elective credits. For more information about the Intercultural Competence Core requirement, go to the King's College Catalog

Taking the Placement Tests

Students must complete their placement tests in the Orientation Portal, which is accessed with the username and temporary password provided in the "Becoming a Monarch" welcome email and letter sent* after the student’s enrollment deposit is submitted.

Students will not be registered for classes until they complete their placement tests. Delaying completion of these tests will limit the class options available.

* Beginning with the dates listed above, Becoming a Monarch letters are usually sent 2-3 business days after King's College receives the enrollment deposit.

** Class selection and class times may be limited for students who submit their enrollment deposit after the Placement Test due date. So, it is important to complete these placement tests as soon as possible.

Placement Test Exemptions

To be exempt from a placement test, official test scores and/or transcripts must be received by the King’s College Office of Admission prior to the dates listed below to allow for processing.

First-year student schedules are often created prior to receiving certain scores, such as AP scores. Once these scores are received, adjustments to schedules can be made in consultation with an academic advisor.

Mathematics Placement Test Exemptions

Writing Placement Test Exemptions

Students with Disabilities

Disability accommodation for placement testing, such as extra time, can be arranged by contacting the Academic Skills Center prior to taking your placement tests. Please call (570) 208-5841 to request accommodation.

Placement Testing FAQ

All first-year students are required to take the Math Placement Test unless they meet one of the minimum exemption requirements.

All first-year students are required to take the Writing Placement Test unless they meet one of the minimum exemption requirements.

To satisfy the Core Intercultural Competence requirement, students are required to take a 100-level language course for three (3) credits or participate in an approved Study Abroad experience. International students are not required to take a foreign language course to satisfy the Core Intercultural Competence requirement, however they can elect to do so.

No. Calculators are not permitted while taking the Math Placement Test.

Yes, the placement tests can be taken at different times or on different days as long as they are completed by the listed due dates. However, once a student begins a placement test, they must finish the placement test in its entirety.

Yes, once a student begins a placement test, they must finish it in its entirety. Students should make sure they allow enough time to complete it.

Accommodations for placement testing, such as extra time, can be arranged by contacting the Academic Skills Center prior to taking your tests. Visit Academic Skills Center and Disabilities Services to learn more.

To be exempt from a placement test, students must meet the minimum score requirement AND official scores must be received by the College by the listed due dates. If official scores are not received by the date listed, students will be required to take the placement test.

Before King's College can award college credit for an AP/CLEP course, students must have their official scores sent to the King's College Registrar’s Office for evaluation.

To be exempt from a placement test, students must meet the minimum score requirement AND official transcripts must be received by the College by the listed due dates. If official transcripts are not received by the date listed, students will be required to take the placement test.

Before King's College can award college credit for a course completed at another college/university, students must have their official transcript sent to the King's College Registrar’s Office for evaluation.

No. Placement tests can only be taken once, so students should give them their best effort.

Students will not be registered for classes, so they will not be able to begin their studies at King's College.

Contact the HELP Desk immediately by calling (570) 208-5900 ext. 4357.

It means before enrolling in the required college-level mathematics course for graduation (MATH 120 or higher), additional preparation is required through MATH 100: College Algebra. MATH 100 is a three-credit course which may count towards the minimum 120 credit requirement for graduation. Please note, the total number of credit hours required for graduation may be higher in certain major programs or if the student elects to pursue a second major.

It means before enrolling in the required college-level English course for graduation (ENGL 110), additional preparation is required through ENGL 105: Composition. ENGL 105 is a three-credit course which may count towards the minimum 120 credit requirement for graduation. Please note, the total number of credit hours required for graduation may be higher in certain major programs or if the student elects to pursue a second major.

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• Keeping King's safe together

Your questions answered – postgraduate research students

Introduction.

Updated: 24 January 2022

You may find it useful to read these FAQs in conjunction with the regulation documents and forms available via the Centre for Doctoral Studies .

2021/22 guidance for new and continuing PGR students

We expect PGR students normally to be based in London for their research degrees, as per King’s academic regulations. However, we recognise that there are currently significant challenges for some PGR students, in terms of getting to the UK.

However, students are still able to travel to the UK (provided, if applicable, that any necessary visas have been arranged). Nonetheless, such travel does likely incur significant financial cost, in terms of tests and quarantine , above and beyond the normal costs of visas and travel. In such situations, PGR students, whether new or continuing, might want to consider the potential to study remotely.

Studying remotely is not necessarily a simple decision:

• The nature of many courses means that there is a considerable component of study & research that can only be undertaken in person. Therefore, any consideration of studying remotely should start with a discussion between the student and the supervisory team, to assess whether remote study is feasible.
• As well as this practical consideration, there may be other factors, for example the terms and conditions of the funding of the PhD which may also influence this decision.
• In some cases, students are starting a more structured programme of training in their first year as part of a cohort of students. It may not be possible to undertake this training remotely and/or the student might feel it is a major disadvantage not joining the programme in person (when most other students are physically present). This could make it much harder to settle in and build key working relationships.

However, assuming none of these issues are a significant impediment, the student can study remotely.

In all cases, if the student requires a visa to enter the UK, advice should be sought from the Visa advice team to check any specific individual circumstances. Students who have visas, and who have started studying remotely outside of the UK, will need to be studying in the UK in person by the UK Visas and Immigration deadline of 6 April 2022 (or by the next deadline set by their supervisory team, whichever is earlier).

Students should indicate on the Study location form their location (this should be completed as part of enrolment or re-enrolment). Students do not need to complete the Off-campus study form if the remote study is COVID related.

Another option which might be considered is delaying the start of the degree until the next entry point, in June 2022. However, again, the same factors will need to be considered, as described above. Continuing students should consider interruption of study if remote study is not feasible

Are current recruitment and scholarship application processes still going ahead?

Yes. Recruitment is not impacted. Find out about the latest scholarships .

I am an international student and have accepted a place for a research degree but haven’t enrolled yet. What do I need to know?

Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. As long as you apply for your visa within 6 months of being issued your CAS, it will be valid for use, although you might need to update it with your intended arrival date in the UK. To find out more on CAS updates visit our article How can I change information in my CAS?

I am a student from an EU country. What do I need to know?

As you may be aware the UK exited the European Union on the 1 January 2020.

You can find information on the Advice & Guidance pages:

Students with Pre-settled or Settled Status

Students in the UK with no status

Students outside the UK

Please contact the Advice & Guidance Team for specific advice

Individual student risk assessments

Protecting the health and wellbeing of the entire King’s community is a priority for the university. For our latest updates and safety guidance, please refer to the Keeping King’s safe together webpages.

How do I study on campus safely?

In order to be physically on campus, you will need to have conversations with your supervisors using the return to campus policy .

If you are planning to come to campus, you should complete our online risk assessment tool . You will need to use your King’s account to complete the form. The form will explain the measures that we have put in place to support you and identify if any further steps are required.

What should I do if I am identified as high or medium/high risk and planning to come to campus?

Please discuss the results with your supervisor who will advise you about the next steps and ask you to complete an individual risk assessment.

What should I do if I am identified as high risk but am not planning to come to campus?

If you are not planning to come to campus, then you do not need to take any further action on risk assessments. However, it is advisable to let your supervisor know as early as possible so that adequate support can be put in place for when you join us on campus.

Support for long-term health conditions and disabilities

If you have a long-term health condition or a disability, there are a range of articles in our Disability support section that explain how our services can support you during your time at King's.

Continuing your research

Please speak to your supervisor(s) about your research, in particular, to discuss what research you can continue to undertake given the current situation. It is important to emphasise that most research activities can continue, accessing King’s systems remotely where needed. You may find the guidance from the Research Ethics Office particularly helpful if your research involves human participants.

Please read all the information on this page, which includes guidance on how to record any disruption to your progression.

Can my research continue on campus?

Please discuss continuing your research on campus with your supervisor(s) if you have not already done so and follow your Faculty/department guidance on this. When on campus please ensure that you are tested regularly . Respecting safe distancing, wearing a face covering unless exempt and regular hand washing are the best ways to help reduce transmission of the virus. Please see the Keeping King’s Safe Together webpages for information.

Thesis submission deadline

In 2020 we extended the thesis submission deadline for all students (who enrolled prior to 1 April 2020) by 3 months. There are currently no plans to issue a further blanket submission deadline extension. Students who need additional time to submit should request this via the exemption process with guidance from their faculty. Such requests are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. This extension does not guarantee additional stipend payments. It is just an extension of the submission deadline.

I am a funded student. What is the impact of the King’s submission deadline extension on me?

As a funded student (e.g. those on UKRI programmes) you should follow the terms and conditions of your funding body and seek advice from your supervisor and the relevant programme manager.

Please see further information in the funding section below.

When do I need to submit my RD1 form if my expected submission deadline has changed?

The RD1 form should be submitted a minimum of four months before your intended submission date. Download the RD1 form .

I am already in the process of completing my thesis corrections. Will I receive an extension?

If you are in the process of completing your thesis corrections, you will not receive an automatic extension. Submitting corrections is a critical point involving a number of individuals such as external examiners. Students are therefore encouraged to complete and submit corrections within their current deadline if at all possible. However, if you absolutely cannot complete your corrections due to COVID19, please apply for an exemption. Upon approval, the research degrees team will communicate this decision to your examiners.

I am a visiting research student. Will my visit get extended automatically by three months?

We are not automatically extending such visits.

Does the three month extension affect upgrade deadlines?

No, it doesn't. The vast majority of PGRs successfully complete the upgrade process well within the timeframe of 9-18 months, as set out in the academic regulations. We have therefore decided that there is no need to institute a blanket extension to the upgrade process at this point.

I am an international student. Do I need to extend my visa because of this extension?

Please get in touch with the Student Advice & Guidance Team for help and support.

Do I have to use the additional three months granted by the university?

No. For example, if you are a full-time PGR student, you can still submit your thesis within four years. The extra three months, which extends your deadline to four years and three months, just gives you more time if you require it.

Will I have to pay extra fees for this three-month period?

No extra fees will be applied.

I need more time to pay my tuition fee, can I access any help?

If you need more time to pay your fee, please complete and submit the following form .

I have received the 3 months submission deadline extension. Does this mean my stipend payments will automatically be extended by 3 months?

Unfortunately not. The extension of submission deadline does not guarantee additional stipend payments. This is dependent on your research degree funding body and they will be able to advice you on any funding extensions (UKRI funded students please see contact details below). If your funding body is not able to provide additional support, please see the Financial Support section below.

I am funded by UKRI, who do I contact?

If you are part of the Doctoral Training Centres or Partnerships please contact your CDT or DTP Director or Manager, or your PGR faculty contact.

For general UKRI queries please contact [email protected]

Financial support

Can i access any financial support.

If you have been directly affected financially by the COVID-19 crisis, you may be eligible for financial support through the PGR Financial Aid scheme . This scheme is administered by the Centre for Doctoral Studies and involves a simple application form being submitted along with any relevant supporting documents. Please find full details on the Student Funding webpage .

For covid related financial support for students arriving in the UK, please visit Student Services Online .

Can I access any financial support for my visa extension?

Yes, currently PGR students whose Tier 4 (General) student visa expires on or before 31 July 2022can apply for assistance with their visa extension. See the PGR Financial Aid scheme guidance for further details.

Can I make a claim for additional stipend payments through this scheme?

The scheme will not replace or provide additional stipend payments (see questions in the ‘Funding’ section for more information) . The PGR Financial Aid scheme is designed to help those currently directly affected financially by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. If you are in this situation, we encourage you to apply to the PGR Financial Aid scheme and also to seek advice from the Advice & Guidance team .

Recording disruption to progress

What records will i need to keep in order to apply for funding extension in the future.

In order to make a case for additional funding in the future, all funded students are advised to:

• Keep a record of how your project is being impacted, including copies of any supporting evidence. Examples of supporting evidence include notes of cancellation of a scheduled research visit, cancelled experiments abroad/field trips.
• Working with your supervisors, review your progress objectives on the online progress reports.
• Depending on what stage you are on the PhD trajectory, consider what you can practically and constructively do towards your PhD right now, to minimise the impact caused by COVID-19, and to continue to make progress. You might adjust objectives accordingly, to include new tasks which can be more easily carried out in your current working environment.
• In your online progress reports, record any impacts and time delays which are unavoidable (evidenced as per (1) above), and provide a description of what you have done to continue to progress (as described in (3)).

Where do I record my lack of progress due to COVID-19?

If your progress has been disturbed by this the current situation we ask you to record this your online progress reports.

We are expecting you to record your delays in:

• Question 1.2b – Briefly describe any issues/problems which have prevented you from achieving your targets
• Question 1.2c – Explain how these have been addressed and your plans to meet any unmet targets .

How can I explain the impact of COVID-19 to my thesis examiners?

We are giving all PGRs the option of including an Impact Statement alongside their thesis. This will enable you to explain to your examiners how you have modified your research in the light of COVID-19.  Find out more .

King’s College London recognises the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PGR students. Students are expected to adapt their research activities to mitigate, as far as possible, the disruptions caused by COVID-19 restrictions. Nevertheless, the impact of disruptions on the research may merit explanation in the thesis. Examiners should consider the student’s COVID-19 impact statement in relation to the scope and volume of the research student’s work whilst always upholding the academic requirements for a research degree award.

Read the full Impact Statement Policy.

Upgrade and viva examination

Can my viva voce examination go ahead.

From 1 September 2021 the following oral examination formats are available to students:

• Face-to-face examination
• Fully remote examination
• Hybrid (partially remote) examination

For more information on oral examinations please refer to the Guidance for Oral Examinations document

Is there any guidance for online viva examination?

Yes, the Research Degrees Examination Team have provided a guidance document for everyone who is involved in setting up, conducting, participating, and managing the oral examinations for research degrees. You can find this document on the Research Degrees website .

Will my upgrade viva or MD presentation go ahead?

Yes, these are essential assessments. They can be conducted virtually. Please discuss with your supervisor and see local faculty or department advice.

My home environment is not suitable for online examination, what are my options?

If your home environment is not suitable for online examinations, such as upgrade viva and oral examination please get in touch with your supervisor for other onsite alternatives for you.

We are giving all PGRs the option of including an Impact Statement alongside their thesis. This will enable you to explain to your examiners how you have modified your research in the light of COVID-19. Find out more about the COVID-19 Thesis Impact policy on the Research Degrees website .

Interruption

Do i need to interrupt my studies if i am ill and self-isolating with symptoms.

Students who are not well, self-isolating with symptoms of Coronavirus, can apply for an interruption of studies , even if they are close to submission.

Do I need to interrupt my studies if I am self-isolating without symptoms?

We acknowledge that this situation will be disruptive and engagement with your studies may be difficult. If you are self-isolating without symptoms we would not anticipate that you interrupt your studies. However we recognise that individual circumstances may vary and, if you feel your studies will be impacted by self-isolation, we encourage you to discuss this with your supervisor.

International travel

Can i travel abroad for my research.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the university continues to update its travel policies, with additional authorisation requirements to ensure that staff and students are able to travel safely for the purposes of conducting College business, research or as part of a course.

The travel policy has now been updated to reflect changes in UK travel restrictions as a result of Step 4 of the government roadmap and individual vaccination status. Students can potentially travel, subject to appropriate risk assessment and approval by a Head of Department or designate. King’s travel insurance will be issued on approval of the risk assessment.

Risk assessment guidance is available on the Health & Safety Services’ SharePoint site and information about King’s travel insurance is available on the Finance website. If you have any questions about travelling on your student visa, please contact the Advice and Guidance team.

Fit to Fly : KCL TEST now offers free Fit to Fly certificates to King’s students and staff. KCL TEST is a convenient, non-invasive saliva test to check for coronavirus for those who do not have symptoms (asymptomatic). You can pick up a PCR test kit and return your completed sample during opening hours at hubs across all campuses. Find out more about Fit to Fly certificates .

Researcher development and training

What training and development opportunities are available to me.

Whilst no workshops or training courses are running on site during this time, the Centre for Doctoral Studies (CDS) and other training providers have worked hard to make sure that development opportunities are still available to our PGR community. In most cases we are delivering courses virtually, via platforms such as KEATS or Zoom. A large number of online courses are already available to PGRs.

In light of the ongoing restrictions and the uncertainty around travel in the coming months, King’s has taken the difficult decision to postpone the in-person graduation ceremonies due to take place in winter 2022. Please visit Student Services Online  for more information about future ceremonies .

Degree certificates

You can find more information about obtaining your degree certificate on the Student Services Online website .