Under certain circumstances, you can change between the various classes of degree.
Upgrade of degree programme
Typically an upgrade of degree is from MPhil to PhD, or from MD to PhD. It is also possible if less common to upgrade from MPhil to MD. A degree upgrade is relatively common, and in fact is encouraged for good students who have excelled in the early part of their studies.
Upgrades are subject to a couple of conditions. First, we would look to the progression panel for a strong annual review. Indeed the panel would normally be asked directly to support the case for an upgrade.
And second, the upgrade would generally extend the duration of the postgraduate study. In this case, additional fees would be payable. Exceptionally, a long but successful MD that had already met the minimum 3-year candidature might be eligible for submission as a PhD without further fees being due.
Downgrade of degree programme
In a minority of cases, the recommendation to downgrade comes as the result of a failed progress review. A panel would be very reluctant to make this decision, and it would always reflect a strong conviction that the student is very unlikely to make a successful submission on their present evidence.
Far more often, the downgrade is an agreement between student, supervisors and panel. A postgraduate degree is a long step into the unknown for most students. Life gets in the way, and priorities change: dream jobs; dream partners; children. Some people simply don’t get on with the research life; certainly the vast majority of all postgraduate students don’t make a long-term career in research, and that is informative in itself.
Whatever has happened, we would prefer our students to take away something from their time in Newcastle. In the majority of cases, students are very happy to downgrade perhaps to MPhil; they take away a strong postgraduate degree and move on with their lives.
What next?
If you need to change your degree programme, then you will have to complete the relevant form. These are: