Writing a Thesis
General Information
Research Resources
The English programme is keen to encourage graduate students to pursue research in areas where research resources abound, and for which supervisory expertise is available.
The principal research resource is the University's James Hight Library, the second largest such library in the country with over half a million books. Within this is the Macmillan Brown Library, a comprehensive collection of rare books and materials with special reference to New Zealand and the Pacific. The James Hight Library, which is particularly strong in Victorian holdings, contains all facilities required by the modern researcher, and is in immediate contact with overseas institutions.
Scholarships
A good number of our postgraduate students profit from the support of scholarships offered by the University. The University of Canterbury Doctoral and Masters Scholarship pays for fees (at the domestic rate) and provides a yearly stipend of $15,000 for PhD candidates and $9,000 for MA candidates. Both New Zealand residents and international students are eligible for these scholarships. Application forms are available in August from the Scholarship Office in the Registry and the deadline for their submission is 15 October.
Tutoring
Each year the programme appoints a number of tutors to teach tutorials at Levels 100 and 200. Students who are writing an MA or PhD thesis may apply to be considered as tutors. The programme cannot guarantee that you will be employed as a tutor. If, however, you wish to be considered for appointment as a tutor, you should apply on the appropriate form available from the Secretary. Applications are decided in early December for tutors for the following year.
Reimbursement of Research Expenses
The School can cover some of the research expenses of doctoral and masters students. Receipts should be provided in support of applications. For travel and attending conferences and for other things when the amount is known, applications must be made in advance and receipts provided later when they become available.
The School is keen to support doctoral students in their desire to professionalise themselves and some financial support will usually be found for students wishing to present a paper at conferences in New Zealand and overseas.
Theses
The School will pay for printing, photocopying, and soft-binding of two (MA) or three copies (PhD) of your finished thesis, and hard binding and lettering of two of these copies (PhD only) for deposit in the University and School Libraries. Apply to the Secretary for an internal requisition form.
Other expenses
You will be granted an allowance of $500 (for PhD) or $170 (for MA). This money is usually used to cover things such as interloans, on-line searchs, photocopying, and book purchases. Funding for other expenses may be available on application to the Head of School.
Conferences and travel
Budget permitting, when an MA thesis writer or doctoral student is to give a paper at a conference, on approval by the Head of School the School will pay the conference fee and travel costs for trips within New Zealand, and up to $1500 for trips to Australia or up to $2000 for other parts of the world. For travel by car, the School will reimburse the cost of petrol where receipts are submitted. Travel by air must be booked through Signature Travel well in advance to ensure the most economical rates.