Pablo Software Solutions
December 21st 2005

Stephen Butcher

Following from our discussion on 2nd December and my email yesterday I can now give you feedback on your Masters work to date and your request to change your enrolment from the Masters to a PhD.
The Deputy Dean (Research) from the Faculty of Science has read your Masters work in progress and advises that the material is not robustly investigated and the conclusions are not underpinned by verifiable science. In addition your excursions on the field of cancer, chlorine treatment of water and electricity are too superficial to provide credence to the arguments you are attempting to put forward.
This evaluation confirms my own view that you are working with data and concepts outside of your field of competence. It is clear now that the scholarship required for a research Masters is not present in the work. You will recall during our meeting that I suggested that you could benefit from studying courses in statistics and scientific method so that you would be better equipped to sustain statements and conclusions. I also advised that as well as defending scholarship my other major concern was the School’s capacity to supervise the topic given that it had strayed from our discipline’s scope.
Consequently I do not support your request to change enrolment to a PhD.
Further, I do not support you proceeding with the Masters degree as it stands. The School cannot continue to supervise your topic and I am not prepared to appoint an associate supervisor from another school.
Some options available to you are that you apply to transfer enrolment and supervision to another school, one that is capable of supervising the work and is prepared to accept your enrolment. Alternatively you may decide to re-focus your topic through discussion with this School to have it fall within our expertise.
As it stands your Masters work is unacceptable as research.
If you decide to cancel your enrolment I would be prepared to refund your fees.
Professor Gordon Holden
Head, School of Architecture
Deputy Dean/PVC Faculty of Architecture and Design
   
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