Honorary Awards

This document is definitive!

1. Introduction

The Academic Board is responsible for procedures for the award of honorary degrees and titles. The latest regulations and procedures for such degrees and titles (.pdf) were approved by the Board on 7 October 2008.

2. Powers and Titles

  1. Under powers conferred by the Privy Council, Bath Spa University may award degrees including honorary degrees, and under the Articles of Government the Academic Board has the power to determine procedures for the award of qualifications and honorary academic titles.
  2. The honorary degrees and titles the University may confer are:
    1. Master of Arts (Hon MA), Master of Science (Hon MSc), Master of Education (Hon MEd).
    2. Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt)
    3. Honorary Fellow of Bath Spa University.

3. Nominations

  1. Nominations, using a Nominations Form (available here in Word or PDF format) may be made to the Chair of the Honorary Degrees and Titles Committee by any member of the University or member of the Board of Governors. Nominations may be made at any time.

4. Eligibility for Awards

  1. The Academic Board of the University may award an honorary degree or title to any individual who achieves eminence in a profession or academic study or the arts, or who has given outstanding service in forwarding the University’s mission and objectives.
  2. Honorary titles and degrees may not normally be offered to serving:
    1. members of staff of Bath Spa University
    2. members of the Board of Governors of the Corporation
    3. British politicians.

5. Use of Awards

  1. Honorary Fellows may use the style “Honorary Fellow of Bath Spa University”. The Honorary Degrees and Titles Committee may recommend to the Vice-Chancellor that the recipient of an award may enjoy non-stipendiary benefits of membership of the University.
  2. The Academic Board may withdraw an award if continued use by the holder could damage the University.

6. Presentation of Awards

  1. Honorary degrees will normally be conferred in person at a degree ceremony of the University.

7. Honorary Degrees and Titles Committee

  1. The purpose of the Committee shall be to determine recipients of honorary degrees and titles of the University. The Committee's powers are delegated from the Board.
  2. Membership of the Committee shall be:
    1. Chair of Academic Board (or nominee - Chair)
    2. Three members of the current membership of the Academic Board nominated by the Chair from time to time
  3. The Committee shall determine procedures to secure nominations for honorary degrees and titles.
  4. The Committee shall determine its own procedure for meetings, and its detailed deliberations shall be confidential.
  5. The Clerk to the Academic Board shall be the Secretary of the Committee.
  6. The Committee shall notify Academic Board of the names of those to whom honorary awards have been offered periodically.

Last updated D Timms 12 November 2008