Examination

Appointment Of Examiners

The Pro Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) will approve suitable persons for appointment as examiners. The advice of the Head of School and the supervisor will be sought. Two examiners and one reserve examiner are required for theses submitted at the level of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Philosophy or Professional Doctorate.

The candidate may advise the supervisor and the Head of School of names of persons who might be appropriate or who should not be approached. The Head of School will take this advice into account when suggesting examiners and will notify the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the candidate's objections to any potential examiner. However, the final choice of examiners must remain confidential.

It is a requirement that the supervisor and/or the Head of School makes contact with the proposed examiners to determine their availability prior to their recommendation to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or nominee).

The names of examiners will not be released to the candidate until the examination process is complete, including notification of the outcome to the candidate, and only then with the permission of the examiner(s). In the case where the candidate is required to revise and resubmit the thesis for further examination, the names of all examiners will be withheld until the final examination process is complete.

Examination And Consideration Of Examiner's Reports

The Office of Graduate Studies will forward copies of the thesis to the appointed examiners as soon as possible after submission of the thesis provided examiners have been appointed and approved. Examiners will be requested to submit a report within two months.

The Office of Graduate Studies will manage any delays with the examination process and will make contact with any examiners, supervisors or heads of schools where remedial action or extensions are necessary.

Each examiner shall submit an independent, written report on the merits of the thesis which shall contain an assessment of the thesis in relation to the stated thesis objectives and as a requirement for a research higher degree. The report shall include one of the following recommendations:

a)    award: the thesis be classified as passed - the examiner may specify this category for a thesis that does not require any amendments.

b)    require - minor corrections: the thesis be classified as passed conditionally, subject to minor corrections, as outlined in the Examiner's Report, being made to the satisfaction of the supervisor/s - the examiner may specify this category for a thesis which requires correction of errors of presentation and minor deficiencies, but which are not of sufficient importance to warrant major corrections;

c)    require - major corrections: the thesis be classified as passed conditionally, subject to corrections, as outlined in the Examiner’s Report, being made to the satisfaction of the Faculty as specified by the Committee – the examiner may specify this category for a thesis which requires correction of deficiencies other than errors of presentation, but which are not of sufficient importance to warrant submission for re-examination by the original examiner;  or

d)    revise and resubmit: the thesis be submitted in a revised form for re-examination by the original examiners where appropriate – the examiner may specify this category for a thesis which requires major, substantive amendment and submission for re-examination. In the Examiner’s Report, the examiner shall provide detailed guidance to the candidate to assist revision and the thesis must be resubmitted together with a statement by the candidate outlining the revisions that have been made; or

e)    fail: the thesis be classified as failed, without right to resubmit the thesis, on the basis that a significant amount of additional research work and/or major, substantive revision will not raise the thesis to an acceptable standard. 

Candidates should refer to the Rules Governing Research Higher Degrees for all rules relating to thesis submission and examination.

Supervisors and Heads of Schools will have the opportunity to comment on examiner reports prior to the Research Training Sub-Committee making a final determination. The Committee may also recommend further action as outlined in the Rules Governing Research Higher Degrees.

A candidate will be advised of the Research Training Sub-Committee's final determination on the outcome of the thesis examination as soon as possible following the Committee's decision.

The advice will also be provided to the supervisor, Head of School and Assistant Dean, Research Training. Examiners will also be advised of the final outcome.