Examination

Key actions

• Student initiates Nomination of Examiners process in PGR CoP system
• Supervisor nominates examiners
• Dean of Postgraduate Studies approves title and nominated examiners 

Typical timeline

• Nomination of Examiners should be completed 3 months before thesis submission deadline

Key activities

Around 3 months before the submission deadline students should complete the ‘Nomination of Examiners’ form in PGR CoP system.  This form asks students to provide:

• The prosed exact title of thesis
• An abstract
• A short summary of the area of research (approx. 6 words) that can be used at the Graduation ceremony to describe the area of research to the audience 

Once submitted, the form will go to your supervisors who will identify suitable examiners, in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice for PGR students (see sections 94 - 99).  The form must also be approved by the Head of School (or nominee) and the Dean of Postgraduate Studies.  These approvals will be sought automatically via PGR CoP system.

Once the Dean’s approval has been obtained, the Graduate School will contact each examiner, inviting them to examine the thesis and your supervisor(s) will be notified.  You will receive an email from your Graduate School reminding you of your latest thesis submission date.

If the Nominations of Examiners form has not been approved by the Dean prior to submission of a students thesis there may be a delay to the examination process.

Key actions

Student submits:

1. One Electronic Copy
2. Research Degree Examination Entry Form 

Typical timeline

Must be submitted on or before submission deadline

Key activities

On or before the submission deadline, students must submit:

• One electronic copy, preferably a PDF file, or via the University's file drop-off service. Please refer to the Guidelines for the Submission and Format of Theses
• One completed Examination Entry Form for Research Degrees ‌

Key actions

• Supervisor organises oral examination once thesis has been sent out
• Examiners complete and submit Preliminary Reports to your Graduate School prior to oral examination 

Typical timeline

• Thesis sent only once checks undertaken by your Graduate School have been completed satisfactorily.
• Can take from a few days to a number of weeks depending on progress of checks required. 

Key activites

On receipt of your thesis, the Graduate School will perform a number of checks including:

• Confirming that the Nominations of Examiners forms have been completed and approved by the appropriate Dean;
• Contacting the Tuition Fees team to confirm that there are no outstanding debts on your record and all fees due have been paid;
• Scanning the electronic version of your thesis using Turnitin software to ensure that it is your own work that has been submitted and that you have acknowledged and referenced the work of others correctly.

These checks can take from a few days to a number of weeks.  Only once all checks have been completed satisfactorily will your thesis be forwarded to the examiners for consideration. You will be notified by email once your thesis has been sent out.

Key actions

• Student attends the oral examination
• Examiners complete the Joint Report
• Joint Report returned to your Graduate School with a list of corrections (where appropriate) 

Typical timeline

• Oral examination usually takes place three months after thesis has been sent to examiners

Key activities

Students/supervisors should confirm the preferred format of the viva at the NoE stage: Face to Face, Remotely, Blended.

The Handbook for Examiners of Research Degrees by Theses provides Supervisors, Students and Examiners with information and responsibilities.

Once your thesis has been forwarded to the examiners the examination process will progress as follows:

• Your supervisors will be contacted and asked to consult with both you and your examiners to arrange a date for your oral examination.  You can usually expect the examination to take place within 3 months of the examiners receiving your thesis;
• The examiners will each prepare and submit an independent Preliminary Report.  These should be received by your Graduate School at least two weeks before the date of the oral examination and they will be forwarded to the Dean of Postgraduate Studies for approval prior to the examination taking place;
• You should attend your oral examination at the date, time and location specified by your supervisor.  Should you have questions about the format of the examination, please contact your supervisors for advice;
• Following the examination, the examiners will complete a ‘Joint Report Form’ specifying the outcome.  Where corrections are required, examiners are asked to prepare a detailed list.  Examiners are requested to complete and submit the Joint Report within 2 weeks of the oral examination;
• Your Graduate School will forward the Joint Report, together with any corrections and both Preliminary Reports, to the Dean of Postgraduate Studies for approval.

Please note: At no point during the examination process should you make direct contact with the examiners.

Key actions

• Dean of Postgraduate Studies considers Preliminary and Joint Report forms and approves the recommendation
• Graduate School writes to student confirming the outcome, providing a copy of the Joint Report form and, where appropriate, a list of corrections and a deadline for completion of corrections/revisions/resubmission

Typical timeline

• Outcome usually available 2-3 weeks after the date of oral examination

Key activities

Your examiners may provide you with a verbal indication of the outcome at the end of the oral examination, however, you will only be notified of the official outcome once the Dean’s approval of the Preliminary and Joint Reports has been obtained. 

A variety of outcomes are available to the examiners of a PhD including:

• Award of a PhD;
• Award of a PhD subject to completion of minor corrections or minor revisions within 6 months, to the satisfaction of the internal examiner;
• Resubmission for PhD within 12 month either with or without an oral examination, as determined by the examiners in their Joint Report;
• Award of an MPhil instead of a PhD;
• Award of an MPhil subject to completion of minor corrections or minor revisions within 6 months, to the satisfaction of the internal examiner;
• Resubmission for an MPhil within 12 months, wih or without an oral re-examination, as determined by the Examiners in their joint report;
• No degree be awarded and the student be adjudged to have failed.

Please refer to Section I of the 'Doctor of Philosophy Degree Assessment Regulations' for the full range and exact wording of the recommendations open to examiners following a PhD oral examination.

The outcomes available to MPhil examiners can be found in the Section XIV sub-section F of the 'Master of Philosophy Degree Assessment Regulations'

Following approval of the outcome by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies, you will be sent a copy of the Joint Report and, where appropriate, details of the revisions required and confirmation of your resubmission deadline.  Your resubmission deadline will be calculated from the date that you receive formal notification of the examination outcome.  

Key actions

• Student submits corrections/revisions/resubmission to your Graduate School by deadline.
• Corrections/revisions forwarded to internal examiner. Resubmissions forwarded to internal and external examiners.
• Report(s) received from examiner(s) stating outcome and forwarded to Dean of Postgraduate Studies for approval
• Student notified of outcome in an email from the Graduate School 

Typical timeline

• Time allowed for completion of corrections/revisions/resubmission will vary in accordance with the first submission outcome.
• Examiner(s) asked to provide outcome within 6 weeks of receipt of corrections/revisions/resubmission.
• Allow up to a week for Dean of Postgraduate Studies to approve resubmission outcome

Key activites

For all resubmissions:

• Your resubmission will be assessed by both your external and internal examiner. You must submit one electronic copy of your revised thesis to the HaSS and SAgE Graduate School or Medical Sciences Graduate School (MSGS). Do not submit them to your School or Institute Office, supervisor(s), or directly to your examiners.

Your resubmitted thesis will be sent to the examiners for consideration who will assess the submission against the original recommendation and the list of corrections set out in the Joint Report. Examiners are asked to return their reports within 6 weeks of receiving the resubmission. If you are required to attend a second oral examination, this will normally be arranged within 3 months.

The outcomes available following a resubmission are as follows:

• The immediate award of a PhD;
• The award of a PhD subject to completion of minor corrections or minor revisions within a specified period, to the satisfaction of the internal examiner;
• The immediate award of an MPhil instead of a PhD;
• The award of an MPhil subject to completion of minor corrections or minor revisions within a specified period, to the satisfaction of the internal examiner;
• The recommendation that no degree be awarded and the student be adjudged to have failed.

Key actions

• Student submits the final electronic copy of thesis
• Pass list produced.
• Degree parchment produced. 

Typical timeline

• Students required to submit electronic copy of thesis within 1 month of notification of award outcome
• Degree Parchment usually produced within 6-8 weeks of receipt of pass list 

Key activites

Once all required corrections have been completed satisfactorily and an 'Award' recommendation is made by your Examiner, the examination reports will be forwarded to the Dean of Postgraduate Studies for approval.  You will then be notified of the final outcome in an email from your Graduate School. 

At this point, you will be asked to submit the following within 1 month:

• One electronic copy of your thesis, preferably a PDF file, on either a USB stick or via the University's file drop-off service  (non-returnable)
• A completed Library Deposit Licence Electronic Theses.
  

Please note: Should you wish to restrict library access to your thesis for longer than the standard six months, you must notify your Graduate School in advance of submission of your electronic thesis.  You will then be provided with a deposit licence with an extended restriction period.

Following receipt of the above, the Graduate School will produce your Pass List and a ‘Statement of Qualification’ confirming the award of the degree.  Both of these documents will be sent to you by email and a copy of the Pass List will be sent to the Congregations Office which is responsible for producing your degree parchment (certificate).  Once available, your degree parchment will normally be posted to you at your home address within 6 to 8 weeks of your pass list being produced.  Please ensure your home address is up to date by contacting your Graduate School.

Key actions

• Student must register interest with Congregations Office well in advance to secure a place at the appropriate graduate ceremony
• Pass list must be produced at least 3 weeks before ceremony date for a student’s place to be confirmed

Typical timeline

• Ceremonies held in July and December each year

Key activites

Congregation ceremonies are held in July and December each year.  If you wish to attend a Congregation you must register your interest via the Congregations website. For July ceremonies you should register your expression on interest before the end of January. For December ceremonies you should register your expression of interest before the end of August.

The full examination process must be completed, your hardbound thesis submitted, and your pass list issued before you will be eligible to attend Congregation.  The Congregations Office must be in receipt of your pass list 2 -3 weeks before the ceremonies are scheduled for your place to be confirmed. Please check the Congregations page for the Pass List deadline. You should seek advice from your Graduate School to find out if you are likely to appear on a pass list in time for the ceremony. 

Where a postgraduate research degree student dies during their research degree programme (Posthumous) or receives the diagnosis of a terminal or debilitating illness that makes completion of the research degree programme impossible, regardless of reasonable adjustments. (Aegrotat), then it may be possible for a Posthumous or Aegrotat award to be considered.