thesis examination process

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Examination procedures

The following information is for research degree students who are approaching examination.

All students must submit their theses for examination through our online examination system, HDR examinations.

Information, support and guidance is provided through every stage of your examination including what happens after submission.

Training about how the examination process works is provided in Reaching the End, which can be completed by registering for a workshop or online through the Graduate Research Candidate Induction CloudDeakin site.

Before submission

Flowchart of examination process.

To view a flowchart that illustrates an overview of the examination process, please select the examination type that relates to you.

• Does not include exhibition or performance (PDF, 105.0KB) .
• Includes exhibition or performance (PDF, 131.2KB) .

Research integrity training

You must complete the compulsory research integrity training before the examination of your thesis can commence. You may attend a workshop or complete the training online.

Creative work examinations

Further detailed information specific to examinations in the Faculty of Arts and Education can be found on the creative work examinations page.

Notice of intention to submit thesis for examination

Students are required to give at least eight weeks notice of their intention to submit a thesis for examination except for examination by exhibition or performance which requires 12 weeks notice.

Lodgement of the notice of intention to submit thesis for examination is performed by creating a new examination in HDR examinations. Please log on to HDR examinations to begin an examination.

Access HDR examinations

Preparation and submission of examination copies

Preparation of thesis.

• Font not less than 12 point.
• Spacing and line length appropriate to font size.
• Margins – not less than 20mm on the binding side (the left side). The thesis will be printed on double sided paper if requested by the examiner. If an examiner requests a hard copy of your thesis, your thesis will be printed, bound and sent to them, therefore it must be formatted to allow for this.
• Tables, diagrams and figures should be inserted in the text as close to the first reference to them as is convenient, with suitable captions.
• Length - should not exceed 50,000 words for a masters thesis or 100,000 words for a doctoral thesis. This includes: the title page, contents page, abstract, bibliography, figures and tables, appendices and any notes.
• The thesis title page must be inserted as page one of your thesis (not numbered). Please do not add any other information to the title page or change the layout. Please note there is a ten word limit on thesis titles and acronyms and abbreviations should be avoided. Failure to adhere to these guidelines could cause a delay in the progression of your thesis to examination.
• The candidate declaration form must be signed electronically or printed and signed then scanned into electronic format. This must be inserted as the second page of your thesis (not numbered).
• The Research Training Program (RTP)/Funding Acknowledgement must be inserted on the third page of your thesis (not numbered) if you have received any type of RTP Scholarship. If you have received any other financial support for your project you are also encouraged to disclose that in this section.
• An authorship statement needs to be inserted into the thesis if you have included any multi-authored publications. There must be one form inserted for each multi-authored publication. This statement needs to describe clearly the contributions made by you and by every other author and must be signed by all authors.
• The acknowledgement page (optional) should be inserted as the fourth page of your thesis (not numbered). If a professional editor has been used, a brief description of the service should be included as directed by the  Institute for Professional Editors.
• A list of publications (optional) should be inserted as the fifth page of your thesis (not numbered). Please indicate if each publication was submitted or accepted. A full version of your publication(s) may be included as an appendix to your thesis (not numbered). Note: this will be included in the word limit so you may prefer to provide a link to the publication as an alternative.
• A  COVID-19 Thesis Impact Statement (optional) explains the impact of the pandemic on your research. You may choose to include the statement as an additional page in your thesis (no more than 600 words) and/or address the impact within the content of the thesis.

Submission of thesis

Your thesis is submitted for examination via HDR examinations . It must be formatted to meet the guidelines as set out above and uploaded as one single PDF document no greater than 100MB in size. To change your thesis into a PDF we recommend that you use a university computer and print to adobe PDF directly from Word. Please check the final document to ensure that all figures, tables and contents have converted correctly prior to submission.

Course learning outcomes - On completion of your course you are required to reflect on your learning experience and provide a written statement of no more than one page demonstrating, with at least one example, how you have met the course learning outcomes (PDF, 88.2KB) . This must be submitted into HDR examinations at the same time that you submit your thesis for examination. You can include evidence recorded in your candidature review or individual learning plan as a basis for this document (if applicable). To be awarded the degree your supervisor and head of academic unit must certify that you have met the relevant course learning outcomes (along with all other course requirements), in addition to your examiners certifying that you have satisfied the course learning outcomes related to your thesis.

iThenticate - At the time of submission you will be required to upload an iThenticate report. All HDR students have access to iThenticate throughout their candidature. It is available on HDR online forms, systems and apps page under 'Examination'. You may already be familiar with Turnitin – the internet-based software used to detect plagiarism. Like Turnitin, iThenticate works by comparing submissions to a content database. You will have access to iThenticate throughout your candidature and it is highly recommended that you utilise this tool to ensure your thesis document is compliant with the Australian code for the responsible conduct of research and Deakin’s academic and research integrity policy . The iThenticate report must be submitted into HDR examinations at the same time that you submit your thesis for examination and must match the thesis document submitted. You will have the opportunity to upload multiple reports if required. It is recommended that you review the report with your supervisor prior to submitting your thesis for examination to allow for any amendments that may be suggested/required. Once submitted, your supervisor and head of academic unit will review and assess the report along with your course learning outcomes and thesis. Further information on iThenticate is available here .

At the time of submission you will asked to confirm that you have read and accepted the terms and conditions (PDF, 45.8KB) for submitting your thesis online. Please ensure that you have read these carefully before submitting your thesis.

If your document exceeds the size limit or you need to submit additional materials for examination, please email the HDR adviser for further information.

Find out what happens after submission

Time spent under examination.

Examiners are asked to complete the examination and provide their reports within eight weeks (six weeks for oral examinations) of receiving the thesis. If they comply with this timetable and there are no problems, the entire process could be completed in approximately three months. In practice, however, it sometimes takes longer because examiners are busy people and may find it difficult to comply with the deadlines given. If you have not received advice on the progress of the examination after four months from the date of submission you should seek information from the HDR adviser .

Each examiner submits an independent report on the thesis. An examiner may ask that certain questions be put to the student and that the responses be considered by the examiner. The examiner will send the list of questions to the HDR adviser who will communicate these with you.

Your enrolment

Your enrolment will continue while the thesis is under examination. You will be enrolled by Deakin Research in a 0 load which, in addition to keeping your candidature active, enables you to have access to The Deakin University Library and IT services. There are no fees for 0 load. If you have to resubmit your thesis for a further examination, then you will be enrolled part-time while you work on this. International students will pay fees for this part-time enrolment.

Consideration of examiners' reports

The standard process for considering the examiners' reports is set out in the Higher Degrees by Research assessment procedure . Where an oral thesis examination is required, information regarding the process is described in the HDR assessment procedure and schedule B: oral thesis examination . Guidelines are also available which provide information around the conduct of an oral thesis examination and outline the roles of the participants.

The final outcome of each examinations is determined by the Thesis Examination Committee (TEC), not the examiners. When all the examiners' reports have been received (plus the panel recommendation in the case of an oral) the Head of School will consider all reports and, following consultation with the principal/executive supervisor, make a recommendation on the outcome of the examination to the TEC. The decision on the final recommendation and how to respond to the examiners’ reports is made by the TEC. The thesis must have the support of at least two examiners before the TEC can recommend that the degree be awarded.

The TEC, on the basis of the examiners’ reports, may require that corrections and amendments be made to the thesis before it is accepted (Recommendations 2.1 and 2.2). These may be minor, such as the correction of typographical errors (2.1), or they may involve significant revision of the thesis (2.2). If you are required to revise the thesis you should consult with your principal supervisor and the Head of School about making the revisions. You will have 8 weeks to submit your minor amendments and library copy into the online examinations system. Further details regarding the preparation of your amended thesis and the final library copy of your thesis are available below.

Major amendments involve a re-examination by external examiners (Recommendation 3). As far as practicable, any re-examination will be by the original examiners. If any of them are not available, one or more new examiners may need to be appointed so that the University can be sure of receiving sufficient reports to determine an outcome. The examiners will be sent the revised version of the thesis and your statement on how you have responded to the examiner’s comments. If you receive recommendation 3 you will be re-enrolled part-time and given 12 months to resubmit your thesis.

After the examination

The HDR Adviser will release the final result through HDR Examinations after the outcome has been determined by the TEC. You will receive an email notification through HDR Examinations and will be able to login and view the examiners' reports. At the completion of the examination process, you will be given the names of the examiners unless an examiner has asked that his or her name be kept confidential. You must then prepare and submit both your amended thesis (if amendments are required) and the library copy of your thesis in the format described below.

Submitting your amended thesis for approval

Minor amendments always need to be made to the satisfaction of the Head of School or their nominee. In order for the Head of School to approve your amendments, they must be provided with 1) a completed Response to Examiners form, and 2) a version of your amended thesis which includes tracked changes such that the amendments to be evaluated are clearly visible. As there is only space to upload your Response to Examiners Reports into HDR Examinations, the Response form must be combined with the tracked-changes version of your thesis and uploaded as a single document.

At the same time, you will be required to upload a clean copy of your thesis (no tracked changes or comments present) which will serve as the Library Copy.  Your principal supervisor and the Head of School will review the thesis revisions as submitted into HDR Examinations and, if they are approved, the clean copy will immediately be forwarded to the Examinations team for approval. For your Library Copy to be approved by the HDR Adviser, it must meet the requirements outlined below.

Preparing the library copy of your thesis

Please follow these requirements to ensure your library copy is approved by the HDR Adviser.

• The thesis title page must be inserted as page one of your thesis (not numbered). Please do not add any other information to the title page or change the layout.
• The candidate declaration form must be signed and inserted as page two of your thesis (not numbered). Please note this is the same declaration form that you will have inserted into your examination copy.
• The  Research Training Program (RTP)/Funding Acknowledgement must be inserted on the third page of your thesis (not numbered) if you have received any type of RTP Scholarship. If you have received any other financial support for your project you are also encouraged to disclose that in this section.
• An authorship statement needs to be inserted into the thesis if you have included any multi-authored publications. There must be one form inserted for each multi-authored publication. This statement needs to describe clearly the contributions made by you and by every other author and must be signed by all authors. These can be included as appendices if preferred.
• The acknowledgement page (optional) should be inserted as the fourth page of your thesis (not numbered). If a professional editor has been used, a brief description of the service should be included as directed by the Institute for Professional Editors .
• A list of publications (optional) should be inserted as the fifth page of your thesis (not numbered). Please indicate if each publication was submitted or accepted. A full version of your publication(s) may be included as an appendix to your thesis (not numbered).  Note : this will be included in the word limit so you may prefer to provide a link to the publication as an alternative.
• Digital thesis copyright and access form - this relates to the copyright of your thesis and accessibility of your thesis via the world wide web. The form cannot be changed in any way and is not bound into the thesis. This form must be completed and signed then uploaded via HDR examinations at the time of your final thesis submission.
• A COVID-19 Thesis Impact Statement (optional) explains the impact of the pandemic on your research. You may choose to include the statement as an additional page in your thesis (no more than 600 words) and/or address the impact within the content of the thesis. Note: you may opt to include a COVID-19 Thesis Impact Statement for examination and remove it from your library copy but you cannot do the reverse. A COVID-19 Thesis Impact Statement cannot be included in your library copy if it wasn’t included in the examination copy.

An electronic copy of the final version of the thesis is required for lodgement with The Deakin University Library before the degree can be awarded.

The library copy of your thesis is submitted via HDR examinations at the same time as your amended thesis (if required) is uploaded. It must meet the guidelines set out above and be uploaded as one single PDF document not secured (preferably PDFA) no greater than 100MB in size. To change your thesis into a PDF we recommend you use a university computer and print to adobe PDF directly from Word. Please check the final document to ensure all figures, tables and contents have converted correctly prior to submission.

In addition, you are required to upload the digital thesis copyright and access form (PDF). You may elect to make the entire thesis available online through Deakin research online, or limit access to the citation, abstract and metadata only. If online access is limited to the citation, abstract and metadata, the Deakin University Library will make individual digital copies available for consultation, loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. Request for a complete restriction of access for a limited period of time to facilitate the commercial exploitation of material, or for other compelling reasons, may be made to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) or nominee (Schedule E: Restricted Access to Thesis). A signed digital thesis copyright and access form must be submitted and dated when the final copy for lodgement with The Deakin University Library is provided.

Your summary of thesis for graduation is also submitted via HDR examinations at the time of submission. This summary will appear in the graduation ceremonies program. It should focus on the outcomes of the research, be in plain English and contain a maximum of fifty words. Please note that the Library copy of your thesis will not be approved unless the thesis summary meets these requirements.

If your document exceeds the size limit or you need to submit additional materials for examination, please email the  HDR adviser for further information.

Find out what happens after lodgement

Graduation/conferral.

Once you have submitted your library copy into HDR examinations and it has been approved, the HDR adviser will seek approval of the degree from the chair, research and research training committee and the academic board. This can take a few weeks depending on the time of year you submit. Once received, graduations will be advised that that you are now eligible to graduate and they will contact you within 28 days. There are three graduation ceremonies each year, in February, June, October and December. The December ceremony is for international and/or School of Medicine students only. Depending on the timing and length of the examination process, it may not always be possible for you to graduate at the ceremony of your choice. Students should discuss the options with the HDR adviser .

Please note that doctoral graduands may not use the title "Doctor" until the degree has been conferred. If you are unable to attend a graduation ceremony or require conferral of your degree prior to the next graduation ceremony, it may be possible to have your degree conferred at a university council meeting. Please contact the HDR adviser for further information.

Final documents

Once graduations are advised that you are eligible to graduate, you will be issued your final documents(s). Domestic and international students will be sent their final transcript via post. International students will also receive a completion letter in addition to their transcript. Please ensure that your postal address details are up to date in StudentConnect .

Students will be presented their final testamur at their graduation ceremony. Students who have their degree conferred at council or graduate in absentia will be sent their testamur via post.

Please remember to access your Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and download proof of learning documents and your final report which outlines all of your additional skills and knowledge acquisitions. Your access to the ILP system will cease shortly after completion.

If you need help with the examination process, refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages for students and examiners.

• FAQs for students
• FAQs for examiners

If you still require assistance, email our  HDR adviser or phone +61 3 5227 1090.

If you require technical help with HDR examinations, phone +61 3 5227 2633.

Note: If your postal or email address changes during the examination period, please follow the instructions on the research degrees - doctoral and masters page to ensure you notify us of any changes.

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Before proceeding with a remote examination, please observe the following:

• It is the responsibility of the department to set up the Zoom meeting and send the link, along with the remote thesis examination guide, out to the examiners, supervisor, candidate and chair. If you still have questions or concerns after reviewing the guide, please contact Matt Dumouchel ([email protected])
• Exams may proceed with everyone participating remotely, as long as the technology remains effective. Details on how a Remote Examination should be set up are below under "Preparing a Remote Examination".
• Public lectures for doctoral students should proceed with everyone participating remotely in a Zoom meeting distinct from the examination. Details on how a Public Lecture should be constructed remotely are below under "Preparing a Remote Public Lecture".
• It is the responsibility of all participants to ensure that they have a device available which will work effectively. We strongly recommend that all participants test their system ahead of time, ideally by connecting as a committee 24 hours or so ahead of the scheduled exam, to allow time to adapt if necessary. The chair should also have phone numbers to communicate with participants in the event of a loss of connectivity. It is the chair’s decision if the exam can proceed if a single examiner is lost; if more than one is not actively participating the exam should be suspended and re-scheduled.
• The chair remains responsible for conducting the examination in accordance with SGPS regulations. This means that the chair must be comfortable that the technology is working effectively, as well as that the questioning is proceeding in an appropriate way. If the chair considers that the examination is not proceeding according to the appropriate standards they should suspend it. SGPS and/or the program will reschedule as appropriate depending on the reason for the suspension. Keep in mind that re-scheduling could be done in relatively short order if necessary, given that no-one is travelling or in class.

We recognize that this is a major disruption to our usual way of doing things, and we appreciate your support and your flexibility. We are trying to find the right balance between maintaining our academic standards and allowing our students to finish in a timely way. We're all doing a lot of experiential learning right now and we will make mistakes and encouter unforseen problems. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about any of this, as we work this out together. 

October 18th Zoom Changes at Western

WTS released changes to the default settings for Zoom Meetings at Western on Sunday, October 18 th .  SGPS has reviewed those changes and wants to ensure you are aware of the potential impact these Zoom changes may have on your thesis examinations.  Comments on the impacts of these changes and links to additional Zoom documentation are included below.

• Require a passcode when scheduling new meetings This will be turned   on   by default, so that a passcode will be generated when scheduling meetings, and participants will be required to enter it in order to join a session. SGPS strongly recommends you use a passcode with your examinations and public lectures.  Please be sure to include the passcode in the final invitation you provide to the examination or public lecture ( link ).
• Embed passcode in invite link for one-click join This option, which encrypts the password in the invite link, will be turned  off   by default. The passcode should be sent separately from communications with the link to the meeting. Many users may have become comfortable with the passcode being embedded in the link in past invitations so the passcode requirement might require extra attention.  Ensure the passcode is highlighted in your communication to participants ( link ).
• Waiting room The waiting room will be turned  on   by default, so that participants will be unable to join the meeting until admitted by the host.   The waiting room provides a buffer to ensure only valid participants may see and hear the public lecture or examination.  It does require the host to admit participants as they appear in the waiting room and will not allow participants to join the meeting before the host ( link ).
• Chat Chat will be turned  off   by default for non-host participants so that it they will be unable to send broadcast messages visible to all participants.   There should be little function for Chat inside the examination.  If a student feels Chat would be appropriate for receiving questions for their Public Lecture, Zoom provides the capacity to reopen that function ( link ).
• Private Chat Private chat, which allows participants to send private messages to other participants will be turned off   as a default.  Participants will be able to communicate privately with hosts and hosts will be able to send broadcast messages.   There should be no function for Private Chat inside the examination or public lecture ( link ).  
• File Transfer This setting will be turned  off   by default. This item is for security concerns related to files being sent from one user to another within the platform. There should be no function for File Transfer in the examination or public lecture ( link ).
• Mute participants upon entry This setting will be turned  on   by default. Combining this setting with in-session controls that allow the host to mute all participants and not allow participants to unmute themselves can be very effective. Participants can still unmute themselves as required.
• Screen sharing This setting will be turned  off   by default and will permit the host to share their screen and to give permission during the session for those that ask to share their screens. The host is further advised to take care in sharing only the desired content to minimize the risk of inadvertent sharing of personal or confidential material. This can be accomplished by sharing only the desired window (as opposed to the entire desktop) and closing other applications. This revised default setting will place emphasis on the host of the meeting to enable screen sharing where applicable in the public lecture or examination ( link ).  
• Thesis Examination Evaluation Form
• Thesis Examination Chair Report
• Examination Chair Guidebook

Preparing for the Examination

Summary of responsibilities, graduate coordinator/assistant:.

• Set up the Zoom meeting
• Send the Zoom link (with host key if appropriate (see guide for details)), the Remote Thesis Examination guide and the link to the online chair report to the examination chair.
• Send the Zoom link, the link to the examiner reports, the contact information for the chair and the Remote Thesis Examination guide to the exam participants
• Contact the committee the day before the exam to confirm remote attendance and exam details.
• If a chair or supervisor is unable to participate, contact Jacqui Jaremchenko ( [email protected] ) for guidance. If an examiner is unable to participate, re-schedule the exam.
• Make sure the Zoom meeting connection works.
• Familiarize yourself with Zoom if you haven’t used it before.
• Ensure that your device will work effectively for this purpose.
• Review the Remote Thesis Examination Guide, which includes instructions for managing Zoom as well as links to the Examiner Reports, Chair Report and Regulations.
• Confirm attendance with the graduate co-ordinator the day before the exam. If you know or suspect that you will not be able to participate, inform them as soon as possible.
• Check in with the committee the day before the exam to make sure that the Zoom connection works.
• Ensure that the examination is run in accordance with SGPS regulations. If you have any concerns that the technology being used is not working well, you have the authority to suspend the exam.
• If you decide that you are not comfortable managing a remote exam, inform the graduate co-ordinator as soon as possible.
• Ensure that your device will work effectively for this purpose. Zoom provides the option of a test meeting (see guide for details).
• Review the Remote Thesis Examination Guide, which includes a link to the Examiner Reports.

Supervisor, Candidate:

Understanding zoom web conferencing, zoom’s key features include:.

• Host meetings with up to 300 participants
• Up to 24 hrs Meeting duration
• Video, audio, & screen sharing
• Join/Host meetings via a computer or mobile device
• Participants do not require an account to join meetings 
• Screen sharing for presentations and collaboration
• Plug-in for Outlook calendar to allow easy scheduling
• Local Recording
• Chat functions

Installing the Zoom Client

To coordinate a Zoom conference you will need to install the Zoom app on your computer or mobile device. Link to Install Zoom: https://zoom.us/support/download .

Requirements for Operating Zoom

• An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE)
• Speakers and a microphone – built-in or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth
• A webcam or HD webcam - built-in or USB plug-in
• Or, a HD cam or HD camcorder with video capture card

Supported Operating Systems

• macOS X with macOS 10.7 or later
• Windows 8 or 8.1
• Windows Vista with SP1 or later
• Windows XP with SP3 or later
• Ubuntu 12.04 or higher
• Mint 17.1 or higher
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4 or higher
• Oracle Linux 6.4 or higher
• CentOS 6.4 or higher
• Fedora 21 or higher
• OpenSUSE 13.2 or higher
• ArchLinux (64-bit only)

Supported tablet and mobile devices

• Surface PRO 2 running Win 8.1
• Surface PRO 3 running Win 10
• iOS and Android devices
• Blackberry devices

S upported browsers

• Windows: IE 11+,  Edge 12+, Firefox 27+,  Chrome 30+
• Mac: Safari 7+, Firefox 27+,  Chrome 30+
• Linux: Firefox 27+,  Chrome 30+

Logging into Zoom as a Host

There are two ways to log into Zoom:

• Through the Western University Zoom site at westernuniversity.zoom.us
• The company domain is “westernuniversity.zoom.uwo

Scheduling a Zoom Conference Meeting

There are two different methods to schedule a Zoom Conference Meeting:

• Hosting a meeting using your Personal Meeting ID
• Scheduling a meeting in advance

It is strongly recommended that hosts schedule a meeting in advance rather than use their Personal Meeting ID for these sessions.

Please ensure you have enabled the waiting room within your meeting.  To enable waiting rooms in an individual meeting in Zoom:

• Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
• Click  Meetings .
• Click a meeting topic to edit it or   schedule a new meeting .

• Click   Save .

Delegating a Meeting Host

When you Schedule a meeting or invite participants to your Personal Meeting ID, you become the default host of the meeting. The host must be present to initiate the meeting. If not in attendance, all participants will be left in the waiting room. They will be able to hear and see each other, but none of the additional functions will be available to them. If you are unable to attend the meeting and want to share those duties with another you can share your host key with another participant - support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205172555-Using-your-host-key

Preparing a Remote Examination

In advance of the examination, the Zoom conference meeting must be prepared and communicated to participants.

Below is Zoom's documentation on how to schedule a meeting:

When you Schedule a meeting or invite participants to your Personal Meeting ID, you become the default host of the meeting. The host must be present to initiate the meeting. If not in attendance, all participants will be left in the waiting room. They will be able to hear and see each other, but none of the additional functions will be available to them. If you are unable to attend the meeting and want to share those duties with another, normally the Examination Chair, you can share your host key - support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205172555-Using-your-host-key .  The candidate cannot be given the responsibility of hosting the Zoom meeting.

Inviting Participants to the Examination

It's critical that you share the meeting ID with anyone invited to the meeting

Prior to the examination, all participants (student, examiners, Chair, supervisor) must have the following:

• The link to the conference meeting
• The passcode

Examiners must also have the following:

• The link to the online Evaluation Form ( uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3VhNgBXhjouzgHP )
• The name and email address of the Chair 

Exam Chairs must also have the following:

• The link to the online Chair Report ( uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b1S0AaukmbjVTLv )
• Master's Examination Committee and Chair Package (.doc)
• Doctoral Examination Committee and Chair Package (.doc)

Testing the Connection

Participants are advised to attempt to connect to a Zoom conference meeting in advance of the examination to ensure their hardware meets the minimum requirements and that their internet connection supports the call. You can join a Zoom test meeting by visiting https://zoom.us/test .

Preparing a Backup Plan

It's critical to have a backup method in place that all examiners have access to should your primary remote examination method fail. While Zoom provides a secondary teleconference option should one examiner fail to connect to the web conference (details for this teleconference connection are provided in the invitation to participants), a secondary examination option should be prepared in case multiple participants have issues with the Zoom conference. If the Chair deems it necessary to abandon the web conference, one simple and readily available option is the conference feature available on Western's Cisco Phone system.

Conference Calling with a Western Cisco Phone

• During an active phone call, press the More softkey
• Press Confrn. This will put the current call on hold and you'll hear a dial tone
• Dial the next participant's number
• Once connected, press Confrn again to merge all the calls

Repeat the steps to add the next caller.**

The conference call does not end until everyone hangs up from the call. This means that the person who starts and "builds" the conference call can hang up and the conference call can continue until everyone else hangs up.

**This service can host a maximum of six participants including the host.

In order to make use of this option, the following preparations must be made in advance:

• One individual must be present at Western and able to access a Western Cisco phone
• A listing of phone numbers where all participants can be reached at the time of the examination

Preparing a Remote Public Lecture

Public Lectures are required for PhD Examinations and optional for Master’s examinations. The location of the public lecture (in-person or via zoom) will normally match the location of the examination (in-person or via zoom). In-person public lectures can include a remote component, allowing remote attendance.

Scheduling a Zoom Conference Meeting for the Public Lecture

Programs are advised to allow the candidate to set up the public lecture meeting using their own Zoom account and distribute the invitation as required by the program.  The public lecture meeting must be distinct from the examination .  If possible, the candidate should designate a co-host to focus on the management of the meeting participants.  It's advised that the audience remain muted for the duration of the presentation and only unmuted once a question period is opened.   

Inviting Participants to the Public Lecture

If you share the meeting information publicly, additional safeguards can be taken to ensure that the public lecture is kept free of disruption from uninvited guests.  These safeguards can include:

• Requiring a password that must be requested from the candidate or program.
• Enabling a waiting room to ensure only known individuals are admitted to the public lecture.
• Setting the Screen Share option to only the host.
• Turning participant video off by default.
• Muting participants when they join the meeting.

Good morning all,

Thank you for participating in today’s public lecture for [{student}].

You can access the public lecture at the appropriate time at the following address: [{linktozoomconferenceroom}]

The Examination

Adapted policy regarding remote examinations, program responsibilities.

• Ensuring that requests and approvals for remote examination are made in a timely manner as far as possible under the circumstances
• Providing a dedicated support resource to the conference to ensure the best possible experience for all participants during the examination
• Ensuring that a backup technology exists in the event that the primary solution fails
• Ensuring that a list of questions from the remote examiner (s) has been obtained in advance of the examination date and are available to the Chair of the examination (this serves as back-up in cases where the connection to the remote examiner is lost)
• Testing the remote connection with the examiner( s) and/or student in advance of the examination

Examiner Responsibilities

• Submitting intention to attend exam remotely as soon as possible and with reasonable notice to the program and SGPS
• Testing the remote connection (all equipment and backups) with the host in advance of the examination
• Submitting questions to the program and SGPS at least 48 hours in advance of the examination
• Ensuring you are able to be seen and heard throughout the examination

Chair Responsibilities

• All participants must be able to communicate effectively with each other at all times
• If the primary method of communication is unable to function effectively the examination Chair must determine when it is appropriate to use the pre-arranged backup technology or the submitted questions
• At the beginning the of the examination, the Chair must inform the candidate and all members of the committee of the potential for suspending the exam should technical problems interfere with the integrity of the examination (until the technical problems have been resolved)
• The Chair of the examination must suspend the examination if technical problems interfere with the integrity of the examination and backup options are unavailable
• The Chair of the examination must guarantee the standards of the examination have been met and the requirements have been satisfied

These requirements remain crucial to the fairness and integrity of the exam

The Chair presides over the Thesis Examination

• The candidate, the Supervisor(s), the Program Examiners, and the University Examiner must attend the Thesis Examination remotely or in person
• The Chair will refuse attendance to all others
• The Chair presents  Western's Land Acknowledgement .
• Examiners are asked to refrain from using electronic devices (cell phones) during the examination (unless in emergencies)

How to Send Participants to the Waiting Room using Zoom

To send participants to the waiting room in Zoom:

• As the meeting host, click Participants
• Click More next to the participant's name and select Put in Waiting Room
• The order in which Examiners are to question the candidate;
• The number of rounds of questioning desired (usually two);
• The time limit for each of the Examiners' questioning periods (typically 15-20 minutes in the first round and 5-10 minutes in the second round);
• Who is to ask the questions submitted by the External Examiner if he/she is not present;
• The Chair ensures each examiner has access to the digital Thesis Examination Evaluation form (to be completed when the questioning of the candidate is over and the candidate has left the room). The Chair advises the Examiners that their evaluations on the acceptability of the written thesis should be made independent of the assessment made in Stage One: The Preliminary Evaluation of the Thesis.
• The Chair invites the candidate back into the room or meeting

How to Retrieve Participants from the Waiting Room using Zoom

To retrieve participants from the waiting room in Zoom:

• As the meeting host, click Manage Participants
• Click "Admit" next to the participant's name

The Examination Begins

• The Chair explains to the candidate the sequence of events (e.g. two rounds of questioning, the order of questioning).
• Where the candidate's program does not provide for a public lecture, or a public lecture has been waived the candidate may briefly discuss the thesis (10-15 minutes is appropriate).
• The Examiners question the candidate in the agreed-upon order, with the Chair holding them to the agreed-upon time limit. The Supervisor(s) may not question the candidate.
• When the questioning has finished, the Chair asks the candidate, but not the Supervisor(s), to leave the room or meeting.

The Thesis Examination Board Deliberates and Renders a Decision

• In rare cases where the thesis has been submitted without the Supervisor(s)'s approval, the Chair informs the Examiners of the Supervisor(s)'s written reasons for withholding approval, before inviting the Supervisor(s) to speak.
• At the Chair's invitation, the Examiners alone discuss the thesis and the oral defense.
• Examples of such changes might include minor typographical, grammatical or formatting errors. Normally such changes should be completed within 1-2 weeks.
• Examples of required revisions may include extensive typographical or grammatical errors; errors in calculation; the need for clarification or addition of content in order to meet requisite scholarly standards; some additions, deletions or editing of text; further analysis, or discussion of some data. Normally such revisions should be completed within 6 weeks after the examination.
• A thesis judged unacceptable may contain, for example, faulty conceptualization, inappropriate or faulty use of research methodology, misinterpretation or misuse of data, neglect of relevant material, illogical argument, unfounded conclusions, seriously flawed writing and presentation, and failure to engage the scholarly context.
• Unacceptable
• The Examiners vote on the acceptability of the thesis and the oral defense by completing their Thesis Examination Evaluation form
• These forms are confidential, only to be seen and recorded by the Chair.  For the oral defense, the Examiners must determine if the candidate's responses to questions and general level of scholarly knowledge meet the standard for the Doctoral degree and are consistent with the contents of the thesis.  The Examiners must decide whether the written thesis and oral defense were acceptable or unacceptable.
• In the case of a tie, the external examiner vote breaks the tie.
• The Chair announces the results of the vote on the acceptability of the written thesis and of the oral defense and asks if further discussion is needed. In rare instances, the Chair may allow Examiners to change their votes. 
• If a majority of the Examiners find that the thesis content is a pass and the oral defense is acceptable, the candidate passes the Thesis Examination.
• If a majority of the Examiners find that the thesis content and the oral defense will pass conditional upon revision, the candidate has not yet passed the Thesis Examination. Upon successful acceptance of the required revisions by a designated Examiner the candidate passes the Thesis Examination.
• If the examiners' decisions are equally split (2/2) between acceptable and unacceptable on any one of the thesis content and/or the oral defense, then the vote is weighted in favour of the external examiner’ s decision.
• The Chair pronounces the Thesis Examination Board's decision.
• Reports the Thesis Examination Board's decision for the Thesis Examination.
• Though revisions are not required following a pass, examiners may suggest minor changes that would be beneficial, and the student is encouraged to complete such changes before final submission. The Chair is encouraged to list such changes on the Chair Report form.
• The Chair communicates the positive decision to the candidate. (See Communicating the Decision to the Candidate.)
• Additional details are made available to the successful student via an email which is generated in response to the submitted Chair Report.

When the Thesis Examination is Conditionally Successful

On the " Chair Report ," the Chair:

• With the assistance of the Examiners, provides a detailed list of the specific revisions as agreed upon by a majority of the Examiners. The Chair’s Report will be made available to the designated Examiner, the candidate, and the Supervisor, who will normally continue to support the candidate through the revision process.
• With the help of the examining committee, determines which Examiner(s) will review the revised thesis. The designated Examiner(s) withhold their approval until the required revisions have been made. All the Examiners may receive a copy of the revised thesis to review.

When the Thesis Examination is Unsuccessful

The Chair completes the " Chair Report ." In consultation with the Examiners, the Chair states (on the Chair report) why the thesis and/or the oral defense was unacceptable.

If the Thesis Examination failed because the thesis content was unacceptable, the Vice-Provost (Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies) refers the case to a Re-Submission Hearing Committee.

Communicating the Decision to the Candidate

When the Chair and the Examiners have completed the documentation, the Chair invites only the candidate back into the room or meeting and informs them of the result.

If the thesis is passed conditional upon revision the Supervisor(s) must meet with the candidate, to ensure that they understand the revisions required by the Thesis Examination Board.

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3. Thesis examination

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• Higher Degree by Research

If you have submitted your thesis for examination via UQ eSpace please read this document for information on how your examination will progress.

You can track the progress of your examination via UQRDM.

The examination process begins when you upload your thesis submission through your UQRDM thesis dashboard . The entire process, from thesis submission to examination outcome usually takes 3-6 months.

As your thesis progresses through each step of the examination process, your UQRDM status will update. If, at any point in the process, your UQRDM status seems to have stalled, please email the  Graduate School thesis team , and we will give you an update.

• Receiving examiner reports
• Oral examinations (viva voce)
• Examination outcomes
• After the examination process
• Thesis completion
• Thesis FAQs

1. Receiving examiner reports

Once your thesis is submitted, the Dean of the Graduate School will invite two examiners from the list of examiners nominated by your Principal Advisor.

Each examiner is asked to provide a written report with feedback about your thesis. Examiners are requested to return their written reports within:

• four weeks for an MPhil, or
• five weeks for a PhD.

You will receive your examination reports only when both examiners have completed and returned their reports and the Dean has determined the outcome. Following the receipt of these reports you will then either:

• proceed to an oral examination, or
• receive your examination outcome.

Role of Chair of Examiners

Once your thesis has been submitted for examination, your school will appoint a Chair of Examiners who will ensure any changes requested by examiners are implemented.

The Chair of Examiners is an academic staff member at UQ who is familiar with your research discipline and will advise the Graduate School on the outcomes of your thesis examination.

Further details regarding the Chair of Examiners can be found in the  Higher Degree by Research Examination Policy.

Late Examiner Reports

The Graduate School sends regular reminders to examiners to ensure reports are returned in good time. We email before the report is due and follow up twice over two weeks if a report is overdue.

If the report is not received after this time, the Dean of the Graduate School may choose to replace an examiner. The Dean of the Graduate School may contact the examiner directly prior to making the decision to appoint a third examiner.

For more information see the Higher Degree by Research Examination (with Oral Examination) Procedure  and Higher Degree by Research Examination (without Oral Examination) Procedure . A timeline of the entire examination process is also available:

• Examination process timeline (PDF, 383.2 KB)
• 1. Thesis preparation
• 2. Thesis submission
• How to track your thesis examination through UQRDM
• 4. Award of degree
• Thesis submission date and scholarship extension

Need assistance?

Get in touch with the Graduate School Team. 

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Guidelines on Conducting MPhil and PhD Thesis Examinations

A. introduction.

• The thesis examination is mandatory for those enrolled in research postgraduate programs. It is conducted by a Thesis Examination Committee (TEC).
• An MPhil TEC normally consists of at least three faculty members. One is the thesis supervisor; if there are two thesis supervisors, they will both be on the committee, which will then comprise four members. Of the other two members, one is appointed as Chairperson. All three (or four) are voting members.
• A PhD TEC normally consists of a Chairperson and at least five voting examiners. The examiners include the thesis supervisor(s), two faculty members from the candidate’s major Department, one faculty member from outside the Department, and one faculty external to the University who has expertise in the field being examined.

B. Protocol

• A thesis examination takes place in a single session, comprising four parts. The first two parts are open to all members of the University and to departmental guests. The third part is closed to all but the candidate and the TEC, and the fourth is a closed session of the TEC in the absence of the candidate.
• The first part is an oral presentation by the candidate, emphasizing the major elements of the research and the results obtained. The candidate is expected to apportion no more than 60 minutes for the presentation.
• The second part is an open questioning session, involving the TEC members, and others in attendance. During this part of the examination, all questions are addressed through the Chairperson, and any dialogue is limited to the candidate and the individual questioner.
• The third part is a closed session involving a less formal discussion between the candidate and the TEC. Other than the candidate and the TEC, other persons are not ordinarily allowed to attend this part. However, in exceptional circumstances, with the prior agreement of the candidate, the thesis supervisor and the TEC Chairperson, other persons may be allowed to attend as observers. It should be noted that observers are not permitted to participate in the examination or attempt to influence the examiners in their assessment of the thesis examination. At the end of this part of the examination, the candidate and any observers must leave the examination venue.
• The fourth and final part is a closed session involving only the TEC, who then assess the quality of the thesis, and the performance of the candidate during the examination. In arriving at a decision, the votes of members of the TEC carry equal weight.
• The TEC will convey the outcome of the thesis examination to the student immediately after the thesis examination. The outcome will be recorded in a proforma report, the “ Report on Thesis Examination Results for Research Postgraduate Degrees ”, as described below.

The examination result will be reported in a proforma entitled “ Report on Thesis Examination Results for Research Postgraduate Degrees ” and submitted by the TEC Chairperson.

• This Report comprises several parts, to be completed by the examiners. Some parts need to be completed before the examination.
• The TEC Chairperson shall collect Part 2 of the report from all the examiners and complete Part 3 and Part 4.1 of the report.
• The report must include all comments that the TEC or the Chairperson wishes to make on the conducting of the examination, the quality of the thesis, the contribution of the thesis to the field of study, the performance and competency of the candidate in the thesis examination, and any other remarks relating to the thesis and the examination.
• All TEC members must sign the report.
• The TEC Chairperson shall return the completed form to Department for further follow up, as described below.

The Chairperson is also required to submit an online “ Chairperson’s Report on Thesis Examination ” to the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School (FYTGS)  within one week from the date of the thesis examination, reporting any irregularities observed during the conduct of the thesis examination.

D. Outcomes

A thesis examination, whether MPhil or PhD, will have one of the following results:

• Passed subject to minor corrections;
• Passed subject to major corrections;
• Failed but may be resubmitted; or

The protocols for handling each outcome are described below.

• Procedure. The Chairperson will forward the completed “ Report on Thesis Examination Results for Research Postgraduate Degrees ”, together with the final thesis, to the head of the candidate’s Department. After signing the report, the Department Head/Program Director will forward it to the Dean or the Dean’s designee for endorsement. Finally, the Department will forward it to the Academic Registry for action and record.
• Thesis submission deadline. If a thesis has been graded “Passed”, the candidate must, within one week of the date of the thesis examination, submit an electronic copy of the final thesis, together with the electronic copy of the authorization page containing the student’s signature, and a signature page containing signatures of the thesis supervisor(s) and Department Head/Program Director, to the University’s Thesis Submission System.
• Procedure. In this case, the Chairperson should pass the entire set of documents to the thesis supervisor(s) who should keep the report until the candidate has submitted a revised thesis to his/her satisfaction before the deadline as described below. The full set of documents, with the final thesis, should then be forwarded to the Department Head/Program Director and the Dean or the Dean’s designee for endorsement before passing to the Academic Registry for action and record.

Thesis submission deadline. In this case, the final thesis and the iThenticate report must be submitted within three months from the date of the thesis examination, or a date specified by the TEC, whichever is earlier. The iThenticate report should be handed in to the supervisor(s), via the Department for review and endorsement.

• The thesis supervisor will record whether the corrections are satisfactory in the “ Report on Thesis Examination Results for Research Postgraduate Degrees ”.
• Upon approving the thesis, the supervisor will forward the signed report, together with the final thesis, to the Department to obtain signatures of Department Head/Program Director.
• Candidates should allow sufficient time for the above approval processes.
• Finally, the candidate must submit an electronic copy of the final thesis, with the electronic copy of the authorization page containing the student’s signature and the appropriate signatures of approval, to the University’s Thesis Submission System.
• Procedure. In this case, the Chairperson should pass the entire set of documents to the thesis supervisor(s) who should keep the report until the candidate has submitted a revised thesis approved by the TEC before the deadline as described below. The full set of documents, with the final thesis, should then be forwarded to the Department Head/Program Director and the Dean or the Dean’s designee for endorsement before passing to the Academic Registry for action and record.

Thesis submission deadline. In this case, the final thesis and the iThenticate report must be submitted within 12 months from the date of the thesis examination, or a date specified by the TEC, whichever is earlier. The iThenticate report should be handed in to the TEC via the Department for review and endorsement.

• The revised thesis requires the approval of the full TEC.
• The TEC may recommend that a re-examination be held before a final assessment is arrived at. If a re-examination is required, the TEC membership should be the same as that for the first examination, unless otherwise recommended by the Department or FYTGS. In this case, the protocol is repeated, as for the first examination.
• The TEC will need to indicate whether the major corrections are satisfactory by completing the “ Report on Thesis Examination Results for Research Postgraduate Degrees ”. If the members are satisfied with the revised thesis, the final thesis must be submitted, with the electronic copy of the authorization page containing the student’s signature and the appropriate signatures of approval, to the University’s Thesis Submission System.
• In this case, the Chairperson should forward the duly completed “ Report on Thesis Examination Results for Research Postgraduate Degrees ” to the head of the candidate’s Department. After signing the report, the Department Head/Program Director will forward it to the Dean or the Dean’s designee for endorsement.
• The TEC membership may or may not be the same as that for the first examination.
• Failure in the second attempt of thesis examination will result in the automatic withdrawal of the candidate from the program of study and termination of registration at the University.
• Timeline. At least six months should pass before the second thesis examination. The protocol is repeated, as for the first examination.

E. Submission of Final Thesis

Thesis copy. On successful completion of the thesis examination, and after any required corrections, a candidate must submit a copy of the thesis (either hard or electronic) to the Department.

For final theses which have been graded “Passed subject to minor corrections” or “Passed subject to major corrections”, students are required to submit the thesis for originality check via iThenticate. The iThenticate report should be handed in to their thesis supervisor(s), and the Thesis Examination Committee if applicable, for review and endorsement via their Department.

The Department will arrange for the appropriate signatures of approval to be obtained, and then return the signed copy to the candidate. The candidate will upload and submit the Signature Page and the Authorization Page as a PDF file and the final thesis as another PDF file to the University’s Thesis Submission System. The candidate does not need to replace the two unsigned pages in the thesis PDF with the scanned signature pages. The candidate will receive email acknowledgement of successful upload. The final thesis will be forwarded to the thesis supervisor(s) for approval via the Thesis Submission System. 

Note: Candidates should allow sufficient time for the thesis supervisor(s) to check and verify their final version of the thesis, and for the Department to obtain signatures of approval before the submission deadline.

• The “ Report on Thesis Examination Results for Research Postgraduate Degrees ” will be submitted by the Department to the Academic Registry.
• Other documents. Candidates are also required to submit other documents to the Department together with the final thesis. Details are available on the FYTGS website.
• Failure to meet submission deadline. If a candidate fails to submit the final thesis before his/her specific deadline, the candidate will be deemed to have failed to meet the thesis examination requirements of the University and to have failed the requirements of the degree program being pursued. If the candidate fails to meet the deadline in submitting the final thesis, and the delay is through no fault of the candidate, the candidate may appeal for an exception to the above rules in a written letter. The appeal must be supported by the thesis supervisor(s) and PG Coordinator of the Department, and endorsed by the relevant School. It should then be submitted to FYTGS for further arrangements.

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Thesis preparation and submission

Step-by-step guide to thesis preparation and submission.

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Writing support

Enquire with the Associate Dean, Higher Degree Research in your Faculty about writing groups that may meet to support each other to write productively.

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Submit your thesis

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Adelaide Graduate Research School

Thesis Examination

After you submit your thesis, please make sure you are across the examination process below and complete the final steps to finishing your degree.

The examination

Detailed information on how the examination will be conducted is in the  ’Examination’ section of the   Research Student Handbook (please see the examination chapter). Your thesis will be sent electronically to 2 examiners who will be asked to submit their reports within 8 weeks.

How long will my thesis examination take?

We ask examiners to complete the examination and provide their reports to the Adelaide Graduate Research School within eight weeks from their receipt of the thesis.  To expedite the examination process, the Adelaide Graduate Research School reminds examiners if their reports have not been received by the due date and follows up with additional reminders where necessary. In practice, it takes an average of three months before you will receive notification of the outcome of your examination.

Why may my thesis take longer than 3 months to examine?

There are a couple of key reasons why an examination can take longer than usual.

Firstly, examiners are busy people and sometimes they have commitments or circumstances which necessitate them requesting an extension of time to complete their assessment. On rare occasions, an examiner may even need to withdraw from an examination due to ill health or other personal circumstances.  Where a situation like this arises, the Adelaide Graduate Research School will consult with your supervisor to agree on the most expedient way to move the examination forward (e.g. agree to the extension request or appoint a new examiner).

Secondly, time can be added to the examination process where the examiners make discrepant recommendations on the outcome of a thesis examination, e.g. one examiner recommends that the degree be awarded (with or without amendments), whilst the second examiner recommends that the thesis is revised and resubmitted, or failed. In such cases, the University will normally appoint a third independent examiner. Where this happens, the length of the examination process may be significantly increased.

Please be aware that while the Adelaide Graduate Research School works to ensure that examinations are completed as quickly as possible, some things are outside of our control and so we cannot guarantee that you will receive an outcome by a specified date.  We do appreciate that waiting for an examination result can be a nerve-wracking and frustrating time for students. We look forward to hearing about your successful outcomes too!

Your examination outcome

If you are not completing an oral examination.

You will receive an email advising of the outcome of your examination along with copies of the reports from your examiners. The email contains advice on the examiners’ recommendation and what steps you need to take to complete the requirements and be qualified for your degree.

Descriptions of the recommendations that examiners can make and how an outcome is determined can be found in the  ’Examination’ section of the   Research Student Handbook .

If you are completing an oral examination

You will receive an email with copies of the reports from the examiners and advice on when your oral examination will occur and who the Chair will be.  Further information on the oral examination and how that will proceed can be found on the oral examination webpage .

After you receive your outcome email

Your outcome email will detail what you need to do. You will need to submit the following to the Adelaide Graduate Research School:

The Australian Higher Education Graduate Statement (AHEGS) is a formal document describing the University of Adelaide and your degree requirements.  A 100 word description of your research must be submitted on a special template for inclusion in the AHEGS. Once you have completed your 100 words on the template you should email it to your principal supervisor and request their approval by return email.  Once you have your principal supervisor’s approval send that email, along with the approved AHEGS template to the Adelaide Graduate Research School.  This should be done at the time of your thesis submission, or at the latest, before your final thesis is submitted after it has been examined. Your AHEGS statement is required before you can be qualified and be eligible for the conferral of your degree.

Download the AHEGS template

Exit survey

The Adelaide Graduate Research School is interested to learn of your experiences during your candidature with a view to improving the experiences of current and future students. Answers to the questions in the exit survey are anonymised and aggregated so that your answers cannot be attributed to you. Please complete the exit survey, preferably just before submitting your thesis for examination, or at the latest, before your final thesis is submitted after it has been examined.  A completed exit survey is required before you can be qualified and be eligible for the conferral of your degree.

Complete the exit survey

Your final thesis

You will need to consult with your supervisors regarding the content of the examiners’ reports and make any required changes. The final approved version of your thesis should then be submitted to the Adelaide Graduate Research School along with a Final Thesis Lodgement form.

Download the final thesis lodgement form

When you submit your thesis you will be advised of several important deadlines for conferral of your degree and graduating. It is important that you check MyAdelaide to ensure that you have applied to graduate by the dates indicated on the Graduations website . Information is available in the ‘Graduation’ section of the Research Students Handbook . All queries regarding graduation ceremonies and academic transcripts should be directed to the Graduations Office , not the Adelaide Graduate Research School.

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The PhD Thesis Examination Process

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Steps to be Followed in Submitting and Assessing Doctoral Dissertations

Once a candidate has satisfied the residence requirements and any additional requirements of their Graduate Academic Unit relating to language examinations, qualifying examinations, area and comprehensive examinations, etc., and acceptable grades have been obtained in courses prescribed by the Graduate Academic Unit (GAU), the granting of the doctoral degree then depends upon the acceptance of the candidate’s doctoral dissertation and an oral defence of that dissertation. Acceptance of the doctoral dissertation involves the following steps, each of which is outlined in detail in the following sections.

Step 1: Acceptance by the Graduate Academic Unit

Step 2: submission of the dissertation to the sgs.

• Submit an electronic copy of the dissertation to the SGS for subsequent distribution to the Examining Board.
• Submit a memo from the Director of Graduate Studies to the Dean of Graduate Studies identifying the names of all proposed members of the Examining Board, including the name and contact information for three potential External Examiners, from which one will be selected. This notification should include whether or not the GAU, or Supervisor, is inviting the External Examiner to attend the oral defence in person, affirming their ability to cover related travel expenses.
• Submit a “Conflict of Interest” form signed by the supervisor(s).
• Submit a “Completion of GAU requirements for PhD Degree” signed by the Director

Step 3: Constitution of an Examining Board

• Internal Examiner(s) - Supervisor(s)
• Internal Examiner from the student’s GAU
• Internal Examiner from the student’s GAU, or from another GAU at UNB
• Internal Examiner from another GAU at UNB
• External Examiner (outside of UNB)

Examiners 2-4 may (but need not) be members of the Supervisory Committee; and Examiner 4 may also be external to UNB. The process of constituting the Examining Board is initiated by the Director of Graduate Studies of the GAU.  After appropriate consultation with the GAU, the Director will contact potential Members of the Examining Board, including making a preliminary inquiry of nominated potential External Examiners (see below), to canvas their willingness and availability to serve on the Examining Board. The Director of Graduate Studies then forwards nominations for membership on the Examining Board to the Dean, who then reviews and approves the nominations, or suggests modifications. See template memorandum on subsequent pages.

Selection of External Examiner: External Examiners will be selected based on advanced academic rank and recognized academic expertise. This normally means the External Examiner will hold a tenured or tenure track position at the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent) at minimum. Acknowledging that the definition of academic merit and expertise may vary across disciplines, an External Examiner should have a notable publishing record in the field or topic of the dissertation, as demonstrated on their academic cv. The Director of Graduate Studies will advance three (3) possible External Examiners to the School of Graduate Studies for consideration at the time the doctoral candidate submits their dissertation. The Director (but NOT the Supervisor) may make an informal approach to nominees to canvas their willingness and availability to serve. Where the Director also has some involvement with the dissertation, the Chair of the Department, or Dean of Faculty, or designate in the decanal structure, should make this informal contact with nominees for External Examiner.  Every precaution must be taken to avoid potential conflicts of interest; hence, the Conflict of Interest form must be signed and submitted to the SGS verifying that there are no conflicts.

Step 4: Distribution of Dissertation to the Examining Board

• Handle all subsequent communications with members of the Examining Board, including the External Examiner (see note below).
• Preschedule a date for the oral defence agreeable to all members of the Examining Board, including the External Examiner.
• Distribute an electronic copy of the thesis to all members of the Examining Board, including instructions to examiners on how to complete their reviews and submit their evaluations within 4 weeks of receipt of the dissertation.

NOTE: To preserve the integrity of the Examination process and avoid any perception of bias, members of the Examining Board are prohibited from being in communications with one another, or with the student, concerning the thesis during the review process. The only exception is that the Supervisor can continue to be in communications with the student in their ongoing supervisory role.

Step 5: Assessment of the Dissertation by the Examining Board

• Examiners are expected to return their reviews to the Administrative Coordinator in the SGS within 4 weeks of receipt of the dissertation.
• If the reviews of all examiners include a recommendation of only option 1 (minor revisions) or option 2 (moderate revisions), the process will normally proceed to the oral defence.
• If the reviews of any examiner include a recommendation of option 3 (major revisions) or for other reason involve substantive concerns that warrant broader dicussion, a meeting of the Examining Board will be scheduled to consider feedback to the student and next steps. The student will NOT be notified of this step until the Examining Board meets and provides further direction to the student concerning next steps.
• Normally the result of the meeting of the Examining Board is a report, developed collectively, that gives clear instruction to the student concerning next steps including any revisions that are deemed to be required prior to oral defence. In this instance, Examiners' individual reports are normally not shared with the student. Instead, the collective report of the Examining Board by itself provides the full direction needed.
• Where revisions are required by the Examining Board, the student will have a maximum of one year to complete the revision and return the revised dissertation to the SGS for followup review and assessment by the Examining Board.

Step 6: Oral Defence of the Dissertation

• The responsibility for coordinating and scheduling the oral defence, and for preparing announcements of it to the University community, rests with the SGS.
• Students will do an oral defence (in person, or for the time being in the COVID context, virtually). They are advised to be accessible to campus facilities and services following the defence to allow sufficient time and access to the requisite supports to complete revisions, and paperwork, and to submit the final approved dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies.
• Oral defence proceedings will be chaired by a member of the Decanal group in the SGS, or by a nominee of the Dean. The examination will be open to all members of the University community and the public.
• The purpose of the oral examination is to examine both the content of the dissertation and the candidate’s ability to defend it.
• The oral defence will be limited to 3 hours duration, including a 30-minute presentation by the candidate. The Chair will introduce the candidate, outline the proceedings, and preside over the question period. Following this, the period of formal questioning by the Examining Board will commence. During this question period, there will be rounds of questions by members of the Examining Board. Examiners are asked to pose clear and specific questions of the candidate that do not require protracted elaboration in order to optimize the use of time, and to be respectful of fellow examiner’s opportunity to pose questions. The Chair will ensure that questioning remains professional and respectful and will quell any inappropriate questioning or behaviour.

Step 7: Acceptance of the Dissertation and Oral Defence by the Examining Board

• At the conclusion of the oral examination, the Chair will request the candidate and general members of the audience to withdraw while the Examining Board deliberates.
• The Chair will coordinate the Examining Board deliberations and their review and recommendations of both the dissertation and the candidate's performance in presenting and defending the dissertation. Note that, in cases where there are Co-supervisors, they have together only one vote.
• The Chair will record and report the Examining Board's assessment of the dissertation to the SGS, using the "Assessment of Ph.D. Dissertation & Oral Examination" form. The options for assessment of the dissertation are as follows and are outlined on the “Assessment of PhD Dissertation & Oral Examination” form.
• Minor revisions:  The dissertation is accepted with few (or no) modifications. (This option is appropriate where the dissertation is acceptable in its current form, or where only minor editing changes may be needed to correct typographical errors or minor infelicities of grammar, style or presentation.)
• Moderate revisions:  The dissertation is acceptable subject to moderate revisions. (This option is appropriate where revisions are needed to improve the presentation of material but do not materially alter the substance of the thesis and the conclusions that can be drawn from it. This could include more extensive editing to correct typographical errors; to address other problems with the writing style; to clarify elements of methods, analyses, or data presentation (e.g., tables, figures); or to clarify or expand upon particular arguments or intepretations.)
• Major revisions:  The dissertation requires major revisions and is returned to the student for revision and resubmission to the Examining Board within one-year. (This option is appropriate where extensive revisions are required that could materially affect the content and/or the inferences or conclusions that can be drawn from the work. This could include problems with the core scholarship, data analysis and interpretation, or major gaps or errors in the information or arguments presented.
• The dissertation is not acceptable and the Examining Board recommends that the degree not be awarded.
• The oral defence is acceptable.
• The oral defence is not wholly acceptable and the Examining Board therefore requests that a further oral presentation and defence be held before a final decision is made.
• The oral defence is not acceptable and the Examining Board recommends that the degree not be awarded.

Step 8: Final Acceptance by the School of Graduate Studies

Following the oral defence and any required revisions to the thesis, the supervisor(s) and other members of the Examining Board (as required) will sign and submit the appropriate form indicating that the requirements for revision have been satisfied. This form must be received prior to submission of the final dissertation to the SGS for electronic deposit and archiving. The final dissertation submitted to the SGS must conform to standard formatting guidelines which are detailed in the  Thesis Formatting Guide  available on the SGS website. To assist in this, formatting templates and ‘how to’ guides are provided on the  Electronic Thesis Deposit  website. The supervisor(s) must also ensure that both they and the student sign and then submit to the SGS the "Dissertation Deposit” form authorizing deposit of the thesis in the UNB institutional reposity, UNB Scholar. A student may request an embargo of their thesis, limiting its accessibility to the public for any period to a maximum of 4-years. All such requests must be accompanied by a detailed justification and will be reviewed and considered for approval by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Requests for extension will not generally be considered. Students, supervisors and departments can request printing and binding directly through Lehmann Bookbinding  https://pageforpage.com/   If you have questions, please contact  [email protected] .

Following receipt and acceptance of the final dissertation, the candidate will be placed on the tentative list of graduates for the following Encaenia or Convocation. To complete this process, students are required to complete the on-line application to graduate  even if they do not plan to attend the ceremony.

Unsure where to find one of the mentioned forms? They are all located under Forms related to degree completion and graduation at https://www.unb.ca/gradstudies/current/forms.html

Approved by the Executive Committee of the School of Graduate Studies, March 18, 2004; Approved by Fredericton & Saint John Senates, March 30/31, 2004. Revisions approved by SGS Executive February 9, 2017 and approved by Fredericton & Saint John Senates, May 15, 2017.

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• You are currently on: Doctoral examination process

Doctoral examination process

A step-by-step outline of the examination process for PhD and named doctorate candidates.

The examination process can be a time of great stress. This page aims to relieve that stress by giving you, as a doctoral candidate, an idea of what to expect.

Examination process overview

A successful examination usually follows the following basic steps:

• Intention to submit notification
• Initial thesis submission
• Thesis examination
• Oral examination
• Outcome and final submission

The Doctor of Fine Arts examination process is a little different: the oral examination takes place before the thesis examination and at the same time as the performance or exhibition. Find out more by reading the regulations at Doctor of Fine Art Examination Procedures .

Timeline and updates

The examination process runs from initial submission to final submission. The process generally takes up to 6 months, though it may be longer in some cases. Your examination will be managed by a dedicated Examinations team at the School of Graduate Studies.

Candidates on Wahapū will receive regular automatic updates at key stages of the process, and will be able to log into the system at any time to check the progress of the examination.

Important documents

It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the following important documents (or the appropriate documentation for your programme of study/Statute) before the examination process begins:

• Doctoral Examination Procedures
• Doctoral Thesis Examination - Pre-Examination Procedures
• Doctoral Oral Examination Process
• Doctoral Thesis Examination - Post-Examination Procedures
• PhD Statute / Regulations for Named Doctorates

Stage one: Intention to submit

Preparations for your examination begin when you notify the School of Graduate that you are preparing to submit your thesis via an Intention to Submit. This nudges your supervisors to begin the process of appointing your examiners. It must be done at least three months in advance of your proposed submission date to ensure that your examiners are in place before you submit your thesis.

If your examiners are not in place, there will be a delay to your examination process.

Find out more at Intention to submit doctoral thesis .

Stage two: Initial thesis submission

Once your thesis is fully up-to-date and you have prepared the required forms and/or additional material, you can make your initial submission online via Wahapū (or in person if completing the process manually).

Your enrolment at the University ends when you make your initial submission, but you will continue to have access to the library and the University's IT services.

International candidates who plan to stay in New Zealand after they have submitted their thesis are eligible to apply for a Post Study Work Visa. Learn more at  Post Study Work Visas for international doctoral candidates.

Stage three: Thesis examination

Once the School of Graduate Studies has accepted your thesis it will be made available to your examiners if they are in place. If they are not in place, the examiner nomination and approval process may cause a delay to your examination.

The timeline for returning the examiner reports is 6 weeks, but it is common for thesis examinations to take longer than this. All examiners are followed up regularly until the reports are submitted.

Stage four: Thesis examination recommendation

You will be informed via email once your thesis examination recommendation has been confirmed.

Possible recommendations are:

• Proceed to oral (with or without revisions)
• Minor corrections or resubmission of the Portfolio of Clinical Research (DClinPsy only)

Revise and resubmit

Award another degree, stage five: oral examination.

When the School of Graduate Studies approves a ‘Proceed to oral’ recommendation, the Examinations team will begin organising your oral exam. You will be asked to provide your oral examination preferences, such as dates and invitees. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the examiner reports via your Wahapū Examination record.

Once your exam has been organised, you will receive an email notification with all the details. 

For more information about the oral examination, please see the Doctoral Oral Examination Procedures .

Stage six: Outcome advised

The School of Graduate Studies will advise you of the official outcome of your oral examination by email once it is approved. Any prior indication of the outcome is not official until approved by the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate).

The possible outcomes are:

Stage seven: Final submission

You can make your final submission only once you have been directed to do so by the School of Graduate Studies.

Final submission occurs after you have:

• Completed your oral examination; and
• Received an email from the School of Graduate Studies informing you of the result of your degree and directing you to make your final submission; and
• Satisfactorily completed any required corrections or revisions to your thesis (if relevant)

Read more about the requirements for your final thesis submission on AskAuckland, here: Final thesis submission.

Other outcomes

A Revisions outcome means that your thesis will meet the required standard once the specified minor changes have been made. A list of revisions required may be provided by a member of the examination committee (usually the AH Nominee). You will not be re enrolled but will be given a time limit in which you are required to complete the revisions.

A Revise and resubmit outcome means that your work is not yet at the required standard for your degree, but that the Examiners and/or Examination Committee believe that you will reach the required standard with a little more time. You will meet with members of your Examination Committee to discuss the required revisions and will be provided with a report to guide you.

You will be re-enrolled in your programme for the requisite number of months and will be liable for all fees for this period.

When you come to resubmit your thesis, you must create a new examination record in Wahapū. The process starts at the Initial thesis submission stage.

This outcome means that your work does not meet the standard required for your programme, but instead makes you eligible for an alternative award.

You will be offered the opportunity to graduate and be awarded the specified degree. This will be organised within your faculty or LSRI.

This outcome means that your work does not meet the standard required for an award. You will not be offered the opportunity to graduate and will be awarded no degree.

Related links

• School of Graduate Studies
• Examinations
• Doctoral forms

Thesis examination

Review the examination process and outcomes.

After your thesis is submitted and your examiners finalised, your thesis will be sent for examination.

Each examiner is sent your thesis together with examination instructions guidelines. Your examiners are required to complete their examination and provide their report within four weeks for MRes theses and five weeks for PhD and MPhil theses. You and your supervisors should not contact examiners during the examination process.

For detailed information about the examination process, see the  HDR Thesis Preparation, Submission and Examination Policy .

The information below is applicable to examinations:

• Where the supervisor has commenced the nomination of examiners, or the student has submitted their thesis in the e-examination portal on or before 31 August 2024
• Where the supervisor has commenced the nomination of examiners and the student has submitted their thesis in the e-examination portal on or after 1 September 2024

On/before 31 August 2024

Examination outcomes.

• Award: The thesis meets all required standards in terms of the nature and quality of work undertaken, and the degree can be awarded without any further work by the student, other than the correction of typographical errors and small lapses of expression and presentation in the final copy.
• Award (after Corrections): The thesis meets all required standards in terms of the nature and quality of work undertaken, and the degree can be awarded without further examination once the student has made a number of corrections and clarifications in the thesis. The corrections are to be completed to the satisfaction of the Thesis Examination Subcommittee and are required to be completed within one month for MRes students and two months for MPhil/PhD students.
• Revision and Re-examination: The thesis does not yet meet all required standards for the award of the degree and the student should complete a further period of research and writing. Normally, under this category, a student would re-enrol for a period of up to one-year full-time (or equivalent). The thesis will then be submitted for re-examination.
• Not award: The thesis does not meet the required standards for the award of the degree, and does not warrant a further period of research and writing.

MRes students will also be awarded a percentage score for their thesis. The maximum mark a thesis can receive after re-examination is 64%.

For further information about examination criteria and outcomes, see the  HDR Thesis Preparation, Submission and Examination Policy.

Revise and resubmit

In some cases, you may be advised to revise and resubmit your thesis for re-examination. During re-examination, examiners are requested to determine whether or not the revised thesis now meets the requirements of the degree as specified.

Re-submission must occur within one year from the date of the decision for revision for PhD and MPhil students and three months from the date of the decision for revision for MRes students.

For re-submission, you will need to submit your thesis in accordance with the relevant submission requirements. You must also include documentation that addresses the matters raised in your initial examination. This documentation must not be examiner-specific.

• Initial examiners will receive an invitation to re-examine your thesis. Re-examiners are allowed access to your unrevised thesis, along with all reports from the University and initial examiners (subject to privacy requirements).
• If your initial examiners are unavailable, there may be new examiners appointed. You should make no direct contact with your examiners – any contact you wish to make must be approved by the Research and Research Training Committee.
• If you do not complete your re-submission in the determined time-frame, you will be deemed to have failed the requirements for the award of your degree.
• If you fail to meet the requirements of the degree on re-examination, you cannot apply for further re-examination.

Note that revision of your thesis requires you to re-enrol and pay any required fees.

For further information about the resubmission process, see the  HDR Thesis Preparation, Submission and Examination Policy .

Final thesis submission

All graduate research students, including PhD, MPhil and MRes students must submit a final digital copy of their thesis for inclusion in the Macquarie University Theses which is Macquarie University’s open access digital collection. Access to graduate research theses is facilitated through the University Library.

Macquarie University Theses is designed to promote globally, preserve locally and provide open access to the research theses of Macquarie University's students. Records from Macquarie University Theses are also accessible from sources such as Trove Australia, Google and Google Scholar.  The Macquarie University’s open access digital  theses collection gives your research greater potential readership, ensures your research is protected from destruction and provides security through adherence to metadata standards and access rights. The Library and the GRA work together to implement, manage and oversee the submission of digital theses for inclusion in Macquarie University Theses.

Further information and FAQs can be found  Theses @ Macquarie University .

Once the thesis has been examined and recommended to be passed to the Research and Research Training Committee, you have to submit  a ‘HDR Thesis Submission to Library Request’ eForm accompanied by the final digital copy of the thesis.

To submit, you must:

• Log in to  eStudent
• Click in the Forms tile
• Search for the ‘HDR Thesis Submission to Library Request’
• Complete the form

After submission of the eForm, your request will go to the Graduate Research Academy. You will receive an email notification confirming that your request has been completed.

The Library will accept your digital thesis in PDF, Word and RTF format. The final display format on  Macquarie University Theses is PDF and the Library will convert your thesis into this format as required. If you intend to submit your thesis in PDF format, security protection or password access should not be applied.

Parts of your thesis may be subject to copyright. If you are concerned about copyright issues related to your thesis, check Macquarie's  information on copyright , talk to Macquarie University's  Copyright Coordinator or speak to your Research Librarian.

The University recognises that in particular cases commercial and confidentiality issues may necessitate an embargo on the digital version of a thesis. Where an embargo is required on cultural, ethical, legal or commercial grounds approval from the Research Degree Subcommittee is required. For further information, please email  [email protected] . Where a student is seeking to publish their thesis, or part thereof, a request to the Macquarie University Library is required.  For further information please contact the Library by emailing [email protected] .

A thesis may include supplementary files, eg. creative component or data files, that you wish to restrict from full open access. If this is the case, please email the Library at  [email protected] to discuss options for managing restrictions to supplementary files.

Hardbound guidelines

If your faculty requests a hardbound copy of your thesis, you should prepare the thesis in accordance with the following requirements:

• The spine should state the title of the thesis (abbreviated if necessary), your family name, and the date of submission or re-submission.
• The words should be in gold lettering of suitable size.
• When published papers are submitted as additional evidence, they should be bound in the back of the thesis as an appendix. When they form part of the thesis body, they should be bound into the thesis itself.

On/after 1 September 2024

• Award (after Corrections):  The thesis meets all required standards in terms of the nature and quality of work undertaken, and the degree can be awarded without further examination once the student has made a number of corrections and clarifications in the thesis. The corrections are to be completed to the satisfaction of the Thesis Examination Subcommittee and are required to be completed within one month for MRes students and two months for MPhil/PhD students.
• Revision and Re-examination:  The thesis does not yet meet all required standards for the award of the degree and the student should complete a further period of research and writing. Under this category, a student will be automatically re-enrolled into their course  for a period of 12 months (or equivalent) for PhD; 9 months (or equivalent) for MPhil or 3 months (or equivalent) for MRes. The thesis will then be submitted for re-examination.
• Not award:  The thesis does not meet the required standards for the award of the degree, and does not warrant a further period of research and writing.

For further information about examination criteria and outcomes, see the  Graduate Research Thesis Preparation, Submission and Examination Policy.

Revision and Re-examination

If you receive an outcome of revise and re-examination, you will be automatically re-enrolled. Re-submission must occur within one year from the date of the decision for revision for PhD, nine months for MPhil students and three months from the date of the decision for revision for MRes students.

Note that revision of your thesis requires you to pay any applicable fees.

For further information about the resubmission process, see the  Graduate Research Thesis Preparation, Submission and Examination Policy and Procedure .

Macquarie University Theses is designed to promote globally, preserve locally and provide open access to the research theses of Macquarie University's students. Records from Macquarie University Theses are also accessible from sources such as Trove Australia, Google and Google Scholar.  The Macquarie University’s open access digital theses collection gives your research greater potential readership, ensures your research is protected from destruction and provides security through adherence to metadata standards and access rights. The Library and the GRA work together to implement, manage and oversee the submission of digital theses for inclusion in Macquarie University Theses.

International Students

If you are an international student visa holder, your visa date will be checked by the University when your thesis examination outcome has been finalised. If your visa is found to have more than 4 weeks’ validity, the Graduate Research Academy will report the thesis submission to the  Department of Home Affairs (DHA) . You are responsible for contacting DHA regarding your change of visa status. If you wish to stay in Australia to wait for examination results, DHA will need to be consulted. Contact DHA directly for advice.

For further information about thesis preparation, submission and examination, see the  Graduate Research Thesis Preparation, Submission and Examination Policy .

Celebrate your achievement!

We’d like to celebrate your completion with you, so after you’ve received your final examination letter, stop by the Graduate Research Academy (GRA) and take a selfie with us to capture the moment:

• Graduate Research Academy
• Level 2, 16 Wally's Walk
• Macquarie University NSW 2109
• T: +61 (2) 9850 4741
• E: [email protected]

Check your examination progress

Check the progress of your examination in the portal.

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Graduate Research School Doctor of Philosophy Candidates The Thesis Examination Process

The Thesis Examination Process

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So, you're getting ready to submit your thesis? Congratulations! You are nearly there!

Your thesis will be examined by two external examiners of international standing. You should discuss with your advisors who a few possibilities might be, but not know exactly who your examiners are.  A few weeks before your thesis is submitted, your Primary Advisor should nominate your examiners using the Nomination of Examiners form.

To submit your thesis you’ll need to complete the Thesis Submission and Release Form and submit it together with a .pdf of your thesis to your College. Once your thesis has been submitted, the Graduate Research School will manage the examination of your thesis.

After your submission, you'll have to wait a bit while your examiners read and evaluate your thesis. All in all, it's a pretty straightforward process, but it can be nerve-wracking too. Just remember to take your time, follow the guidelines, and trust in your hard work and research. Good luck!

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