Academic Regulations Governing Postgraduate Degrees by Research and Thesis

9. Regulations for Masters and PhD Degrees

1. Internal & external examiners: each candidate for a higher degree by research will be examined by at least one internal examiner and at least one external examiner (see Section 8 regarding appointment procedures). The internal and external examiners must not have been involved with the progress of the candidate's research.

External and internal examiners may meet in advance of, and/or after, a viva voce examination, if required, without a candidate's academic supervisor and/or the independent chairman of the examination being present

2. Procedure for examination

• The thesis will be referred by the Registry/ registrar's office (SPCD) to the examiners; the latter cannot accept it directly from the candidate. It may be presented for examination in soft binding to facilitate any subsequent revisions which may be required.
• An oral examination is mandatory for PhD candidates but may be waived by the external examiner(s) in the case of a masters candidate.
• Examiners are normally expected to carry out their duties within six weeks of receipt of the thesis. This is to avoid hardship to the candidate.
• The oral examination should be held at SPCD or Dublin City University as appropriate, unless prior approval has been obtained from the Registry/registrar's office (SPCD) to hold it elsewhere.
• The oral examination shall be carried out jointly by the external and internal examiners; the proceedings shall be supervised by an independent chairperson nominated by the relevant Head of School/Department in consultation with the candidate's supervisor. The candidate's supervisor may be present at the oral examination, but should not participate in the examination unless an issue arises which demanded his/her input.

3. Examination of the thesis

• Examiners should assess a masters thesis in the light of the following criteria:
  • The thesis should show evidence of independent thought and work by the candidate;
  • The investigation or critical study should be scholarly;
  • The candidate should understand the significance of the work.

4. Examiners should assess a PhD thesis in the light of the following criteria:

• The thesis should contain original, independent work that is weighty and significant.
• The thesis should represent a significant contribution to knowledge of the subject through the discovery of new facts and/or the exercise of independent critical powers.
• The thesis should demonstrate the candidate's ability to undertake further such research.
• The thesis and abstract should be presented in grammatically correct English or Irish, and should be readable and succinct.
• If the candidate's research is part of a collaborative group project, the thesis should indicate clearly the candidate's contribution and the extent of the collaboration.
• In the PhD oral examination a candidate should demonstrate that the thesis presented is his/her own work, and that he/she has an adequate understanding of the research topic and of the broader field of knowledge to which the research belongs.

5. Examiners' reports and recommendations

• Examiners should submit separate written reports to the Registry/registrar's office (SPCD) within one week of the completion of the examination process, using the pro forma provided.
• The final outcome of the examination process should be reported as one of the following recommendations:
• that the degree sought be awarded;
• that the degree sought be awarded subject to clearly specified minor revisions;
• that no degree be awarded, but that the candidate be allowed to submit a revised thesis, normally within a year;
• that, where a PhD is sought, a masters degree be awarded;
• that no degree be awarded ;
• that, where a masters degree was sought, the candidate be advised and permitted to withdraw the thesis for revision and re-submission at a later date for the award of a PhD, subject to the follow conditions:
  • the candidate, prior to such re-submission for the award of PhD, must have been a registered full-time postgraduate student for a least twenty four months (or pro-rata for a part-time registered postgraduate student).
  • the re-submitted thesis shall be examined in accordance with the regulations for examination of theses presented for the award of PhD and by a different external examiner appointed by Academic Council.
• The inclusion of specified minor revisions to the thesis shall be carried out to the satisfaction of the internal examiner and the candidate's supervisor.
• Major alterations to the thesis shall be carried out to the satisfaction of both the internal and external examiners.
• Examiners should give clear grounds for their recommendation, particularly if it is not clear-cut and favourable.
• Where the examiners recommend a revision and re-submission of the thesis, they should provide the candidate with a clear and written statement of the changes required, and should also include this with their reports.

6. Remit of independent chairperson

• The role of the independent chairperson is to ensure adherence to the oral examination regulations and procedures and to ensure that the oral examination is conducted in a reasonable and equitable manner.
• The independent chairperson shall be selected from the academic staff of the University and shall be unconnected with the programme of research carried out by the candidate under examination.
• The independent chairperson shall not have any input into nor participate in any way in the assessment of the candidate; the assessment of the candidate remains the sole responsibility of the examiners appointed by Academic Council.

7. Procedure after examination

• The Registry will refer the examiners' reports to the appropriate Faculty Awards Board for Research Degrees/College Research Committee (SPCD) for consideration at its next meeting. Thereafter, a consolidated report listing the names of candidates recommended for a higher degree shall be presented to Academic Council for approval.
• The Registry independent chairperson shall advise candidates of the official outcome of the Examination process where a thesis has been referred for revision or where no award or an award lower than the one sought has been recommended by the examiners.

8. Appeals

• Candidates for research degrees have, in common with candidates of taught degrees, the right to appeal the official outcome of the examination process. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Assistant Registrar/ Registrar (SPCD) within fourteen days of the notification of the decision appealed against and must be supported by acceptable documentary evidence outlining the circumstances which have given rise to the appeal.
• An Appeals Board for Research Degrees shall be constituted. The membership of the Appeals Board shall consist of the Registrar and the Deans of Faculties.
• The Appeals Board shall consider each appeal in its merits and determine a course of action pursuant to the evaluation of all relevant circumstances, documentary evidence, and reports pertaining to the student's prior academic progress and performance in the examination process. All decisions of the Appeals Board, including those decisions which may involve obtaining a recommendation from an additional examiner (or examiners), are final and binding.

9. External examiners' fees and expenses

• Fees and approved expenses are payable to External Examiners in accordance with the rates approved by the University. Examiners will be notified of the relevant rates at the time of appointment.

 

 

Last Updated: Friday September 18 2009