University of Cambridge

Study at Cambridge

About the university, research at cambridge.

  • Undergraduate courses
  • Events and open days
  • Fees and finance
  • Postgraduate courses
  • How to apply
  • Postgraduate events
  • Fees and funding
  • International students
  • Continuing education
  • Executive and professional education
  • Courses in education
  • How the University and Colleges work
  • Term dates and calendars
  • Visiting the University
  • Annual reports
  • Equality and diversity
  • A global university
  • Public engagement
  • Give to Cambridge
  • For Cambridge students
  • For our researchers
  • Business and enterprise
  • Colleges & departments
  • Email & phone search
  • Museums & collections
  • Current Students

Degree Committee for the Faculty of Earth Sciences & Geography

  • About the DC overview

Meeting dates

  • Department contacts
  • Prospective Students overview
  • Continuing students
  • Current Students overview
  • Change in student status overview
  • Changing course, dept or mode
  • Extending submission deadline
  • Intermission
  • Withdrawal and reinstatement
  • Working Away from Cambridge
  • Supervision reports
  • First year review
  • Exams MRes & MPhil (taught) overview
  • Rules and Regulations
  • After the examination
  • Exams MPhil by thesis overview
  • Before you submit
  • Thesis submission
  • The oral (viva)
  • Results overview
  • Corrections
  • Revising a thesis
  • Exams PhD overview
  • Submitting a hardbound copy
  • PhD not awarded
  • LWA Research Fund
  • Complaints and appeals
  • Supervisors overview
  • Supervisor appointment
  • Roles and responsibilities overview
  • Supervisor role: postgraduate admissions
  • Supervisor role: current students
  • Supervisor role: examinations
  • Guidance for supervisors
  • Supervision reporting
  • Examiners overview
  • PhD or MPhil by thesis exam overview
  • Examiner appointment
  • Pre-viva actions
  • Post-viva actions
  • Submitting reports
  • Fees and expenses
  • Examining a revised thesis
  • MRes or MPhil (taught) exam overview
  • Senior/Chair of Examiners
  • External Examiner for taught courses
  • Examiners and Assessors
  • Plagiarism or poor scholarship
  • Appeals procedures
  • Higher Degrees overview
  • PhD under Special Regulations
  • ScD and LittD

Revising a PhD thesis and re-examination

  • Degree Committee for the Faculty of Earth Sciences & Geography

If, after examining your thesis and conducting the oral, the Examiners cannot recommend that you pass (even if you were to correct your work), they will in most cases recommend that you should be allowed to revise and resubmit your work for a second examination .

Should the Degree Committee decide that you should revise and resubmit your work, you will be allowed up to 12 months from the date of Student Registry's email confirming that decision.  Shortly after the Degree Committee meeting Student Registry will notify you of the decision, provide you with the revision advice supplied by the Examiners, and will give you a deadline for letting them know whether or not you wish to do this.

You may be asked to conduct further labwork/fieldwork/collect more data as part of the revision. If so, you might want to weigh up the pros and cons of accepting the invitation to revise the work for the PhD. If you chose not to revise your thesis you will not receive a PhD degree. However, you might be offered the option of accepting a lower degree instead (MSc or MPhil). If you have not been offered you this option, but you wish to pursue this possibility, please contact the Degree Committee.

Submitting a revised thesis

It is important to recognise that being permitted to revise your thesis for re-examination is not the same as making corrections.

We ask that you follow the same procedures as when preparing for the original submission (i.e. give us advance Notice of your intention to submit, make any voluntary disability disclosure, and submit two bound copies of your revised thesis to Student Registry, not directly to your Examiners).

If you have not submitted within the time allowed you will be withdrawn from study. Reinstatement will be considered when you are ready to submit.

Examination

The Degree Committee will normally appoint the same Examiners to examine the revised thesis. If you have good reason to object to the reappointment of the examiners, you should tell your supervisor before you resubmit the thesis and you should also inform the Degree Committee office at the point of submitting your Notice of intention to submit form. Bear in mind that if the same Examiners are appointed, they are best placed to judge whether or not you have made the revisions at the level required for the PhD. If new Examiners are appointed, they will know that the work is revised and they will be aware of what you have been asked to do to bring it up to doctoral level.

If you have the same examiners and they both agree that your revised work is of PhD standard, they can waive a second oral. However, if they differ in their opinions or are not sure whether you have met the requirements for the degree, they will hold a second oral. If either of the examiners is new (i.e. did not examine the original thesis), an oral must always be held. An Independent Chair will also be appointed to be present at an oral exam.

Results of re-examination

Your Examiners send their reports and your candidature will be considered at the next available meetings of the Degree Committee .

The Degree Committee is the awarding body for the PhD Degree. Decisions to fail a candidate, or award a lower degree, are ratified by the Postgraduate Committee. Shortly after the Degree Committee meeting your result will be entered in CamSIS. You will be sent an email informing you of the result and advising you on what to do next. Your Examiners' reports will be attached to the email. Outcomes of the examination are:

  • pass (subject to submitting a hardbound copy and copy to Apollo) ;
  • or pass subject to corrections ;

Student Status

If you are required to revise and resubmit your thesis you are expected to be studying full-time in Cambridge from the date you are notified of your result unless you have applied for and been granted permission to work away. If you have already taken up employment you should temporarily withdraw from the University while you work on your revisions as it is not possible to be a student and be working at this stage.

If you can't find the page you are looking for or find a broken link do let us know (please use the email link in the 'Contact us' section below).

Ukraine - University resources

Coronavirus advice from the University

Office closures

The Degree Committee for the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography will be closed from 5pm on Thursday 28 March 2024 and will reopen again on Tuesday 2 April 2024. Research degree theses should still be submitted by your submission deadline even if that falls over the holiday period.

Meetings of the Degree Committee and Degree Ceremonies

Essential Links

Cambridge Students portal

Code of Practice for Postgraduate Students

International Students Office

Student Registry (for staff)

Degree Committee for Earth Sciences & Geography, School of Physical Sciences, 17 Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1RX. Tel: 01223 746764 / 746766

[email protected]

Site privacy & cookie policies.

© 2024 University of Cambridge

  • Contact the University
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of information
  • Privacy policy and cookies
  • Statement on Modern Slavery
  • Terms and conditions
  • University A-Z
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • Research news
  • About research at Cambridge
  • Spotlight on...

Get the Reddit app

A subreddit dedicated to PhDs.

The dreaded "revise and re-submit"

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Can a PhD student accused of plagiarism revise/resubmit the thesis?

I don't know how to ask this so please forgive my ignorance and lack of vocabulary. Consider a case as below. I just would like to know.. :

Can a PhD student who just defended their thesis, but is accused of plagiarism the day after that by his own advisor, be denied the right to correct/revise/resubmit/etc. the PhD thesis?

I think it's unfair that the student is denied the opportunity to correct/revise/resubmit/etc. with the reason being "there's no time". Long story short, the part covered by the accusation is only related to the explanation of some previous research (with difficulty in English) and the result of the defense was Successful. At least the advisor (and we generally as people in academic world) should help - at least give him/her a chance/right of resubmission/etc., not denying the student's hard work, worth and right. Many other people got the chance to at least resubmit/redefend/etc.

Any advice on what can be done also is very much appreciated.

[ADDITIONAL QUESTION]:

On this page , it's said that the Materials and Methods part is often given a high similarity score in plagiarism checker software. What I understand from the link is, a situation like this is acceptable; not considered as plagiarism. I wonder if this is also true for other/most universities/institutions?

psmears's user avatar

  • 8 I don't see how the thing about similarity in "Materials and Methods" is relevant; you said the part that was plagiarized was "the explanation about a previous research," not the methodology section. Plagiarizing in the related work section indicates bigger problems; if a student who copies parts of this section from the papers describing the related work probably isn't contributing their own analysis and insight to that section, and isn't properly contextualizing their own work. –  ff524 Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 17:55
  • 12 You seem to have a misunderstanding of what plagiarism is. A high "similarity index" is not the same as plagiarism, although it is often an indicator. –  StrongBad Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 21:41
  • 8 The fact that the advisor of the student was the accuser and nevertheless after the defence, gives me the impression that there are severe underlying problems. Isn't there an ethics committee to decide on these issues at the university? Most of the times it's not a black&white situation. –  electrique Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 22:03
  • 3 @electrique in my experience with academic misconduct by students it is generally pretty blatant (i.e., black and white). –  StrongBad Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 22:28
  • 3 To your additional question: Any software index is a hint only! It always should be confirmed by human who reads the texts and judges their actual similarity. –  Vladimir F Героям слава Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 11:23

4 Answers 4

There are a handful of issues here. First, an accusation of plagiarism does not make it plagarism. There is most likely a formal policy for cases like this. Things get messy if the work has already been graded and accepted. Many university polices allow retroactive punishments and universities can even revoke degrees. If, after the procedure concludes, and possibly your appeals have been exhausted, you are found to have plagarised, a penalty will be applied.

That penalty can vary substantially from a warning to expulsion. The academic misconduct panel I served on took an exceptionally harsh view of academic misconduct by graduate students and a exceptionally lenient view towards undergrads. Our university policy would not allow us to expel a student on a first offense. In the case of a thesis, we would be allowed to apply 3 penalties. The most lenient we could be would be to evaluate the thesis with the plagiarized material removed. If this caused the student to fail, they would be allowed to revise the thesis. The most harsh we could be would be to require them to submit a new thesis with entirely new work. This means an entirely new thesis project with all new writing, data collection, and analysis. In the final case, for localized plagarism, we could require the student to generate a new chapter or literature review.

My advice to you is to talk to student services ASAP about the university rules and getting independent representation. Most universities prohibit using lawyers in the process. Additionally you need to know why the accusations have arisen. Did you plagarise? Did you not understand what plagarism was? Did you make a copy and paste error? Maybe it is you who have been plagarised. Finally, setup a meeting with your advisor and another with your department chair. You need to know if your advisor and/or department are backing you or not.

Community's user avatar

  • 2 I'm familiar with cases in which a student retained legal counsel to help with a disciplinary hearing (including attending the hearing). –  Dan Romik Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 0:55
  • @DanRomik And it is also common for universities to prohibit legal counsel at all in disciplinary hearings as mentioned in the answer (mine included). If criminal charges are involved, the university hearings will often wait until the conclusion of the legal portions just so they can prohibit counsel from attending. So it comes down to what is in the student code of conduct and what procedures are outlined, but banning counsel is not uncommon. –  tpg2114 Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 22:40
  • @tpg2114 the real issue is that universities often let someone accompany the student and if that person just "happens" to be a lawyer then it is difficult to not allow the person to attend. –  StrongBad Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 22:50
  • @StrongBad Yeah, we have language specifically to prevent that. Ours specifically says that you cannot bring somebody who is licensed to practice law in our definition of "adviser" that a student can bring to a hearing. –  tpg2114 Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 22:57
  • 1 @tpg2114 maybe the solution is not to have such a stupid rule in the first place. Just saying. –  Dan Romik Commented Jan 22, 2016 at 0:31

I think it's relevant what kind of plagiarism this is.

If it's serious plagiarism, such as quoting large blocks of text without proper attribution, then that can be a serious academic offense. Asking why you can't just change it and re-submit is like asking why you can't just re-take an exam if you're caught cheating or why you can't just give the item back and forget everything if you're caught stealing.

Depending on your institutions procedures you might be allowed to resubmit if it's found that the plagiarism was minor, accidental or not actually plagiarism but I suspect you're missing the point.

Plagiarism in a submitted thesis isn't like a simple technical error to be corrected, it's potential wrong-doing or dishonesty to be investigated.

March Ho's user avatar

  • 16 The problem is, I may add, that a PhD declares the candidate to be a "full" member of the scientific community, and to adhere to certain standards. In other words, by plagiarising the candidate has demonstrated that he has little respect for the rules of science (it's not lack of knowledge anymore, at PhD level, the offence level can be assumed as well-known). It remains with the board responsible for PhD awards to decide whether this offence can be put to rest. –  Captain Emacs Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 16:22
  • 1 I think the student just didn't do well in paraphrasing that part. By the way, from [this link]( a ), it's said that Materials and Methods part often give a high similarity in plagiarism checker software. From the link, situation like this is not considered plagiarism. I wonder if this is also true for other/most universities/institutions? –  kate Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 16:36
  • 1 @kate that's exactly what I meant by saying it's relevant what kind of plagiarism it is. An accidental bit of self-plagiarism or a few non-notable sentences isn't a big deal but would likely still need to be investigated to decide if it's a result of dishonesty. On the other hand notable chunks of text without attribution would be a big problem. –  Murphy Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 16:59
  • 4 @kate In math, verbatim repeats of standard definitions for self-containedness are normal. Nobody expects you to invent a new definition for vector spaces. In a way it's a bit like a library import in software. This is not plagiarism, as long it is not claimed to be the candidate's own invention. I should believe that this is not the type of plagiarism that triggered the advisor's response. –  Captain Emacs Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 16:54
  • 4 @kate A high similarity index is just cause to investigate. A high similarity index can never be considered plagiarism by itself. –  David Schwartz Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 21:01

As a senior university academic, I would say that there is not really enough detail of the alleged misdemeanour to judge the severity of the case. However, if the fundamental research is unique and valid (as the successful defence of the thesis would imply it was), and a robust understanding of the area was demonstrated, then resubmission with ironing-out of over-similar sections would seem an appropriate outcome. If this is at a UK university, approach your Students' Union for support, they will understand the norms and Regulations and have a mandate to represent you.

purplemac's user avatar

The answer will depend on the rules and regulations of the university in question.

However, I would be surprised if the regulations gave the advisor total power to adjudicate such disputes. Usually such matters are referred to a committee at the department level or [in Europe] may be elevated to the university senate. There is usually some kind of process that tries to be fair and impartial in resolving these matters and usually the people will take it quite seriously.

The first thing I would do is read the regulations carefully, and seek advice from the head of the department or the chairman of the research student committee.

Calchas's user avatar

  • 2 I doubt that the name "university senate" is something used across all of Europe. –  user9646 Commented Jan 20, 2016 at 15:41

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged plagiarism ..

  • Featured on Meta
  • Upcoming sign-up experiments related to tags

Hot Network Questions

  • A puzzle from YOU to ME ;)
  • Output the Steiner system S(5,8,24)
  • What happened to Slic3r?
  • A Colorful explosion
  • Medical - Must use corrective lens(es)…
  • Is this professor being unnecessarily harsh or did I actually make a mistake?
  • Linking all possible polygons to point within a distance
  • Voronoi mesh of a circular image
  • Rewarding the finding of zeroes of a hash function
  • if people are bred like dogs, what can be achieved?
  • Who knows the tasks where the same fact is used by different parties to their advantage?
  • Are there really half-a billion visible supernovae exploding all the time?
  • Need help identifying a (possibly) 1984 Winter Olympics bicycle
  • Is there some sort of kitchen utensil/device like a cylinder with a strainer?
  • Tiny book about a planet full of man-eating sunflowers
  • Clear jel to thicken the filling of a key lime pie?
  • Differing notions of Morita equivalence for operator algebras
  • TikZ - diagram of a 1D spin chain
  • A TCP server which uses one thread to read while writing data with another thread
  • Creating a command to display blackboard font
  • Binary black hole merging condition
  • Transpose these notes!
  • Can a contract require you to accept new T&C?
  • Traveling between two Schengen Countries using a Verlustanzeige?

phd thesis resubmission

Browser does not support script.

  • Student intranet
  • Staff intranet

rh-logo

Resubmission within 12 / 18 months

If your examiners have decided after your viva that you are required to resubmit your thesis within 18 months (12 months for MPhil), this outcome will be sent to the Director of Postgraduate Research for approval.

If the outcome is approved, you will be sent a letter confirming the viva outcome and the appropriate resubmission fee which is a flat fee to cover the period of the resubmission. 

Resubmission fees - 2023-24
2nd viva not required 2nd viva required
PhD - resubmit within 18 months £355 £640
MPhil- resubmit within 12 months £290 £550

The resubmission process

It is recommended that you submit your PhD/MPhil resubmission exam entry form  to your supervisor two months prior to resubmission. It must be indicated here whether the same examiners (and independent chair if there is a second viva) will be examining your thesis as the first submission or whether these will be new examiners.

A copy of your revised thesis should be sent to your supervisor for checking prior to resubmission to the Doctoral School. We further recommend that a copy of the list of amendments from the first submission is included with a description of how and where the corrections have been addressed.

Please be aware that a random sample of all resubmitted research degree theses submitted to [email protected] will be put through Turnitin to check for originality before they are sent to the examiners.  

Overview of PhD/MPhil resubmission exam process flowchart

 

  Quick link

The Australian National University

Policy Library

  • Search ANU web, staff & maps
  • Search current site content

search scope

Search Policy Library

  • Accommodation
  • Access & Use
  • Art Collection
  • Capital Projects
  • Drill Hall Gallery
  • Environment & Heritage
  • Gardens & Grounds
  • Maintenance & Small Alterations
  • Names , Numbers & Signage
  • Specifications
  • Alumni Relations
  • Work & Life Balance
  • Chart of Accounts
  • Investments
  • Delegations
  • Fire & Emergencies
  • Occupational Health & Safety
  • Infrastructure
  • Records & Archives
  • Information Security
  • Company Directorships
  • Advertising
  • University Branding
  • Grants & Consultancies
  • Integrity & Ethics
  • Intellectual Property
  • Employment of Staff
  • Grievances & Appeals
  • Health & Working Safely
  • Leave & Absences
  • Performance Expectation
  • Performance Expectations
  • Remuneration & Benefits
  • Staff & Career Development
  • Assesment, Academic Progress & Appeals
  • Assessment, Academic Progress & Appeals
  • Finance & Fees
  • Higher Research Degrees
  • Student and University Experience
  • Bookings & Expenses
  • Parking & Traffic
  • Prospective Staff
  • Prospective Students
  • Staff-Academic
  • Staff-Academic-Research
  • Staff-Professional
  • Students-Distance
  • Students-Graduate
  • Students-Graduate-Coursework
  • Students-Graduate-Research
  • Students-NonAward
  • Students-Undergraduate
  • ANU Advancement
  • ANU International Office
  • Chief Information Security Officer
  • Communications and Engagement
  • Corporate Governance & Risk Office
  • Division of Student Administration and Academic Services
  • Facilities & Services
  • Finance & Business Services
  • Higher Degree Research
  • Human Resources Division
  • Information Technology Services
  • International Strategy and Future Students
  • Planning & Service Performance
  • Research Services
  • Scholarly Information Services
  • Advanced Search
  • Policy Governance Framework
  • Legislation
  • University Glossary

Related sites

  • Office of VC
  • Governance Office

MOST POPULAR ITEMS

  • Policy: Privacy
  • Policy: English language admission requirements and post-admission support (under review)
  • Procedure: Student assessment (coursework)
  • Policy: Student assessment (coursework)
  • Procedure: Research Training Program scholarships
  • Policy: Glossary: Student policies and procedures - under review
  • Policy: Code of conduct
  • Policy: Student Code of Conduct
  • Procedure: Authentication for access to University resources
  • Procedure: Higher degree by research - submission and examination of theses

P rocedure: Higher Degree by Research: Submission and Examination of Theses

This document describes the thesis submission and examination procedures for the Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs Master of Philosophy, Professional Doctorate, or Doctor of Philosophy.

  • This document should be read in conjunction with the Research Awards Rule .
  • In cases where a Delegated Authority is also Primary Supervisor for a candidate, the Associate Dean appoints an alternate individual to be a Delegated Authority under the Research Awards Rules for the purposes of that candidate.
  • If at any stage of the submission or examination process an allegation of academic misconduct is raised it is investigated under the Academic Integrity Rule 2021 . Advice is available from [email protected] .

Pre-Submission of Thesis

Oral presentation.

  • An oral presentation is a required milestone, which is completed satisfactorily prior to the submission of a thesis. For further details, please refer to the HDR Candidature Progression procedure .

Notification of Intent to Submit

  • Two months prior to submission, and after consulting their supervisory panel, a candidate should commence the Notification of Intent to Submit (NOI) milestone containing:
  • Candidate name;
  • Candidate ID;
  • Thesis title;
  • Date on which the thesis is expected to be submitted; and
  • Confirmation from the Primary Supervisor that the candidate has consulted with their panel
  • If the intended submission date changes, the candidate uses the ISIS Manage My Degree eF orm to update their intended submission date.

Early Submission

  • A candidate wishing to submit prior to the minimum duration for the program specified in the Research Awards Rule must obtain the approval of the Delegated Authority for early submission, prior to the submission date.

Format - Length

  • The maximum length for a Doctor of Philosophy thesis is 100,000 words and a Master of Philosophy or Professional Doctorate is 60,000 words. This figure is exclusive of footnotes, tables, figures, maps, bibliographies and appendices, but appendices must be limited to material necessary in support of the main argument of the thesis.
  • Prior to notification of intention to submit, the Delegated Authority may approve:
  • A new length for theses in excess of this length;
  • An alternate format for expressing the maximum requirement - such as page count - if words are not an appropriate measure.

Format - Content

  • The first page of the thesis gives its title, the candidate's name in full and the month and year of its submission for examination. It includes the statement:

"A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor [or Master, as appropriate] of Philosophy of The Australian National University."

  • It also includes a copyright notice providing the full legal name of the author, centred at the bottom of the page:

© Copyright by [Candidate’s Full Name] [Year]

All Rights Reserved

  • The second page contains a statement signed by the candidate, indicating the extent to which the thesis is their own original work, if the research is conducted jointly with another person, clearly indicates the nature and extent of the candidate’s contribution to the research, and a word count or equivalent.
  • Acknowledgments are included in the following pages.
  • Third party editorial advice is provided as per the Guideline: Higher Degree by Research - Editing of Theses.
  • When third party editorial advice has been provided the name of the editor and a brief description of the service rendered is printed in the acknowledgements as per the Australian standards for editing practice . If the third party editor's current or former area of academic specialisation is similar to that of the candidate, this is also stated in the acknowledgements.
  • An abstract of 250-500 words is on the page or pages following the acknowledgement. The electronic version of the abstract must use standard text only.
  • A table of contents appears following the abstract.
  • A bibliography of works to which reference has been made is included at the end of the thesis. The bibliographical standards applied are consistent with the discipline.

Thesis in Standard Format

  • A thesis submitted in standard format is of International Standards Organisation (ISO) A4 size (297mm x 210mm), unless the diagrams, tables etc. do not fit appropriately on this size, in which case it may be printed on ISO B4 size (353mm x 250mm).
  • The format of text in a thesis:
  • Is double spaced or one and a half spaced. Single spacing is used only for indented quotations, footnotes and bibliographies.
  • Is in a font that is easy to read, and no smaller than 11 points for text and 9 points for footnote text. For a digital thesis, it is recommended the use of Arial or another Sans-Serif font. For more information, please refer to the ANU Style Guide .
  • All margins are with header and footing settings as 2.5cm from the top and bottom:

Format

Position

Margin

For all digital theses

All four margins

2.5cm

Where hard examination copies are requested by examiners - single-sided printing

Left side

4 cm

Top, right, and bottom sides

2cm

Where hard examination copies are requested by examiners - double-sided

Odd page, left side

4 cm

Odd page, top, right, and bottom sides

2cm

Even page, right side

4 cm

Even page, top, left , and bottom sides

2cm

Thesis by Compilation

  • The format of a thesis by compilation is outlined in the HDR Thesis by Compilation and Thesis by Creative Works Procedure .

Thesis in an Alternative Format

  • A thesis is in an alternative format if it consists of, or includes, video recordings, film or other works of visual or sonic arts, computer software, digital material or other non-written material.
  • Candidates intending to submit for examination a thesis in an alternative format obtain endorsement from their supervisory panel, and approval from the Delegated Authority about the format of their thesis more than 12 months prior to submission, and no later than 6months prior to submission.

Thesis by Creative Works

  • The submission of a thesis by creative works is undertaken as per the HDR Thesis by Compilation and Thesis by Creative Works Procedure .

Use of Confidential Material

  • Use of confidential information in a thesis is according to the Use of Confidential or Restricted Information Theses procedure.

Prior to Thesis Submission

  • The candidate is required to upload their final thesis to the iThenticate tool in order to generate a Similarity Report. Prior to submission candidates should share their Similarity Report with their Primary Supervisor in order to address any potential academic integrity issues. Once any identified issues are addressed the candidate should generate a final Similarity Report ready for uploading as part of the Thesis Submission eForm process.

S ubmission Process

  • The candidate is required to upload one electronic copy of their thesis via the Thesis Submission eForm for access by the appointed examiners.
  • The candidate is required to upload an iThenticate Similarity Report (generated via uploading of the final thesis to iThenticate) to the Thesis Submission eForm.

Supervisor’s Endorsement

  • The Primary Supervisor confirms to the Graduate Research Office that the thesis is in the correct format for submission and determines whether to endorse submission of the thesis. Where a Primary Supervisor considers that a thesis will experience difficulty in the examination process, they do not endorse its submission.
  • The supervisor’s endorsement confirms that the thesis title and abstract provided by the candidate are correct.
  • The Primary Supervisor certifies whether to the best of their knowledge the candidate has complied with the University's rules and regulations relating to candidature for the degree.
  • The Primary Supervisor reviews the iThenticate Similarity Report and undertakes a final academic integrity check for potential plagiarism. If satisfied, the Primary Supervisor can endorse the thesis submission certifying to the best of their knowledge that there are no identified academic integrity issues.
  • If the academic integrity check prompts the supervisor to request further amendments to the thesis due to unresolved academic integrity issues, the Primary Supervisor can request further edits to the thesis to be undertaken by the candidate through the eForm. The candidate will then have an opportunity to re-upload another updated Similarity Report and final thesis for Primary Supervisor endorsement.
  • Once the Primary Supervisor endorses the thesis submission, certifying to the best of their knowledge that there are no identified academic integrity issues the Thesis Submission eForm is complete.

Submission without Supervisor’s Endorsement

  • Where a Primary Supervisor does not endorse the submission of a thesis and a candidate still wishes to submit, the Primary Supervisor provides a statement to the Delegated Authority indicating why they do not believe the thesis suitable for submission to examiners.
  • The Delegated Authority will organise for the thesis to be reviewed by a member of academic staff who is not the Primary Supervisor.
  • On receipt of advice from the member of academic staff, the Delegated Authority will:
  • Meet with, and provide advice to, the candidate; and
  • Provide written feedback from the reader including advice on the suitability for submission to the candidate.
  • If the candidate still wishes to submit without the endorsement of their supervisor, the submission and examination process proceeds as per the standard process. The Delegated Authority will recommend examiners on behalf of the Primary Supervisor. Examiners must not be notified that the thesis has been submitted without the endorsement of the supervisor and the University until a final outcome of the examination process is determined by the Associate Dean, and the award of the degree is determined.
  • Where a Primary Supervisor, after discussions with the candidate, does not endorse the submission of a thesis on academic integrity grounds and a candidate still wishes to submit, the Primary Supervisor provides a statement to the Delegated Authority indicating why they do not believe the thesis suitable for submission to examiners. This should include a detailed list of potential academic integrity issues that have not been resolved after requesting these to be addressed and the candidate being provided sufficient time to address the issues.
  • The Delegated Authority will review the recommendations from the Primary Supervisor in undertaking a further academic integrity check to determine any outstanding academic integrity issues.
  • The Delegated Authority will then:
  • Decide if the thesis should proceed to examination if they have determined, to the best of their knowledge, that there are no identified academic issues; or
  • Meet with, and provide advice to, the candidate if they have determined there are remaining identified academic integrity issues; and
  • Provide written feedback outlining any academic integrity issues that are required to be addressed by the candidate prior to submission.
  • If the Delegated Authority determines there are remaining identified academic integrity issues in 41 (b, c), the Delegated Authority can return the Thesis Submission eForm to the candidate for amendment or close the form. A new Thesis Submission eForm is then made available to the candidate to enable resubmission once the potential academic integrity issues have been addressed by the candidate as outlined by the Delegated Authority.

Thesis Examination

Appointment of Examiners

  • The Nomination of Examiners form is completed once a candidate provides a notification of intent to submit but before they submit their thesis .
  • A candidate is entitled to suggest potential examiners to their supervisor, and to provide the names of persons that they would prefer not to examine the thesis. A candidate is not entitled to be informed of whether their suggestions have been followed in the appointment of the examiners.
  • Supervisors confirm the expected availability of examiners prior to completing the Nomination of Examiners form.
  • A minimum of two external expert examiners who have international standing are appointed by the Associate Dean on the recommendation of the Delegated Authority.
  • Three or more examiners may be appointed to provide the necessary breadth of expertise for the research topic.
  • Examiners are of international standing in a discipline relevant to the thesis research with some experience in examining theses. International standing may be demonstrated through a number of means including but not limited to:
  • Publication record;
  • Employment record;
  • Contribution to the field; and
  • Peer regard and esteem measures.
  • If an examiner agrees to their nomination, they are informed of any changes to the proposed submission date. An alternate examiner is appointed by the Associate Dean if the initial examiner is no longer available due to a change in submission date.
  • An additional examiner may be appointed by the Associate Dean on the recommendation of the Delegated Authority subsequent to the initial appointment:
  • To resolve disagreements in the thesis examination process; or
  • In cases where an examiner’s report has not been received for an extended period of time. The examiner has been withdrawn and has been notified by GRO.
  • In determining the award of the degree, all examiners reports received are considered.

Conflict of Interest

  • Any examiner conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest must be declared to the Associate Dean by anyone who becomes aware of it, and may include but is not limited to:
  • Involvement with the project on which the thesis is presented;
  • Collaboration with the candidate or members of the supervisory panel within the last five years;
  • A close personal relationship with the candidate or members of the supervisory panel;
  • A financial or personal prestige interest in the outcomes of the research;
  • Ethical, personal, political or religious views that may be in conflict with the thesis or marking process; or
  • Ownership of or employment with an organisation directly affected by the research.
  • On receiving notification of an actual or potential conflict of interest the Associate Dean discusses the potential conflict with relevant parties, which must include the Delegated Authority, and also includes (but is not limited to):
  • The supervisory panel including Primary Supervisor and chair of panel; and/or
  • The examiner.
  • On the basis of those discussions, the Associate Dean determines whether:
  • A prima facie conflict of interest exists and so excludes the relevant examiner from the examination process; or
  • That no prima facie conflict of interest exists and allows the examiner to continue in their role.
  • If it is unclear whether a conflict of interest exists, the relevant examiner is to be excluded from the examination process
  • The rationale for any determination is recorded on the candidate file.

Examination Process

  • Examiners of Theses submitted in standard format or as a thesis by compilation, are provided a copy of the thesis and the University guidelines for Examination of HDR Theses, and are requested to examine the thesis and return a report within two months.
  • Once a candidate has submitted their thesis for examination:
  • Except in the course of an oral examination, an examiner must not knowingly communicate about the research, the thesis or the process of examination directly with the candidate until the thesis has been approved for award;
  • Except in the course of an oral examination, a candidate must not knowingly communicate directly with an examiner about the research, the thesis or the process of examination until the thesis has been approved for award;
  • In the case of an oral examination communications between the examiner and the candidate will be confined to the scheduled oral examination meeting;
  • Supervisors must not knowingly communicate about the research , the thesis or the process of examination with examiners until the thesis has been approved for award;
  • Examiners must not knowingly communicate about the research, the thesis or the process of examination with the supervisor until the thesis has been approved for award;
  • Examiners must not knowingly disclose the content of a thesis to an external party until a thesis has been approved for award, subject to clause 51;
  • Examiners are able to ask for clarification of any material in the thesis through the Graduate Research Office who will seek advice subject to clause 52.
  • Communications are subject to any approvals under the HDR Use of Confidential or Restricted Information in Theses procedure.
  • The Associate Dean may, at the request of an examiner, nominate a person other than a member of the Supervisory Panel to provide further information about the thesis or, in the case of joint work, the candidate's contribution to the thesis. The Associate Dean or the nominee may seek advice from the Supervisory Panel.
  • Examiners make one of the following four recommendations after completing the examination of the thesis:
  • that the candidate be granted the award; or
  • that the candidate be granted the award subject to corrections or revisions required by the examiners in the thesis to be made to the satisfaction of the Delegated Authority in the electronic copy intended for deposit with the University Library; or
  • that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised thesis for re-examination; or
  • that the candidate be failed.
  • The Graduate Research Office notifies the College when all examiner’s reports have been submitted or otherwise accounted for.
  • After consideration of the examiners' reports, the Delegated Authority recommends to the relevant Associate Dean:
  • That the candidate be granted the award; or
  • That the candidate be granted the award subject to making any corrections or revisions in the thesis; or
  • That the candidate be re-examined by resubmission of thesis or re-examination of coursework or both;
  • That the candidate be failed.
  • If there is no clear recommendation on the award of the degree arising from the examiner’s reports, the Delegated Authority works towards a recommendation drawing on the Higher Degree by Research: Examiners’ Reports Recommendations Guideline . Potential actions may include but are not limited to:
  • The appointment of an additional examiner;
  • The appointment of a Committee comprising the Delegated Authority and two additional staff of the University with relevant expertise, not including the primary supervisor to consider the original reports received;
  • Consultation with the supervisor who may advise on the reports, however not provide a recommendation on the outcome
  • Requiring an oral examination
  • Before a Delegated Authority recommends that a candidate be failed where all examiners’ reports have not recommended a fail, the divergent reports guideline should be followed.
  • A decision may be based on fewer examiners' reports than initially solicited, but no fewer than two, only if the Delegated Authority has made the decision and GRO have removed the examiner.
  • The Associate Dean approves the recommendation, or an alternative outcome.
  • Examiners do not recommend the award of another degree. On receipt of the outcome of the examination of Revise and Resubmit, or Fail, the candidate may apply to the Delegated Authority for a transfer from the Doctor of Philosophy to the Master of Philosophy. The Associate Dean determines that a candidate be re-examined by resubmission of thesis, or that the candidate not be awarded the Doctor of Philosophy.
  • For a thesis by compilation, corrections and revisions normally refer to corrections and revisions to the thesis introduction, conclusion, or linking text, and not to the papers themselves where they have been published, or accepted for publication.
  • For a thesis by compilation, papers published or accepted for publication during the examination process should be included in the final version of the thesis.
  • Revision and resubmission of a thesis may occur once only for the same degree program.
  • Examiners who recommend revision and resubmission of a thesis:
  • Specify what is required of the candidate before re-examination, on the understanding that anonymous examiners' reports, in full or in part, will be made available to the candidate by the Graduate Research Office ; and
  • Indicate , subject to availability, whether or not they are willing to re-examine the thesis.
  • The candidate is given a time limit of one year from the time of notification in which to revise the thesis and submit it for re-examination. A maximum extension of one further year may be granted by the Delegated Authority.
  • When a revised thesis is resubmitted for examination, it should not include a separate written response to the original examiners comments.
  • Access to examiner’s reports is restricted to the:
  • Associate Dean;
  • Delegated Authority;
  • Head of the relevant academic area;
  • Supervisor(s);
  • Any members of a Committee appointed by the Delegated Authority to consider conflicting examiner’s reports;
  • ANU committees considering the award of prizes for excellence in theses, and;
  • Other ANU delegates who require access to the examiner reports for other processes such as academic integrity.
  • Anonymous reports must be made available in full or in part to the candidate after deletion of any section of a report an examiner has specified may not be made available to the candidate or which may identify the examiner.
  • Where a thesis contains confidential material, or a candidate explicitly requests, the Graduate Research Office will take all reasonable steps to ensure that theses are not retained by the examiners and provided back to the candidate, where relevant.

Oral Examination

  • The Delegated Authority may determine that a candidate undertakes an oral examination as part of the thesis examination process in a number of circumstances, including:
  • Where an examiner recommends revision and resubmission of the thesis or failure, in order to give all parties maximum opportunity to explore the body of work submitted for examination;
  • Where the Delegated Authority intends to recommend a result of fail though not all examiners’ reports have recommended a fail.
  • Where the candidate is undertaking an approved Dual Award program which requires an oral examination; or
  • Where a candidate was examined orally before being permitted to revise and resubmit the thesis, if an examiner of the revised thesis requests a further oral examination.
  • The Graduate Research Office arranges oral examinations except for Dual Award PhD degrees where the examination process is set out in the agreement between the ANU and the partner institution.
  • The Graduate Research Office contacts the candidate if an oral examination is required by the Delegated Authority. Examiners provide a copy of the draft reports, and/or specific questions and/or general matters to be addressed by the candidate.
  • The Delegated Authority will decide whether an oral examination is to be held in-person or online. If in-person, it should be held at the ANU campus unless otherwise approved by the Delegated Authority. Arrangements for attendance by examiners are made by the Graduate Research Office.
  • The Associate Dean, or their delegate, will appoint an Oral Examination Chair.
  • An examiner who is unable to be present will be asked to correspond with the Oral Examination Chair indicating any points to be raised. The Chair acts on behalf of the absent examiner and will report the outcome to that examiner and to the Delegated Authority.
  • A candidate brings a copy of the thesis paginated in the same way as the thesis submitted for examination.
  • The oral examination is undertaken on the substance of the candidate's thesis and on the candidate’s knowledge of its subject background. The conduct of the oral examination will be determined by the Oral Examination Chair. The only persons present are the candidate, the examiner(s) and the Oral Examination Chair. The candidate may request a support person to attend as an observer only.
  • The Oral Examination Chair may request to the Delegated Authority that a person other than a candidate's supervisors be present to provide further information about the candidate's thesis (e.g. for clarification or contextual material), or, in the case of joint work, the candidate’s contribution to the thesis. This request is considered by the Associate Dean.
  • Examiners' recommendations on the outcome of the oral examination are not communicated to the candidate, either during or after the examination. On completion of the examination process, examiners' recommendations and a report on the examination as a whole are submitted in confidence to the Delegated Authority. On receipt of the outcome of the examination process, the candidate is provided with an anonymous report.

Written examination

  • If an oral examination is required and in the opinion of the Delegated Authority, it is not practicable to hold an oral examination, the candidate takes a written examination, set by the examiners of the thesis, covering the field, which an oral examination would have covered.
  • A written examination will be invigilated.
  • The Graduate Research Office sends the candidate's answers to a written examination to the examiners of the thesis who take them into account in the preparation of their reports.

Thesis Deposit and Open Access

  • On approval of the thesis, the candidate submits an electronic copy of the thesis to ANU Digital Thesis Collections .
  • The thesis will be openly available in accordance with University policy on open access unless the University Library has been requested to restrict the availability of the thesis in line with any approvals under the Higher degree by research - use of confidential or restricted information in theses procedure and the Intellectual Property Policy.
  • For deposit of the digital version of the thesis the candidate provides the thesis in a single file, or alternatively:
  • Any files in the original file format used to create the final version of the thesis (including still images, video, sound etc.) .
  • Separate files for any confidential material or, if the confidential material is throughout the whole thesis, a separate file for the whole thesis .
  • A pdf of all text portions of the printed thesis (excluding any confidential material) .
  • A list of all files - and software they were created with - that are contained in the package.
  • In the small number of cases where the thesis format will not be able to be presented this way, the candidate should contact the Library for assistance.
  • A department may agree with a candidate to the deposit of a further copy of the thesis in the departmental library.
  • Unless subject to any copyright requirements as part of a thesis by compilation, candidates retain the copyright of their thesis and make such use of it as they wish.
Title Higher degree by research - submission and examination of theses
Document Type Procedure
Document Number ANUP_012815
Version
Purpose This document describes the thesis submission and examination procedures for the Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs Master of Philosophy, Professional Doctorate, or Doctor of Philosophy.
Audience Staff-Academic-Research, Students-Graduate-Research, Students-Graduate
Category Academic
Topic/ SubTopic Students - Higher Research Degrees
 
Effective Date 27 Jun 2023
Next Review Date 26 Jun 2028
 
Responsible Officer:
Contact Area
Authority:
Delegations

and

Responsible Officer:   Office of the Vice-Chancellor / Page Contact:   Contact ANU

Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

Sign in/register

  • Log in/Register Register

Vitae

https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/doing-a-doctorate/completing-your-doctorate/your-viva/thesis-outcomes

This page has been reproduced from the Vitae website (www.vitae.ac.uk). Vitae is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development.

  • Vitae members' area

Thesis outcomes and corrections

There will usually be a bit more work to do after the viva. Each institution will have its own regulations about viva outcomes and how to inform the candidate of them. Find out before you go into your viva so that you know what to expect. In the UK they typically they fall into one of the following categories:

  • Outright pass. Your work needs no corrections
  • Minor corrections. Your examiners have a few minor suggestions that they would like you to incorporate
  • Major corrections or resubmission. The thesis needs further work to be of doctoral standard. This might include more research, rewriting sections or including new literature
  • Suggestion that you resubmit for, or are awarded, a lower degree (MPhil or MSc). Research is of good quality but too narrow for a doctorate
  • Outright fail. Usually used only in cases of plagiarism or where the examiners judge that the candidate will never be able to complete a doctorate.

Most candidates fall within the minor or major corrections categories. This means that you will have some corrections to complete. However, regardless of the number of corrections that you have to do most people who reach the viva stage do  go on to get their doctorate relatively quickly.

Thesis corrections

After your viva you are likely to have some corrections to complete before you are awarded your doctorate. The extent can range from a few spelling mistakes to rewriting or adding complete chapters. You may be given a deadline by your examiners or your institution but regardless of this, it is best to aim to complete your corrections as soon as possible to use the momentum acquired during thesis writing.

In order to be sure that your corrections make the right changes:

  • take notes during the viva and write them up immediately after
  • meet with your main supervisor to discuss the changes that you need to make
  • analyse the examiners' report carefully to make sure that you have dealt with all of the issues that they raise
  • proofread your work again.

Thesis resubmission

Your examiners, or often just the internal examiner, will check that all corrections have been incorporated, and then you can resubmit your thesis. Your institution will have regulations on the format of the final submitted thesis copy of your thesis, which will usually be deposited in the institutional library. It has become more common for institutions to request the submission of an electronic copy for ease of cataloguing and searching.

Bookmark & Share

Email

Elsevier QRcode Wechat

  • Publication Process

Writing an Effective Cover Letter for Manuscript Resubmission

  • 3 minute read

Table of Contents

As a researcher who has invested time and effort perfecting a manuscript after years of research, you might be aware of how disappointing it is to receive a “revise and resubmit” notice from your target journal. The good news, however, is that there is still scope for your manuscript to be accepted subsequently—an outcome which is far more desirable than a complete rejection ! How can you improve the chances of your manuscript getting accepted upon resubmission? A well-written cover letter accompanying your manuscript can definitely help!

So, what is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a brief document that introduces your research, submitted along with the manuscript. Here are a few important points to note about it:

  • It is usually written and submitted by the corresponding author.
  • It is required by most peer-review journals.
  • It should include the name of the editor and the journal, the importance of the manuscript, and other relevant details.
  • It should include the date of and a brief statement to note the resubmission

What tips should you follow to write a cover letter for resubmission?

Here are some important tips you can follow to ensure that your cover letter is appreciated by the editors and prompts them to revisit your work:

The cover letter to the editor should be brief, formal, and polite. Even if the remarks on your manuscript are rude, do not get upset. Remember that they are not a criticism of you as an individual, but about your work. They are meant only to improve your work.

Provide accurate details

Include your manuscript details such as the title, the corresponding authors’ names, the manuscript number, and a brief statement to note the resubmission.

Draw attention to the changes made

Highlight all the changes you have made to the manuscript. This will form a positive impression on the editor and encourage him/her to consider that your resubmitted work is fit for publication. For example: “I have made every attempt to fully address these comments in the revised manuscript.”

Be positive in your approach

After mentioning the changes you have made to your work, acknowledge that your reviewer’s comments and feedback have helped you enrich your manuscript. For example: “I believe the additional analyses discussed above have helped to substantially improve my manuscript.”

Respond to specific comments

Make sure that you respond to every comment of the reviewers or the editor separately. In case you were unable to make the changes, explain or state the reasons underlying the same. For example: “This is a good point that has led to a rewrite of this section of the paper. As suggested, I agree that…”

Express gratitude

Include a note of thanks to the editor for the opportunity to improve and resubmit your manuscript. For example: “I would also like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude/thanks to the reviewers for the positive feedback and helpful comments that supported these revisions.”

Add a preview for the content

Do not forget to add an at-a-glance roadmap on how and where to check for revisions in the manuscript. It will make it easier for the editor or reviewers to go through the draft. For example: “Below, I have outlined how I have handled Reviewer 1’s comments. I have reiterated each suggestion in (bold/italics).”

In addition, ensure that you dedicate sufficient time to draft the cover letter. This way, it will not come across as a last-minute, hurried addition, but as an informative, comprehensive, and well-thought-out document. Despite these tips, should you still require help, Elsevier Author Services is here to help you. Our experts can guide you through the entire process and help you produce an excellent paper ready for publication!

Qualities of Every Good Researcher

  • Research Process

The Top 5 Qualities of Every Good Researcher

Scholarly Sources What are They and Where can You Find Them

Scholarly Sources: What are They and Where can You Find Them?

You may also like.

how to write a cover letter

How to Write a Cover Letter for Your Manuscript? Here are the Tips and Examples

Publishing Biomedical Research

Publishing Biomedical Research: What Rules Should You Follow?

Journal Acceptance Rates

Journal Acceptance Rates: Everything You Need to Know

Research Data Storage and Retention

Research Data Storage and Retention

How to Find and Select Reviewers for Journal Articles

How to Find and Select Reviewers for Journal Articles

How to request the addition of an extra author before publication

How to Request the Addition of an Extra Author Before Publication

Paper Rejection Common Reasons

Paper Rejection: Common Reasons

How-to-write-a-journal-article-from-a-thesis

How to Write a Journal Article from a Thesis

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

X

Format, bind and submit your thesis: general guidance

Menu

You no longer need to submit a physical copy of your thesis. Please refer directly to the “Submit Your Thesis” section below.

This information is for research students submitting a thesis for assessment. It tells you how to:

  • format your thesis
  • submit your thesis
  • bind your thesis (if applicable) 
  • submit the final copy of your thesis

There are different requirements for students of fine arts, design, architecture or town planning.

Find out more about these requirements

Format your thesis

UCL theses should be submitted in a specific format, this applies to both the viva and final copies of your thesis. 

View the thesis checklist

File

Presentation

In the electronic version of your thesis, hyperlinks (including DOIs) should be functional and resolve to the correct webpage.

We would recommend using Arial or Helvetica fonts, at a size of no less than 12.

Find out more about the accessibility guidelines

If printed, please present your thesis in a permanent and legible format.

Illustrations should be permanently mounted on A4 size paper and bound in with the thesis; you may not use sellotape or similar materials.

A4 size paper (210 x 297 mm) should be used. Plain white paper must be used, of good quality and of sufficient opacity for normal reading. Both sides of the paper may be used.

Both sides of the paper may be used.

Margins at the binding edge must not be less than 40 mm (1.5 inches) and other margins not less than 20 mm (.75 inches). Double or one-and-a-half spacing should be used in typescripts, except for indented quotations or footnotes where single spacing may be used.

All pages must be numbered in one continuous sequence, i.e. from the title page of the first volume to the last page of type, in Arabic numerals from 1 onwards. This sequence must include everything bound in the volume, including maps, diagrams, blank pages, etc. Any material which cannot be bound in with the text must be placed in a pocket inside or attached to the back cover or in a rigid container similar in format to the bound thesis (see Illustrative material ).

The title page must bear the following:

  • the officially-approved title of the thesis
  • the candidates full name as registered
  • the institution name 'UCL'
  • the degree for which the thesis is submitted

The title page should be followed by a signed declaration that the work presented in the thesis is the candidate’s own e.g.

‘I, [full name] confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis.'

Please see the section below entitled ‘Inclusion of published works in doctoral theses’ for more information about how to indicate when you have re-used material that you have previously published.

The signed declaration should be followed by an abstract consisting of no more than 300 words.

Impact Statement

The abstract should be followed by an impact statement consisting of no more than 500 words. For further information on the content of the Impact Statement, please see the Impact Statement Guidance Notes for Research Students and Supervisors on the Doctoral School's website. 

Find out more about the Impact Statement

Inclusion of published works in doctoral theses

If you have included any work in your thesis that you have published (e.g. in a journal) previously, then you will need to insert a completed copy of the UCL Research Paper Declaration Form into your thesis after the Impact Statement. The form, and information about how to complete it is available on the Doctoral School’s website.

Find out more about the UCL Research Paper Declaration Form

Table of contents

In each copy of the thesis the abstract should be followed by a full table of contents (including any material not bound in) and a list of tables, photographs and any other materials. It is good practice to use bookmarking within the PDF of the thesis in electronic form to allow readers to jump to the relevant section, figure, table etc. from the table of contents.

Illustrative material

Illustrative material may be submitted on a CD-ROM. If you wish to submit material in any other form, your supervisor must contact Research Degrees well in advance of submission of the thesis.

Any material which cannot be bound in with the text must be placed either in a pocket inside or attached to the back cover or in a rigid container similar in format to the bound thesis. If it is separate from the bound volume it must be clearly labelled with the same information as on the title page. Each copy of the thesis submitted must be accompanied by a full set of this material.

Submit your thesis

Viva copies.

You must submit an electronic version of your thesis to via the UCL OneDrive . You no longer need to submit a printed copy unless your examiners ask for this. 

Find out more on how to submit via the UCL OneDrive

We will check your status and if your examiners have been appointed we will forward the thesis directly to them. They will then be able to download the copy of your thesis to prepare for your exam. 

If an external examiner requests a hard copy of the thesis you will need to arrange for this to be printed and submitted to the Student Enquiries Centre during their walk-in operational hours. We will collect your thesis and post it on to the examiners. 

If your examiners have not been appointed, your thesis will be held securely until your examiners have been formally appointed by UCL.

Covid-19 Impact Form

We have developed a form for you to submit with your thesis if you wish to declare an impact on your research.   The form is optional and your choice to complete it or not will have no bearing on the outcome of your examination. It is intended to set the context of examination and is not a plea for leniency. Your examiners will continue to apply the standard criteria as set out in UCL’s Academic Manual and the joint examiners’ form. Please see the publication from the QAA on Advice on Doctoral Standards for Research Students and Supervisors for further support.

You must submit this form as a separate Word document or PDF when you submit your thesis via the UCL Dropbox as detailed in our guidance above.   We will only accept the form if you submit it at the same time that you submit your thesis.  This will apply if you are making an initial submission or a resubmission.

Download the Covid-19 Impact Form

Find out more about the Student Enquiries Centre

Your examination entry form must be received and logged by Research Degrees before you submit your thesis.

Find out more about examination entry

Re-submission

If you need to re-submit you must:

  • submit a new examination entry form to the Research Degrees office at least 4 weeks prior to the expected submission of the thesis
  • you must submit an electronic version of your thesis to via the UCL OneDrive . You no longer need to submit a printed copy unless your examiners ask for this.  Find out more on how to submit via the UCL OneDrive

We will check your status and confirm that your examiners are willing to review your revised thesis. We will then forward the thesis directly to them. They will be able to download the copy of your thesis for assessment. 

If an external examiner requests a hard copy of the thesis you will need to arrange for this to be printed and submitted to the Student Enquiries Centre during their walk-in operational hours. We will collect your thesis and post it on to the examiners.

Submitting as a Non-Registered Student

If you do not submit your thesis by the end of your period of Completing Research Status, your registration as a student will end at that point. Your supervisor will then need to apply for permission for you to submit your thesis in writing to the Research Degrees section, at least 3 weeks before your expected submission date. You will be charged a submission extension fee at the point you submit your thesis.

Bind your thesis

You no longer need to submit a printed copy unless your examiners specifically request this.

The thesis must be bound securely.  Both sides of the paper may be used.   Illustrations should be permanently mounted and bound in with the thesis.  Illustrative material may be submitted on a separate electronic storage device. If you wish to submit material in any other form, your supervisor must contact Research Degrees well in advance of submission of the thesis.   Any material which cannot be bound in with the text must be placed either in a pocket inside or attached to the back cover or in a rigid container similar in format to the bound thesis. If it is separate from the bound volume it must be clearly labelled with the same information as on the title page. Each copy of the thesis submitted must be accompanied by a full set of this material.  

You are responsible for making sure that your thesis is correctly bound by the company you select.

Final copies

UCL no longer requires a printed copy of your final thesis and we will award your degree once you have met the academic conditions and the Library have confirmed receipt of your e-thesis, the Deposit Agreement form, and you have cleared any outstanding fees.

You will need to deposit an electronic copy of your final thesis (and a completed E-Thesis Deposit Agreement form) via UCL's Research Publications Service (RPS). Please ensure that you remove, or blank out, all personal identifiers such as signatures, addresses and telephone numbers from the e-thesis (this does not include your own name on the title page).    Any photographs that you have taken should not show identifiable individuals without their permission and any you have taken of children should mask their faces.

If you do wish to deposit a hard copy you can do so by sending it directly to the Cataloguing & Metadata department of Library Services by post, or in person at the Main Library help desk.  You will find more information about the process on the existing webpage for e-thesis submission. 

Find out more about depositing an electronic and printed copy of your thesis

Related content

  • Research degrees: examination entry
  • Format, bind and submit your thesis: fine art, design, architecture and town planning
  • Viva examinations: guidance

Important Information:

The UCL Student Centre has now moved.  Details of their new location can be found here.  

Decorative - askUCL promotional image

  • University home
  • For business
  • Alumni and supporters
  • Our departments
  • Visiting us

Twitter link

  • Pre arrivals
  • PGR Support and Services
  • Your enrolment
  • Research supervision
  • Research training and skills
  • Milestones, progress and assessment

Thesis by Alternative Format

  • Student participation
  • Student support
  • Concerns relating to study
  • Information for Staff
  • Visiting Students

Submission, Examination and Completion

Submission, examination and completion.

phd thesis resubmission

Thesis Submission Deadline

Submitting your thesis is the final act before examination. Your thesis must be submitted before the end of your period of study and will show on MyPGR as your “expected completion date”. There is no minimum period of study (except for the DEdPsy, DClinPsy, DClinRes, DClinPrac, DClinPrac (Res)). Funded students are encouraged to submit their thesis by the end of their funding period, which may be earlier than the maximum period of study. Maximum periods of study for all programmes are specified in the periods of study scheme in the ' Statement of Procedures: Periods of Registration and Changes to Registration Status for Graduate Research Students '.

Nomination of Examiners

Before a postgraduate researcher submits their thesis for examination, examiners must be appointed. In the UK system there are normally two examiners, one from within your own University (the internal examiner) and one from outside (the external examiner). In some cases more than two examiners. It is your supervisor’s responsibility to nominate suitable examiners and (if appropriate) a Non Examining Independent Chair (NEIC). Your supervisors may discuss examiners with you. Examiner(s) should be nominated at least three months before the expected submission date . Your supervisors, or anyone previously involved in the supervision of your research, cannot act as examiners, although they may be present during the viva as a non-speaking observer.  The internal should be someone in or close to your field of study but are not required to be in the same department. The external examiner must be an expert in the same research field.  Once examiners have been appointed and the thesis submitted neither you nor your supervisors should have direct contact with the examiners, except to arrange the formalities of examination. It is the responsibility of the internal examiner to arrange, with the external, the NEIC if applicable and the student, the examination of the thesis.  The examiners will read the thesis, provide preliminary reports on it, and then meet the student for an oral examination (‘viva voce’ or ‘viva’) if applicable.

The contacting of external examiners by students regarding any aspect of their programmes of study is prohibited and will be treated as an offence under the University's Disciplinary Procedures. External examiners are requested to inform the PGR Admin Office should such an occurrence take place.

For more information please see the University's Code of Good Practice: Boards of Examiners for Degrees by Research.

Presentation of Thesis

PGR theses/dissertations are submitted in electronic format as a PDF file. Supporting material such as datasets, visual or audio material, if applicable, may be submitted as supplementary files in any standard file format. You do not need to plan for a hard copy of the thesis to be printed, as we no longer accept hard copy thesis submission.

Please ensure that your electronic thesis conforms to the formatting requirements outlined in the Presentation of theses/dissertations for degrees in the Faculty of Graduate Research: statement of procedures .

Generative AI statement : all students  must  include a statement in the title page of their thesis/dissertation which confirms if and how they have used Generative AI in the creation and preparation of their work. Full details are available under Section 5 at in the TQA at  11 - Presentation of theses/dissertations for Postgraduate Research degrees: statement of procedures - Teaching Quality Assurance Manual - University of Exeter

For students on ' by Practice' research degrees in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences , please read the supplementary information about ' by Practice' thesis requirements , available here .

Your thesis may be printed and sent to your examiners by the PGR Administration Office as a hard copy document if requested by an examiner. We may print a standard A4 copy for an examiner upon request so please indicate any printing requirements (i.e. colour pages) in your  Submission Form

If you wish to have a hard copy of your thesis, you will need to make your own arrangements for printing it. Print Services may be able to do this for you.

If you are considering submitting your thesis in an alternative or non-traditional format, you should refer to the PGR Alternative Thesis Guidance and FAQs . 

Students will be required to complete the Change Format of Thesis form, which should be returned to the PGR Support Team by the following deadline:

  • Doctorate programmes: 24 months after your programme start date.
  • Research Maters (MPhil, MbyRes): 12 months after your programme start date.

For HASS programmes, additional information is available in the HASS  Faculty PGR Handbook . 

Submission of thesis

Please note: the following submission process applies to all PGR students across our Exeter and Cornwall Campuses, and all enquiries should be sent to [email protected] .

When you are ready to submit your thesis:

  • Please email a completed ‌ Submission Form  to [email protected] .  Where signatures are required in Parts A and B please include either scanned signatures or provide accompanying emails from the relevant signatories to be accepted in lieu of a scanned signature.  Please advise if your thesis will comprise multiple files.
  • You will receive an email from the PGR Administration Office acknowledging receipt of your submission form. A submission folder will then be created in your name, and you will receive an explanatory email containing a link to the folder where you can submit an electronic copy of your thesis and any supplementary files. You will not be able to submit your thesis until you receive this link.
  • When you receive the email containing the link to your submission folder, please upload your full thesis in PDF format (where possible) to the Submission Portal.  Please also upload any supplementary files.
  • The PGR Administration Office will check your submission and contact you if there are any problems with your submitted document(s).  Please note that we will check whether the files open and are legible. Your submission will not be checked for completeness or proof-reading.
  • Once your electronic thesis has been checked and accepted for examination your submission folder will be locked and you will be notified by email.
  • If your Board of Examiners has already been appointed, your thesis will be sent to your examiners immediately and your Internal Examiner will contact you in the following weeks to discuss the arrangements for your viva voce exam.
  • If your examiners have not yet been appointed, or your External Examiner has been asked to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to receiving your thesis, there may be a delay between the submission of your thesis and the date it is sent to your examiners for examination.  You will be informed if this is the case.

We would like to make you aware of the normal timelines that apply for the examination process as they may impact on your post-study plans .  Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee any changes to accommodate your needs .  Once you have submitted your thesis for examination we aim to send it to the board of examiners within seven days .  On receipt, they start scheduling a viva which can take place anytime within the next three months. After the viva takes place, the board has three weeks to return the viva report and it may take an extra week to obtain Dean’s approval. For amendments, please refer to 12 - Handbook for Examination of Postgraduate Research programmes - Teaching Quality Assurance Manual - University of Exeter and note that, upon receiving your amendments, examiners will be permitted up to 6 weeks for minor amendments or 8 weeks for major amendments to return a decision.  

If you are an MbyRes or MPhil student the above will only apply if a viva has been deemed necessary which is not the case in all instances.  

Resubmission of a Thesis

If you are re-submitting your thesis for a second examination, please follow the submission process above.  You will also need to pay a resubmission fee via the student finance team via the Make a Payment webpage . Please note that SID is not able to take payments by phone or in person- please use the make a payment webpage. Details of the amount to be paid will be confirmed separately after your first examination.

Please note, this does not include submissions for minor or major amendments or for outstanding amendments, none of which constitute a ‘resubmission’ and for which there is no fee to pay. Submission information for these categories will be sent to you with your list of amendments.

Submitting Minor or Major Amendments (not including Resubmission of thesis)

  • Notify the PGR Administration Office at [email protected] that your amended thesis is ready for submission.
  • You will receive an email from the PGR Administration Office acknowledging your message.   A submission folder will then be created in your name, and you will receive an explanatory email containing a link to the folder where you can submit an electronic copy of your thesis and any supplementary files. You will not be able to upload your thesis until you receive this link.
  • When you receive the email containing the link to your submission folder, please upload your full thesis in PDF format to the Submission Portal.  Please also upload any supplementary files.
  • The PGR Administration Office will check your submission and contact you if there are any problems with your submitted document(s).  Please note, that we will check whether the file opens and is legible. Your submission will not be checked for completeness or proof-reading.
  • Once your electronic thesis has been checked and accepted for approval by your examiner(s) your submission folder will be locked and you will be notified by email.
  • Your amended thesis will be sent to your examiners for review.

Examination (Adjustments, Alternative Assessments and viva requirements)

Examination 

It is important that you prepare for the viva. You are recommended to visit the University’s Researcher Development Online service, which has an e-learning course on ‘Preparing for your Viva’, and Researcher Development also has a ‘Preparing for your Viva’ session.

Please refer to the TQA Chapter 12 - Handbook for Examination of Postgraduate Research programmes and in particular, “section 7: The examination” for the detail about the examination policies. Below is some guidance for staff and students about the arrangements for the examination.

The University calendar also confirms the assessment requirements and further details about the examination.

We offer flexibility in the format for viva voce examinations:

  • Virtual viva: where every attendee uses an online platform to attend the viva – no two attendees are in the same room
  • Blended viva: where at least one attendee joins by video link, but two or more attendees are in the same room
  • In-person viva: where all attendees are in the same room and there are no remote attendees

Whilst we will do our best to accommodate your preferences, there may be circumstances where one or more attendee must participate remotely. It is expected that decisions about attendance at the viva will be made in the contact of the University’s Sustainability Policy  and with particular regard to prioritising low-carbon solutions such as video link as opposed to travelling to campus.

To agree that an examination may proceed with a virtual or blended viva, your Faculty DPGR needs to:

  • make sure that it is feasible for all participants to proceed in the proposed format, which includes appropriate communications technology access, which must be satisfactorily tested in advance, to minimise the likelihood of any disruptions to communications in the viva;
  • If you have an ILP: make sure that any adjustments to the viva required can still be made.

We're aware that circumstances can change even if appropriate arrangements are in place for your viva to proceed, please do get in touch with your PGR support team if you have concerns that this will no longer be feasible for you (please mark your email as urgent if your viva is due to take place within two weeks of making contact).

Read about the experiences of some of our past students who have completed their viva through the Doctoral College Blog :

  • Preparing For Your Viva – Our Top Tips
  • Viva Survivor: a drama in four acts
  • Preparing for your online viva, by Hannah Littler .

Reasonable Adjustments

The University is committed to the provision of individual reasonable adjustments to academic study and assessment to ensure that barriers to learning are removed, so that students do not face discrimination arising from disability. Reasonable Adjustments may be required to formal assessments (including upgrade and thesis/dissertation examination by Viva Voce and the assessment of other taught modules of the Professional Doctorates), supervisory meetings, data collection etc in order help students to overcome barriers to learning.

Students with a disability or long-term health condition are encouraged to discuss their needs and requests for reasonable adjustments to learning or examination with the AccessAbility Team (Exeter campuses) or the Accessibility Team (Cornwall campuses) prior to their examination/assessment being scheduled. The AccessAbility/Accessibility team will create or update your Individual Learning Plan which will recommend adjustments. There are a range of adjustments which can be accommodated in the examination/assessment process depending on the needs of the student. In rare circumstances, some adjustments cannot be implemented and if this is the case, we will work with yourselves and Disability services to come up with an alternative. 

Please refer to the TQA, Inclusive Practice within Academic Study for further details.

When is a Viva Required?  

The University does not necessarily require MbyRes and MPhil students to undergo a viva. A viva examination is necessary in one of the following cases:

  • a viva examination is judged to be necessary by one or more of the examiners
  • there is substantial disagreement between the examiners
  • the examiners are inclined to make a recommendation other than award of the degree for which the work was submitted (in such circumstances, the examiners may still require the satisfactory completion of minor amendments appropriate to the award in questions.)
  • the student is keen to have a viva examination.

The examination of PhD thesis requires a viva in all instances.

Please bear in mind that there will be a period of time elapsing between submission of your thesis and the examination, as the examiners need to read it and write their preliminary reports. The examiners also need to write their recommendations after your viva regarding amendments. In addition, you may need to spend some time making these amendments, which will have to be approved by the examiner(s).  All this takes time, which is why it is very important to try to submit your thesis prior to your viva as soon as possible, if this is academically appropriate.

Outcomes of Examination

On the basis of reading your thesis and the oral examination, the examiners will produce a joint report with a recommended outcome. At the first examination of an MbyRes, MPhil and PhD the recommendation will be:

  • the degree may be awarded,
  • the award of the degree should be subject to minor amendments (such as corrections of typographical, spelling and grammatical errors and /or limited revisions of material in the thesis). Minor amendments should be made within 12 weeks of receipt of the examiners’ instructions regarding what changes are required.
  • the award of the degree should be subject to major amendments , where more extensive revisions than that implied by a decision of minor amendments need to be made, but which will not normally require any significant extension of the original research to be undertaken. Major amendments need to be completed within 6 months of receipt of the examiners’ instructions regarding what changes are required.
  • Resubmission of thesis. This is where more substantial work is required for the thesis to meet the requirements for the award in question, and students will be given 18 months to complete amendments suggested by the Board of Examiners. At the end of the resubmission period, the student may be asked to attend a second viva.

Following resubmission, there are other possible outcomes of the examination. For full details and regulations, see the Code of Good Practice: Boards of Examiners for Degrees by Research

Completion, Award and Graduation

After the examination and any required amendments have been approved, the examiners will recommend that the relevant research degree should be awarded. Once this has been confirmed by the University’s Senate the research degree can be said to be completed.

Open Research Exeter (ORE)

Once you have been recommended for award by your board of examiners you will need to submit your final thesis to Open Research Exeter (ORE) before your award can be formally approved.

Once you have received email confirmation that you have successfully deposited your thesis into ORE, the final stage in the award process is the formal approval of your award by the University Executive Board (UEB).

UEB Award Lists for research students are prepared and signed by the Vice Chancellor every Monday throughout the year. Where the Monday is a Bank Holiday this will be done on the Tuesday. No UEB will be held during the University Closure period at Christmas.

You will be sent an email by the Postgraduate Administration Office once your award has been formally approved.

International Students - Research students holding a valid Student or Tier 4 visa, who have completed a degree at a UK Higher Education Provider, are able to apply for a Graduate visa that allows them to remain in the UK and work, or look for work, for 3 years after they have completed a PhD.

For full details of the Graduate route including when to apply visit Graduate Route | International Student Support | University of Exeter

Your graduation day is a special occasion to celebrate your academic achievements at the University of Exeter.

The University will have a summer graduation, normally in July, in both Exeter and Cornwall, and a winter graduation, normally in December, in Exeter only.

Should your award date have already passed, or be in the run-up to the graduation dates, you will be invited to register for the day via your Exeter and personal email addresses. It is important that you ensure you are eligible to graduate by having you award formally approved by the Vice Chancellor's Executive Group (VCEG) approximately one month before the date of the graduation, and any outstanding academic-related debt cleared approximately 2 weeks before the date of the graduation. Should either of requirements not be completed you will need to wait until the next graduation date.

For more information about Graduation Ceremonies and to register to attend please visit the Graduation website .

Degree certificate

You can choose whether to receive your degree certificate at a Graduation Ceremony or in absentia which means that your certificate will be posted to your home address. It is important to note that your certificate can only be issued after the official date of award, and once you have received email confirmation from the Postgraduate Research Office.

Your certificate will display your full name, and the full details of your degree.

For information about the Graduation Ceremonies and to register to attend please visit the Graduation website .  

The University of Manchester

PGR handbook - School of Environment, Education and Development

Thesis submission and examination

Submission pending.

If you cannot submit your thesis by the end of the standard period of the degree programme, you need to apply for a period of submission pending for the purpose of preparing the thesis for submission. A fee will be payable for any such submission pending registration that is granted by the University.

Thesis presentation

Your thesis should be presented in accordance with University of Manchester guidelines. The University has also prepared a statement on proofreading and some useful information about writing your thesis.

Thesis submission

It is expected that you will complete your PhD within the standard length of the programme. However, the University recognises that there may, on occasion be justifiable reasons for early or indeed late submission. You can also ask for permission to submit your thesis in the non-traditional format (eg three papers tied together).

Thesis submission and open access

Thesis examination.

You can expect your viva examination to take place around six to eight weeks after submission. To find useful information about your viva, tips on how to prepare and examination policies, please visit:

Results and award

The Doctoral Programmes Office will write to you with the outcome of your viva examination, along with the required next steps.

Thesis extensions

Please visit the 'Policies and guidance' section for more information about extending the 'Prescribed Period of Programme':

  • Extension to thesis deadline

Registration on Submission Pending Period

You are expected to complete all research degree work, including the writing up of the thesis, within the standard period of the degree programme.

If you cannot submit your thesis by the end of the standard period of the degree programme, you need to apply to register for a period of submission pending for the purpose of preparing the thesis for submission.

To check eligibility and apply for the registration, please refer to the Faculty Guiding Principles and for the Submission Pending Period and the University Submission Pending Procedure for PGR Students and submit the application to the School PGR Office.

  • Faculty of Humanities Guiding Principles for the Submission Pending Period
  • Submission Pending Procedure for PGR Students

You are required to submit the thesis no later than the end of Submission Pending Period, providing six weeks notice is given and should follow the usual thesis submission procedures.

Progress will be monitored via eProg during the Submission Pending period. Students and supervisors should meet prior to the Submission Pending year to formalise the timetable for thesis writing and to agree on a schedule for supervision during this period. Students who have not submitted their thesis by the end of the Submission Pending period will have their automatic right to submit withdrawn.

To apply for registration to the Submission Pending period, please complete the Submission Pending Application form  in liaison with your supervisory team and send it to [email protected]

A £225 fee will be payable for the submission pending period registration. 

The thesis must be presented according to the University’s ‘Presentation of Theses Policy’. The document can be found here: 

  • Presentation of Theses Policy

Theses that do not adhere to the University’s ‘Presentation of Theses Policy’ may not be accepted for examination. You must submit an electronic version of your thesis through the My Manchester portal .  We recommend using Firefox or Chrome for submissions. Please also ensure that your ‘pop up blocker’ is turned off.

Standard of written English and proofreading information

Theses must achieve a universally acceptable standard of writing. Prior to submitting your thesis, you are advised to have it professionally proofread and corrected. You can find more information about this in the following document:

  • Guidance on Proofreading Your Thesis .

The final draft of the thesis should be submitted to your supervisor(s) before forwarding to the proof-reader.

University statement on proofreading

If a student chooses to approach another person to proofread their written work or seeks to use the services of a proofreading service or agency, they must take account of the following principles:

  • It is the responsibility of students to ensure that all work submitted is their own, and that it represents their own abilities and understanding. Any proofreading of work that is undertaken by a third party must not compromise the student’s own authorship of the work
  • Proofreading undertaken by a third party must not take the form of editing of text, such as the adding or rewriting of phrases or passages within a piece of student’s work
  • Proofreading undertaken by a third party must not change the content or meaning of the work in any way.

No allowance will be made for English not being the first language in the examining of the thesis.

Notice of submission

To prepare your thesis submission, you must give at least six weeks’ notice through eProg. A ‘Notice of Submission Form’ must be completed six weeks prior to your intended submission; this is the first stage in the examination process. Please log in to eProg to give notice of submission.

Please read the University policies related to the thesis examination carefully before submitting your thesis.

  • Examination of Doctoral Degrees Policy
  • eProg Student Guide

Also, we recommend that you prepare for your eThesis submission in advance by:

  • Familiarising yourself with the University's  Presentation of Theses policy
  • Considering any third-party claims on the Intellectual Property (IP) and  copyright  of your thesis
  • Considering and discussing with your supervisor the appropriate access level for your final thesis

Submitting a journal format thesis 

There is no requirement to request permission to submit in journal format. However, it is important that you discuss the relative merits of this format with your supervisory team, and ensure that you pick the right format for you and your project. Further guidance is available in  Journal Format Theses - Guiding Principles for Students and Staff .

Early submission or deadline extension

If there are mitigating circumstances that prevent you from submitting the thesis by the deadline, you must apply for permission to extend the deadline. Please contact your School PGR office for advice.

If you intend to submit your thesis early (three months before your programme end date for a full-time student or six months for part-time students), please contact your School PGR office to apply for special permission to submit early.

All applications for early or late submission need to be formally considered by your school office.

  • Change of Circumstance Application Form

You should seek the advice of the Doctoral Academy when the thesis is nearing a standard suitable for submission and when to give notice of submission in eProg. You should also seek your supervisor’s opinion on your proposed submission date, though please note that whilst this is advised, you may decide when to submit and if to follow the advice of your supervisor(s). Equally, the agreement of the supervisor(s) to the submission of a thesis does not guarantee the award of the degree.

Submission  

The University of Manchester requires the mandatory submission of electronic theses for all PhD, Professional Doctorate and MPhil degrees through the University eThesis system. The Doctoral Academy has responsibility for the handling and processing of PhD theses. For further information on how to submit your thesis electronically please visit: 

You will need to upload to eThesis – Go to ' My Manchester ' and log in using your usual University username and password. We recommend using Firefox or Chrome for submissions. Please also ensure that you ‘pop up block’ is turned off.

Thesis binding

Bound copies of the thesis are not required. However, if you require your own copy, binding services include:

  • U-Print.com
  • MuPrint.com
  • The Document Centre

Guidance for resubmission 

Resubmission procedures are identical to those for first submission except that you must pay a fee, when you submit your Notice of Resubmission form. You must submit a Notice of Resubmission form in eProg at least six weeks before you wish to resubmit. 

It is important that candidates who are required to resubmit their theses will be made aware of any points which the examiners require to be covered in the resubmission. Candidates are expected to liaise with the supervisor(s) regarding the nature of the revisions required. Should any of the points raised by your examiners be unclear you may ask for clarification from your internal examiner. When conducting the examination for a resubmitted thesis, examiners will pay particular attention to the manner in which the candidate has revised the thesis in response to their original report

Open access

What is open access.

Open Access (OA) means that items of scholarly work are made available online, in a digital format, at no charge to the reader and with limited restrictions on re-use.  The University Publications Policy which applies to all research staff and students sets out to ensure that output arising from publically funded research is widely disseminated and made freely accessible. The Policy is based on the Open Access requirements of various research funders:  the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the UK Research Councils (UKRI) and the Wellcome Trust. 

  • The University of Manchester Publications Policy

For you, making your research Open Access can support the development of a researcher profile by increasing visibility of your research and allows you to gain experience of OA without compromising future publication strategies (many publishers do not consider a thesis to be a prior publication).

Postgraduate research thesis

The University's Presentation of Theses policy requires that all final postgraduate research theses are made Open Access within 12 months of submission unless an exception to the policy is required. You will select your preferred access level for your final eThesis submission. This is subject to approval by your supervisor. Most students will be able to comply with the policy by selecting either immediate Open Access or Open Access with a 12-month embargo. It may not be possible for some students to comply with the policy, in which case an exception to the policy can be requested. More information on access requirements for your final postgraduate research thesis can be found via the eThesis Support Service webpages:

  • eThesis Support Service

Final eThesis submissions are available via the institutional repository, Pure , and discoverable via the University’s Research Explorer and Library Search .

For students funded by UK research councils, their PhD theses must also be made open access through the University’s repository (eThesis). Please see more information in the UKRI Terms and Conditions of Research Council Training Grants.

  • UKRI Terms and Conditions of Research Council Training Grants

As a PGR student, what output do I make open access?

If you are publishing research outputs during your time at Manchester, you need to make them Open Access. There are two ways of doing this and the best option for you will depend on your funding situation and output type.

You may wish to publish your work Gold OA, where it’s immediately available on publication via the publisher’s website and with limited restrictions on reuse. This method is required by certain funders. Some publishers levy an Article Processing Charge (APC) for Gold OA, so it is worth investigating your funding options.

Alternatively, most authors will be able to make their work Open Access via a repository, a method known as Green Open Access. The Library can advise you on depositing the appropriate version of your work, and setting any embargo required by the publisher. There is no additional cost associated with Green Open Access.

Further information regarding different types of Open Access, institutional and funder requirements, how to deposit your publication and funding for APCs can be found here:

  • Open Access

Appointment of examiners

Examiners are appointed by the candidate’s School and approved by the Chair of the School PGR Committee. Two examiners (normally one internal and one external) will be appointed, their function being to make a recommendation to the Committee about the award of a research degree. Your supervisor(s) must not serve as the internal examiner.

Consultation in the appointment of nominated examiners

You should be consulted when deciding upon appropriate examiners. Although you do not necessarily have the right to veto any particular nomination, you can appeal against an examiner nomination. If you are unhappy with the choice of examiners you should put your objections in writing to the Doctoral Academy .

Substantial grounds for objecting to a particular examiner might be:

  • That the candidate has had too close a connection with either examiner, on either a personal or professional basis.
  • That there is felt to be too close a relationship between the examiners themselves (e.g. they are partners/relatives or they are directors of the same company).
  • That there is evidence of dispute between an examiner and the candidate.

Oral examination

All candidates for the degree of PhD and MPhil will be required to attend an oral examination. (There are circumstances, however, where the internal and external examiners may agree to dispense with the oral examination for an MPhil thesis.) The oral must take place without undue delay, normally within 12 weeks. The external examiner should liaise with the internal examiner on the timing of the examination of the thesis. The internal examiner may also consult the candidate’s supervisor(s) and the candidate about the oral examination arrangements.

Through the oral, the examiners satisfy themselves that the thesis is the candidate’s own work, and clarify any ambiguities in the thesis. It also allows the candidate to relate the thesis to a broader field of study, and to demonstrate a knowledge and appreciation of adjoining fields which is up to the standard expected for the award of the degree.

Oral examinations must be held on University premises and will be attended by all the examiners. It is the internal examiner’s responsibility to book a room and to notify the PGR Office in eProg, at least ten days in advance, of the date, time and room for the oral. Oral exams are automatically open to University staff, PGR students and the supervisors, but the candidate has the right to exclude any individual.

Useful links in preparation for your viva

  • Postgraduate Online Research Training - Preparing for your viva video
  • Good Viva video
  • Viva Survivor video
  • Vitae - Your viva

Submission and confidentiality of examination reports

Examiners are asked to ensure that there is no unnecessary delay between the examination of a thesis and their submission of a report. Completed examiners' reports (pre-oral and joint Examiners Report Form) must be submitted to eProg within five working days of the oral examination and will be made available to you via eProg once the recommendation has been ratified.

Examination policies

  • Examination of Doctoral Degrees Policy  - full details of the regulations for examination of a PhD thesis
  • Examination of MPhil Degrees Policy  - full details of the regulations for examination of an MPhil thesis
  • Resubmission and Re-examination of Postgraduate Research Degrees Policy  - full details of the regulations for the examination of a resubmitted PhD or MPhil thesis
  • Nomination of Examiners and Independent Chairs for PGR Degree Examinations Policy  - the regulations governing the nomination of examiners for thesis.

Criteria for the award of the degree 

A successful PhD thesis must show evidence of originality and independent critical judgment and constitute an addition to knowledge (such as can reasonably be achieved within the period of registration). Original research is not a basic requirement for the degree of MPhil in the way that it is for the PhD, although naturally it is not ruled out, but the candidate must demonstrate full knowledge of existing scholarship in the field specified by the thesis title, show competence in the relevant methods of research, and present material with clarity and evidence of independent judgment. 

Details of the possible outcomes of your viva examination can be found in relevant Examination Policies .

The Doctoral Academy will write to you with the outcome of your viva examination, along with the required next steps.

When you have been recommended for award of the degree, you will be asked to submit a final version of your thesis through electronic theses submission. 

When you have submitted your final thesis into the eThesis window and it has been checked against the Presentation of Theses Policy, your student record will be completed and marked for graduation.

Appeals procedure

In accordance with the University’s Regulations XIX governing academic appeals, if you believe your case has not been dealt with properly or that the outcome is unreasonable, you may appeal against this decision by writing to the University Student Appeals and Complaints Coordinator .   

Examiners will be made aware, that, under the University’s Regulations Governing Academic Appeals at Postgraduate Research Level, in the event of an appeal, and notwithstanding their confidential nature, the examiners’ reports would be made available later to the Graduate Appeals Committee. 

Before initiating an appeal, you are strongly advised to discuss the matter with your supervisor(s), or the School PGR Director or any other appropriate person in the School. If the matter remains unresolved, you may invoke the formal appeal procedure. 

  • A basic guide to academic appeals

Important note: access to your IT account following degree completion

You have access to IT facilities including email, eProg and personal storage space during the prescribed period of your programme, the submission pending period and the time leading up to and including your thesis examination. Access to these facilities is terminated on the date of graduation. We, therefore, advise you to ensure all data and files you wish to retain beyond the date of your graduation are safely transferred ahead of that date to prevent loss of work.

  • Academic life
  • Registration
  • Module Enrolment
  • Discovery Modules
  • Creating Sustainable Futures
  • Enterprise and Innovation
  • Ethics, Religion and Law
  • Exploring the Sciences
  • Languages and Intercultural understanding
  • Media, Culture and Creativity
  • Mind and Body
  • Personal and Professional Development
  • Power and Conflict
  • Technology and its Impacts
  • Making changes
  • Attendance and Absences
  • Academic Dates and Deadlines
  • Study Support
  • Leeds for Life
  • Plus Programme
  • Higher and Degree Apprenticeships
  • School of Medicine
  • Lifelong learning centre
  • Online learning support
  • Navigating online learning systems
  • Key dates and locations
  • Preparing for your assessments
  • Online assessments
  • On-campus assessments
  • I need help during the assessment period
  • What happens after the assessment period?
  • Classification
  • Academic Integrity
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Postgraduate research
  • Starting your research
  • During your research
  • Thesis Submission and the Viva
  • Postgraduate researcher policies and procedures
  • Funding for postgraduate researchers
  • The Doctoral College
  • Research practice
  • Prepare for your graduation ceremony
  • Leaving the university
  • Official documentation and regulations
  • Feedback and complaints
  • Responding to your feedback
  • Research student policies and procedures
  • Taught student policies and procedures
  • Paying fees and charges
  • University scholarships and funds
  • Leeds Bursary
  • University Financial Assistance Fund
  • External funding
  • Student loans
  • American and Canadian student funding
  • Funding for medics and dentists
  • NHS Learning Support Fund
  • Study abroad and work placements
  • Finding work
  • Opportunities
  • Languages for All
  • The Turing Scheme
  • Leadership programmes
  • Support and wellbeing
  • Counselling and wellbeing
  • Groups and workshops
  • Togetherall, resources and self help
  • Your emotional wellbeing
  • Healthy relationships with yourself and others
  • Dealing with academic challenges and life stress
  • Academic stress and challenges
  • Life stress and challenges
  • Support for our diverse students
  • Disabled student support
  • Who we support
  • Setting up your support
  • Funding for disabled students
  • Support for disabled students
  • Your safety
  • Fraud, phishing, scams; don't lose your money
  • Safety at home
  • Your safety out and about
  • Bereavement
  • Medical services and what to do if you're ill
  • Harassment and misconduct
  • Sexual Violence
  • Your campus experience and life in Leeds
  • Study abroad
  • Where can I go?
  • Prepare to apply
  • Get ready to go
  • Study Abroad funding and costs
  • During your Study Abroad year
  • Returning to Leeds
  • Summer abroad
  • International students
  • Prepare for Leeds
  • Your first weeks at Leeds
  • International orientation
  • Complete start-up processes
  • Opening a bank account
  • Settle into life at Leeds
  • Global Community
  • Intercultural work and volunteering
  • Intercultural experiences
  • Explore Languages and Cultures
  • Living in the UK
  • International families
  • Work volunteering and your visa
  • Student Life
  • Your time in Leeds
  • Finding Your Way Around
  • Children and Family
  • Staying Safe
  • Fraud and scams
  • Health and wellbeing
  • The Leeds Partnership
  • Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme
  • Undergraduate research opportunities
  • Applications and interviews
  • Career options
  • Starting your own business (SPARK)
  • Jobs and work experience
  • Discover your future
  • Final year support
  • Leadership programme

Referral and resubmission for research degrees

If the examiners recommend that your thesis is referred for resubmission, then you'll be required to revise the thesis, which may include further research, and then resubmit it for re-examination.  

Please see the Guide for candidates referred for resubmission on the Policies and procedures page of the SES website for more information on the processes explained on this webpage.    

Referral 

If the examiners recommend referral for resubmission, you will be required to revise the thesis, which may entail further research or any other activity required by the examiners, and then resubmit this to the University for re-examination. You may be required to attend a second viva. 

Notes for guidance  

Alongside the report on the examination, the examiners are required to prepare ‘Notes for Guidance’ which outlines the changes which are required. The Notes for Guidance will set out the sections or aspects of the thesis which need improvement and information about what work is required to enable you to revise the thesis for resubmission to meet the standard required for award.  

You will not receive your Notes for Guidance directly from your examiners after your viva. The Notes for Guidance must be submitted with the examiners’ report to Doctoral College Operations (DCO) for scrutiny by the Graduate Board’s Progression and Examinations Group. The examiners’ report and Notes for Guidance will be issued to you by DCO after approval by the Group with information describing how to resubmit for re-examination. DCO aim to send you your approved report and Notes for Guidance within a period of six weeks from receipt of the report and Notes for Guidance. This will be uploaded to GRAD and a notification sent to your University email address.  If for any reason it will not be possible to meet this timescale you will be kept informed.  

Supervision during the referral period 

To keep the resubmission on course before the maximum time limit, it is expected that supervisory contact and support will continue during the referral period.  Supervisors are asked to provide up to six supervision meetings a year during the referral period. Whilst the precise nature, pattern and timing of supervisions will vary depending on the stage of the resubmission, and the extent and nature of the work required for resubmission, recommended best practice is that meetings will be held at regular intervals during the referral period (until resubmission) and include at least: 

  • An early meeting (or equivalent), normally within one month of receipt of the examiners’ report and notes for guidance; and 
  • A meeting (or equivalent) around the mid-point of the referral period (eg around nine to 12 month point for doctoral PGRs) if the thesis has not been resubmitted. 

Supervisions should continue to be recorded in GRAD and may take place in a variety of forms (for example in face-to-face meetings when the PGR is in the UK or by other means such as video conferencing where appropriate). For PGRs in the referral period the University appreciates that supervision may take the form of reading and commenting on draft chapters of the thesis prior to resubmission.  PGRs must ensure that they provide their supervisor with re-drafts of work for comment within a reasonable timescale. PGRs should take the advice of their supervisor whether or not to resubmit their work for examination. PGRs are strongly recommended not to resubmit against their supervisor’s advice. However, PGRs are solely responsible for the decision to resubmit their work for resubmission. 

Additional information for PGRs holding a student visa

If you hold a current Student Visa and you wish to remain in the UK during the referral period, DCO will contact your School to establish that there is academic need for you to study at the University. The University can only continue to sponsor you during the referral period if there is a genuine academic need for you to remain in the UK during the referral period to use University facilities. You should be studying full time in the UK and there is an expectation that supervision meetings will take place on campus/in-person. If you do not need to use University facilities in person or could re-draft your thesis from outside the UK, then the University cannot continue to sponsor during the referral period.

If you have an active CAS and don’t need to remain in the UK, your sponsorship will be withdrawn. You will be notified of this once your referral has been confirmed, and you should take advice from the Student Visa Advice team .

If it is confirmed that there is an academic need for you to remain in the UK during the referral period, the School must implement regular supervision meetings and contacts in order to monitor attendance and maintain sponsor duties. In these cases the normal attendance monitoring arrangements must apply (a minimum of 10 supervision meetings a year, with gaps of no more than 8 weeks) with attendance/supervision meetings recorded and attendance and progress monitored as set out in the Attendance and Engagement Monitoring Policy. 

Examination entry 

A minimum of three months before the thesis is resubmitted for examination, you must enter for re-examination by completing the examination entry process. Normally the same team of examiners will act for the resubmission, except in exceptional circumstances.  

  • You will have a ‘task’ in GRAD to complete the examination entry workflow again for your resubmission 
  • The workflow will be automatically populated with the information from your first submission eg your thesis title, ethical review and publication information. You can check this and amend (if necessary) for your resubmission 
  • When you submit the workflow, it will move to your supervisor so they can confirm the team of examiners for your resubmitted thesis. 
  • You can track the process of the workflow via the status box in GRAD 

Resubmission 

The referral period begins from the date the Report and Notes for Guidance are issued following approval by the Progression and Examinations Group and the deadline will be included in the GRAD notification from DCO which is sent with your Report and Notes for Guidance. This is the maximum time limit for resubmission and you may resubmit at any point in the referral period, once the amendments have been made and your thesis is ready for resubmission. The thesis must be resubmitted for examination to GRAD. Your resubmission must not be sent directly to your examiners. 

If circumstances arise which may prevent you from resubmitting your thesis by your resubmission deadline you must talk to your Graduate School as soon as possible for advice. Please see the Taking time out from your research page of the For Students website for advice on suspensions and extensions as well as the Policy on Suspensions and Extensions to the correction/referral period on the Policies and Procedures page of the Student Education Service (SES) website . 

You must upload to GRAD, alongside your resubmitted thesis, a summary of how your revised thesis has responded to changes listed by your examiners in the Notes for Guidance. This will assist the examiners when considering your resubmitted thesis.   

Once your resubmitted thesis is sent for examination, the appropriate fee will be charged. 

Resubmission fee

Once your resubmitted thesis is sent for examination the appropriate re-examination fee will be charged. Student Finance (Fees) will contact you about this. The fee is subject to an increase each academic year and you should contact Student Finance (Fees) at the appropriate time for details of the fee levels beyond the current year. 

Fees for 2023/24: Doctoral resubmissions (eg PhD, MD, EdD, DClinPsychol, DPaedDent) £555 MPhil resubmission £405 Masters by Research resubmission £325  

Examination 

The resubmitted thesis is subject to the same process as the first examination, with both the internal and external examiners required to examine the resubmitted thesis. The examiners may hold a second viva if they deem it appropriate. Your examiners will confirm whether or not a second viva is needed after they have considered your resubmitted thesis.  

Appealing 

Please see the Outcome of the viva page on the For Students website for more information about appealing the outcome of your viva. 

  • The Library
  • Leeds University Union
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy and cookies
  • Freedom of Information

© 2024 University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT

  • Current Students
  • News & Press
  • Register as a student
  • Student Portal
  • Applying for a Student Visa
  • Your Responsibilities
  • INTO Newcastle Students
  • Undergraduate Students
  • Postgraduate Taught Students
  • Postgraduate Research Students
  • Change of Circumstances
  • Standard Visitor Visa
  • Your Visa and Right to Study
  • Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
  • Bringing your Family to the UK
  • Travelling Outside of the UK
  • Lost/stolen passport, visa and BRP
  • Graduate Route
  • EU, Swiss and non-EU EEA students
  • Register with the Police
  • Access External Visa Advice
  • Guide to your Visa
  • Registration
  • Learning agreement
  • Faculty Research Training
  • Project Approval
  • Meeting Records
  • Attendance Engagement
  • Annual Progression Review
  • Examination
  • Council Tax
  • Publications and Regulations
  • Forms and Policies
  • Covid-19 Mitigations
  • Doctoral College
  • Personal Extenuating Circumstances (PEC)
  • Regulations
  • Student Procedures
  • Student Charter

phd thesis resubmission

The examination process is one of the final stages in the postgraduate research student lifecycle

  • Newcastle University
  • Student Progress
  • Guidance for PGR Students
  • Key Activities

Examinations overview

Explore an overview of each stage of the process and a typical timeline for each activity.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree Assessment Regulations

Master of Philosophy Degree Assessment Regulations

Handbook for Examiners of Research Degrees by Theses

Key actions

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

Typical timeline

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

Key activities

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

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

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

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

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

Student submits:

  • One Electronic Copy
  • Research Degree Examination Entry Form 

Must be submitted on or before submission deadline

On or before the submission deadline, students must submit:

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

HaSS and SAgE Graduate School
Student Progress Service
Level 6, Henry Daysh Building
Claremont Road, Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU      
United Kingdom

Email: 

or

via the University's                                                              

Science Agriculture & Engineering (SAgE) students

HaSS and SAgE Graduate School
Student Progress Service
Level 6, Henry Daysh Building
Claremont Road, Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU      
United Kingdom

Email: 

 or

via the University's 

Medical Sciences (FMS) students

Medical Sciences Graduate School (MSGS)
3rd Floor, Ridley Building 1
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
United Kingdom

Email: 

Thesis submission preferably via the University's    or by email 

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 20 83048

  • Supervisor organises oral examination once thesis has been sent out
  • Examiners complete and submit Preliminary Reports to your Graduate School prior to oral examination 
  • Thesis sent only once checks undertaken by your Graduate School have been completed satisfactorily.
  • Can take from a few days to a number of weeks depending on progress of checks required. 

Key activites

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

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

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

  • Student attends the oral examination
  • Examiners complete the Joint Report
  • Joint Report returned to your Graduate School with a list of corrections (where appropriate) 
  • Oral examination usually takes place three months after thesis has been sent to examiners

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

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

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

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

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

  • Dean of Postgraduate Studies considers Preliminary and Joint Report forms and approves the recommendation
  • Graduate School writes to student confirming the outcome, providing a copy of the Joint Report form and, where appropriate, a list of corrections and a deadline for completion of corrections/revisions/resubmission
  • Outcome usually available 2-3 weeks after the date of oral examination

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Student submits corrections/revisions/resubmission to your Graduate School by deadline.
  • Corrections/revisions forwarded to internal examiner. Resubmissions forwarded to internal and external examiners.
  • Report(s) received from examiner(s) stating outcome and forwarded to Dean of Postgraduate Studies for approval
  • Student notified of outcome in an email from the Graduate School 
  • Time allowed for completion of corrections/revisions/resubmission will vary in accordance with the first submission outcome.
  • Examiner(s) asked to provide outcome within 6 weeks of receipt of corrections/revisions/resubmission.
  • Allow up to a week for Dean of Postgraduate Studies to approve resubmission outcome

For all resubmissions:

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

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

The outcomes available following a resubmission are as follows:

  • The immediate award of a PhD;
  • The award of a PhD subject to completion of minor corrections or minor revisions within a specified period, to the satisfaction of the internal examiner;
  • The immediate award of an MPhil instead of a PhD;
  • The award of an MPhil subject to completion of minor corrections or minor revisions within a specified period, to the satisfaction of the internal examiner;
  • The recommendation that no degree be awarded and the student be adjudged to have failed.
  • Student submits the final electronic copy of thesis
  • Pass list produced.
  • Degree parchment produced. 
  • Students required to submit electronic copy of thesis within 1 month of notification of award outcome
  • Degree Parchment usually produced within 6-8 weeks of receipt of pass list 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your examination, you can follow the  Academic Queries and Appeals procedure , but only once you have received formal notification of the outcome of your examination. 

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

The University of Edinburgh home

  • Schools & departments

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Thesis submission for examination

How to submit your thesis to the College Postgraduate Research Student Office. The College Office now accepts electronic-only submission of theses for examination.

When do you need to submit your thesis?

You are expected to submit your thesis within the last two months of your maximum period. You must submit your thesis on or before your maximum end date.

If you wish to submit more than three months before your prescribed end date, you must confirm this with your supervisor, and have a Concession for your early submission approved by the College Exams Committee before submission. This will need strong support from your Supervisory team.

If you think you will need an extension to your maximum period of study, you will need to contact your supervisor to discuss arranging an Extension of Studies. Please submit a Concession for additional time to complete your studies as soon as possible, but at least 2 months before your max end date. If you submit a request later then you may not receive a decision before your original max end date.

If more than three months pass between submitting your Notice of Intention to Submit form (NITS) and your soft‐bound thesis, we may need to contact your examiners to confirm they are still available.

Is your maximum end date at the week-end or in a holiday?

If your maximum end date falls on a day when the College Postgraduate Research Student Office is closed, this is not a problem. You can submit your thesis on the first day that the office is open again and this will not be considered a late submission.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your thesis arrives at the College by your submission deadline.

PLEASE NOTE WE PERMIT A MAXIMUM DISCRETIONARY 7 DAY PERIOD ONLY FOR SUBMISSION WITHOUT PENALTY - ANY LONGER PERIOD REQUIRES A FORMAL CONCESSION

Has your thesis title changed since you submitted your NITS?

The title on your NITS form must be your final thesis title.

If your title changes after you have submitted your NITS pack, you need to re‐submit these forms, ensuring they show the correct title.

Re-submit a Notice of Intention to Submit (NITS)

What do you need to submit your thesis?

Please note the submission is electronic only - a soft-bound copy of your thesis is not required.

The thesis file must contain

  • an abstract
  • and a lay summary.

Lay Summary in Theses guidance (131.81KB, PDF)

There is no requirement to include a separate signed declaration of own work. Completion of the online thesis submission process covers this requirement.

Have Covid-19 circumstances adversely affected your research?

PhD and MPhil students can make the Board of Examiners aware of the impact the pandemic has had on their research when they submit their thesis. 

This statement should not be included within the thesis, but provided as a separate document of no more than a single page at the point of thesis submission, via the online submission system.

If you have already submitted your thesis but you are still to have your viva, this can also be sent directly to [email protected] .

This statement will be submitted to the Examiners following the receipt of the pre-viva Reports, but before the Viva.

Detailed guidance on how to format your thesis can be found in the:

Thesis Format Guidance

Watch your word count.

Please note you will be asked to confirm your final word count on submission.

You may need a concession.

If the word count is above that permitted for your programme, a Concession for this additional wordcount must be approved before submission - otherwise the thesis may not be recorded and may be returned.

Strong Supervisor support for the additional word count will be required with the Concession request.

If the request is approved, Examiners must be notified of the additional work required prior to their appointment, or before the thesis is sent for examination.

Referencing

Please consult your Graduate School for advice regarding referencing regulations and practices.

Have you submitted the thesis through Turnitin?

Please note your thesis must be submitted through Turnitin before submission and all similarity reports should be discussed with your Academic Supervisory Team BEFORE submission for examination.

Please consult your Graduate School for details to proceed with this requirement.

Please note it can occasionally take several hours (or even a few days) for the Similarity Reports to be produced therefore you must take this into account in the submission deadlines.

Turnitin guidance

Proofreading

You are welcome to use a proof‐reader for your thesis.

However, please be advised that proof‐readers should only comment on grammar, vocabulary, and clarity of written English; they should not advise on the subject matter of your thesis or your argumentation.

Find skills training and links to study skills resources with the University's Institute for Academic Development

As the author of your thesis, you hold copyright of all work submitted for assessment.

Prepare electronic files of your thesis.

Following this guidance will minimise any potential risk of having to re-do the process, and ensure your submission progresses smoothly.

Students should submit one Word version of the thesis and one PDF version

If required, the below listed common file formats are also permitted:

  • Documents: MS Word (.docx) or Acrobat PDF (.pdf)
  • Spreadsheets: MS Excel (.xlsx)
  • Presentations: MS PowerPoint (.pptx)
  • Images: .jpg or .tif
  • Video: .mp4
  • Audio: .wav or .mp3

You should avoid submitting files compressed in zip or other archive formats (such files are difficult to access on submission and single large files are more problematic to upload over slower, or inconsistent broadband connections).

Apply this file naming convention consistently.

When submitting more than one file, you should consider how you would wish the examiners to review the content.

In particular, you should give consideration to the file order which you expect examiners should read or review the content.

  • Student number, for example, s1234567
  • Order number, for example, 01, 02, 03 – 10, 11, 12
  • Short descriptive name, for example, Abstract, Appendix 1

Full example filename: s1234567-01-Abstract.pdf

Prepare an index file with our template.

In addition to the naming convention above, you must upload an index file, based on the simple template below, setting out the file name and a brief description of the contents of the file.

Download our electronic file submission file index template.

phd thesis resubmission

Rename the index file in line with the guidance above. We suggest a format along the lines of: s1234567-00-Index.pdf

Populate the index document with details of all files you intend to submit electronically for the attention of your examiners.

Example content for the index document:

File index example
File name File extension Brief description of file
s1234567-00-file-index docx This serves as an index of all submitted files.
s1234567-01-abstract docx The abstract of my thesis
s1234567-02-thesis docx The main body of my thesis
s1234567-03-appendix 1 docx Appendix 1: figures and tables
s1234567-04-image 1 jpg Hi-resolution version of image 1: view of...
...    

This file index document will be the first document you upload.

Upload electronic files of your thesis.

Do you use university systems with staff credentials, always submit your thesis file(s) using your student credentials ([email protected]).

If you use University systems with staff credentials, please click on the button below to open the link in an incognito or private browser window so that you may log in directly with your student credentials.

If you are denied access because you are logged in with staff credentials, log off and log back in with your student credentials.

Reminder: This page is aimed at students for a postgraduate research degree in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

If you are a student in the College of Science and Engineering, refer to their Intranet.

If you are a student in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, refer to their wiki.

READY FOR SUBMISSION 

Submit your thesis file(s) to the College Postgraduate Research Student Office (student login required)

What happens next?

Once we have received your thesis and your examiners have been nominated, the College Postgraduate Research Student Office will send your thesis out to your examiners for the first stage of the examination process.

Examination and viva

to post a comment.

--> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> -->
    University of Southern California
   
  Jun 25, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2024-2025    
USC Catalogue 2024-2025

Return to: Keck School of Medicine of USC    

Keith Administration Building 409 1975 Zonal Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90089-9031 (323) 442-1609 FAX: (323) 442-1199 Email: [email protected] Program Director: Mark R. Frey, PhD

The USC PhD Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS) is a gateway program into graduate studies at the USC Health Sciences Campus, leading to a PhD degree in a broad range of biological and biomedical disciplines.

PIBBS students experience a common first-year curriculum that will build a solid foundation in biomedical and biological sciences. Students are required to complete 29 units of core classes and laboratory rotations during the fall, spring and summer semesters of the PIBBS year, including courses in cell biology, molecular biology, human molecular genetics, protein chemistry, principles of biostatistics, ethics and accountability in biomedical research, and writing in the biomedical and biological sciences.

At the end of the spring semester of the first year, students will select a faculty adviser and a specific PhD program from among the four participating programs listed. In the second year, students will take classes that will differ depending on the PhD program they join; second year classes may include, but are not limited to, topics such as biochemistry, epidemiology, stem cell biology, cancer biology, bioinformatics, virology, immunology and physiology. In addition, each student will complete qualifying examinations for the chosen PhD program and will develop and complete an original research project that will serve as the basis for a doctoral dissertation.

PhD Graduate Programs

Cancer Biology and Genomics (PhD)     Development, Stem Cells, and Regenerative Medicine (PhD)     Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Pathogenesis (PhD)     Medical Biophysics (PhD)   Molecular Medicine (PhD)   Neuromedicine (PhD)    

PIBBS Admission Requirements

Application Deadline (priority review): December 1

Applicants to PIBBS should have a baccalaureate degree in natural sciences, or sufficient courses in mathematics and the life sciences. This is required to provide a strong background for studies in biomedical and biological research. Appropriate undergraduate degrees include biology, physiology, engineering, chemistry or computer science.

Applicants should have a strong record of academic achievement. Other requirements for admission include: a detailed statement of purpose as well as three letters of recommendation, one of which should be from a wet laboratory or computational research mentor. Previous research experience is expected. Students are admitted for the academic year in the fall semester. Applicants who are accepted with minor deficiencies are expected to correct these during the first year following enrollment. Although there is no formal application deadline, complete applications received by December 1 will be given priority.

Financial Support

Admitted students are supported by research assistantships or fellowships during their graduate career. Tuition, health insurance and health fees are also covered.

Lab Rotations

During the first year, students register for INTD 790 Research    (4 units in the fall semester and 3 units in the spring semester) and rotate through the labs of three faculty members of the program (potential research advisers). By the first summer of graduate study, but no later than after 12 months in the program, each student is expected to have selected a faculty mentor/research adviser.

PIBBS Required Core Curriculum and Research

First semester.

  • INTD 531 Cell Biology Units: 4
  • INTD 561 Molecular Biology Units: 4
  • INTD 790 Research Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Second Semester

  • INTD 549 Protein Chemistry – Structure and Function Units: 4
  • INTD 577 Writing in the Biomedical and Biological Sciences Units: 1

Third Semester

  • INTD 500 Ethics and Accountability in Biomedical Research Units: 1
  • PM 510L Principles of Biostatistics Units: 4

Admission Requirements for PhD Programs

Admission to the Keck School of Medicine PhD program is open to all incoming PIBBS students provided all PIBBS admission requirements are met and all first year course and lab rotation requirements have been satisfactorily completed. Students from other sources, such as MD/PhD students and clinician scientists, may also be eligible on a case-by-case basis.

In general, new graduate students apply for admission to USC through the PhD programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS), and become enrolled in one of four PhD programs at the Keck School of Medicine after the successful completion of the PIBBS year. During the PIBBS year, students must complete the core curriculum of 29 units, maintain a 3.0 grade point average with no grade lower than a C on all courses, complete three laboratory rotations and successfully identify a lab to join in order to continue into a PhD program.

Application information is available by contacting the PIBBS Program at [email protected] .

Unit/Course Requirements

A minimum of 60 units of graduate course credits is required for the PhD, including course work, seminars, research and dissertation units. No more than 8 units of 794 may be applied toward the PhD degree. Students must complete the first year PIBBS core curriculum as well as course requirements for their specific PhD program. Thirty units of course work, including the PIBBS core curriculum, must be completed before students are considered for the qualifying examination. Additional course work relevant to the student’s research interests  may be required by the student’s qualifying exam committee or by the student’s faculty adviser.

Guidance Committee

After 30 units of course work, which includes the PIBBS core curriculum and course requirements for one of the four PhD programs, the student, in consultation with a faculty adviser, will nominate five faculty members to serve on the guidance committee for the qualifying examination. A minimum of three of the faculty must be from the student’s PhD program, and one must be a faculty member from outside the PhD program. The chair of the guidance committee must be a member of the student’s PhD program and the faculty adviser is not allowed to be on the committee (but may be a silent presence during the exam). These nominations are submitted to the chair of the program for formal appointment.

Qualifying Examination

Students in the PhD program must pass both the written screening and the oral portions of the qualifying examination administered by their guidance committee during the second year of graduate study.

The written screening exam involves writing a research grant proposal. The deadline for completion of the written screening is the second week of January of the second year. Students who receive a failing score will be allowed one resubmission, with a deadline of within 30 days of notification of score receipt. The written portion must be passed before the oral portion can be taken.

The oral examination must be completed within 60 days after successful completion of the written screening exam. The oral examination consists of two parts. The first part consists of a presentation of the proposed thesis research. The second part consists of an open forum in which the guidance committee asks general questions on any topic related to the student’s research.

Final evaluation of the examination is determined by a consensus of the guidance committee. If a student does not pass, it is at the discretion of the committee to allow the student to repeat the oral examination within 60 days. If the student is again unable to pass, this will be grounds for dismissal from the program.

Advancement to Candidacy

Recommendation for advancement to candidacy for the PhD degree is made on the basis of the successful completion of the qualifying examination, course requirements and the student’s maintenance of at least a 3.0 GPA. A student who has not been recommended for advancement to candidacy at the end of the first semester of the third year will be dismissed from the program.

Dissertation Committee

After advancement to candidacy, the student must form a dissertation committee, in consultation with a faculty adviser. A minimum of three committee members must be selected, one of which is the faculty adviser, and at least one of which must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member of the student’s PhD program. Committee members may be non-tenure track. The chair of the dissertation committee must be a member of the student’s PhD program and may not be the faculty adviser. The dissertation committee is responsible for counseling the student during preparation of the dissertation and conducting the final oral examination during the dissertation defense. Students are expected to meet with the dissertation committee once per year to discuss progress.

Annual Research Appraisal (ARA)

After advancing to candidacy, each graduate student presents an annual progress report to his or her dissertation research committee. Prior to the meeting, the student prepares a short written document describing significant experiments, problems and projected studies. This document is distributed to the committee and is included in the student’s file. The ARA meeting is intended to be a working session between the student and his or her committee; experimental results and problems are discussed with this context. In addition the student presents a research plan for the next year of work. A satisfactory ARA is required of every student for each year of residence after the completion of the qualifying exam. A final ARA is required the semester before the student is permitted to defend the dissertation.

Dissertation and Oral Defense

The student’s research is reported in a dissertation written under the guidance of the dissertation committee. The dissertation must demonstrate the student’s capacity for independent research, scholarly achievement and technical mastery of a special field. Students are expected to have at least one first author publication accepted in a peer-reviewed journal before the defense.

When the final draft of the dissertation is ready, the student will take the final oral defense. Students must submit their dissertations to the dissertation committee at least one month before they expect to make final revisions.

Dissertation committee members are expected to read and comment on a dissertation within two weeks from its submission. The student and faculty will coordinate a timeline for the student to present the thesis to the dissertation committee. This timeline must allow all dissertation committee members enough time to fulfill their responsibilities within the four-week deadline.

The dissertation defense is a formal public presentation of the student’s research before the program faculty and students. Dissertation defenses must be publicized at least two weeks prior to the oral defense.

All doctoral candidates must be registered in 794 Doctoral Dissertation each semester (excluding summer sessions) from the time of their advancement to candidacy until their dissertation is approved and submitted to the Graduate School.

IMAGES

  1. Resubmission of Thesis (Postgraduate Research Students)

    phd thesis resubmission

  2. Consent Letter for Submission of PhD Dissertation Report.docx

    phd thesis resubmission

  3. SOLUTION: Thesis resubmission 1

    phd thesis resubmission

  4. thesis resubmission cover letter

    phd thesis resubmission

  5. How To Write a Better PhD Thesis/Dissertation?

    phd thesis resubmission

  6. PhD Thesis Submission Period

    phd thesis resubmission

VIDEO

  1. Conclusion of Your PhD Thesis

  2. PhD Thesis & Scholar's Wish #phd #phdlife #phdvlog #phdthesis

  3. How to make a research proposal for Ph.D. / Research Grant by Prof. Mahima Kaushik II Important tips

  4. PhD Thesis introduction 101

  5. Proofreading PhD Thesis, First Phase, Pages 20, 21, 35, 40, 41, 45, 46, 47 and 48

  6. PhD

COMMENTS

  1. phd

    Yes, a good examiner will read the thesis line by line. There are five possible outcomes from the examination of a thesis. Accepted without corrections. Minor corrections - generally textual changes only - 3 month time limit. Major corrections - might involve some reanalysis, but no new experiments - 6 month time limit.

  2. Revising a PhD thesis and re-examination

    If, after examining your thesis and conducting the oral, the Examiners cannot recommend that you pass (even if you were to correct your work), they will in most cases recommend that you should be allowed to revise and resubmit your work for a second examination.. Should the Degree Committee decide that you should revise and resubmit your work, you will be allowed up to 12 months from the date ...

  3. The dreaded "revise and re-submit" : r/PhD

    Last year I submitted my PhD thesis, with a relatively absent supervisor and a interdisciplinary hot mess of a topic area. Anyway, the outcome was "Revise and Resubmit" (Australian terminology - not sure what it is globally, but generally involves major revisions for resubmission). ... In my uni, thesis would never go back to the original ...

  4. How to deal with post-viva PhD thesis corrections

    Create a matrix. You should list all of the suggested revisions in a spreadsheet, together with your notes. This will allow you to create an audit trail as you work through them. To start, create a spreadsheet with three columns. In column one, you list each revision listed in the report on a separate row.

  5. Can a PhD student accused of plagiarism revise/resubmit the thesis?

    In the case of a thesis, we would be allowed to apply 3 penalties. The most lenient we could be would be to evaluate the thesis with the plagiarized material removed. If this caused the student to fail, they would be allowed to revise the thesis. The most harsh we could be would be to require them to submit a new thesis with entirely new work.

  6. Corrections and Resubmission

    Your corrections period begins from the date that you are notified of your viva result by the College Postgraduate Research Student Office. The deadline for your corrections depends on the recommendation that was made by your examiners and approved by the College Postgraduate Exams committee (see Exam Board and Outcome stage).

  7. Resubmission within 12 / 18 months

    The resubmission process. It is recommended that you submit your PhD/MPhil resubmission exam entry form to your supervisor two months prior to resubmission. It must be indicated here whether the same examiners (and independent chair if there is a second viva) will be examining your thesis as the first submission or whether these will be new examiners.

  8. PhD thesis outcome after resubmission

    The policy of university mentions that review the first submit of thesis would take up to 3 months and in some case up to 6 months, but the resubmission hove not mention how long would take. The PG office said the examiners team haven't finished review my thesis yet. 3 years ago.

  9. PDF Submission and Presentation of Research Degree Theses

    ic. on the Submission a. d Presentation of Research Degree Theses1. General Statements 1.1 This policy applies to all candidates for the award of the following research degrees: PhD (Doctor of Philosophy); MD (Doctor of Medicine); EngD (Doctor of Engineering); Doctoral Degrees by Examination and Th. sis (Professional Doctorates); and MPhil ...

  10. Procedure

    The Associate Dean determines that a candidate be re-examined by resubmission of thesis, or that the candidate not be awarded the Doctor of Philosophy. ... The Graduate Research Office arranges oral examinations except for Dual Award PhD degrees where the examination process is set out in the agreement between the ANU and the partner institution.

  11. Revise and resubmit PhD thesis in 12 months!!! Success stories?

    I am not working and I have plenty of time to work on the thesis. The examiners thought that I could potentially resubmit in less than 12 months because there is not much that needs changing. They want me to delete 15.000 words and replace them with new material (word limit 80.000). However, they insisted on resubmission rather than major ...

  12. Thesis outcomes and corrections

    Major corrections or resubmission. The thesis needs further work to be of doctoral standard. This might include more research, rewriting sections or including new literature. Suggestion that you resubmit for, or are awarded, a lower degree (MPhil or MSc). Research is of good quality but too narrow for a doctorate. Outright fail.

  13. Exam Board and Outcome

    Examiner Recommendation. After the oral examination, the examiners must make one of the following recommendations to the College Postgraduate Committee: (a) Award PhD/Doctorate. The thesis satisfies the requirements for the award of the doctoral degree as laid down in the University's Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study (see www.drps ...

  14. Writing an Effective Cover Letter for Manuscript Resubmission

    Draw attention to the changes made. Highlight all the changes you have made to the manuscript. This will form a positive impression on the editor and encourage him/her to consider that your resubmitted work is fit for publication. For example: "I have made every attempt to fully address these comments in the revised manuscript.".

  15. PhD after resubmission nightmare

    PhD after resubmission nightmare - thanks to all! I've been a bit of a lurker on this forum since my viva in 2017, which resulted in a resubmission in 18 months. I searched threads that dealt with resubmission endless times, and read and re-read messages of encouragement from others here to those brave enough to post their experiences. So I'm ...

  16. Resubmission and Re-examination of Postgraduate Research Degrees Policy

    to submit their thesis to enable preparations for the examination to be made. 7. Procedures Prior to Re-Examination - Resubmission of Thesis / Dissertation 7.1 Candidates must follow the same procedure for thesis / dissertation submission as detailed in the relevant examinations policy for first submission. 8. Re-Examination - Timeframe

  17. Format, bind and submit your thesis: general guidance

    This information is for research students submitting a thesis for assessment. It tells you how to: format your thesis. submit your thesis. bind your thesis (if applicable) submit the final copy of your thesis. There are different requirements for students of fine arts, design, architecture or town planning. Find out more about these requirements.

  18. Submission, examination and completion

    Resubmission of thesis. This is where more substantial work is required for the thesis to meet the requirements for the award in question, and students will be given 18 months to complete amendments suggested by the Board of Examiners. At the end of the resubmission period, the student may be asked to attend a second viva.

  19. Thesis submission and examination

    Resubmission and Re-examination of Postgraduate Research Degrees Policy - full details of the regulations for the examination of a resubmitted PhD or MPhil thesis Nomination of Examiners and Independent Chairs for PGR Degree Examinations Policy - the regulations governing the nomination of examiners for thesis.

  20. For Students

    The fee is subject to an increase each academic year and you should contact Student Finance (Fees) at the appropriate time for details of the fee levels beyond the current year. Fees for 2023/24: Doctoral resubmissions (eg PhD, MD, EdD, DClinPsychol, DPaedDent) £555. MPhil resubmission £405. Masters by Research resubmission £325.

  21. Examination

    Resubmission for PhD within 12 month either with or without an oral examination, as determined by the examiners in their Joint Report; Award of an MPhil instead of a PhD; ... you must notify your Graduate School in advance of submission of your electronic thesis. You will then be provided with a deposit licence with an extended restriction period.

  22. Life after resubmission of PhD thesis

    Life after resubmission of PhD thesis. Life after resubmission of PhD thesis. Back to threads Reply. A. anne_with_an_e 8 posts 3 years ago. My PhD was one of the most difficult phases - I struggled with a difficult topic, hostile boss, depression, anxiety, severe homesickness. Covid made it all the more difficult.

  23. Thesis submission for examination

    PhD and MPhil students can make the Board of Examiners aware of the impact the pandemic has had on their research when they submit their thesis. This statement should not be included within the thesis, but provided as a separate document of no more than a single page at the point of thesis submission, via the online submission system.

  24. PhD Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS)

    Return to: Keck School of Medicine of USC Keith Administration Building 409 1975 Zonal Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90089-9031 (323) 442-1609 FAX: (323) 442-1199 Email: [email protected] Program Director: Mark R. Frey, PhD The USC PhD Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS) is a gateway program into graduate studies at the USC Health Sciences Campus, leading to a PhD degree in a broad ...

  25. DOCX pss.uvm.edu

    Specify Thesis/Project/ Courses-only. Year Enrolled. Date defended/ graduated. ... MS or PhD. Program. Type of Committee and your role (Chair, member, etc.) Research ... Being revised per invited resubmission. Submitted and in review. Rejected. Refereed conference papers (give acceptance rate, if known) Published.