Higher Degrees by Research - information for students
Examination
Two external scholars are appointed to examine a masters thesis and three for a doctoral thesis, on the recommendation of the supervisor(s) and the Head of School. For a masters thesis normally at least one examiner should be based in Australia, and for a doctoral thesis at least one examiner should be based in Australia and one based overseas.
Prior to the recommendations going to your Head of School, you will be offered the opportunity to comment on possible examiners, especially to identify any who may not be suitable. Such comment will be taken into account but your recommendations are not binding. The identity of examiners is confidential although identities may be revealed to you, for example, when you receive an examiner's report.
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Each examiner of a doctoral or masters thesis provides an independent report. The examination process takes approximately three months (but can take considerably longer) including the two months normally allowed for examiners to assess the thesis and provide reports. Examiners' reports may be delayed for various reasons. Research Services keeps the situation of every submitted thesis under regular review and seeks to expedite the examination process.
Examiners are required to examine the thesis with respect to the topic as defined by you, the student, and within the research paradigm and/or methodological approach taken by you. If this is not possible, either because an examiner lacks expertise with regard to the particular paradigm and methodological approach, or does not recognise the paradigm and methodological approach as acceptable, then the individual should decline to act as an examiner.
Examiners are required to submit independent reports and do not consult other examiners. During the examination process, there should not be any direct contact between an examiner and supervisor or candidate about the thesis.
Examiners are required to provide a full justification of their recommendation. Each examiner recommends one of the following classifications.
- The thesis should be classified as PASSED and the candidate awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy without amendment or further examination.
- The thesis should be classified as PASSED and the candidate awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy subject to the minor amendments being made to the satisfaction of the supervisor and Head of School.
- The thesis should be classified as PASSED and the candidate awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy subject to the substantial amendments recommended in the examiner’s report and the correction of any typographical errors being made to the satisfaction of the HDC(R).
- The thesis should be classified as DEFERRED and the candidate be given up to twelve months to revise and resubmit the thesis for examination.
- The thesis should be classified as FAILED and the candidate should not be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, but it is recognised that the research reported in the thesis could form the basis for the preparation of a thesis to be submitted for a Masters by research degree.
- The thesis should be classified as FAILED and the candidate should not be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and it is NOT recommended that the thesis be amended and submitted for the degree of Masters by research degree.
HDC(R) receives the examiners' reports and determines a final decision on the basis of those reports. HDC(R) may make a final decision of the basis of two examiners' reports if there are problems obtaining the third examiner's report (Examination of Theses Policy amendment proposed by HDC(R)).
If the decisions of the examiners differ to the extent that one examiner suggests the thesis be DEFERRED or FAILED and one recommends it be PASSED (with or without amendment), or if all three recommend it be DEFERRED OR FAILED, HDC(R) refers the matter to a Faculty Higher Degree Advisory Panel. The Panel consists of the Faculty representative on HDC(R), the Chair of the Faculty Research and Graduate Studies Committee (or the committee with responsibility for higher degrees by research in the faculty), and at least one other senior academic who has expertise in the area of the thesis. The supervisor is not a member of the Panel but is invited to comment on the reports. The student also has the opportunity to comment on the reports. Copies of the reports given to a student for that purpose will have the examiners’ names removed. The Panel is requested to make a recommendation to the HDC(R) regarding the examination of the thesis and recommended amendments.
If the deliberations of the Panel and its recommendations fail to satisfy the HDC(R), it may appoint further examiner(s), or an expert assessor to consider the thesis and all reports, before making the final decision.
When the HDC(R) has concluded its consideration of the examiners’ reports and you have made any amendments, required by the examiners, to the satisfaction of your supervisor and Head of School, or the Committee, it shall either recommend to the Academic Board that the candidate:
- be admitted to the degree of PhD; or
- not be admitted to the degree but be allowed to revise the thesis and to resubmit it for examination at Masters level: or
- be not admitted to the degree; or
- be invited to resubmit a revised thesis according to the guidelines provided by the Committee within a maximum period of 12 months
When HDC(R) has arrived at a decision, copies of the reports are sent to the supervisors, and Postgraduate Coordinator or Head of School. Successful candidates are normally supplied with copies of the examiners' comments through their supervisor.
Note that only in exceptional circumstances has a thesis been failed and such an occurrence is rare.
The Higher Degrees Appeal Committee, a sub-committee of the Academic Board hears appeals against failure of a thesis, revision of a thesis, or termination of candidature. An Appeal must be made in writing within sixty days of receipt of notice of the decision which is the subject of the review and must detail the grounds of appeal.
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Where a thesis is classified as DEFERRED, a candidate will be invited to revise and resubmit it for re-examination. To enable preparation of the resubmitted thesis, candidature will be extended for a period not exceeding 12 months and the student required to re-enrol for the duration. Note that if the candidate is an international student he/she will be required to pay tuition fees during this period, and may need to renew his/her student visa under these circumstances.
The complete thesis (both revised and unrevised portions of the resubmitted thesis) will be examined during the re-examination.
The Faculty Higher Degrees Advisory Panel prepares appropriate guidelines based on the examiners' reports, to guide the student during the revision of the thesis. Unless permission has been granted by the HDC(R), the identity of examiners will not be revealed to the candidate. The examiners are asked to approve the guidelines as suitable bases for revision prior to the candidate being advised of the guidelines and receiving the anonymous reports of the examiners.
A resubmitted thesis is evaluated on the same academic criteria as a thesis submitted for the first time, normally by the original examiners.
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