gr@du@te		Special regulations - reviews and appeals
On this page … Disagreement between examiners on first submissions of M.Phil. and Ph.D. theses Disagreement between examiners upon resubmitted theses for the degrees of M.Phil. and Ph.D. Review and appeal procedures Review when a student fails before completing the course Review of students who fail a re-examination recommended by the Board of Examiners Go to … Homepage Academic Admissions Housing Welfare & Support		Disagreement between examiners on first submissions of M.Phil. and Ph.D. theses If there is no unanimity among the recommendations from the examiners of a Ph.D. or M.Phil. thesis at the first submission the following procedure shall be adopted - The Postgraduate Review Panel shall consult with the examiners to see whether an agreed recommendation can be drawn up: if in the case of a candidate for the degree of M.Phil. an oral examination has not been held then such an examination must take place before the process of seeking reconciliation of conflicting recommendations can be deemed to have ended. If agreement is not achieved, the Postgraduate Review Panel may at its discretion appoint one or more additional external examiners or may determine other action as appropriate. Any additional examiners shall be informed that the examiners appointed initially have submitted conflicting recommendations but shall not be told the identity of these examiners nor their specific recommendations. Unless the additional examiners recommend that the candidate pass, a further oral examination must be held. The student's supervisor or the departmental tutor for research students shall attend this examination as an observer. A recommendation based on the reports from all of the examiners shall be made by the Postgraduate Review Panel to the Committee of the Senate. If this recommendation is for re-submission of the thesis it shall include the nomination of the panel of examiners for the resubmitted thesis. Disagreement between examiners upon resubmitted theses for the degrees of M.Phil. and Ph.D. The Postgraduate Review Panel shall consider each case where the examiners of a resubmitted thesis are unable (after attempts have been made to reconcile their views) to reach an agreed recommendation. It shall have discretion to determine an appropriate course of action, including if necessary the appointment of an additional external examiner. The following procedure shall be followed when the Postgraduate Review Panel appoints an additional examiner for a resubmitted thesis. The additional examiner shall make an independent report on the resubmitted thesis. If the additional external examiner or the candidate so requests, an oral examination shall be arranged after that examiner has submitted his report on the thesis. The previous examiners of the thesis shall not be invited to attend but the student's supervisor shall be required to be present as an observer. The additional external examiner shall make one of the following recommendations, taking into account the candidate's performance at an oral examination if one has been held: For theses resubmitted for the degree of Ph.D. (subject only to any minor amendments to be made to the satisfaction of the examiners) that the degree of Doctor of Philosophy be awarded; or that no degree be awarded; or that the degree of M.Phil. be awarded pro forma. For theses resubmitted for the degree of M.Phil. (subject only to any minor amendments to be made to the satisfaction of the examiners) that the degree of Master of Philosophy be awarded; or that no degree be awarded. The Postgraduate Review Panel shall consider the reports of all examiners on the resubmitted thesis, the examiners' final recommendations and the results of any oral examination held and, in the light of these, shall decide its recommendation to the Committee of the Senate. Review and appeal regulations and procedures It is the responsibility of the Postgraduate Review Panel to review the following classes of cases. Each case where examiners recommend that the degree for which a student is registered shall not be awarded and that the student shall not be given the opportunity to resubmit for that degree. Each case where the examiners recommend that a lesser degree be awarded or that the student be allowed to resubmit a thesis for a lesser degree. Review when a student fails before completing the course If the examiners recommend that a student fail a course on the basis of coursework and examination and be not permitted to attempt the dissertation or project, the case shall be reviewed by the Postgraduate Review Panel. The case shall be reviewed as quickly as possible by the Postgraduate Review Panel which in this case shall not require a written submission from the student but shall normally expect the student to attend its meeting. If the Panel upholds the failure, the student retains the right of appeal to the Vice Chancellor. If the student is allowed, on review or on appeal, to complete the dissertation, and is then deemed by the examiners to have failed, the student shall have the right to be heard by a special committee, which shall act as both a review and an appellate body, and shall finally determine the case. Such a special committee shall consist of three members, none of whom has been involved at an earlier stage of the case, and shall be chaired by a Pro-Vice-Chancellor, acting on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor. There shall be no further review if a student fails on resubmitted work or examinations that have been resat, except where there is evidence of irregularity in the conduct of the examination or in the process whereby the examiners reached their decision, of such a nature as to cause reasonable doubt as to whether the examiners would have reached the same conclusion had they not occurred: such evidence shall be given to the Director of the University Graduate School (or another member of the Postgraduate Review Panel nominated by the Director), who if satisfied that there is a prima facie case for review shall bring the evidence before the Postgraduate Review Panel, appropriately constituted, for final decision. Review of students who fail a re-examination recommended by the Board of Examiners Students who fail after retaking part or parts of a course on examiners' recommendations approved by the Director of the University Graduate School shall not be subject to the review procedure, but retain the right of appeal against exclusion to the Vice-Chancellor.
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