Viva voce examination and award

The final examination for doctoral degrees is known as ‘the viva’. This is an oral examination in which you will be required to defend your thesis in the presence of at least two examiners who are experts in your discipline.

Understandably, many postgraduate research students become anxious about the viva, but there is a compulsory workshop which demystifies the process and helps you to prepare.

Depending on the outcome of your viva, there are certain procedures you will need to follow:

Award

You will need to submit your hardbound thesis within 6 months of the date of the viva

Minor corrections

Your internal examiner will provide you with a list of corrections/amendments. Within 6 months of the viva, you will need to complete these corrections to the satisfaction of your internal examiner and submit the hardbound copy of your thesis

Resubmission

Within 20 days of the viva you will be provided with a 'Statement of Requirements' detailing the changes you need to make to your thesis. You will have 12 months from the date of the viva to resubmit your thesis. You will also be required to pay a resubmission fee and return a revised Entrance Form for Examination. Sometimes, students are required to undertake further research during the 12 month resubmission period. If this is the case, you would need to reregister and pay fees

Submit for MPhil

The same process as a resubmission is followed. This is not applicable to Practitioner Doctorates.

No award

This is very rare and the University would write to a student in this situation

Submission of hardbound thesis and award

Following recommendation by the examiners that an award be made, you can submit your hardbound thesis.

The format of the thesis is as follows:

  1. The binding must be in blue cloth and hard-backed. The Degree, the year, and your name will appear on the spine
  2. Typed on A4 sized paper with pages numbered
  3. Include a title page with the approved title, your name, the Degree for which you are registered, and the year in which the thesis is presented
  4. A summary of the work, not exceeding 300 words in length, following the title page
  5. It is also good practice to include any acknowledgements in the final thesis

At least one copy of the thesis will need to be submitted to the Postgraduate Research Administrator for your programme of study. The Postgraduate Research Administrator will also be able to advise if you are required to submit additional copies. In any case, you are advised to keep an additional copy for personal use.

As dissemination of knowledge is one of the objectives of the University, one copy of the thesis will be retained in the University Library and will be made available for anyone to consult. You are therefore advised to mark the thesis as copyright.