Referral & Notes for Guidance
Where the examiners recommend referral for resubmission, the candidate 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.
The examiners are required to prepare a Notes for Guidance for Referred Candidates document which outlines the changes which are required. These must be submitted with the Examiners’ Report for approval by the Graduate Board’s Examinations Group at one of its meetings.
The Notes will be issued to the candidate by RSA after approval by the Examinations Group. In some cases the Examinations Group may request additional information or clarification of the Notes for Guidance from the Examiners to ensure that these are clear and unambiguous. RSA will keep Candidates informed where this is the case. Schools are not permitted to issue informal notes for guidance to the candidate. Once the Notes for Guidance have been approved referred candidates will be sent their Notes for Guidance along with a letter describing how to resubmit for re-examination and details of the fees for resubmission.
Supervision during the referral period
Supervisors are asked to provide up to six supervision meetings a year for referred candidates, but the responsibility for initiating these meetings rests with the candidate. In the case of international candidates who are no longer in the UK, supervision may take place by means other than face to face meetings.
The External and Internal Examiners do not take a supervisory role or provide guidance during the referral period. However, they may be required to provide clarification of the Notes for Guidance. Candidates should consult with their supervisor in the first instance where clarification of the Notes for Guidance is required.
Deadlines for Resubmission
Any resubmission must take place within 18 months for a PhD, Integrated degree of PhD and Master, EdD, DBM, MD, DClinPsychol, DClinDent or DHSC within 15 months for an MPhil (and 12 months for a PhD submission referred for MPhil) and within 9 months for a Mastership by Research. The referral period begins from the date the Notes for Guidance are issued following approval by the Graduate Board’s Examinations Group. Candidates will receive official notification of the deadline for resubmission together with their Notes for Guidance from RSA.
A referred PhD candidate may, with the permission of the Head of School, choose to resubmit for the degree of MPhil. In the case the resubmission must take place within 12 months from the date of issue of the Notes for Guidance.
Examination Entry & Resubmission fee
A minimum of three months before the thesis is resubmitted for examination candidates are required to enter for re-examination by completing the appropriate examination entry form and the appropriate re-examination fee should be paid.
For candidates resubmitting following referral during the 2011-2012 session, the following fees will apply: PhD, EdD, DClinPsychol, DClinDent, DHSC, DBM, DDSc, DPM, MD: £334; MPhil: £237; MA, MEd, MSc, MSc(Eng) by Research: £194. This fee is subject to an increase each academic year and candidates should contact Research Student Administration at the appropriate time for details of the current fee levels.
Re-examination
The thesis must be resubmitted for examination to Research Student Administration in either a soft or hard bound format. Students must not send their resubmission direct to the examiners.
The Internal and External Examiners will examine the resubmitted thesis.
A second referral is not possible and the candidate will either pass (subject in some cases to the correction of minor errors or deficiencies) or fail when the examiners consider the revised submission. For candidates who have resubmitted for the degree of PhD, it is also possible that the examiners may recommend the award of MPhil (which may be subject to the correction of minor errors or deficiencies)
Examiners may hold a second viva if they deem it appropriate. However, the examiners may not recommend that the resubmission be failed or awarded a lower degree (i.e. award an MPhil on a PhD resubmission) without holding a second viva.
Please see the Oral Examination page and After the Oral Examination for further advice on the outcomes after examination.
Last updated 09/09/11