Chapter 7: Thesis and examination matters

7.11 Outcome of the thesis examination

Where both examiners have recommended a pass, amendments, or a combination of pass and amendments, a result will be issued to the candidate and academic unit directly. Where these outcomes have been recommended, the award of the doctoral or MPhil degree will be made by the Research Graduate School Steering Committee at its weekly meeting. For EdD candidates, arrangements for the presentation component will be made by the Faculty of Education.

7.11.1 Pass

The candidate, department and supervisor are advised immediately of the pass result.

7.11.2 Amendments

Candidates and academic units are advised if amendments to the academic unit head / academic graduate coordinator’s satisfaction are required and are requested to collect all the thesis copies from the Monash Research Graduate School. Guidelines for the insertion of changes into copies of the thesis are sent to candidates and academic units. Amendments must be made to all available copies of the thesis, usually within one month. When the amended copies are received by the School, together with the form certifying that amendments have been completed to the satisfaction of the head of the academic unit or the supervisor, then the award of the doctoral degree will normally be made.

If an examiner has asked to see the amendments, then the award of degree cannot be made until the examiner has approved the amendments and the head of the academic unit has subsequently certified that changes have been made. In this case, candidates are asked to forward their response to the Monash Research Graduate School examinations staff, together with their supervisor’s endorsement. Examiners are usually given three weeks to review responses, and then the candidate is notified of the outcome and asked to collect their thesis copies to arrange insertion of amendments once the examiner is satisfied.

7.11.3 Response to questions

If one or both of the examiners has/have asked for the candidate to respond to questions, these will be referred to the Research Graduate School Committee representative of the relevant faculty. The representative will seek the advice of the supervisor and head of the academic unit to ascertain if the questions raised are appropriate and reasonable, and will respond to the Monash Research Graduate School examinations unit within two weeks. In the majority of cases, the candidate will be advised to respond to the examiner(s) through the examinations unit by forwarding their response to the examinations unit with their supervisor’s endorsement. Examinations staff then forward the response to the examiner, who is given three weeks to review it. Re-enrolment is not required. However, in rare cases an advisory panel may also be convened if the questions are not straightforward.

7.11.4 Other recommendations (regulation 23)

Where there is a significant difference between the recommendations of the two examiners or where one or both examiners has/have recommended revision and resubmission of the thesis, then an advisory panel will be convened. Candidates are issued with copies of the examiners’ reports upon the receipt of both reports. They are strongly advised to contact their supervisors to discuss the contents of the examiners’ reports.