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Thesis Submission: Doctoral and MPhil Examination

Congratulations on your impending thesis submission! This section links you to all the necessary forms and information required for thesis submission. Please also consult Handbook section 7.6: Submission of theses and our Quick Submission Checklist.

Submission Forms

Nomination of Examiners

Nomination of Examiner forms are required 4-6 weeks prior to thesis submission to allow time for approval. They are to be completed by the supervisor and head of academic unit. Detailed instructions on selection of examiners are attached to the nomination form. Candidates must be given the right to veto the selected examiners.

When appraching potential examiners, we recommend supervisors base their email on the following templates, which will then provide the information necessary for completion of the nomination form:

Potential Examiners Template Email

Nomination of Examiners Forms

Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Examination of Higher Degree by Research Thesis (Chapter 12 Section J of Handbook)

Supervisor Statement

This form must accompany the four submitted thesis copies and be signed by the supervisor. It certifies that the thesis is ready for examination.

Library Release / Thesis Contributor Agreement

The Library Release/Thesis Contributor Agreement form specifies the conditions of access to the library copies of the thesis (including the eThesis) and is to be signed by the candidate and Head of Department. It is to be submitted with the thesis. Candidates who are required to submit an eThesis will also be required to complete an eThesis Clearance form.

Lapsed Candidature

Those former doctoral and MPhil candidates whose candidature has ended must complete an additional form, to be signed by them, the supervisor and the head of academic unit, requesting permission to submit their thesis under regulation 18.2: Lapse of Candidature. The Research Graduate School Committee may allow a former candidate to submit a thesis within 3 years of the end of candidature. If the submission date is within 3 weeks of the candidature end-date, this form need not be completed as submission falls into the grace period.

This request needs to be submitted with the thesis and will then be taken to the next RGSC Steering Committee, which meets weekly, for approval.

Examination in Confidence

Although all examinations are undertaken in confidence, sometimes it is necessary to obtain further written agreement from examiners that they will not disclose any of the information in the thesis because this would be commercially prejudicial and may adversely affect any application for patent or other industrial property rights, which the candidate or his/her employer proposes to make.

Requests for examination in confidence should be made by the supervisor prior to thesis submission and contain a brief statement supporting the application. This should be emailed to the Examinations Unit who will take it to the RGSC Steering Committee for approval.

Where & How to Submit

As stated in the Handbook, the four thesis copies and accompanying forms should be submitted to

Doctoral/MPhil Examinations Unit
Monash Research Graduate School
Building 3D, Clayton Campus
Monash University VIC 3800
Australia

Submission times

The Monash Research Graduate School is open at the following times to accept thesis submissions:

Monday - Thursday: 10:00am - 5:00pm

Friday: 10:30am - 5:00pm

External candidates, candidates located interstate or overseas at the time of submission and those enrolled at other campuses can post/courier their thesis copies and submission forms to the Monash Research Graduate School (MRGS) at the address above.  Candidates are encouraged to inform the Doctoral/MPhil Examinations Unit of any postal/courier arrangements.

Academic units located at other campuses may provide assistance in forwarding thesis copies to MRGS.

All thesis submissions must be accompanied by the thesis submission form, as well as by the other necessary forms (see Quick Submission Checklist). On the thesis submission form candidates must indicate the specialisation of their research. A specialisation must be selected from the relevant faculty list (ie the faculty the candidate is/was enrolled in).  See Specialisation List.  The specialisation appears on the candidate’s academic transcript.

Please refer to the Quick Submission Checklist to ensure that all forms necessary for thesis submission have been completed.  This is especially important where  arrangements have been made for the forms to be posted/couriered to MRGS.

For enquiries about thesis submission, please contact the Doctoral/MPhil Examinations Unit.

eThesis Submission

All candidates who enrolled in a doctoral degree on or after 1st July 2005, are required to submit an electronic copy of their thesis at the end of the examination. Candidates enrolled in the PhD (Visual Arts), PhD (Creative Writing), PhD (Music Composition) are required to submit an electronic copy of their thesis exegesis at the end of the examination. These candidates may choose to submit the portfolio component of their thesis as an electronic document. Candidates completing a PhD under a cotutelle/dual award arrangement, PhD (Theatre Performance), Staff PhD, MD (unsupervised), MPhil and research Masters are exempt from submitting an electronic copy of their thesis. Please consult the eThesis section for infomation on this process.

End-of-Year Thesis Submission

The Monash Research Graduate School will accept thesis submissions until the final business day of the year. Please check the MRGS opening hours if submitting on this day.

Theses submitted by 5:00pm, 5 December 2011 with all paperwork completed (see Quick Submission Checklist) will be sent to the examiners before the University closedown. However, we are unable to guarantee that theses submitted after this date will be sent to examiners before closedown. This is because mail services out of the University cease before the final business day, and because examiners are frequently already on leave in the final week of business.

Student Status After Submission

Unless your candidature has already lapsed, it will effectively cease on the date of thesis submission. Your IT and Library access will cease 90 days after submission of your thesis. If you require Library access during the period of your thesis examination, this may be arranged via a letter from your supervisor which requests short-term Library access until your thesis examination is complete.  Alternately, your academic unit and faculty may appoint you as an Adjunct Junior Research Associate which will provide staff-like access to resources for a set period. Information about this appointment, including eligibility criteria, is available here.

Further information about IT access can be obtained from your faculty IT unit. Further information about Library access can be obtained from the University Library.

Postgraduate Publication Award

If you are considering applying for a Postgraduate Publication Award (PPA), please familiarise yourself well in advance with the cut-off dates for application as you need to apply in the round where your submission date falls. This scheme provides a modest income to authors during the preparation of articles and books based on their submitted thesis.

Adjunct Junior Research Associate

An Adjunct Junior Research Associate appointment is normally an unpaid appointment that entitles access to University services and support, as appropriate to the particular appointment, e.g., e-mail, use of University computing hardware and software, library services, access to relevant research space (laboratory, studio).

To be eligible for appointment as an Adjunct Junior Research Associate, a person must be a Monash University graduate research student who is awaiting the outcome of the examination of his or her thesis and is considered, by the academic unit to be making a significant contribution to the unit.  A candidate who is preparing their research for publication while their thesis is under examination is one example of a prospective appointee.

Information about this appointment, including eligibility criteria, entitlements and the appointment process is available here

Exit Survey

The Monash Research and Research Training Management Plan commits the University to developing a strategy for improving the quality of research training, and invites research candidates to contribute to this process through feedback. Candidates will be sent the weblink to complete the online Exit Survey when they are notified of the award of degree. We encourage and value all candidates' responses.