2012/2013

PhD

NFQ Level 10, Major Award

EXAMINATION (For students registered prior to 2008/2009)

1. The PhD thesis must be primarily based on research that has been carried out during the period of registration for the degree. If material is included that has been published by the candidate prior to the date of registration, it must be clearly identified as such in the thesis.
2. A PhD thesis may be based on, or include, writings already published by the candidate, if they derive from research carried out during the period of registration for the degree. If material is included that has been published under joint authorship, then the work of others must be duly acknowledged.
3. In the case of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, the length of a PhD Thesis should not exceed 80,000 words, unless there are exceptional circumstances, and provided it has the support of the Departmental/School Graduate Studies Committee.
4. In all Colleges/Faculties, Examination Boards for PhD Degrees will involve at least two Intern Examiners and at least one Extern Examiner approved by the Head of Department/School and countersigned by the Dean/Head of College.
5. The Intern Examiners will be nominated by the Head of Department/School following consultation with the Departmental/School Graduate Studies Committee and will normally include the Supervisor. In the case of the Faculty of Science, one of the Intern Examiners will be the relevant Professor, or subject to the agreement of the Head, the nominee of the Professor.
6. In the case of an Interdisciplinary Programme, the Chair of the Board of Studies may assume the role of a Head of Department/School and the Board of Studies may assume the role of the Departmental/School Graduate Studies Committee, where appropriate and where approved by College/Faculty.
7. The Extern Examiner will be nominated by the Head of Department/School following consultation with the Departmental/School Graduate Studies Committee and the relevant Professor and the Supervisor.
8. The Extern Examiner will act as Chair of the Examination Board.
9. In the case of a thesis being presented by a member of the University staff, one of the Intern Examiners will be replaced by an additional Extern Examiner. The same rule will apply where a thesis is being presented by a part-time member of the University staff. However, for the purposes of this regulation, a candidate will not be classified as a part-time member of staff
   1. where they only carry out work for the Department/School pursuant to a student support scheme or
   2. where they are paid on an hourly basis, and, in the opinion of the Head of Department/School, their level of involvement in the Department/School is not such as to justify the application of the rule requiring an additional Extern Examiner.
10. It is the responsibility of the PhD student to notify the Student Records and Examinations Office of his/her intention to submit at least three months prior to the proposed date of thesis submission. Once notified, the Student Records and Examinations Office will forward a form to the Head of Department/School requesting the names of the Intern and Extern Examiners. The Head of Department/School will submit the completed form to the relevant Head of College/Dean for approval. The Head of College/Dean will then forward the signed form to the Student Records and Examinations Office.
11. In the year in which the candidate's work is due for examination, the candidate must lodge three copies of the PhD thesis (gum or spiral bound) together with a Submission Form and the requisite fee in the Student Records and Examinations Office. Each copy of the thesis must include a summary of the content, not exceeding 300 words in length, submitted in CD/diskette format. Submission of the thesis must be made at least three months in advance of the meeting of the Graduate Studies Committee at which the Examiners' Reports are considered. Details of the dates of Graduate Studies meetings can be had from the Graduate Studies Office (Extension 3241).
12. The Submission Form will contain all the information required for processing the thesis, including the final title of the Thesis and will be signed by the Supervisor(s) and the Head of Department/School. Where a candidate considers that such signatures for entry have been withheld unreasonably, he/she may appeal to the President of the University.
13. The assessment of the PhD is based on the examination of the research thesis/dissertation, leading to the judgement that the candidate has produced work of serious scholarship worthy of publication in whole or in part.
14. Work for which a degree of this University, or elsewhere, has already been obtained will not be accepted as the main work for a PhD degree. A confirmatory statement to this effect must accompany the submission.
15. Examiners' Reports must be received in the Student Records and Examinations Office at least 10 working days prior to a meeting of the Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee. A candidate's conferring is dependent on receipt of the Examiners' Reports. Conferring ceremonies are normally held in March/April, June, September and December.
16. The Chair of the Examination Board will ensure that the Examiners consult with one another. The Examiners will conduct an oral examination, unless the Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee dispenses with the oral on the recommendation of the Examiners. Each Examiner will prepare a written report on the thesis. Where the Examiners are in agreement, the Extern will submit a joint report to the Student Records and Examinations Office for consideration by the Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee.
17. Where the Examiners are not in agreement, separate reports will be made. Copies of such reports will be submitted for consideration to the Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee with a view to a recommendation to Academic Board on the award of the degree or otherwise. The Academic Board, on the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee, will then appoint an additional special Extern Examiner, if necessary.
18. The Degree of PhD will be awarded in accordance with the decision of Academic Board following receipt of the recommendation of the Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee. The Academic Board may award a lower degree if merited on the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee.
19. A recommendation for the award of the degree of PhD will not be made unless the Examiners report that the work is worthy of publication, in whole or in part, as a work of serious scholarship.
20. If the Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee recommends that the PhD Degree be awarded, the candidate must re-submit a hard bound copy of the PhD Thesis, embodying any changes prescribed by the Examiners, where recommended. A recommendation by the Graduate Studies Committee to Academic Board, for the award of the degree will not be made until the revised thesis, incorporating the recommended changes, and confirmed by the Supervisor, has been lodged with the Student Records and Examinations Office.
21. Unless candidates indicate otherwise, a copy of the thesis will be lodged in the University Library. Candidates will be asked to agree that a copy of their thesis deposited in the Library will be available for consultation under conditions laid down by the University.
22. All hard copies of theses deposited in the University Library shall be the property of the University.