When can I submit?

Please make sure you are aware of your start date. If you have made changes to your registration (for example leave of absence) this will change your submission date. Research students start in January, April, July or October, and usually agree a registration period of 3 or 4 years from their start date.

Students can submit any time in their last year of study. Students must begin planning for thesis submission 6 months before their submission date. 

1. Intention to submit

Student's Responsibilities

• Ensure student registration and fee payments are up-to-date.
• Ensure you have completed any mandatory elements of your programme (example 15 module credit requirement for Doctorate programme).
• At least three months prior to the proposed date of thesis submission, complete the Intention to Submit form.

Helpful Tips

• You can submit this form more than three months in advance.
• You only have to submit this form once and we will await your thesis submission.
• You can submit less than three months in advance but it may delay your examination process.

UCC's Responsibilities

Supervisors should advise their students of the Intention to Submit form and to start planning 6 months in advance to meet their submission deadline.

2. Approval of external and internal examiners

Student's Responsibilities

Students do not play a role in the approval of external and internal examiners process.

UCC's Responsibilities

Graduate Studies Office informs the school/department of student intention to submit and requests the school/department to appoint the examiners. Final approval resides with College Graduate School.

3. E-thesis Submission for Examination

Student's Responsibilities

• Check the thesis examination deadlines to see what your next deadline is.
• You must then submit a PDF copy of your thesis ONLINE HERE.
• IMPORTANT: If your Examiner requests a paper copy of your thesis, you will be notified of this and required to submit a paper copy to the Graduate Studies Office.   
• Along with your thesis you must upload a completed Submission for Examination Form, where you will choose the level of access required for your final thesis. You must read the Access Options Here, and agree the required level of access with your Supervisory Team. The Submission for Examination Form must be signed by all Supervisors and the Head of School/Department.   
• SUBMIT YOUR E-THESIS HERE.  

Helpful tips

• You can submit before the deadline.
• There are no exceptions or extensions to the deadline, however, a three-month grace period applies for all students.

What is our three-month grace period?

You must be a registered student to submit your thesis for examination. If your registration period is about to expire you have an additional three months in which you can submit your thesis for examination without being liable for registration fees, but you must register for the next academic year. If you do not submit within the three months, you will be liable for a reduced fee (€1700 per annum/€850 per 6 months) for the remainder of the year.

4. Viva Voce and Post Viva Voce

Student's Responsibilities

The internal examiner will arrange the Viva Voce examination required for students and will communicate the details to students and supervisors.

Doctorate students liaise with the internal examinner and supervisor/s on all aspects of Viva Voce.

Students will be given an unofficial recommendation after their Viva Voce.

UCC's Responsibilities

Doctorate students will undertake a Viva Voce. The internal examiner will arrange this and will communicate the details to students.

5. Examiner Report

Student's Responsibilities

An examiners report is generated from the Viva Voce and requires formal approval at the Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee (see deadline dates).

Students receive an official recommendation after approval at Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee.

UCC's Responsibilities

• The Internal Examiner should submit a joint examiners report to the Graduate Studies Office using the upload facility within 5 working days of the Viva Voce.
• Graduate Studies Office will submit the report to the next Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee for formal approval.
• The Graduate Studies Office will notify Doctorate students by email regarding your approval and any associated recommendations.

Recommendations Explained

Award, no amendments needed

• Student progresses to the next step which is final e-thesis submission. See all submission deadline dates.

Award, on condition minor amendments are carried out

1. Student liaises with their internal examiner to confirm the amendments needed.
2. Student carries out amendments and sends them to their internal examiner.
3. Internal examiner confirms approval of corrections to the Graduate Studies Office using the upload facility and confirms to the student that they can progress to final e-thesis submission online via CORA

Award, on condition major amendments are carried out

1. Student liaises with their internal examiner to confirm the amendments needed.
2. Student carries out amendments and sends them to both their internal examiner and external examiner for review.
3. Internal examiner and the external examiner confirms approval of corrections to the Graduate Studies Office using the upload facility and confirms to the student that they can progress to final e-thesis submission online via CORA.
4. The original examiners report along with the emails from examiners regarding major amendment completed are submitted to the next ACGSC meeting (see deadline dates) for final approval.

Reject, but permit submission of a revised thesis

1. Student is required to undertake a major rewrite of all or a significant part of the thesis.
2. This process should be completed within 12 months and the candidate must be registered as a student.
3. The new thesis needs to be submitted as a PDF online for a new examination (see step 1).

Reject, but allow the award of a lower degree

A research Masters degree is awarded in lieu of a Doctorate as the thesis stands, or such a degree is awarded subject to minor or major amendments. A recommendation will need to be made on the grade of award of the lower degree (on the original thesis).

Reject

No degree is awarded as the thesis is very seriously and inherently deficient.

More Information

For detailed information see the Academic Programme Catalogue.

Students receiving a recommendation of award on condition of major or minor amendments should liaise with their internal examiner and supervisor regarding completion of the amendments.

6. Final e-thesis submission and conferring Research Masters students

Student's Responsibilities

• Take a look at the final e-thesis submission deadlines and corresponding conferring deadlines to decide when you will submit and confer.
• Log in to CORA https://cora.ucc.ie/shibboleth-login with your UCC IT account details (@umail.ucc.ie) and submit your abstract and thesis online.

7. Conferring

Student's Responsibilities

Once the final e-thesis has been submitted you will be put forward to graduate at the next conferring ceremony and will receive information on this by email.

• UCC Conferring Dates
• Contact: conferrings@ucc.ie