Research Postgraduate Student Handbook (2023/24)
 
 
 
Examination Process
 
  1. Under normal circumstances, the PolyU Chief Supervisor shall submit a report on the thesis within two weeks upon receipt of his/her RPg student’s thesis from the D/SGO or the GS.
  2. As soon as the PolyU Chief Supervisor’s report is received, the BoE Chair shall be asked to read the thesis and confirm within two weeks whether the thesis provides a prima facie basis to be sent to the external examiners for consideration. The standard of a thesis should be judged by its quality, presentation, as well as the use of language. If the Chief Supervisor’s Report is considered not to have presented much information on the performance of his/her RPg student, the BoE Chair will refer it back to the PolyU Chief Supervisor and request a detailed report.
  3. If the thesis is found to be acceptable by the BoE Chair, it will be sent to the External Examiners for review (go to Point 6). In the event that the BoE Chair requires revision to the thesis before it is sent to the external examiners, the BoE Chair’s recommendation and justification shall be considered by the PolyU Chief Supervisor. However, the BoE Chair is not required to provide justification for recommendation of revision which involves only of presentation quality and/or language proficiency of the thesis.
  4. If the PolyU Chief Supervisor agrees to the recommendation, the student concerned shall be asked to revise the thesis as instructed. The student concerned shall be given a maximum of six months in which to carry out each set of revisions, and each thesis is limited to two sets of revisions. Even if the BoE Chair of still finds the thesis unacceptable for release to the external examiners after two sets of revisions, the thesis shall nevertheless be sent to the external examiners for assessment, with the relevant information being conveyed to them.

    If there are divergent opinions between the BoE Chair and the PolyU Chief Supervisor, the case shall be considered by the FRC/SB Chair, who shall decide on an appropriate action to take. In the event that the FRC/SB Chair is the BoE Chair, the case shall be considered by the GSB Chair.
  5. For revision that involves only presentation quality and/or language proficiency of the thesis, the PolyU Chief Supervisor and the Chief Supervisor of the partner institution (if applicable) are required to re-assess the revised thesis and to approve it, in writing, for external assessment. If the Chief Supervisor(s) confirms the revised thesis has reached the acceptable standard for oral examination, the thesis will be sent out for external review. However, if the BoE Chair asks a student to make revisions to the thesis that involves technical problems, the thesis must be re-assessed by the Chief Supervisor(s) and the BoE Chair before it can be sent out for external assessment.
  6. Each External Examiner shall be asked to read the thesis and submit a report on the thesis within six weeks. In the report, the External Examiners shall recommend that the thesis:
    1. forms an adequate basis for an oral examination (and other examinations as required);
    2. be revised once within twelve months and resubmitted for the oral examination (and other examinations as required).
  7. When favourable comments are received from all examiners, an oral examination will be arranged.
  8. If the External Examiners cannot reach a consensus, the BoE Chair shall liaise with the External Examiners to get an agreement. Failing that, the BoE Chair should invite the Chief Supervisor to nominate an additional external examiner to assess the thesis. The nomination should be endorsed by the BoE Chair and appointed by the GSB Chair. He/she should be informed of the background leading to the appointment and his/her view on the thesis constitutes the deciding vote. This additional external examiner should be invited to attend the oral examination.
  9. The oral examination is compulsory. The BoE shall decide whether any additional form of examination is necessary.
  10. The oral examination, which usually lasts for about 2 hours, shall be conducted by the BoE. Participation requirements and voting right of the BoE are listed as follows:
    BoE Chair Chief Supervisor(s) Co-Supervisor(s) External Examiners

    The BoE Chair must participate in the oral examination in person.

    The PolyU Chief Supervisor must participate in the oral examination in person.

    (The Chief Supervisor of the Partner Institution for Collaborative PhD / Dual PhD students must participate in the oral examination either in person or via online means.)

    		 Co-supervisors may or may not attend the oral examination.

    Both examiners must participate in the oral examination. At least one of them shall attend the oral examination in person and the other one may attend the oral examination either in person or via online means.

    In exceptional circumstances when one of the external examiners is unable to attend the oral examination either in person or via online means due to an unexpected event or illness, the oral examination shall be video-taped. The video, together with the oral examination report, shall be sent to the external examiner who was absent from the oral examination for review.
    He/she has no voting right. They have no voting right. They have no voting right. Should the outcome of the oral examination needs to be put to a vote, each external examiner may cast one vote. A consensus is required for all decisions.
  11. Only PolyU academic and research staff, RPg students and invited departmental guests of the host Department concerned will be allowed to attend oral examination. The Chair of the BoE must ensure that all sessions of an "open" viva examination are properly conducted. He/she should exercise discretion in asking unauthorised persons to leave the examination venue.
  12. The oral examination comprises the following parts where the sequence is to be determined by individual BoE:
    1. a closed session in which the BoE holds a preliminary discussion in the examinee’s absence;
    2. a 30-minute (max. 40-minute) full oral presentation by the examinee to the BoE and others in attendance;
    3. an open question period, involving the BoE member and others in attendance. Questions from the floor must be addressed through the BoE Chair, who will exercise discretion on the appropriateness of a question to be put forward to the examinee;
    4. a session involving further discussion between the examinee and the BoE (this session can be open or closed depending on the policy adopted by the Faculty/School with which the examinee affiliated);
    5. a closed session, in which the BoE assesses the thesis and the examinee’s performance in the examinee’s absence;
    6. a closed session, in which the BoE informs the examinee of the BoE’s recommendations.
  13. Following the oral examination (and other examinations as required), the BoE Chair shall submit an oral examination report under confidential cover preferably within two days of the oral examination. The BoE Chair shall liaise with the examiner(s) and co-supervisor(s) who is/are present at the viva to obtain his/her/their endorsement and signature on the report. For RPg students admitted from the 2018/19 cohort, the report should be submitted to the D/SGO while for those admitted in or before the 2017/18 cohort, the report should be submitted to GS.
  14. In the report, it is mandatory for the BoE to provide an account of the conduct of examination and the performance of the examinee in the oral defence and to recommend to the GSB that the examinee should:
    1. be awarded the degree of MPhil, PhD [i.e., “Straight Award” case]; or
    2. be awarded the degree of MPhil/PhD subject to minor amendments being made to the thesis or an additional assignment being completed to the satisfaction of the BoE Chair or his/her nominee by a specified date but normally within a period not longer than three months [i.e., “Minor Amendment” case]; or
    3. be required to revise and resubmit the thesis and/or to attend another oral examination and/or other form of examination (a student is limited to one opportunity of re-examination within 12 months) [i.e., “Major Amendment” case]; or
    4. (for PhD examination only) be awarded the degree of MPhil and no resubmission be permitted [i.e., “Relegated to MPhil” case]; or
    5. be regarded as having failed as the thesis is deemed unsatisfactory and no resubmission is permitted [i.e., “Failed” case].
  15. For RPg students who are required to revise the thesis after oral examination, they must follow up according to the recommendations of the BoE and make a completed resubmission before the deadline set by the BoE. After the students complete the resubmission, the BoE nominee will make the recommendation to the GSB for award ratification.

    For “Failed” case, a recommendation for deregistration made by the BoE shall be approved or rejected by the GSB.
  16. The oral examination report detailing the recommendation of the BoE shall be copied to the D/SRC Chair, who shall alert the GSB to problematic cases and provide necessary information when required.
  17. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached after the oral examination or re-examination or other examinations as required, each BoE member will be required to submit a report and recommendation for GSB’s consideration. The GSB may set up a review panel to consider the case.