Examinations

Final Oral Examinations

General Regulations

All doctoral programs and all master’s degrees with thesis require a final oral examination. For master’s degrees without thesis, academic units may require a written comprehensive examination, or an oral examination, or both. Students must be registered in dissertation (699), thesis (599) or project (598) at the time of oral defense.

Students may proceed to an oral examination when the supervisory committee is satisfied that the dissertation, thesis or project represents an examinable document for the degree requirements. The supervisory committee confirms this by signing the Request for Oral Examination form. This form must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies 30 working days for PhD students and 20 working days for master’s students before the anticipated date of the oral examination. Instructions concerning the appropriate procedures to follow for oral examinations can be found on the web site of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Before proceeding to the oral examination, students must have a cumulative grade point average of not less than 5.0 on all courses taken for credit in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Any language requirement must be met before the student proceeds to the oral examination.

The Dean of Graduate Studies will appoint a Chair from outside the academic unit for the final oral examination. Regular and Emeritus members are eligible to serve. Oral examinations are open to the public. Notice of examination will be communicated to all faculty members involved and to each academic unit at least 7 days prior to the date of the examination. Normally, the student and all the members of the supervisory committee will be present at the oral examination. There is access to audio and visual technology in cases where the external examiner cannot be on campus.

Examining Committees

For doctoral programs and for master’s with thesis, the role of the examining committee is to assess the dissertation or thesis and to conduct an oral examination based on that dissertation or thesis. For master’s without thesis, the role of the examining committee is to assess the independent work and to conduct an oral examination based on that work. The examining committee may also evaluate and examine other aspects of the degree such as specified course work or an understanding of any required reading list.

Composition of Final Oral Examining Committees

Doctoral degrees

The supervisory committee plus a Chair and at least one other examiner from outside the University. Such external examiners are appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies in consultation with the academic unit(s), and must be arm’s-length authorities in the field of research being examined.

Master’s degrees with theses

The supervisory committee plus a Chair appointed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies plus an external examiner who has had no previous involvement with graduate supervision of the candidate. The external examiner may be from within the home academic unit, provided that there is at least one non-unit member on the supervisory committee.

Master’s degree without theses

The supervisory committee plus a Chair approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Results of Oral Examinations (Dissertations and Theses)

Decision

The decision of the examining committee shall be based on the content of the dissertation or thesis as well as the candidate's ability to defend it. After the examination, the committee shall recommend one of the following results:

That the dissertation or thesis is acceptable as presented and the oral defense is acceptable

The Chair of the academic unit and the student’s supervisor shall sign the academic unit’s Letter of Recommendation. In addition, all members of the examining committee shall sign the Dissertation/Thesis Approval Form.

That the dissertation or thesis is acceptable subject to minor revision and the oral defense is acceptable

In this case, all members of the examining committee except the Academic Supervisor shall sign the letter and at the end of the examination work together to draw up a list of revisions. The Academic Supervisor will approve the dissertation or thesis when it has been amended to her/his satisfaction. In addition, all members of the examining committee shall sign the Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form.

That the dissertation or thesis is acceptable subject to major revision and the oral defense is acceptable

The length of time for the revision shall be agreed upon by the committee and the candidate, but shall not exceed one year from the date of the oral examination. An explicit list of the necessary revisions that has been composed by the examining committee will be forwarded to the student. The Academic Supervisor shall supervise the revision of the dissertation or thesis. If the dissertation or thesis is acceptable to the Academic Supervisor, the Academic Supervisor shall distribute it to the rest of examining committee. If it is acceptable to the committee, the Academic Supervisor shall ensure that each committee member signs the approval documents including the Dissertation/Thesis Approval Form.

That the examination be "adjourned"

This result should not be confused with failure (see 5. Failure, below). Examples of reasons to adjourn the examination include but are not limited to: further research or experimentation is required; the thesis is acceptable but the student has failed the oral defense; the external examiner casts the lone dissenting vote. In the case of an adjourned examination, the candidate shall not be passed. When an examination is adjourned, each member of the examining committee shall make a written report to the Dean of Graduate Studies within 14 calendar days of the date of the oral examination. After reviewing these reports the Dean sets a date for reconvening the examination. The Dean shall also determine whether or not the composition of the original committee is appropriate for the reconvened examination. The date for reconvening shall be no later than six months from the date of the first examination.

Failure

Results of Oral Examinations (Master's degrees without theses)

After the examination, the committee shall recommend one of the following results:

That the independent research work is acceptable and the oral defense is acceptable

In this case the Chair of the academic unit and the student’s supervisor shall sign the academic unit’s Letter of Recommendation.

That the examination be "adjourned"

This result should not be confused with failure (see 3. Failure, below). Examples of reasons to adjourn the examination include but are not limited to: the independent work is acceptable but the student has failed the oral defense; the committee splits “one for, one against” in the case where the committee consists of two members. In the case of an adjourned examination the candidate shall not be passed and no member shall sign the academic unit’s Letter of Recommendation. When an examination is adjourned, each member of the examining committee shall make a written report to the Dean of Graduate Studies. After reviewing these reports the Dean shall set a date for reconvening the examination. The Dean shall also determine whether or not the composition of the original committee is appropriate for the reconvened examination. The date for reconvening shall be no later than six months from the date of the first examination.

Failure

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