S.L. 327.101 Art. 47Result of oral examination. Re-numbered by: L.N. 240 of 2014.

(1) Following the oral examination, the Board of Examiners shall either:

(a) submit to the Committee and Senate a joint final report including their recommendation relating to the award of the Ph.D. Degree; or

(b) refer the thesis back to the student for major revision and re-submission within six months in revised form to the satisfaction of the Board of Examiners, and to admit the student to a second oral examination, if the Board of Examiners so decides.

(2) The joint final report shall provide sufficiently detailed comments on the scope and quality of the work as apparent from the written thesis and the oral defence. In addition to general remarks about the strengths and any weaknesses of the thesis, the report should include, as an annex, an itemised list of remarks about any specific improvements or minor mistakes requiring correction. This list shall be relayed to student for guidance in improving the document. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairman to ensure that any required corrections and amendments to the thesis have been properly executed.

(3) In the joint final report, with the examiners’ preliminary reports attached as annexes, the Board of Examiners may recommend to Senate that:

(a) the Ph.D. Degree be awarded if the thesis satisfies the criteria set out in regulation 5(1) and (2); or

(b) the Ph.D. Degree be awarded subject to minor amendments being carried out to the satisfaction of the Chairman of the Board of Examiners within three months of the official notification to the student by the Board of Examiners; or

(c) the Ph.D. degree be not awarded and that the student be either awarded the M.Phil. Degree or be declared to have definitively failed.

(4) Where examiners are not in agreement, they shall follow the relevant procedures as described in the University assessment regulations. In any event, the separate reports of each examiner shall be submitted to the Committee and Senate.

(5) When the disagreement cannot be resolved, and the decision is taken by a majority vote, the Chairman shall so record in the joint final report, provided that any disagreeing member may submit a minority report giving reasons for the disagreement. In such circumstances, Senate shall either agree to accept the majority report or take any other measures it seems appropriate.