Examination and submission of Masters theses

Masters theses are marked by at least two members of academic staff. Supervisors will not normally be examiners, though there may be good grounds for using supervisors as examiners. Usually at least one examiner will come from within the department; but in individual cases it may be appropriate to appoint examiners from outside the Centre or even outside the University for reasons of specialist expertise.

Examiners will be appointed by the Director of the Centre, usually via delegation to the Postgraduate co-ordinator and the supervisor. Students have the right to veto a prospective examiner on appropriate academic grounds.

The two examiners should agree on a single mark and grade. If there is a minor discrepancy and the two marks lie within the same grade, the marks will be averaged. However, if there is a discrepancy and the two marks lie outside the same grade, the Director or delegate will request that the two examiners confer and discuss the grading. If the two examiners cannot come to an agreement, the discrepancy will be resolved by the Director of the Centre. Only the final agreed grade and mark will be released to the student. Each examiner will produce a written report that will be made available to the student. The examiner’s report will be signed except where a case for the confidentiality of the examiner’s identity has been made.

Students who wish to appeal against the examining of their thesis must make a case in writing to the Director of the Centre. The Director may dismiss the appeal if s/he believes the case for remarking has not been made, but a written response will be provided to the student. More usually the Director will appoint a third examiner (following the procedures for appointment of original examiners). The third examiner will act as the arbitrator of the examination process, with access to the thesis, the original examiners’ reports and the student’s letter of appeal. The remarking process cannot result in the reduction of the original mark and grade awarded to the student. Students retain the right of appeal beyond the department to the Associate Dean Academic Programs or the Dean of the Faculty, and beyond that to the Academic Board; but it should be noted that such appeals will only address procedural matters and not questions of academic judgement.

Submission dates and extensions:

Masters theses must be submitted no more than a month before and no more than a month after the last day of the relevant teaching semester. The policy for extensions is determined by the School of Population Health. Please see the SPH website for details on the policy.