17.1 Assessment of taught units

17.1.1 Unless otherwise determined by the RTSC, the examination of material to satisfy the requirements of Taught Units at Master’s or Professional Doctoral degree level shall comply with the Academic Regulations.

17.1.2 A higher degree candidate may be required by the RTSC, either on its own initiative or on the recommendation of the Associate Dean and the Head of School, after consultation with the Principal Supervisor, at any time during the course of study and research, to present for oral or written examination or both in the branch(es) of knowledge appropriate to the subject of the thesis or the Taught Units, as may be prescribed by the RTSC Committee. Examiners shall be appointed by the RTSC Examination Committee on the recommendation of the Associate Dean, the Principal Supervisor (or Lecturer-in-Charge) and other members of staff as may be appropriate.

17.2 Examination of the thesis

17.2.1 On completing the program, a candidate shall submit a thesis based on work carried out during candidature which complies with Regulation 16 above and the Policy on the Preparation and Presentation of a Thesis for Examination.

17.2.2 A candidate shall give the RTSC, via the Research Services Officer in the relevant state, at least three months' Notice of Intention (NOI) to present a thesis for examination.

17.2.3 The Notice of Intention shall be on the prescribed NOI form obtained from the Research Office and shall specify the precise title of the thesis and include a professional abstract for forwarding to the potential examiners. The Principal Supervisor shall indicate that the thesis is prima facie worthy of examination and complies with the requirements of the Policy on the Preparation and Presentation of a Thesis for Examination.

17.2.4 A doctoral thesis shall be examined by two examiners, each of whom shall normally be external to this University and appointed according to the guidelines set out in the Policy on the Appointment of Examiners and the Conduct of the Examination Process for Research Higher Degrees. Normally, at least one examiner shall be from an overseas institution.

17.2.5 A master’s thesis shall be examined by two examiners, one of whom shall be external to this University and appointed according to the guidelines set out in the Policy on the Appointment of Examiners and the Conduct of the Examination Process for Research Higher Degrees.

17.2.6 The assessment of the thesis may also involve an oral and/or written examination.

17.2.7 In the case of a pass result for the thesis being approved, the Chair of the RTSC must also certify whether or not the candidate has met the academic requirements of the course. If so, the Chair of the RTSC shall recommend to the Academic Board that, subject to certification from the Academic Registrar that a candidate complies with certain formalities under University legislation, the candidate be recommended to the University Senate for the award of the specified degree.

17.2.8 In the case of the result being one Fail and/or one Deferred then the Examiners’ reports are to be sent to the RTSC Examination Committee. The Research Services Officer will de-identify the Examiners’ Reports before forwarding them to the Examinations Committee. This Committee will determine whether or not the thesis will be failed or the length of time allowed for amendment and the assessment process to determine the outcome when it is re-submitted.