Oral Examination

Purposes of the oral examination
No oral examinations for MPhil theses
The participants
Role of the convenor
Role of the supervisory panel
The venue
Language used in the oral examination
Oral examination report
After the oral examination
Resolution of divergent views of examiners
Oral examination of a resubmitted thesis
Candidate's Access to Examiners' Reports
Award of the Degree and Graduation

PURPOSES OF THE ORAL EXAMINATION

The purposes of the oral examination are:
Demonstrate knowledge & understanding	To enable the candidate to demonstrate his/her knowledge and understanding of the discipline or field of study, the appropriateness of the research methodologies and methods of analysis, and the validity of the conclusions
Clarify matters	To clarify any matters that the examiners regard as being unclear
Discuss amendments	To allow the examiners and candidate to discuss any amendments which may be required
Understanding of examiners' comments	To assist the candidate in understanding the full import of the examiners' comments
To resolve a 'borderline' decision	To assist the examiners to reach a decision where the thesis is on the borderline between pass or failure

NO ORAL EXAMINATIONS FOR MPHIL THESES

Oral examinations of MPhil candidates do not usually occur unless recommended by the examiners.

THE PARTICIPANTS

The participants in the oral examination are the convenor, a supervisor (normally the chief supervisor), at least one of the external examiners (normally the New Zealand examiner), and the candidate. The external overseas examiner may be requested by the Postgraduate Studies Committee to participate through a teleconference link. Chief supervisors also sometimes make a case through the Dean's nominee for participation of the external overseas examiner by teleconference or in person, with financial approval of the Faculty/department.

ROLE OF THE CONVENOR

The convenor is a senior and experienced university academic. He/she is appointed by the Postgraduate Studies Committee to chair the meeting, but does not act as an examiner. S/he ensures that the examination is fair, the requirements of the examiners are understood by the candidate, and that the questions and views of the external overseas examiner are put to the candidate. The convenor also facilitates the production, by the participating New Zealand examiner, of a final examiners' report.

In the event of a convenor not being satisfied that the oral examination was conducted in a fair and proper manner, the convenor will provide a confidential report to the Postgraduate Studies Committee indicating the grounds for such dissatisfaction. The convenor may be invited to attend the meeting of the Postgraduate Studies Committee at which the matter is formally discussed. The Committee will determine the nature and occurrence of any remedial action required to address the issues raised.

Convenor's responsibilities
Venue	Check that the venue is suitable and that teleconferencing arrangements have been made if necessary
Examiners' report of the oral examination	Ensure that the examiners' report of the oral examination is received by the Postgraduate Studies Office as soon as possible following the oral examination
Conduct of oral examination	Complete a convenor's report, where appropriate
Disagreement among examiners	In exceptional circumstances, where the examiners participating in the oral examination are unable to agree on a recommendation, the convenor shall report the circumstances to the Postgraduate Studies Committee
Oral examination report to Postgraduate Studies Committee	Could be required

ROLE OF THE SUPERVISORY PANEL

When confirming arrangements for the oral examination with attending external examiners, the chief supervisor and members of the department should limit their communications to the process of setting up the examination and should not discuss matters relating to the thesis or the candidate.

The chief supervisor, or another delegated member of the supervisory panel, participates fully in the oral examination but is not an examiner. During the examination process, the candidate is entitled to the support of the chief supervisor (or delegated supervisor), who continues to have a responsibility for ensuring that any deficiencies which may be of concern to the external examiners are discussed. There is therefore, a responsibility for the supervisor to support the candidate, which does not conclude until the completion of the oral examination.

The chief supervisor, or other delegated member of the supervisory panel, is present during the deliberation stage of the examination. In arriving at a decision, the examiners will take into account the report(s) of supervisor(s) and may consult with any member of the supervisory panel.

THE VENUE

Usually the venue for the oral should be on the University campus and be comfortable, quiet, of adequate size and be in such a location as to ensure the examination is conducted in privacy and without interruption. The chief supervisor/department is responsible for finding and booking the venue and for ensuring that any necessary arrangements for teleconferencing are made.

LANGUAGE USED IN THE ORAL EXAMINATION

Normally the oral examination will be conducted in the English language. If the examiners, supervisor, convenor and candidate are all fluent in another language then the examination can be conducted in that language provided that all participants are in agreement with the use of that language.

ORAL EXAMINATION REPORT

Following the oral examination and the deliberation stage involving the convenor and the chief supervisor (or delegated member of the supervisory panel) the New Zealand external examiner prepares the final report and recommendation, using the Examiner's Report, Oral Examination Form. The report, which takes into account the views of the overseas examiner and is a consensus of the examiners, is conveyed to the Postgraduate Studies Committee through the convenor. The examiner(s) shall recommend one of the following options:

that the thesis be accepted in its present form as fulfilling the requirements for the degree.
that the thesis be accepted as fulfilling the requirements for the degree, subject to the candidate completing minor amendments and/or correcting typographical errors as required by the examiners. A date within ten weeks should be entered on the oral report form and a nominated examiner, or the chief supervisor, required to advise the Committee when the amendments have been made.
that the thesis be accepted, subject to the candidate completing more substantial amendments to the satisfaction of both examiners, providing that these amendments are not so substantial as to necessitate re-submission and are completed within a period nominated by the examiners that is accepted by the Postgraduate Studies Committee. These amendments will require the ratification of one or more examiners, or the chief supervisor, before the Committee will confirm the award of the degree.
that the thesis not be acceptable in its present form but is to be returned to the candidate, who may revise it and resubmit it for re-examination, by the original examiners, after a re-enrolment for a minimum period of 6 months (12 months part-time) and a maximum period of 12 months. Fees will be re-imbursed on a pro rata monthly basis.
that the thesis not be acceptable as fulfilling the requirements for the doctoral degree but be acceptable (with amendments as directed by the examiners/and chief supervisor and completed within ten weeks, or a re-enrolment period as in d) above) as fulfilling the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy or Master of Education.
that no degree be awarded because the candidate has failed to meet the required standard for a higher degree.

AFTER THE ORAL EXAMINATION

After the oral examination, the convenor will send the signed examiner's recommendations to the Postgraduate Studies Office.

RESOLUTION OF DIVERGENT VIEWS OF EXAMINERS

In exceptional circumstances, where the examiners participating in the oral examination are unable to agree on a recommendation, the convenor shall report the circumstances fully to the Committee, who will decide whether the degree should be awarded or what other action is necessary. The Postgraduate Studies Committee has discretion to appoint an external mediator who will be asked to consider the thesis and the written reports of the examiners and convenor and will be invited to recommend one of the following:

pass
changes to thesis and re-submission to the mediator as sole judge
failure

ORAL EXAMINATION OF A RESUBMITTED THESIS

Where a thesis has been resubmitted, a further resubmission will not be permitted and in all cases irrespective of the contents of the examiners' reports, an oral examination will be held. The oral examination will be held under normal conditions except that the options available following the oral examination (see Report on Oral Examination) shall exclude option (d).

CANDIDATE'S ACCESS TO EXAMINERS' REPORTS

Candidates have the right to see the written reports of examiners once the examination process is complete, even if, under exceptional circumstances, the examiner chooses to remain anonymous (New Zealand examiners do not have this option since they are required to examine at the oral). For this reason it is important that examiners accept this condition when they agree to act as examiners.

Candidates will usually have received either full or partial copies of the external examiners' reports before the oral examination. If this has not occurred, these reports will be made available to the candidate after the examination.

Candidates who are required to make amendments, rewrite sections, or rewrite and resubmit the thesis as a whole, should be given copies of the relevant sections of the examiners' reports, as indicated by the examiner (refer section on examiners' reports) to assist them and to ensure that they understand the examiner's requirements. If appropriate, candidates should be provided with the complete report.

If the examiners have recommended that the thesis should be failed, then copies of the examiners' reports should be given to the candidate after the result has been approved by the Postgraduate Studies Committee.

AWARD OF THE DEGREE AND GRADUATION

When the Postgraduate Studies Committee has accepted the report of the examiners and recommended the award of the degree the requirements for the degree are complete.

Successful candidates will then be sent an application form for the conferment of the degree. Graduands have the choice of graduating at one of the University graduation ceremonies, or of having their degree awarded in absentia at a meeting of the University Council.