Examination
The purpose of both the Master’s Thesis Oral Examination and the Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination is for the student to independently defend their dissertation. The examinations are also intended to serve as confirmation of the student’s knowledge of the research topic within the context of their field(s) of study.
In order to safeguard and promote the quality of graduate education, all students in thesis-based graduate programs must defend their dissertation in an oral examination before the degree can be granted. Both examinations are approved by the College of Graduate Studies.
Prior to the final defense, candidates must have fulfilled all coursework, examination and language requirements of the degree program. It is the responsibility of the candidate’s graduate program to ensure that all of these requirements have been met and that the candidate’s language proficiency is sufficient for the examination to be conducted with full communication between the committee and the candidate.
Both the Master’s Thesis Oral Examination and the Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination are considered public events at UBC Okanagan, and as such will be conducted in English.
To schedule an exam, create a committee or request approval for an examiner, please see the Supervisors, Supervisory Committees, and Graduate Program Coordinators section of our Graduate Policy and Procedure Manual and use the forms found below.
Remote Defences and Examinations
Master’s thesis defences and PhD oral examinations may be held remotely or in person.
If your thesis defence or oral examination is happening remotely, please see the resources below
Final Master’s Thesis Oral Examination
Master’s Thesis Defence Resource
Timeline to Defence Graphic: Master’s Thesis
Master’s Initiating Examination Forms
Notice of Master’s Thesis Oral Examination
This form is to be completed by the supervisor and delivered to CoGS either in hard-copy form or via email to initiate the scheduling of the defence. The form identifies the members of the Supervisory Committee members participating on the Examining Committee, the University Examiner and the Neutral Chair. This form must be signed off by the graduate student, supervisor and program coordinator for approval by the Dean.
Request for Approval of Proposed External Examiner Form
This form is to be used by a supervisor who is requesting the approval of a proposed external examiner.
Final Master’s Thesis Oral Examination – Neutral Chair’s Report
This form is sent to the Neutral Chair from the supervisor via email prior to the examination date. This form records the voting outcome by the examining committee for the student. The Neutral Chair ensures the University Examiner, and Examining Committee members have all signed the outcome selected. The Chair records their comments and observations before signing off. All ballots are to be attached to the form as part of the process. The form is submitted to Graduate Studies 48 hours after the examination is completed by the Chair.
Masters Thesis Oral Examination Neutral Chair Responsibilities
This document can be sent to the Neutral Chair by the supervisor via email prior to the examination. It outlines the step-by-step responsibilities and procedures for the Neutral Chair.
The voting ballots are to be sent to the Neutral Chair by the supervisor via email prior to the examination.
Masters Thesis Oral Examination Announcement
This announcement form is posted on the College of Graduate Studies bulletin board and on UBC calendar events.
Final Oral Examination Committee Member Report
If the examiners are unable to achieve unanimity regarding the defense and/or the oral examination or the examiners choose, there must be no further discussion regarding that component of the examination and the Neutral Chair must select “Failure to Reach Unanimous Decision” on the Final Master’s Thesis Oral Examination Report and immediately inform the College of Graduate Studies of “lack of unanimity”. This form is also used if examiners choose ‘fail’. Each Examination Committee member (including the University Examiner) must provide a confidential Final Oral Examination Committee Member Report to the Dean of Graduate Studies explaining the reasons for their recommendation within five business days.
Master’s Final Submission Forms
Required Forms
Master’s Thesis Approval and Program Completion Form
This form confirms that the student has completed all program requirements including any thesis changes that were required by the thesis defence committee.
Thesis Dissertation Submission Cover Sheet
This form confirms that the thesis/dissertation is the final version that was approved by the examination committee & the supervisor, the thesis/dissertation conforms to the College of Graduate Studies formatting requirements, and acknowledges that the thesis/dissertation will be made publicly available.
Optional Forms
Request for Approval to Withhold a Dissertation Thesis from the Public Domain
This form may be completed when:
- Time is required for completion and submission of a significant manuscript or patent application for a device or idea that might emerge from the thesis research
- The thesis describes something of considerable monetary potential which could, if you were given an opportunity to develop it, benefit you or the University
- Funding for the research was provided by a commercial company which has requested a delay in publication
- The thesis deals with a potentially dangerous product or process, or potential cure for a disease, for which you need more testing time before public release of the information
Master’s Thesis Defence Resource
Timeline to Defence Graphic: Master’s Thesis
The following dates allow a student sufficient time to complete the thesis defence process, based on a successful defence and only minor revisions.
Students may initiate the process at any time, and have four periods to be considered for degree conferral (February, May, September or November).
February Degree Conferral
December 7: Last date for submission of documents/thesis to initiate a defence
January 4: Last date for the defence
January 18: Last date for submission of final documents/thesis for formatting review
January 31: Last date for the final thesis to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
APRIL PROGRAM COMPLETION/MAY DEGREE CONFERRAL
March 5: Last date for submission of documents/thesis to initiate a defence
April 2: Last date for the defence
April 16: Last date for submission of final documents/thesis for formatting review
April 30: Last date for the final thesis to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
SEPTEMBER DEGREE CONFERRAL (2024 only)
June 5: Last date for submission of documents/thesis to initiate a defence
July 3: Last date for the defence
July 17: Last date for submission of final documents/thesis for formatting review
July 31: Last date for the final thesis to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
AUGUST PROGRAM COMPLETION
July 5: Last date for submission of documents/thesis to initiate a defence
August 6: Last date for the defence
August 19: Last date for submission of final documents/thesis for formatting review
August 30: Last date for the final thesis to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
NOVEMBER DEGREE CONFERRAL
September 9: Last date for submission of documents/thesis to initiate a defence
October 7: Last date for the defence
October 21: Last date for submission of final documents/thesis for formatting review
October 31: Last date for the final thesis to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
DECEMBER PROGRAM COMPLETION
October 28: Last date for submission of documents/thesis to initiate a defence
November 25: Last date for the defence
December 9: Last date for submission of final documents/thesis for formatting review
December 18: Last date for the final thesis to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
Program completion = when all program requirements are completed, including uploading your final thesis to cIRcle, and thesis formatting is approved by the College of Graduate Studies
Degree conferral = when your degree is officially conferred by Senate, when you can use your credential, and when your parchment will be available
PLEASE NOTE:
It is highly advisable to schedule your defence prior to or after the summer months of July and August given the unavailability of many faculty members.
For the same reason, it is highly advisable to schedule your defence prior to or after the month of December.
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
- You can complete your program at any time during the year as long as your coursework is completed and you have successfully defended a thesis
- Convocation is held in June of each year and you may choose to attend or not
- In order to graduate/have your degree conferred, a student must apply online through Workday. Please note that application deadlines differ from the deadline dates above
- Click here for more information on Graduation and Convocation
- Tuition and fees will continue to be assessed until your program is complete and closed out. If you have not paid the minimum number of tuition installments for the program, the remaining installments will be charged to you when your program is closed out.
Final Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination
dOCTORAL Dissertation oral examination Resource
Timeline to Defence Graphic: Doctoral Oral Examination
DOCTORAL Initiating Examination Form
Notice of Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination
This form is to be completed by the supervisor and delivered to CoGS either in hard-copy form or via email to initiate the scheduling of the examination. The form identifies the members of the Supervisory Committee members participating on the Examining Committee, the External Examiner, the University Examiner and the Neutral Chair. This form must be signed off by the graduate student, supervisor and program coordinator for approval by the Dean.
External Examiner Email Notification Request Example
This is a sample email that the supervisor can use when initiating the request for invitation of an External Examiner.
Request for Approval of Proposed External Examiner Form
This form is to be used by a supervisor who is requesting the approval of a proposed external examiner.
Final Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination – Neutral Chair’s Report
This form is sent to the Neutral Chair from the supervisor via email prior to the examination date. This form records the voting outcome by the examining committee for the student. The Neutral Chair ensures the External Examiner, University Examiner, and Examining Committee members have all signed the outcome selected. The Chair records their comments and observations before signing off. All ballots are to be attached to the form as part of the process. The form is submitted to Graduate Studies 48 hours after the examination is completed by the Chair.
Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination Neutral Chair Responsibilities Procedures
This document can be sent to the Neutral Chair by the supervisor via email prior to the examination. It outlines the step-by-step responsibilities and procedures for the Neutral Chair.
The voting ballots are to be sent to the Neutral Chair by the supervisor via email prior to the examination.
Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination Announcement
This announcement form is posted on the College of Graduate Studies bulletin board and on UBC calendar events.
Final Oral Examination Committee Member Report
If the examiners are unable to achieve unanimity regarding the examination and/or the oral examination, there must be no further discussion regarding that component of the examination and the Neutral Chair must select “Failure to Reach Unanimous Decision” on the Final Doctoral Dissertation Oral Examination Report and immediately inform the College of Graduate Studies of “lack of unanimity”. This form is also used if examiners choose ‘fail’. Each Examination Committee member (including the External Examiner and University Examiner) must provide a confidential Final Oral Examination Committee Member Report to the Dean of Graduate Studies explaining the reasons for their recommendation within five business days.
Doctoral Final Submission Forms
Required Forms
Doctoral Dissertation Approval and Program Completion Form
This form confirms that the student has completed all program requirements including any dissertation changes that were required by the dissertation examination committee.
Thesis Dissertation Submission Cover Sheet
This form confirms that the thesis/dissertation is the final version that was approved by the examination committee & the supervisor, the thesis/dissertation conforms to the College of Graduate Studies formatting requirements, and acknowledges that the thesis/dissertation will be made publicly available.
Optional Forms
Request for Approval to Withhold a Dissertation Thesis from the Public Domain
This form may be completed when:
- Time is required for completion and submission of a significant manuscript or patent application for a device or idea that might emerge from the thesis research
- The thesis describes something of considerable monetary potential which could, if you were given an opportunity to develop it, benefit you or the University
- Funding for the research was provided by a commercial company which has requested a delay in publication
- The thesis deals with a potentially dangerous product or process, or potential cure for a disease, for which you need more testing time before public release of the information
dOCTORAL Dissertation oral examination Resource
Timeline to Defence Graphic: Doctoral Oral Examination
The following dates provide a guideline for students to complete the dissertation examination process, based on a successful examination and only minor revisions.
Students may initiate the process at any time, and have four periods to be considered for degree conferral (February, May, September, or November).
FEBRUARY DEGREE CONFERRAL
October 26: Last date for supervisor to submit the Request for Approval
of Proposed External Examiner
November 23: Last date for submission of documents/dissertation to initiate an examination
January 4: Last date for the exam
January 18: Last date for submission of final documents/dissertation for formatting review
January 31: Last date for the final dissertation to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
APRIL PROGRAM COMPLETION/MAY DEGREE CONFERRAL
January 22: Last date for supervisor to submit the Request for Approval
of Proposed External Examiner
February 19: Last date for submission of documents/dissertation to initiate an examination
April 2: Last date for the exam
April 16: Last date for submission of final documents/dissertation for formatting review
April 30: Last date for the final dissertation to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
SEPTEMBER DEGREE CONFERRAL (2024 only)
April 24: Last date for supervisor to submit the Request for Approval
of Proposed External Examiner
May 22: Last date for submission of documents/dissertation to initiate an examination
July 3: Last date for the exam
July 17: Last date for submission of final documents/dissertation for formatting review
July 31: Last date for the final dissertation to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
AUGUST PROGRAM COMPLETION
May 27: Last date for supervisor to submit the Request for Approval
of Proposed External Examiner
June 24: Last date for submission of documents/dissertation to initiate an examination
August 6: Last date for the exam
August 19: Last date for submission of final documents/dissertation for formatting review
August 30: Last date for the final dissertation to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
NOVEMBER DEGREE CONFERRAL
July 29: Last date for supervisor to submit the Request for Approval
of Proposed External Examiner
August 26: Last date for submission of documents/dissertation to initiate an examination
October 7: Last date for the exam
October 21: Last date for submission of final documents/dissertation for formatting review
October 31: Last date for the final dissertation to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
DECEMBER PROGRAM COMPLETION
September 16: Last date for supervisor to submit the Request for Approval
of Proposed External Examiner
October 14: Last date for submission of documents/dissertation to initiate an examination
November 25: Last date for the exam
December 9: Last date for submission of final documents/dissertation for formatting review
December 18: Last date for the final dissertation to be approved by the College of Graduate Studies
Program completion = when all program requirements are completed, including uploading your final dissertation to cIRcle, and dissertation formatting is approved by the College of Graduate Studies
Degree conferral = when your degree is officially conferred by Senate, when you can use your credential, and when your parchment will be available
PLEASE NOTE:
It is highly advisable to schedule your exam prior to or after the summer months of July and August given the unavailability of many faculty members.
For the same reason, it is highly advisable to schedule your exam prior to or after the month of December.
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
- You can complete your program at any time during the year as long as your coursework is completed and you have successfully defended a dissertation
- Convocation is held in June of each year and you may choose to attend or not
- In order to graduate/have your degree conferred, a student must apply online through Workday.
- Please note that application deadlines differ from the deadline dates above
- Click here for more information on Graduation and Convocation
- Tuition and fees will continue to be assessed until your program is complete and closed out. If you have not paid the minimum number of tuition installments for the program, the remaining installments will be charged to you when your program is closed out.