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Thesis Format

Format of thesis and Binding

Title page – including the thesis title, the student's full name and the degree for which it is submitted
Abstract - of up to 5,000 words
Table of contents – including any material not bound in the book, and a list of tables, photographs and any other materials

Word limits

PhD - not to exceed 100,000 words
MPhil - not to exceed 60,000 words
MD(Res) - not to exceed 50,000 words
MPhilStud - not to exceed 30,000 words
Professional Doctorates - at least 25,000 words and not to exceed 55,000 words

Thesis word limit inclusions and exclusions The thesis word count includes everything from the start of chapter 1 up to the end of the last chapter. This means: Including all words included within:

Footnotes/Endnotes
Table/figure legends
Tables of contents/of figures/of tables/ of acronyms
Acknowledgements/dedications
References/Bibliography
'Editions of texts (except where the edition or editions themselves constitute the thesis under examination)'
Students are only required to submit an electronic thesis for their examiners, in PDF format, this should be emailed to [email protected] no later than your deadline
If examiners have requested a printed copy a member of the Research Degrees Examinations team will get in touch with you
Margins - as we no longer require printed copies of the thesis, the margin edge is at the student's discretion, however bear in mind if examiners prefer a printed copy then it may need to be spiral bound
Spacing - Double or 1.5 spacing (except for indented quotations or footnotes which can be single spaced)
Font size - It is recommended to use font size 12 to ensure examiners are able to read it
Page numbering - All pages must be numbered in one continuous sequence, i.e. from the title page of the first volume to the last page of type, from 1 onwards. This sequence must include everything in the volume, including maps, diagrams, blank pages, etc.

Illustrative materials - May include: audio recordings and photographic slides, these can be emailed to [email protected]

Additional material - Any material which cannot be included in the PDF thesis maybe emailed separately to the [email protected]

Some examiners may prefer to work from a printed version of the student's thesis rather than the PDF, if this is the case:

The Research Degrees Examinations team will in the first instance check with the examiner if they would be happy to print the thesis themselves. If the examiner is happy to do this and is able to, they can claim back the expenses following the examination
If the examiner is unable to print the thesis, the Research Degrees Examinations team will contact the student to make arrangements for a print version to be posted directly to the examiner(s) or via a binders
It is the students' responsibility to get their thesis printed and bound if examiners require a copy. Students may only claim back postage costs.

PRINT COPIES MUST NOT BE POSTED PRIOR TO OFFICIAL DISPATCH BY THE RESEARCH DEGREES EXAMINATION TEAM

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Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee

Candidates should write as concisely as is possible, with clear and adequate exposition. Each Degree Committee has prescribed the limits of length and stylistic requirements as given below. On submission of the thesis you must include a statement of length confirming that it does not exceed the word limit for your Degree Committee.

These limits and requirements are strictly observed by the Postgraduate Committee and the Degree Committees and, unless approval to exceed the prescribed limit has been obtained beforehand (see: Extending the Word Limit below), a thesis that exceeds the limit may not be examined until its length complies with the prescribed limit.

Extending the Word Limit

Thesis word limits are set by Degree Committees. If candidates need to increase their word limits they will need to apply for permission.

Information on how to apply (via self-service account) is available on the ‘ Applying for a change in your student status’ page. If following your viva, you are required to make corrections to your thesis which will mean you need to increase your word-limit, you need to apply for permission in the same way.

Requirements of the Degree Committees

Archaeology and anthropology, architecture and history of art, asian and middle eastern studies, business and management, clinical medicine and clinical veterinary medicine, computer laboratory, earth sciences and geography, scott polar institute, engineering, history and philosophy of science, land economy, mathematics, modern and medieval languages and linguistics, physics and chemistry, politics and international studies, archaeology and social anthropology.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words (approx. 350 pages) for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. These limits include all text, figures, tables and photographs, but exclude the bibliography, cited references and appendices. More detailed specifications should be obtained from the Division concerned. Permission to exceed these limits will be granted only after a special application to the Degree Committee. The application must explain in detail the reasons why an extension is being sought and the nature of the additional material, and must be supported by a reasoned case from the supervisor containing a recommendation that a candidate should be allowed to exceed the word limit by a specified number of words. Such permission will be granted only under exceptional circumstances. If candidates need to apply for permission to exceed the word limit, they should do so in good time before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit the thesis, by application made to the Graduate Committee.

Biological Anthropology:

Students may choose between two alternative thesis formats for their work:

either in the form of a thesis of not more than 80,000 words in length for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. The limits include all text, in-text citations, figures, tables, captions and footnotes but exclude bibliography and appendices; or

in the form of a collection of at least three research articles for the PhD degree and two research articles for the MSc or MLitt degree, formatted as an integrated piece of research, with a table of contents, one or more chapters that outline the scope and provide an in-depth review of the subject of study, a concluding chapter discussing the findings and contribution to the field, and a consolidated bibliography. The articles may be in preparation, submitted for publication or already published, and the combined work should not exceed 80,000 words in length for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. The word limits include all text, in-text citations, figures, tables, captions, and footnotes but exclude bibliography and appendices containing supplementary information associated with the articles. More information on the inclusion of material published, in press or in preparation in a PhD thesis may be found in the Department’s PhD submission guidelines.

Architecture:

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. Footnotes, references and text within tables are to be counted within the word-limit, but captions, appendices and bibliographies are excluded. Appendices should be confined to such items as catalogues, original texts, translations of texts, transcriptions of interview, or tables.

History of Art:

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree. To include: footnotes, table of contents and list of illustrations, but excluding acknowledgements and the bibliography. Appendices (of no determined word length) may be permitted subject to the approval of the candidate's Supervisor (in consultation with the Degree Committee); for example, where a catalogue of works or the transcription of extensive primary source material is germane to the work. Permission to include such appendices must be requested from the candidate's Supervisor well in advance of the submission of the final thesis. NB: Permission for extensions to the word limit for most other purposes is likely to be refused.

The thesis is for the PhD degree not to exceed 80,000 words exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography. For the MLitt degree not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography and appendices.

The thesis for the PhD is not to exceed 60,000 words in length (80,000 by special permission), exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. Double-spaced or one-and-a-half spaced. Single or double-sided printing.

The thesis for the MPhil in Biological Science is not to exceed 20,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. Double-spaced or one-and-a-half spaced. Single or double-sided printing.

For the PhD Degree the thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices. It is normally expected to exceed 40,000 words unless prior permission is obtained from the Degree Committee. Each page of statistical tables, charts or diagrams shall be regarded as equivalent to a page of text of the same size. The Degree Committee do not consider applications to extend this word limit.

For the Doctor of Business (BusD) the thesis will be approximately 200 pages (a maximum length of 80,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices).

For the MSc Degree the thesis is not to exceed 40,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words including footnotes, references, and appendices but excluding bibliography; a page of statistics shall be regarded as the equivalent of 150 words. Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit. Candidates must submit with the thesis a signed statement giving the length of the thesis.

For the PhD degree, not to exceed 60,000 words (or 80,000 by special permission of the Degree Committee), and for the MSc degree, not to exceed 40,000 words. These limits exclude figures, photographs, tables, appendices and bibliography. Lines to be double or one-and-a-half spaced; pages to be double or single sided.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words including tables, footnotes and equations, but excluding appendices, bibliography, photographs and diagrams. Any thesis which without prior permission of the Degree Committee exceeds the permitted limit will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and the MLitt degree, including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding bibliography. Candidates must submit with the thesis a signed statement giving the length of the thesis. Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit for the inclusion of an appendix of a substantial quantity of text which is necessary for the understanding of the thesis (e.g. texts in translation, transcription of extensive primary source material). Permission must be sought at least three months before submission of the thesis and be supported by a letter from the supervisor certifying that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree, including the summary/abstract. The table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, appendices, bibliography and acknowledgements to not count towards the word limit. Footnotes are not included in the word limit where they are a necessary part of the referencing system used.

Earth Sciences:

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 275 numbered pages of which not more than 225 pages are text, appendices, illustrations and bibliography. A page of text is A4 one-and-a-half-spaced normal size type. The additional 50 pages may comprise tables of data and/or computer programmes reduced in size.

If a candidate's work falls within the social sciences, candidates are expected to observe the limit described in the Department of Geography above; if, however, a candidate's work falls within the natural sciences, a candidate should observe the limit described in the Department of Earth Sciences.

Applications for the limit of length of the thesis to be exceeded must be early — certainly no later than the time when the application for the appointment of examiners and the approval of the title of the thesis is made. Any thesis which, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, exceeds the permitted limit of length will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words including tables, footnotes, bibliography and appendices. The Degree Committee points out that some of the best thesis extend to only half this length. Each page of statistical tables, charts or diagrams shall be regarded as equivalent to a page of text of the same size.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and EdD degrees and 60,000 words for the MSc and MLitt degrees, in all cases excluding appendices, footnotes, reference list or bibliography. Only in the most exceptional circumstances will permission be given to exceed the stated limits. In such cases, you must make an application to the Degree Committee as early as possible -and no later than three months before it is proposed to submit the thesis, having regard to the dates of the Degree Committee meetings. Your application should (a) explain in detail the reasons why you are seeking the extension and (b) be accompanied by a full supporting statement from your supervisor showing that the extension is absolutely necessary in the interests of the total presentation of the subject.

For the PhD degree, not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 65,000 words, including appendices, footnotes, tables and equations not to contain more than 150 figures, but excluding the bibliography. A candidate must submit with their thesis a statement signed by the candidate themself giving the length of the thesis and the number of figures. Any thesis which, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, exceeds the permitted limit will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words or go below 60,000 words for the PhD degree and not to exceed 60,000 words or go below 45,000 words for the MLitt degree, both including all notes and appendices but excluding the bibliography. A candidate must add to the preface of the thesis the following signed statement: 'The thesis does not exceed the regulation length, including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding the bibliography.'

In exceptional cases (when, for example, a candidate's thesis largely consists of an edition of a text) the Degree Committee may grant permission to exceed these limits but in such instances (a) a candidate must apply to exceed the length at least three months before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit their thesis and (b) the application must be supported by a letter from a candidate's supervisor certifying that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

It is a requirement of the Degree Committee for the Faculty of English that thesis must conform to either the MHRA Style Book or the MLA Handbook for the Writers of Research papers, available from major bookshops. There is one proviso, however, to the use of these manuals: the Faculty does not normally recommend that students use the author/date form of citation and recommends that footnotes rather than endnotes be used. Bibliographies and references in thesis presented by candidates in ASNaC should conform with either of the above or to the practice specified in Cambridge Studies in Anglo-Saxon England.

Thesis presented by candidates in the Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics must follow as closely as possible the printed style of the journal Applied Linguistics and referencing and spelling conventions should be consistent.

A signed declaration of the style-sheet used (and the edition, if relevant) must be made in the preliminary pages of the thesis.

PhD theses MUST NOT exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length.

A minimum word length exists for PhD theses: 70,000 words (50,000 for MLitt theses)

The word limit includes appendices and the contents page but excludes the abstract, acknowledgments, footnotes, references, notes on transliteration, bibliography, abbreviations and glossary. The Contents Page should be included in the word limit. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Maps, illustrations and other pictorial images count as 0 words. Graphs, if they are the only representation of the data being presented, are to be counted as 150 words. However, if graphs are used as an illustration of statistical data that is also presented elsewhere within the thesis (as a table for instance), then the graphs count as 0 words.

Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit. Applications for permission are made via CamSIS self-service pages. Applications must be made at least four months before the thesis is bound. Exceptions are granted when a compelling intellectual case is made.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, in all cases including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography. Permission to submit a thesis falling outside these limits, or to submit an appendix which does not count towards the word limit, must be obtained in advance from the Degree Committee.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree, both including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding bibliographies. One A4 page consisting largely of statistics, symbols or figures shall be regarded as the equivalent of 250 words. A candidate must add to the preface of their thesis the following signed statement: 'This thesis does not exceed the regulation length, including footnotes, references and appendices.'

For the PhD degree the thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography) but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words (exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter). Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy. For the MLitt degree the thesis is not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography, appendices, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy.

Criminology:

For the PhD degree submission of a thesis between 55,000 and 80,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography) but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words (exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter). Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy. For the MLitt degree the thesis is not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography, appendices, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy.

There is no standard format for the thesis in Mathematics. Candidates should discuss the format appropriate to their topic with their supervisor.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, including footnotes and appendices but excluding the abstract, any acknowledgements, contents page(s), abbreviations, notes on transliteration, figures, tables and bibliography. Brief labels accompanying illustrations, figures and tables are also excluded from the word count. The Degree Committee point out that some very successful doctoral theses have been submitted which extend to no more than three-quarters of the maximum permitted length.

In linguistics, where examples are cited in a language other than Modern English, only the examples themselves will be taken into account for the purposes of the word limit. Any English translations and associated linguistic glosses will be excluded from the word count.

In theses written under the aegis of any of the language sections, all sources in the language(s) of the primary area(s) of research of the thesis will normally be in the original language. An English translation should be provided only where reading the original language is likely to fall outside the expertise of the examiners. Where such an English translation is given it will not be included in the word count. In fields where the normal practice is to quote in English in the main text, candidates should follow that practice. If the original text needs to be supplied, it should be placed in a footnote. These fields include, but are not limited to, general linguistics and film and screen studies.

Since appendices are included in the word limit, in some fields it may be necessary to apply to exceed the limit in order to include primary data or other materials which should be available to the examiners. Only under the most exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed the limit in other cases. In all cases (a) a candidate must apply to exceed the prescribed maximum length at least three months before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit their thesis and (b) the application must be accompanied by a full supporting statement from the candidate's supervisor showing that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

It is a requirement within all language sections of MMLL, and also for Film, that dissertations must conform with the advice concerning abbreviations, quotations, footnotes, references etc published in the Style Book of the Modern Humanities Research Association (Notes for Authors and Editors). For linguistics, dissertations must conform with one of the widely accepted style formats in their field of research, for example the style format of the Journal of Linguistics (Linguistic Association of Great Britain), or of Language Linguistic Society of America) or the APA format (American Psychology Association). If in doubt, linguistics students should discuss this with their supervisor and the PhD Coordinator.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, both excluding notes, appendices, and bibliographies, musical transcriptions and examples, unless a candidate make a special case for greater length to the satisfaction of the Degree Committee. Candidates whose work is practice-based may include as part of the doctoral submission either a portfolio of substantial musical compositions, or one or more recordings of their own musical performance(s).

PhD (MLitt) theses in Philosophy must not be more than 80,000 (60,000) words, including appendices and footnotes but excluding bibliography.

Institute of Astronomy, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, Department of Physics:

The thesis is not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words, including summary/abstract, tables, footnotes and appendices, but excluding table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, list of figures/diagrams, list of abbreviations/acronyms, bibliography and acknowledgements.

Department of Chemistry:

The thesis is not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words, including summary/abstract, tables, and footnotes, but excluding table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, list of figures/diagrams, list of abbreviations/acronyms, bibliography, appendices and acknowledgements. Appendices are relevant to the material contained within the thesis but do not form part of the connected argument. Specifically, they may include derivations, code and spectra, as well as experimental information (compound name, structure, method of formation and data) for non-key molecules made during the PhD studies.

Applicable to the PhDs in Politics & International Studies, Latin American Studies, Multi-disciplinary Studies and Development Studies for all submissions from candidates admitted prior to and including October 2017.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length. The word limit includes appendices but excludes footnotes, references and bibliography. Footnotes should not exceed 20% of the thesis. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text, and thus to circumvent the word limits. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

Applicable to the PhDs in Politics & International Studies, Latin American Studies, Multi-disciplinary Studies and Development Studies for all submissions from candidates admitted after October 2017.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, including footnotes. The word limit includes appendices but excludes the bibliography. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

Only applicable to students registered for the degree prior to 1 August 2012; all other students should consult the guidance of the Faculty of Biological Sciences.

Applicable to the PhD in Psychology (former SDP students only) for all submissions made before 30 November 2013

Applicable to the PhD in Psychology (former SDP students only) for all submissions from 30 November 2013

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length. The word limit includes appendices but excludes footnotes, references and bibliography. Footnotes should not exceed 20% of the thesis. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text, and thus to circumvent the word limits. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. Applications should be made in good time before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit the thesis, made to the Graduate Committee. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be over 60,000 words. This word limit includes footnotes and endnotes, but excludes appendices and reference list / bibliography. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 150 words for each page, or part of a page, that they occupy. Other media may form part of the thesis by prior arrangement with the Degree Committee. Students may apply to the Degree Committee for permission to exceed the word limit, but such applications are granted only rarely. Candidates must submit, with the thesis, a signed statement attesting to the length of the thesis.

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Thesis word count and format

Three months ago you considered whether you required a restriction to the access of your thesis, and you submitted your ‘Approval of Research Degree Thesis Title’ form. You’ve now finished writing up your thesis and it’s time to submit. We require your thesis to be presented and formatted in a certain way, so it’s important you read through the requirements below, before submitting your thesis. Find out more about thesis submission policy (.pdf)

The completed thesis should be saved in PDF format. Once saved, please review the file to ensure all pages are displayed correctly.

Page layout

Double line spacing should be used for everything except quotations, footnotes, captions to plates etc.
It is desirable to leave 2.5cm margins at the top and bottom of the page.
The best position for the page number is at the top right 1.3cm below the top edge.
The fonts of Arial or Times New Roman should be used throughout the main body of the thesis, in the size of no less than 12 and no greater than 14

Illustrations (Graphs, diagrams, plates, computer printout etc.)

Illustrations embedded within the thesis should be formatted, numbered and titled accordingly:

a) Illustration upright - Caption at the bottom, Illustration number immediately above the

Illustration.

b) Illustration sideways - Caption at right-hand side with Illustration number above it.

Numbers for graphs, diagrams and maps are best located in the bottom right hand corner.

For further advice, please consult your supervisor.

Word counts

The following word counts are the maximum permitted for each level of award*:

What's excluded from the word count

*In all cases above, the word count includes quotations but excludes appendices, tables (including tables of contents), figures, abstract, references, acknowledgements, bibliography and footnotes (as long as the latter do not contain substantive argument). Please note these are word limits, not targets.

Specific requirements

For degrees which involve Practice as Research (PaR), no less than 50% of the research output should be the written thesis. The written thesis for PaR degrees may be comprised of a range of written elements including, but not limited to, a critical review, a portfolio, and/or a statement on theoretical discourse or methodology.

**In cases of practice-based PhD’s or MPhil’s these suggested word counts may be different. It is normally expected that the written component would comprise no less than 50% of the overall output.

Each copy of the thesis should contain a summary or abstract not exceeding 300 words.

As an example, see how the layout of your title page (.pdf) should be.

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Thesis and Examination: The Code of Practice

Preparing a thesis

Guidance on writing your thesis and the support available.

English language requirements

Theses should normally be written in English. In exceptional circumstances, a student may request permission from their Faculty to present a thesis that is written in another language where there is a clear academic justification for doing so, eg. where the language is directly linked to the research project, or where there is a clear benefit to the impact and dissemination of the research.

Likewise, the oral examination should normally be conducted in English, except in cases where there are pedagogic reasons for it to be held in another language, or where there is a formal agreement in place that requires the viva to be conducted in another language. Permission should be sought from the appropriate faculty for a viva to be conducted in a language other than English.

Guidance on writing the thesis

The main source of advice and guidance for students beginning to write their thesis is the supervisory team. Students should discuss the proposed structure of the thesis with their supervisor at an early stage in their research programme, together with the schedule for its production, and the role of the supervisor in checking drafts. Supervisors should be prepared to advise on such matters as undertaking a literature review, referencing and formatting the thesis, and on what should or should not be included in the thesis, including any supplementary or non-standard material.

Additional support is also available via the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC), which offers academic writing and thesis writing courses. In addition, the University offers a Thesis Mentoring programme to help students to manage better the process of writing their thesis.

Students may also find it helpful to consult theses from the same subject discipline that are available in institutional repositories such as White Rose Etheses Online or via the British Library’s EThOS service.

Students who intend to include in their thesis any material owned by another person should consider the copyright implications at an early stage and should not leave this until the final stages of completing the thesis. The correct use of third-party copyright material and the avoidance of unfair means are taken very seriously by the University. Attendance at a copyright training session offered by the Library is strongly recommended.

Students should take care to ensure that the identification of any third-party individuals within their thesis (e.g. participants in the research), is only done with the informed consent of those individuals, and in recognition of any potential risks that this may present to them. This is especially important because an electronic copy of the thesis will normally be made publicly available via the White Rose Etheses Online repository.

Use of copyright material

Guidance on good practices in authorship is set out in the GRIP policy expectations.

Good practices in authorship

Acceptable support in writing the thesis

It is acceptable for a student to receive the following support in writing the thesis from the supervisory team (that is additional to the advice and/or information outlined above), if the supervisory team has considered that this support is necessary:

Where the meaning of the text is not clear the student should be asked to re-write the text in question in order to clarify the meaning.
If the meaning of the text is unclear, the supervisory team can provide support in correcting grammar and sentence construction to clarify its meaning. If a student requires significant support with written English above what is considered to be correcting grammar and sentence construction, the supervisory team will, at the earliest opportunity, request that the student obtains remedial tuition support from the University’s English Language Teaching Centre.
The supervisory team cannot rewrite text that changes the meaning of the text (ghost writing/ghost authorship in a thesis is unacceptable).
The supervisory team can provide guidance on the structure, content and expression of writing.
The supervisory team can proofread the text.
Anyone else who may be employed or engaged to proofread the text is only permitted to change spelling and grammar and must not be able to change the content of the thesis.

The Confirmation Review and the oral examination are the key progression milestones for testing whether a thesis is a student's own work.

Requests for an extension to a student’s time limit for the student to improve their standard of written English in the thesis will not be approved. Students who require additional language support should be signposted to appropriate sources of help at an early stage in their degree to avoid such an occurrence.

Yellow Sticker scheme for disabled students

The University runs a sticker scheme for students who have an impairment that can affect aspects of their written communication. This applies to all students, including PGRs submitting a thesis for examination.

Yellow Sticker scheme

The University does not have any regulatory requirements governing the length of theses, but most faculties have established guidelines:

Arts and Humanities: 40,000 words (MPhil); 75,000 words (PhD)
Health: 40,000 words (MPhil); 75,000 words (PhD, MD)
Science: 40,000 words (MPhil); 80,000 words (PhD)
Social Sciences: 40,000 words (MPhil); 75,000-100,000 words (PhD)

The above word counts exclude footnotes, bibliography and appendices. Where there are no guidelines, students should consult the supervisor as to the length of thesis appropriate to the particular topic of research.

Related information

Contact the Research Degree Support Team

Thesis submission

Use of unfair means in the assessment process

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Thesis submission

You are required to submit a thesis for examination after your period of registered study and before the conclusion of the thesis pending period.

Your thesis should be submitted to the Nottingham ePrints service and must be the result of your own work, done mainly while you were registered as a researcher of this university. Student Services will work with your supervisors in preparing the thesis to be sent for examination.

The information on this page will signpost you to the different processes, policies and detailed instructions on submission. More detailed information can be found in submission pack .

The word limit for your thesis depends upon the qualification you are working towards:

PhD theses should not exceed 100,000 words

MPhil theses should not exceed 60,000 words

Please note, the word limits for MRes theses vary according to the number of taught module credits taken. Please see our Quality Manual regulations for MRes and supplementary regulations.

In all cases, the word limits are inclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables, and bibliography. The University may withhold a thesis that exceeds these word limits from examination.

Proof readers

A proof-reader may only ensure that the meaning of the author is not misrepresented due to the quality and standard of the English used. This can include correcting spelling and basic grammar errors.

Inaccuracies in academic content should not be corrected nor should the structure of the piece of work be changed; doing so may result in a charge of plagiarism.

Format of thesis

You should submit your thesis in pdf format to the Nottingham ePrints system. Your thesis should be presented on A4 size, normally with a size 12 font. There should be a margin of at least 4cm on the left side of the page, both for typescript and diagrams, to allow for binding (if required).

Other margins should be of at least 2.5 cm.

Alternative formats

Alternative formats for submission may apply. For certain doctorates (Music, Creative Writing, Drama and Performance Practice as Research, Translation Studies) an appendix detailing submission requirements is available.

For more information, please visit the university's Quality Manual for further guidance.

You are also allowed to submit by published works, please consult your supervisor and also refer to the university guidance in the Quality Manual .

Quality Manual alternative formats guidance

Submission deadline

You are required to submit your thesis for examination by the submission deadline notified to you during your course of studies. In exceptional circumstances, you can apply for an extension to your submission deadline, in line with the extension to thesis pending policy in the Quality Manual .

If your submission deadline falls on a non-working day then you are permitted to submit on a first working day after this deadline.

Please also see here for key dates for graduation guidance .

Please note, even when they have been correctly observed, no guarantee can be given that the necessary examination procedures will have been completed in time for a candidate to graduate at the next degree congregation.

Extension to thesis pending form

Quality Manual thesis pending policy

Notification of submission

You are required to submit a thesis for examination before the conclusion of the thesis pending period. You must formally notify your school at least three months prior to your intended submission date.

The school should ensure that Student Services are informed so that the procedure for appointing examiners can be initiated. Any delay in submitting your Notification of Submission form can lead to a delay in your examination. Visit the Examination webpage for more information on the examination process.

Your supervisor’s signature on the Notification of Submission form acts as confirmation that:

the thesis is the result of work done mainly while you have been registered as a researcher of The University of Nottingham

you have been given appropriate plagiarism guidance

you have been advised on thesis embargo and/or restriction

if appropriate to your discipline, you are aware of the requirement to submit all data collected during the period of study as a researcher of this university, to your School prior to arrangement of the viva voce examination.

Upon receipt of your completed form, Student Services will ask your school to nominate examiners. When approved, we will email you with the names of your examiners, asking you to declare any possible conflict of interest.

Notification of submission form

Late submission

You are required to submit your thesis for examination by the submission deadline notified to you during your course of studies. Full time doctoral researchers submitting a thesis after this deadline, without receiving formal approval from the university for an extension of time, will be permitted to submit up to 12 months after their latest submission date as long as the maximum period from initial registration has not been reached.

Once the work has been submitted the late submission fee for each month or part month (as per the university fee schedule, please see under Postgraduate Research – Exceptional Fees – Current Academic Year) that passes between your expected submission date and the date that your thesis is actually submitted will be raised and is payable immediately.

For researchers who are not on doctoral programmes, or who are not full time, or for whom this is not the first submission, there is no recourse to submit a thesis late and an extension to thesis pending must be requested.

Quality Manual: policy on extension to thesis pending

Quality Manual maximum period from initial registration

How to submit

Your thesis should be submitted to the Nottingham ePrints service in pdf format and must be the result of your own work, done mainly while you were registered as a researcher of this university. Student Services will work with your supervisors in preparing the thesis to be sent for examination.

Notitngham ePrints is the used to store your first submission, as well as corrections and/or re-submission. Once the degree has been conferred, your final version will be retained for publication in the repository, all previous drafts will be removed.

For detailed instructions, please visit the uploading your thesis webpage .

What happens with my submission

Your submission will be checked by the Student Services team. Once initial processing is complete, the Student Services team will write to confirm receipt of your thesis. Your thesis will then be stored securely in a local drive so that it can be shared with your examiners. It will then be removed from Nottingham ePrints . Doing so generates an automatic ‘Item Destroyed’ message, please do not be alarmed.

First submissions, corrections and re-submission will be forwarded to examiner(s) for examination and/or final approvals.

The final version will be retained for publication in the repository, unless you indicate a different preference. For detailed instructions, please visit the uploading your thesis webpage .

Publishing your thesis: open access, embargo or restriction

In most cases, your thesis will be published in the University’s online library when you have graduated. Exceptions apply, such as embargo and thesis restriction, the distinction and process for application is explained below. You should discuss these options with your supervisor.

Embargo:

You may wish to delay online publication of the full text by requesting an embargo period, of up to two years* to allow publication through alternative channels. Please note: If you wish extend the embargo beyond the initial period, please enquire by emailing [email protected] .

For embargoed theses, the full text is not publicly available but the bibliographic details (author, title and abstract) are discoverable and available to read. You must request embargoes when submitting the final draft of your thesis to Nottingham ePrints .

Creative writing researchers may apply for an extended embargo of up to seven years.

Thesis Restriction:

The University Senate may fully restrict theses in special cases- where a thesis includes work which is politically, commercially or industrially sensitive.Theses may be restricted for a period of two years from conferral of the degree, if requested to do so.

Thesis restrictions may be applied for by completing application for restriction form . Where the restriction is contractually obliged, the documentation should be appended to the application form. For more information visit the Quality Manual .

Application for restriction form

Quality Manual application for restriction policy

Format your thesis

When submitting thesis work for assessment, there are several sets of requirements that must be met.

All submissions must meet the specifications listed within the ‘ Nature of the thesis ’ section in the Policy on Research Degrees . These include the requirement to present your thesis for examination, and for deposit after examination.

In addition, your work must also meet the different University requirements set out below - those listed for ' all theses ' and any style specific requirements. Where relevant, you may also need to meet additional subject or programme-specific requirements - these will be set out in your departmental Postgraduate Researcher (PGR) handbook.

[email protected] +44 (0)1904 325962 Student Hub, Information Centre Basement, Market Square

Types of thesis

There are two main types of thesis.

A monograph or traditional thesis : a unified, single author document comprising a number of chapters with an introduction and conclusion.
A journal-style thesis : a document that incorporates one or more chapters that are in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed title alongside a supporting commentary.

Most postgraduate researchers (PGRs) will likely submit a monograph thesis, however journal-style theses are becoming increasingly common in certain disciplines. If you are interested in submitting a journal-style thesis you should check that your school/department/centre permits this and read the University guidance .

Practice-based PGR programmes

If you are doing a practice-based programme, you may be required (or permitted) to submit an alternative assessment format instead of, or in addition to, a thesis (eg a portfolio of work).

Requirements for all theses

All thesis types must adhere to the following requirements:

To meet electronic thesis (e-thesis) guidelines, your main thesis text must be submitted as a PDF document.

If your thesis will include any other file formats in addition to PDF (eg audio files, data spreadsheets), you should refer to our e-thesis file format guidance .

Once deposited, your e-thesis will be publicly available via the White Rose eTheses Online (WREO) unless you have arranged an embargo.

Printing and e-theses

While theses are submitted and deposited electronically, they need to be presented in such a way that they can be easily read in electronic form and printed without issue (eg if this is required by the examiners or by your funder). For more information on preparing a printable copy of your thesis, see our hardcopy thesis guidance .

Your e-thesis needs to be an accessible document , meaning that it should be easy for anyone to read or reformat, and can be accessed by people using assistive technology (such as screen readers).

There are some simple steps you will need to take to ensure that your e-thesis meets accessibility standards.

Use the headings function within your chosen software package to produce a structured document.
Add alternative text to images/videos/graphs/tables etc.
Always use the number/bullet point function within your software package when creating a list.
Use meaningful hyperlinks.
Use tables sparingly and format them with a header row and, where appropriate, a header column.

For further details, please see the section on legibility below, as well as guidance on making your e-thesis accessible .

The title page of every volume should only include the following information in the order listed, and on separate lines:

the full title of the thesis and any subtitle
the total number of volumes, if more than one, and the number of the particular volume
the full name of the author, followed, if desired, by any qualifications and distinctions
the qualification for which the thesis is being deposited (for example PhD or MA by Research)
the name of the University
the name of the School, Department or Centre in which the research was conducted. You must refer to the list of approved names on the submit your thesis web page
the month and year the thesis was first submitted for examination.

If there is a cover page included in advance of, and in addition, to the title page, this may be a single colour with clearly visible text in a contrasting colour. The cover should have the same information as the title page, as listed above.

The abstract should follow the title page. It should provide a synopsis of the thesis, stating the nature and scope of work undertaken and the contribution made to knowledge in the subject area. It should appear on its own on a single page and should not exceed 300 words in length. The abstract of the thesis may, after the award of the degree, be published by the University in any manner approved by the Senate, and for this purpose, the copyright of the abstract shall be deemed to be vested in the University.

In this section you must confirm that your thesis meets the requirements of the 'Nature of the Thesis' section Policy on Research Degrees , and in particular that it:

is your own original work (or if work has been done in collaboration with others, full disclosure of the names of your colleagues and the contribution they have made)
has not been previously submitted for any degree or other qualification at this University or elsewhere (unless an internal resubmission).

You must also state whether any material in the thesis has been presented for publication (including if under review) with full references. The minimum required is as follows:

I declare that this thesis is a presentation of original work and I am the sole author. This work has not previously been presented for a degree or other qualification at this University or elsewhere. All sources are acknowledged as references. For further guidance on the inclusion of published material and authorship, see the University requirements on journal-style theses .

The text and, wherever possible, all the material of the thesis (including illustrations), should be based on A4 page size (297mm x 210mm).

Typographic design

Text and its setting (font, size, line spacing, margins) must be chosen to ensure legibility.

Text, in general, should be black, sans serif and should not be embellished (ie no general use of coloured text or fancy fonts, no section separators, etc).

For ease of reading, the size of character used in the main text should be no less than 11pt.

Text should normally be set with even or proportionate spacing between words. Word division at the ends of lines should be avoided, if possible.

It is recommended that 1.5 line spacing or equivalent is used, although lines that contain mathematical formulae, diacritical marks or strings of capital letters may need additional space.

It should be clear when a new paragraph is starting and where matter in the text is being quoted.

A bibliographical reference must be given for every work, published or unpublished, cited in your thesis.

Citations should be in a consistent and approved format as specified by your school, department or centre. References should be collated in a reference list or a combined reference list/bibliography.

Please refer to referencing guidance issued by your school, department or centre and the University's guidelines for further information.

After the deposit of your examined thesis in WREO, and before you leave the University, you should ensure that your research data is retained and deposited in a suitable data repository or, more rarely, disposed of securely. Research data that supports the findings in your thesis should normally be retained, unless there are legal, ethical, funder or contractual requirements that would prohibit its retention.

For guidance see Sharing, preserving and depositing your data or contact the Library's Research Support Team for further information or advice.

Download a copy of these requirements (you will need to be logged into your University of York Google account) :

Format your thesis (Google doc)

Additional thesis-specific guidance

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Before submitting

The word limit is 65,000 words (including appendices, footnotes, tables and equations, but excluding the bibliography). It must not contain more than 150 figures. See Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee . If you need to increase your word limit, you must apply for permission via your CamSIS self-service account. Requests for more than 72,000 words will not be considered under any circumstances.

Additional Materials

Additional materials* are defined as materials created by the candidate which are integral to the thesis and essential for examination, but cannot be easily included in the main body of the thesis. Examples may include 3D models, simulations, video or audio recordings, hi-resolution images, or computer programmes. Additional materials are defined as materials created by the candidate which are integral to the thesis and essential for examination, but cannot be easily included in the main body of the thesis. Examples may include 3D models, simulations, video or audio recordings, hi-resolution images, or computer programmes.

If you need to include additional materials , you need permission to do so BEFORE submitting your thesis for examination.

*Please note that additional materials cannot be used to circumvent the thesis maximum word limit

Format and presentation

Please see the information on the Cambridge Students website.

Your submission deadline

Your PhD thesis should be submitted before the last day of your fourth year of study. You can find your submission deadline on your CamSIS self-service account. The earliest date you can submit is the first day of your ninth term. We strongly advise students to aim to submit within ten terms, or by the end of their funding date, whichever is soonest . This will allow you some contingency time in case of unexpected delays.

Extensions can only be granted in limited circumstances (ie where you have experienced unforeseen delays); see Extending your submission date . Please ensure that you read and follow the guidance carefully if you need to apply for an extension. If you do not submit by your deadline, you will be removed from the register of graduate students, which will result in you losing access to resources. However, if this happens, you will still be able to submit your thesis at a later date .

Preparing to submit

Four weeks before you intend to submit your thesis, please complete the online Intention to Submit Form . After consulting with your supervisor, the GSO will arrange for your examiners to be appointed and your title approved. At this point the GSO will add you to the Moodle site so that you can submit your thesis when it is complete.

If you wish to notify examiners of any disability or request adjustments on account of such disability for your viva voce examination (either for your first year assessment or final examination), you can do this via your Degree Committee by completing and submitting the voluntary disclosure form .

Where and what to submit

You should submit an electronic pdf copy of your thesis via the Engineering Degree Committee thesis submission Moodle site. Please name the file "PhD_ Your CRSid.pdf" so that it is identifiable.

Providing examiners have been appointed, your thesis will be forwarded to the examiners within two days of receipt by the GSO. For details of where to submit your thesis and what paperwork to include, see Submitting your Thesis .

After submitting

The oral examination (viva).

We will email you when your thesis has been forwarded to your examiners. You should expect to wait at least 8 weeks for your oral examination . In most cases the viva will be between you and two examiners, usually one internal and one external.

After your oral examination, you may be asked to make some corrections to your thesis. If your examiners do not provide you with a list of corrections, please contact the GSO and we will arrange for a list to be sent to you. When the corrections are complete, you should show them to your internal examiner (and/or your external examiner in some cases).

After the examination

Your examiners' reports will be considered at a meeting of the Engineering Degree Committee . Following this meeting, the Degree Committee will send their decision to the Student Registry. You will usually receive an email from the Student Registry within about a week of the Degree Committee meeting, informing you of the outcome, along with copies of your examiners' reports. In some cases, your examination paperwork will also need to be considered by the Postgraduate Committee (see 'Other outcomes' below).

No corrections needed, or corrections completed and approved before paperwork considered by Degree Committee

If you were not required to make any corrections, or you have already completed your corrections and they have been approved by your examiners before your paperwork is considered by the Degree Committee, then following the meeting you will receive an email from the Student Registry informing you to submit the hardbound and electronic copies of your thesis . In some cases where corrections have been completed, you may first receive notification that corrections are required, and then another email within a day or two to confirm that those have been completed and you can submit your hardbound and e-thesis.

Corrections required

Examiners can recommend that you need to complete some corrections to your thesis. These can be either minor, which you will be given three months to complete, or major, which you will be given six months to complete. These timings start from the date that your examination paperwork is approved by the Degree Committee, and you will receive an email from the Student Registry informing you of the relevant timeframes following that meeting.

You remain on the register of graduate students during this period (unless your corrections are approved sooner), however the working restrictions for graduate students do not apply during this time. You should still apply for leave to work away if you are completing your corrections away from Cambridge. After completing your corrections, you should send them to your internal examiner to approve, who will then confirm to the Degree Committee, via the GSO, when they have done so. Approval of corrections does not need to go through any further committee meetings. The GSO will notify the Student Registry, who will then send you an email about submitting the hardbound and electronic copies of your thesis .

Other outcomes

Although the most common outcome is that corrections are required before you can be awarded a PhD (or occasionally an outright pass), it is also possible that you may be asked to Revise and Resubmit your thesis for a new examination. Alternatively, you may be offered the award of a lower degree, or in rare cases, outright failure is a possible outcome. You can find the full list of potential outcomes in the Code of Practice . If the Degree Committee wishes to recommend one of these outcomes, your examination results will need to be considered at a meeting of the University's Postgraduate Committee before a decision is agreed and notified to you. If your examination results are to be considered at a Postgraduate Committee meeting, you will be informed by the Student Registry after the Degree Committee meeting,

After degree approval

After your PhD, including any corrections required, has been approved by the Degree Committee, you will be notified that you need to submit the hardbound copy of your thesis, as well as an electronic copy. You can find information about this, as well as what to do if you need to restrict or embargo your thesis, on the Cambridge Students website.

You can then make arrangements to attend a congregation, or have your degree awarded in absentia .

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Drafting, Submitting and Examining A Thesis

1. what is a thesis.

A thesis presents a student’s research results, describing the research with reference to relevant work in the field. It will include a description of the methods of research considered, and those actually employed, and present the student’s conclusions. It is essential that any use of another author’s work is properly acknowledged. The thesis is the student’s own work and must be written by the student.

1.1

It is essential that the student discusses general layout and referencing conventions with his/her supervisors to ensure that subject or discipline-specific requirements or rules are followed right from the start. Supervisors are expected to provide constructive criticism and feedback on the thesis during candidature; However, supervisors should not be requested to provide English language training or undertake proof-reading.

1.2

In assessing a thesis, the examiners will bear in mind the standard and scope of work which it is reasonable to expect a capable and diligent student to present after a period of time equivalent to the minimum candidature period for the degree being examined.

The University’s academic regulations for research master’s level degrees state:

The qualification shall be awarded to candidates who:

Have demonstrated knowledge and understanding that is founded upon and extends and/or enhances that typically associated with Bachelor’s level, and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context;
Can apply their knowledge, understanding, and problem-solving abilities in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study;
Have the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity, and formulate judgements on a body of information, and to reflect on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements;
Can communicate their conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously;
Have the learning skills to allow them to continue to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed or autonomous.

The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be awarded to a candidate who has:

1. presented a thesis containing the candidate's advanced study and research which satisfies the Board of Examiners as:

Making an original and significant contribution to knowledge;
Giving evidence of originality of mind and critical judgement in the conception and implementation of a research project in a particular subject;
Containing material worthy of peer-reviewed publication;
Being satisfactory in its literary and/or technical presentation and structure, with a full bibliography and references;
Demonstrating an understanding of the context of the research and mastery of the skills and methods of research associated with the field.

2. passed a viva voce examination conducted by the examiners on the broader aspects of the field of research in addition to the subject of the thesis.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) students

In the event any changes are made to postgraduate student research proposals, the University has a requirement to notify UKVI within 28 days of the changes, for those that require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate. Information regarding which courses require an ATAS certificate can be found here . Please note that this applies to non EEA students only. It is the responsibility of Swansea University supervisors to notify the University’s International Student Compliance Team (Education Services), of changes to the student’s original research proposal or the use of any new research technique. For more information, please read the ATAS and Change of Research Topic Policy and Procedure.

2. Maximum Word Limits for Each Degree

2.1 MRes

The word limit is 40,000 for the main text. The word limit does not include appendices (if any), essential footnotes, introductory parts and statements or the bibliography and index.

2.2 MA by Research/MSc by Research

2.3 MPhil

The word limit is 60,000 for the main text. The word limit does not include appendices (if any), essential footnotes, introductory parts and statements or the bibliography and index.

2.4 Professional Doctorates DBA and MD

The word limit is 80,000 for the main text. The word limit does not include appendices (if any), essential footnotes, introductory parts and statements or the bibliography and index.

2.5 PhD

The word limit is 100,000 for the main text. The word limit does not include appendices (if any), essential footnotes, introductory parts and statements or the bibliography and index.

3. Minimum Word Limits

There are no set minimum word limits for each degree, however, the maximum word limit of the preceding degree may be taken as a guide.

Note: Ultimately, whether the thesis is too long or too short is a decision for the examiners. The word limit is therefore guidance rather than requirement. A supervisor may record reservations regarding the length of a student’s thesis on the Research Management System. If a thesis is clearly above the indicated word limit, then the student should discuss editorial action with his/her supervisors before submission.

Students should be aware that examiners can decide that an overly-long thesis does not meet the degree’s standards, and students will not be awarded the degree or lower award without proceeding to the viva stage. A student can also be required to resubmit a thesis if there are serious grammatical or spelling errors – use of a spellchecker is very strongly recommended.

4. Practice-Based Research Degree Thesis

The practice-based research degree (either doctoral level or research master's level) is distinguished from the standard research degree in that a major element of the submission is an original creative work, which has been created by the candidate specifically for the submission of the award. Apart from the inclusion of such materials, the practice-based thesis must conform to the same standards expected for a standard research degree thesis.

A request to submit a practice-based research degree thesis must be submitted to the Student Cases Board for approval prior to confirmation of candidature. The student and the supervisor should produce a written request, counter-signed by the Executive Dean, explaining why the practice-based format is more appropriate for the research project and demonstrating how the project will take full advantage of the creative and/or practical element. The request should also clearly indicate the proposed balance of written and practical components to be submitted. The request must identify any issues about specific needs for supporting the student due to the nature of the research etc – impact on skills training requirements, supervisory requirements etc. The supervisors should provide detailed information about how the practical component will be supervised.

The major element of the submission is an original creative work which has been created by the candidate specifically for the submission. The practical element should be accompanied by a written commentary. The length of the written element should be determined by the nature of the research, but should be no more than 40,000 words for doctoral level and 20,000 words for research master's level.

5. Bar on Access

Sometimes the results of research are commercially valuable or sensitive in other ways, for example in the use of material that is restricted by agreements or other contracts. To protect this confidentiality the University permits a bar on access to be placed on the thesis and this will mean that it will not be available to the general reader for up to five years (the period can be extended in special circumstances).

The University offers a tiered system for access to a thesis: Open Access, Embargoed (to later become Open Access), Redacted Content Open Access and Permanently Restricted. Authors should ensure that the selected access level of the thesis is appropriate and lawful. The bar on access application should be submitted to the Faculty/School for approval by the Executive Dean or nominee. Applications for a bar on access must state the title of the work, and the reasons for a bar on access. Applicants may request a formal restriction for the duration of a temporary embargo period (maximum duration five years), indicate the intention to release a redacted electronic version of the thesis, or request a permanent formal restriction of the electronic version.

Authors are required to provide the Library with a completed deposit agreement upon successful completion of the degree. The Library will respect any permanent bar on access or temporary embargo request specified in the deposit agreement.

Students funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI - formerly Research Councils UK) only. It is expected that a full text version of the thesis should be available no longer than 12 months following award of the doctorate. UKRI recognise that commercial, collaborative or publication arrangements may necessitate a slight delay but expect the thesis to be deposited as soon as possible thereafter, unless a bar is in place.

6.1 - 6.2.15 Thesis Conventions

As of 1 October 2021, the University requires all final version (completed) PGR theses to be submitted in electronic (e-thesis) format. Physical hardback copies are no longer required for Swansea University Library or the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, however temporary binding for examination purposes may still be needed (see below).

6.2

Temporary Binding

Temporary binding may be required for examination purposes, in addition to the e-thesis copy. It is recommended students check with their Faculty/School which thesis format is appropriate for the examination.

6.3

Permanent Hard-back Binding

The University no longer requires permanent hard-back copies of final theses to be submitted, rather all Postgraduate Research theses are to be submitted in electronic (e-thesis) format. However, sections 6.3.1 – 6.7 below have been retained as a guide for students wishing to produce their own hardback copies in the style historically used at Swansea University.

The colour of the cover is not specified by the University but is usually black, dark green or red.

The spine of the thesis (permanent binding only) must show:

• The student’s surname and initials; • Swansea University; • The full or abbreviated title of the work; • The year of submission; • The degree for which the work is submitted.

6.3.3 Note:

If two volumes are needed Vol.1 and Vol.2 should be added, as appropriate, to the spine text.

Internal Layout of a Thesis

The layout of the thesis (whether in temporary binding format or e-thesis), will generally align to the pattern illustrated below. However, the student must check with their supervisors to see whether there are any particular conventions applicable to the specific subject area:

Summary (Abstract)

Declarations and Statements

Contents page

Acknowledgements

List of tables, illustrations, etc.

Definitions or Abbreviations

TEXT: Appropriately divided and with chapters and sections continuously paginated. (The layout of the text is an important aspect of the thesis design. The division of material can be by Parts, Chapters, Sections, etc. the supervisor’s advice is essential)

Appendices (Where these are substantial, a separate volume should be considered) (not relevant for e-thesis versions)

Bibliography

Theses may deviate from the above structure, subject to permission being sought from the Student Cases Board, no later than submission of the Notice of Intention to Submit form.

The title page must contain the following information:

• The approved title and any subtitle; • The total number of volumes if more than one, and the number of the particular volume (not relevant for e-thesis versions); • The full name of the student followed, if desired, by any qualifications and distinctions; • The text “Submitted to Swansea University in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of” followed by the name of the degree programme (Doctor of Philosophy/Master of Philosophy/Doctor of Engineering etc.); • The text “Swansea University”; • The year of submission.

A brief description of the work: Its aims, methods and conclusions. Not more than three hundred words, using single line spacing.

Students should bear in mind, when writing the summary, that this may be the only part of the thesis that is read by other research workers. It should be written in such a way as to help researchers in the same field decide whether to read the thesis. The summary should consist of a piece of connected prose and should not be more than 300 words in length. It may be much shorter. Abbreviations should be avoided.

Information about the standard declarations and statements, which must be made when a student submits their thesis, is provided with the Submission Pack issued to candidates who have notified of their intention to submit. In summary these comprise of:

1. A declaration that the work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree.

2. A statement that the thesis is the result of your own investigations, except where otherwise stated and that other sources are acknowledged by footnotes giving explicit references and that a bibliography is appended.

3. A statement regarding metadata and an abstract. The metadata and abstract are automatically made available in the University repository to outside organisations. An e-thesis deposit agreement is required by the Library if accepted. Access levels to the full-text are managed according to the completed agreement.

4. A statement that indicates that the University’s ethical procedures have been followed and, where appropriate, that ethical approval has been granted.

Contents Page

Details of the division of the thesis, with page numbers.

If the student wishes to include a dedication or acknowledgement in the thesis this should be inserted on a page following the Contents Page.

List of Tables, Illustrations, etc.

Titles of all tables and illustrations in the thesis, with page numbers.

All abbreviations used in the thesis should be clearly defined.

The Main Text – appropriately divided into parts, chapters and sections

The student should seek the advice of their supervisors about the appropriate form of division to be used in the main text. The main text should be a self-supporting document in its own right and not require the reader to refer to the appendices.

The appendices are not included in the word count of the thesis. The appendices allow the student to further illuminate the main text and can act as a repository of raw data. It should be noted that examiners are not obliged to read the appendices when examining a thesis.

The glossary should comprise a list of specialised terms used in the thesis with which a reader is not expected to be familiar, each with its definition as understood in the text.

The bibliography should list all works referred to in the thesis and should also include works that have informed the thesis even if not directly referred to.

6.4 - 6.7 Conventions

6.4

Physical Appearance of the Thesis

White, A4-size, with sufficient opacity to prevent any show-through: to achieve this paper with a weight of 70 to 100 gsm should be used. Standard 80 gsm copying paper is acceptable. (If physical copies are required)

The main text must be printed in black ink, and may be printed on both sides of the page.

Font Character or Print Height

Print or character size should not be less than 8 point (2.50 mm) but, normally, the text-size would be equivalent to 12 pt Times New Roman.

Margins should be 4 cm (1½ inches) wide on the left-hand side and at least 2 cm (¾ inch) on the right-hand side, although 1 inch (2.5 cm) on the right-hand side is preferable.

Line Spacing

One-and-a-half line spacing should be used in the main text. However, single spacing should be used in the Summary and in any indented quotations and footnotes.

Page Numbering

Pages in the thesis should be numbered sequentially.

6.5

Referencing and the Bibliography

The first requirement of a thesis submitted in candidature for a degree is that it presents the results of the student's own work. Clearly, this demand does not exclude quotations or the representation of the views or results of other scholars in the field. Indeed, another expectation in any thesis is that the student will relate his or her own work to that of other researchers.

It is important that in writing the thesis the student must clearly and unambiguously distinguish between their own thoughts, conclusions and results and those of other scholars. The standard mechanism for ensuring that a plain distinction is made is by means of quotation marks, for direct quotations from the work of other scholars, and references to acknowledge direct and indirect use of the work of other scholars. References must be sufficiently precise to enable the reader to obtain and consider the original work. Paraphrasing without attribution is considered to be academic misconduct.

The aim of a reference is to enable the reader to locate and consult the work the student has cited in the thesis.

References are used to indicate the works mentioned in the text but the bibliography, placed at the end of the thesis, will not only provide the necessary details of cited work but also other works that have been useful in the student’s study, even if they are not explicitly cited in the text.

Building a thesis begins with surveying the relevant literature in the field of study and it is important to adopt, at the beginning, a useful method for recording the student’s reading. Endnote software for managing bibliographic references is available on all open access PCs across campus, and training is offered by the Library.

It is very important that in the earliest stages of study the student talks to their supervisors about which referencing system is most appropriate for the thesis. Incorrect referencing is often viewed by examiners as a failure to fully meet the necessary standards for a research degree. If the Faculty/School does not recommend a particular convention, basic guidance on referencing styles is available on the Referencing Library Guide , or from your Subject Librarian.

Any reference to a web-based source must include the web address (full path) and the date of last access.

The thesis may not include extensive unchanged material that has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other university.

6.6 Inclusion of Publications

A thesis may include papers authored by the candidate that have been published in externally refereed contexts such as journals and conference proceedings.

Papers should relate directly to the candidates study and must have been written during the candidature period.

Any publications must constitute an essential part of a coherent and integral body of work rather than a separate component.

To demonstrate their contribution, candidates would normally be the first author on such papers. Where the candidate has included publications in journals that specify the listing of authors in alphabetical order, this should be clearly stated. Candidates must acknowledge co-authors and their specific contribution to the paper, by means of an authorship statement for each paper, to be included in the thesis. See example statement 6.7.6.

The number of papers which may be included is not prescribed, but they and the other contents of the thesis should reflect the amount, originality and level of work expected of a candidate towards a conventional thesis.

That a thesis includes a paper that has been published is no guarantee that the examiners will recommend the award for which the candidate is being examined. The examiners are required to assess the quality of the whole thesis against the criteria set out in section 1.0.

Candidates are reminded of the need to adhere to the terms of their publishing agreement, with respect to copyright ownership. Candidates should inform the editor of their intention to include the article as part of their thesis and obtain written consent. Candidates should be aware, it may be necessary to redact publisher-owned material from the Open Access version of their thesis.

Where published papers are to be included as a thesis chapter, these must include an introduction and conclusion and be included into the thesis at the appropriate point.

6.7 Authorship Statement

The following declaration must be included in the thesis to document the contributions of the authors to a publication. The candidate must for each paper, list all authors and provide details of their role in the published work. Where possible, also provide a percentage estimate of the contribution made by each author.

Declaration:

The following people and institutions contributed to the publication of work undertaken as part of this thesis:

Author Details and their Roles:

Paper 1 (title)

Located in Chapter <insert chapter number>

Candidate contributed <insert type and proportion of contribution>

Author < insert author number> contributed <insert type and proportion of contribution>

We the undersigned agree with the above stated “proportion of work undertaken” for each of the above published peer-reviewed manuscripts contributing to this thesis:

Signed Candidate __________________________________________

Author 1_____________________________________________ Author 2_____________________________________________ Author 3_____________________________________________ Author 4_____________________________________________ Author 5_____________________________________________ Author 6_____________________________________________

7 & 8 Thesis Conventions

Notice of Intention to Submit

At least three months before you expect to submit your thesis you should indicate intended submission by forwarding a Notice of Intention to Submit form to your Faculty/School. This is to allow your Faculty/School to make the necessary arrangements for your examination in good time. You do not need to be over exact in calculating your submission date (as long as this is before the absolute deadline). Before submitting your thesis, you should check carefully that it is the version you wish to be examined, and that it contains no accidental errors or omissions. Please note you may not retract your thesis once it has been submitted.

After the student has notified their intention to submit the student will normally no longer be able to apply for an extension of candidature.

7.2

1. The student notifies of their intention to submit a thesis three months prior to the expected submission date; 2. The supervisor records whether approval has been granted if the thesis is to be submitted prior to the student’s minimum candidature date (see Guide to Research Degree Candidature for details on early submission); 3. The supervisor records whether a request for a bar on access will be or has been requested; 4. The supervisor indicates whether the thesis will be submitted in Welsh and whether the oral examination will be in Welsh; 5. The supervisor indicates whether the thesis will be submitted in a language other than English/Welsh (permission to do so should be obtained at the time of confirmation of candidature, see Guide to Progress Monitoring of Research Students ) and whether the oral examination will be in a language other than English/ Welsh; 6. If the supervisor has any comments/concerns about the student’s intention to submit, these should be noted on the Notice of Intention to Submit. If the student is submitting prior to the minimum candidature date, the supervisor should include a specific comment on this; 7. The Faculty/School alerts Education Services of the pending submission Research; 8. The Faculty/School begins the process of nominating the Examining Board (see Guide to Examination of Research Students for guidance on nominating examiners).

7.3

Submission of the Thesis for Examination

After notifying of their intention to submit via the Notice of Intention to Submit form, the student will be issued with a Submission Pack.

Once the student has written their thesis, the supervisors should see the final draft copy for comment. The student will then make the final revisions to the thesis.

All research students are required to incorporate into the thesis a summary of the thesis and the relevant declarations and statements (see Internal layout of a thesis above).

When a student is ready to submit their thesis the required statements and declarations should be completed and an electronic copy prepared for examination. It may also be necessary to provide a temporary bound physical copy of the thesis on the advice of the Faculty/School. The electronic copy will be stored securely by the student’s home Faculty/School until such time it is no longer required.

Each Faculty/School has a designated member of staff who is responsible for formally accepting submission of theses. The student should submit the electronic copy hand the two bound copies of the thesis together with a temporary bound hard copy (if required).

The submission is recorded on the Research Management System which will generate an email to the student noting confirmation of submission of the thesis.

The following procedures then occur:

a) The student’s matriculation status and financial status will be checked. If the student is in debt to the University, the examination of the thesis will not take place. b) The student will be asked to confirm the address to which they require the formal notification to be sent – this will normally be the student’s “Home Address”.

Once the Examining Board's appointment has been confirmed by Education Services, examination of the thesis can commence.

Note: Examination/Viva dates should not be arranged until the Examining Board has been approved. Submission of the thesis is final, and once made cannot be retracted.

7.4

Continued Access to Facilities After Submission

All students will be granted access to the Library and to IT facilities until the end of the examination process (as indicated in the formal notification from Education Services).

7.5

Resubmission Arrangements

If a student is required to resubmit their thesis (rather than make corrections and amendments), the re-submission arrangements are exactly as outlined above for the first submission. The Examining Board should be re-nominated and examination of the resubmitted thesis cannot commence until the re-appointment of both examiners has been confirmed by Education Services.

After the oral examination the student will be formally informed by the University of the recommendation of the Examining Board. The student will be provided with detailed feedback on the points which must be addressed in the resubmission through the Chair of the Examining Board. Normally, the same examiners will examine the resubmitted thesis to see whether the points raised in the reports from the first examination have been addressed. As a rule, the resubmitted thesis must be examined by a second oral examination. In very exceptional cases, the requirement for a second oral examination may be waived at the examiners’ discretion if a pass is agreed by them on resubmission. In this scenario, the Chair of the Examining Board will inform the student that the requirement for a second oral examination has been waived (see the Guide to Examination of Research Students ).

The Chair of the Progression and Awards Board will be asked to ratify the Result and Report form once they have been received by Education Services. Once the viva outcome has been ratified the student will be sent an email confirming the viva outcome and the date by which they are required to re-submit. After the student's record has been updated, the student will be able to access the University electronic facilities and the Library services until the new end of candidature date.

The student must resubmit their thesis on or before the deadline as advised by the University, and pay the resubmission fee on or prior to re-submission. This can be by card payment via MyUniHub. MyUniHub can be contacted to discuss other payment methods.

Submission of Final Thesis

After the student has had the corrections and amendments required by the Examining Board approved by one or both of the examiners (as indicated on the Result Form), they are required to submit one electronic copy in Portable Document Format (PDF) to the Faculty/School, before the degree can be awarded.

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As stated in the Student Registry PhD format requirements , a PhD thesis in the Department of Computer Science and Technology “is not to exceed [...] 60,000 words including tables and footnotes, but excluding appendices, bibliography, photographs and diagrams.”

Candidates abusing these rules mostly risk annoying their examiners. Of particular concern is the misconception that tables and equations do not count as words, while they actually take significantly longer to read than mere text. The words “photographs and diagrams” refer to entities that can be taken in with a single glance rather than a page of detailed equations. Tables, equations and the like are best counted as having the number of words that text occupying the same area would have. The safest way to justify being under the 60,000 word limit is to count the words on a page with most plain text, and divide 60,000 by that to give a page limit. Another way of getting an estimate of the effective word count is

If the main body of your thesis (from first page to last page before the bibliography) is 150 pages or more then you have probably exceeded the size limit – and your thesis risks summary rejection. Remember that it is not necessary to write 59,995 words; as noted in the regulations for Physics and Chemistry: “[the] Degree committee points out that some of the best dissertations extend to only half this length”.

Sometimes candidates would like a bigger word-count limit. This is often a sign they have done too much work; a good thesis selects from the work done rather than slavishly including every minor result. There are three reasons not to do too much work on a thesis: poverty after your funding expires, scoring black marks for the department by submitting four years after starting, and having to leave out research results from your thesis!

The Degree Committee for the Faculty of Computer Science and Technology agreed, at its meeting of July 2nd 2009, that the word limit will remain at 60,000 words and, furthermore, emphasized that should students exceed 175 pages, students and their supervisors will be asked to explain.

The Degree Committee for the Faculty of Computer Science and Technology agreed, at its meeting on 23 November 2021, that while the word limit will remain at 60,000 words, the Committee recognises some theses are interdisciplinary. An application for an extension to the word counts where there is a compelling case - such as an interdiscipinary thesis - will be considered. Students should apply for an extension to the thesis word count via CamSIS Change of Circumstances.

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How Long is a PhD Thesis?

Maisie Dadswell
September 6, 2023

If you look for an answer to the question, how long is a PhD thesis, you will notice that there is a lot of contradictory information on the internet because there is no one-size-fits-all answer for PhD students. Each university sets its maximum and minimum word count limits for PhD students.

PhD. Thesis Word Count

So how many words is a Ph.D. thesis? At UWS London, your PhD thesis should not typically exceed 40,000 words for PhD students studying Mathematics, Technology, Science, and Engineering – this excludes ancillary data. For PhD students studying in all other fields, a PhD thesis should not exceed 80,000 words.

How Many Pages is a PhD Thesis?

80,000 words should equate to around 350 pages, depending on how many photographs, tables, and figures are included. When you submit your thesis, you must also submit a statement of length. This statement confirms your thesis doesn’t exceed the word limit that has been set by your PhD committee.

As for the minimum word limits, your PhD thesis should be near the maximum limit; however, it should never exceed it. The word limit includes the contents page and the appendices, excluding the acknowledgements, the abstract, the footnotes, the references, the bibliography, abbreviations, the glossary, and any notes made on translations.

How Flexible Are PhD Limits of Length?

All limits of length are set by your university degree committee. If, for any reason, you need to increase the specified word limit set by your university for your field of study, you will need to make a written request for permission to go above the set word count. You will also need to apply for permission to extend the word count of your thesis if you need to increase your word limit following your viva after the corrections are made.

How to Structure Your PhD Thesis

Spending time thinking about the structure of your thesis will always be time well-spent. To start the structuring process, organise the material you have already drafted into distinct chapters. Your thesis should read as a continuous story you are trying to write. What works well for some PhD candidates while structuring their thesis works less for others; you can try discussing the structure with someone with a background in your field of study, using mind-mapping techniques, creating a storyboard, using index cards, or placing post-it notes on a whiteboard.

PhD structures can vary by field; however, they are commonly structured in the following way:

The title page
Acknowledgements
Content page or pages
Introduction
A literature review (which may have already been covered in the introduction)
Materials, sources and methods – unless these differ for each chapter
Themed topic chapters
Publications – if necessary
References
Appendices

Once you have sketched out a rough structure, many PhD students find it beneficial to assign a word count for each chapter and section. However, you should always remain flexible between the sections and chapters until you have a final draft. If after you have your final draft, you find that you have exceeded the specified word count, you will likely find that you can cut out unnecessary words during the editing process. In terms of thesis writing, PhD candidates typically have a planned writing approach or a generative writing approach.

Planned Writers

For planned writers, it may be helpful to define sections under each chapter and break down sub-sections to paragraph by paragraph level. With this method, you can work methodically through each section and put a tick mark next to completed tasks on your PhD thesis plan.

Generative Writers

For generative writers, it is typically easier to put ideas down on paper before arranging and organising them. If you use this approach, you will need to ensure you have imposed a structure afterwards; by summarising each paragraph or subsection as bullet points to create an overview of the structure. Re-ordering the sections or subsections may be required to strengthen the cohesion of your writing, and additional sub-headings may have to be written to make your thesis flow better. For both planned writers and generative writers, it is crucial to keep reviewing your thesis and structure as your writing and research develops. Amendments are a natural part of the process as you become aware of what your PhD thesis needs to include to demonstrate your understanding and contribution to your field of study.

PhD Writing Tips

After years of research and study, when it is finally time to start writing the PhD thesis, many candidates can feel overwhelmed by the task and the word count, which is significantly higher than what they encountered while writing their undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations. The good news is that there is no need to be daunted by the process. By spending a fraction of your research time on finding ways to maximise your chances of success, by the time you submit your PhD thesis, you will feel confident in how you have showcased your creative knowledge and your contribution to your field of study. Below, we have outlined some tips you can follow to make the writing-up stage as stress-free as possible.

1. Clear Exposition is Key

Though wordcount is important, PhD candidates should pay mind to plenty more than their thesis wordcount when drafting and structuring. Writing as concisely as possible with adequate and clear exposition is just as important for PhD candidates aiming for no corrections or minor corrections following their PhD viva.

2. Trust in the Process

Remember that even the most experienced and eloquent writers, in academia or otherwise, never hit the ground running and knock it out of the park with the first draft. As the adage goes, you can’t edit a blank page; even if you start with rough bullet points that outline your subsections, these can be built on and around until you have fully mind-mapped your thesis. In time, your thesis will take clear and concise form; there is no use trying to stride over the finishing line before you have entered the race! Rewriting and editing is never a sign of failure or literary inadequacy; many writers spend most of the writing process editing their work!

3. Don’t Be Shy Asking Your Supervisor for Help

By the time you have reached the writing-up stage as a PhD candidate, you will have already leaned on your PhD supervisor to flesh out your ideas and develop your creative knowledge. Your supervisor may not be able to map or write your thesis for you, but they can provide invaluably helpful tips on structuring your thesis. Never replace online advice for the guidance your PhD supervisor can offer you! To allow your supervisor to help, create rough drafts that you can bring to your meetings; in time, you can refine them as the writing-up stage approaches.

4. Style It Out with Flair

Contrary to popular belief, academic writing doesn’t need to be dry. While the amount of flair you can put into your work will vary with respect to your field of study, there is nothing to say that you can’t use your voice – to an extent. As long as your PhD reads clearly and concisely and proves you are worthy of your doctorate title, you will impress your examiners in your viva!

5. Refrain from Using Passive Words and Phrases

By using active wording in your thesis instead of passive phrases, you can simplify your work and make it read with more authority and conviction. To write actively instead of passively, always allow the subject in the sentence to act on the target. For example, a passive phrase would be “The philosophical discourse was changed by Foucault. The active equivalent of that phrase would be, “Foucault changed the political discourse”. It takes time to develop these habits; however, online tools, such as Grammarly, can help you to notice when you are writing passively or using excessive and unnecessary words.

6. Steer Clear from Chronological Writing

Even though your thesis plan sets a roadmap of what needs to be completed, chronological writing can ultimately kill your creativity. Always write when the material or epiphanies are fresh in the mind – if you save them for later, there is a chance that they could be forgotten, or they may lose their substance or contextual importance. During the writing-up stage, some research could be more pertinent to chapters you have not turned to yet. Remember you will always return to each section later to ensure your full thesis is coherent.

Looking to find out how long the PhD will take to complete? Whether you want to complete it in the UK full-time or part-time; it is a big commitment, which shouldn’t be taken lightly. The gratification may not be immediate, but the rewards can be lifelong when considering the professional careers that are more accessible for PhD holders, the increased earning potential and the sense of satisfaction that comes with creating unique knowledge and gaining a title only a minute fraction of the global population will only acquire.

For More Support and Information

The information outlined in this article will give you plenty of clues on how to construct your thesis and which parameters you should use while structuring and drafting it. However, your PhD supervisor will be in the best position to inform you of the limits of length and stylistic requirements for your particular field of study. At UWS London, all our PhD supervisors are committed to ensuring all our PhD candidates receive the support, information, and guidance required for their writing-up stage and PhD Viva to run as smoothly as possible.

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Notes of Guidance for Candidates

Time Limits for the submission of Thesis

Submission of your work must take place on, or before, the deadline recorded in your student record.

Length of Thesis

The text of the PhD thesis is a maximum of 100,000 words (excluding appendices and references).

The text of the MPhil/LLM (Res) or Dag/DProf thesis is a maximum of 60,000 words (excluding appendices and references.

Special provisions relating to Schemes in the Creative Arts.

In the case of candidates following approved research degree schemes which fall within the University's subject area of Creative and Performing Arts, the thesis may take one or more of the following forms: artefacts, score, portfolio of original works, performance or exhibition.

The submission shall be accompanied by a written commentary placing it in its academic context together with any other items which may be required (e.g., a catalogue or audio or visual recording). These submissions can now be submitted via SharePoint which can support MP4 files. Please email [email protected] for more information.

A copy of the Abstract will be published in the University’s online research repository, even if the thesis is not made available. A form is provided at the end of this booklet for you to complete.

Thesis abstract: guidance for research students

An abstract is a self-contained summary of 250-300 words of your thesis. This will appear at the front of the thesis and give your examiners a succinct introduction to the thesis. Very significantly, once you have passed, it will be displayed on online research repositories to inform potential readers of the thesis of its contents.

It will contain key terms that may be picked out in searches. So, it is important in enabling readers to find your work and helping them to decide whether it is relevant to their own research. Conference papers, research grants and journal publications will all require an abstract and so it is useful to develop the ability to produce these informative summaries.

The abstract will be written once the thesis has been finalised so that it can cover the whole work. It may take different forms dependent on discipline (check works in your own discipline area for guidance) but usually it will cover:

Project rationale
Research question(s)
Main findings / conclusions
Implications of the findings (e.g., for future research, practical applications)

It is well worth taking some time to produce a well-written abstract, especially when you come to the final submission for deposit, to attract as much attention as possible to your thesis.

An abstract should be produced for all types of research degree submission, including creative practice-based works. Even if the thesis is embargoed for a period, the abstract will be published, so that anyone interested can request individual access or make a note to check the thesis when it is released.

Documents to be Submitted with your thesis.

Included in these Guidance notes you will find a page titled ‘Mandatory Layout of Declarations and Statements’. The FULL content of these pages should be inserted at the front of the electronic copy of your thesis without change to the wording or content of the Declaration or Statements.

Each Declaration and Statement must be signed and dated.

This form also includes the word count of your thesis, which must be completed.

Presentation of Theses

Candidates submitting a thesis for examination shall submit one electronic copy to the BB thesis submission link.

Candidate’s name;
University’s name (can be abbreviated to AU);
Degree for which the thesis is being submitted;
The full or abbreviated name of the thesis; and
The date of submission.

This information shall be visible on the front page

If the work consists of more than one volume, the front page shall also bear the number of each volume.

The electronic copy of the thesis, whether for the purpose of examination or for deposit in libraries, shall be presented in permanent and legible form and the characters employed in the main text (but not necessarily in illustrations, maps etc.) shall be not less than 12pt; characters employed in all other texts, notes, footnotes, etc. shall be not less than 10pt. Typing shall be of even quality with clear black characters.

Double or one-and-a–half spacing shall be used in the main text, but single spacing shall be used in the abstract and in any indented quotations and footnotes. Drawings and sketches shall be in black ink, unnecessary details should be omitted and the scale should be such that the minimum space between lines is not less than 1mm. All pages should be appropriately numbered.

Candidates may submit other supporting materials where they form a useful addition to, or explanation of, work contained in the written submission and if such material constitutes the most appropriate method of presenting the information concerned. Ideally this will be in digital form but if this is not possible, students should consult their supervisors and Information Services staff for advice at an early stage of their research.

Please contact [email protected] for more information regarding submissions using MP4 files.

How Long Is a PhD Thesis?
Doing a PhD

It’s no secret that one of the most challenging aspects of a PhD degree is the volume of work that goes into writing your thesis . So this raises the question, exactly how long is a thesis?

Unfortunately, there’s no one size fits all answer to this question. However, from the analysis of over 100 PhD theses, the average thesis length is between 80,000 and 100,000 words. A further analysis of 1000 PhD thesis shows the average number of pages to be 204 . In reality, the actual word count for each PhD thesis will depend on the specific subject and the university it is being hosted by. This is because universities set their own word length requirements, with most found to be opting for around 100,000.

To find out more about how these word limits differ between universities, how the average word count from STEM thesis differ from non-STEM thesis and a more detailed breakdown from the analysis of over 1000 PhDs, carry on reading the below.

Word Count Differences Between Universities

For any PhD student writing a thesis, they will find that their document will be subject to a word limit set by their university. In nearly all cases, the limit only concerns the maximum number of words and doesn’t place any restrictions on the minimum word limit. The reason for this is that the student will be expected to write their thesis with the aim of clearly explaining their research, and so it is up to the student to determine what he deems appropriate.

Saying this, it is well accepted amongst PhD students and supervisors that the absence of a lower limit doesn’t suggest that a thesis can be ‘light’. Your thesis will focus on several years worth of original research and explore new ideas, theories or concepts. Besides this, your thesis will need to cover a wide range of topics such as your literature review, research methodology, results and conclusion. Therefore, your examiners will expect the length of your thesis to be proportional to convey all this information to a sufficient level.

Selecting a handful of universities at random, they state the following thesis word limits on their website:

University of Edinburgh: 100,000
University of Exeter: 100,000
University of Leister: 80,000
University of Bath: 80,000
University of Warwick: 70,000

The above universities set upper word limits that apply across the board, however, some universities, such as the University of Birmingham and the University of Sheffield, set different word limits for different departments. For example, the University of Sheffield adopts these limits:

Arts & Humanities: 75,000
Medicine, Dentistry & Health: 75,000
Science: 80,000
Social Sciences: 75,000-100,000

Although there’s a range of limit, it’s safe to say that the majority fall within the 80,000 to 100,000 bracket.

Word Count Based on Data from past Theses

A poll of 149 postdocs.

In mid-2019, Dr Eva Lantsoght, a published author, academic blogger and Structural Engineering Professor, conducted a poll which asked postgraduate doctoral students to share the length of their final thesis. 149 PostDoc students responded to the survey, with the majority reporting a length falling within the ‘80,000 – 120,000 words’ bracket as seen below.

DiscoverPhDs_How-long-is-a-PhD-Thesis_Poll

Analysis of 1000 PhD Theses

Over a three-year time period, Dr Ian Brailsford, a then Postgraduate Learning Adviser at the University of Auckland, analysed 1000 doctoral thesis submitted to his university’s library. The PhD theses which formed the basis of his analysis were produced between 2008 to 2017 and showed:

Average number of pages = 204
Median number of pages = 198
Average number of chapters = 7.6

We should note that the above metrics only cover the content falling within the main body of the thesis. This includes the introduction, literature review, methods section, results chapter, discussions and conclusions. All other sections, such as the title page, abstract, table of contents, acknowledgements, bibliography and appendices were omitted from the count.

Although it’s impossible to draw the exact word count from the number of pages alone, by using the universities recommended format of 12pt Times New Roman and 1.5 lines spacing, and assuming 10% of the main body are figures and footnotes, this equates to an average main body of 52,000 words.

STEM vs Non-STEM

As part of Dr Ian Brailsford’s analysis, he also compared the length of STEM doctorate theses to non-STEM theses. He found that STEM theses tended to be shorter. In fact, he found STEM theses to have a medium page length of 159 whilst non-STEM theses had a medium of around 223 pages. This is a 40% increase in average length!

Can You Exceed the Word Count?

Whilst most universities will allow you to go over the word count if you need to, it comes with the caveat that you must have a very strong reason for needing to do so. Besides this, your supervisor will also need to support your request. This is to acknowledge that they have reviewed your situation and agree that exceeding the word limit will be absolutely necessary to avoid detriment unnecessary detriment to your work.

This means that whilst it is possible to submit a thesis over 100,000 words or more, it’s unlikely that your research project will need to.

How Does This Compare to a Masters Dissertation?

The average Masters dissertation length is approximately 20,000 words whilst a thesis is 4 to 5 times this length at approximately 80,000 – 100,000.

The key reason for this difference is because of the level of knowledge they convey. A Master’s dissertation focuses on concluding from existing knowledge whilst a PhD thesis focuses on drawing a conclusion from new knowledge. As a result, the thesis is significantly longer as the new knowledge needs to be well documented so it can be verified, disseminated and used to shape future research.

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Doctoral College

Guide to examinations for higher degrees by research.

This guide sets out the expectations of the University with regard to the examination of research degrees and the procedures to be followed in the conduct of research degree examinations. Where a University officer is named in the guidance, this refers to the member of staff concerned or their authorised nominee/deputy.

Contact the Doctoral College for further advice on research degree examinations, email Turn on JavaScript to view obfuscated email addresses

Forms for PGRs

Forms for examiners, frequently asked questions, pre-submission.

Under the University’s Regulations, a thesis shall consist of one or more pieces of work as specified in the relevant course regulations or departmental guidance. The length should not exceed the word limit specified for that degree, unless prior permission is obtained from the Academic Director.

Degrees by research are normally awarded in a specific subject. A student may pursue research across more than one subject. A degree may be awarded that names more than one subject if:

(a) A supervisor is appointed in each of these subjects;

(b) The examiners appointed are deemed to be competent in each subject; and

The University’s regulations define the requirements for the thesis for each research degree as follows:

1.1 Degree of Master by Research, Master of Medical Science; and Master of Surgery (MA, MSc, LLM by Research, MMedSci, MS)

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of a degree of Master shall be clearly and concisely written, show evidence of originality in knowledge and interpretation, and shall also be judged on its scholarly presentation. In addition, it shall contain a full bibliography.

The thesis shall not exceed 40,000 words, exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

1.2 Degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of MPhil shall constitute an original contribution to knowledge. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written, well argued, and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition, it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of methods and techniques used in the research.

The thesis shall not exceed 60,000 words, exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

An appendix may contain material that functions as data to supplement the main argument of the thesis, and may not contain material that is an integral part of the thesis. An appendix may not exceed 5,000 words in length unless permission to exceed this length is given by the Academic Director.

1.3 Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

To satisfy the requirements for the degree of PhD, a thesis shall constitute a substantial original contribution to knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of peer-reviewed publication. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written, well argued, and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition, it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of methods and techniques used in the research.

In addition, the Board of Graduate Studies has resolved that a thesis submitted for the degree of PhD should be an original investigation characterised by rigorous methodology and capable of making a significant contribution to knowledge commensurate with the normal period of registration for a full-time or part-time student.

The thesis shall not exceed 80,000 words, exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography. Any requests to exceed the word limits set out above are subject to approval by the Academic Director.

An appendix may contain material that functions as data to supplement the main argument of the thesis, and may not contain material that is an essential or integral part of the thesis. The total length of all appendices may not exceed 5,000 words in length unless permission to exceed this length is given by the Academic Director.

1.4 Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Published Work

A candidate must submit for examination material from a nominated field of study together with a covering document of 5,000 - 10,000 words. The covering document must explain the inter-relationship between the material presented and the significance of the published works as a contribution to original knowledge within the relevant fields. In addition, the covering document must include, as an appendix, a full bibliography of all the work published by the candidate. A candidate may include with their submitted material work that has not been published only with the prior approval of the Academic Director.

1.5 Degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD)

To satisfy the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Medicine a thesis shall consist of a substantial original contribution to medical knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of publication. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written and well argued and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition, it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of methods and techniques used in the research.

The maximum length for an MD thesis is 70,000 words, exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

1.6 Degree of Doctor of Education (EdD)

To satisfy the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Education the thesis shall consist of an original contribution to knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The thesis shall be clearly and concisely written and well argued and shall show a satisfactory knowledge of both primary and secondary sources. In addition, it shall contain a full bibliography and, where appropriate, a description of methods and techniques used in the research.

In the Department of Education Studies the thesis may take the form of one study not exceeding 50,000 words in length or two studies each not exceeding 20,000 words in length exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

1.7 Degree of Doctor of Engineering (EngD)

Candidates are normally required to follow taught modules as set out in the Course Regulations. Exemptions may be granted under the University’s AP(E)L procedure by the Academic Director if a student has completed relevant study elsewhere or has substantial industrial experience.

Candidates are required to submit a portfolio of work and to pass an oral examination to be conducted by the Panel of Examiners. The precise requirements for the portfolio are set out in the Course Regulations. No word limit is specified for the EngD portfolio.

In order to be eligible for the award of the degree of Doctor of Engineering, candidates are required to demonstrate innovation in the application of knowledge to the engineering business environment, together with a number of specific competences. In addition they must demonstrate the following competences: expert knowledge of an engineering area; the appreciation of industrial engineering and development culture; project and programme management skills; teamwork and leadership skills; oral and written communication skills; technical organisational skills; financial engineering project planning and control; the ability to apply their skills to new and unusual situations; the ability to seek optimal, viable solutions to multi-faceted engineering problems and to search out relevant information sources.

1.8 Degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych)

In order for the candidate to be eligible for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology, the research thesis shall consist of an original contribution to knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The research thesis shall not exceed 20,000 words in length exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography.

1.9 Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA)

Candidates are required to submit a portfolio of work demonstrating innovation in the application of knowledge in business and management contexts.

To satisfy the requirement for the award of the degree the portfolio of work must demonstrate innovation in the application of knowledge in business and management contexts.

The portfolio shall not exceed 80,000 words in length.

A candidate must attend an oral examination, which shall cover the portfolio itself and the field of study in which the portfolio has been written. The examiners may also require the candidate to take a written and/or practical examination. The candidate must complete satisfactorily the oral examination and, where required, the written and/or practical examination, in order to satisfy the requirements for the degree.

Candidates should receive advice from their supervisor(s) on the presentation of the thesis in a format appropriate to the academic discipline. In addition to any guidance specific to the academic department, all theses submitted for examination must conform to the University’s requirements for presentation which are set out below. Theses that do not meet these requirements will not be accepted for examination and may result in delays to the examination process.

2.1 Length of Thesis

Theses should be written clearly and concisely. Candidates should not feel that their thesis must necessarily be as long as the maximum word limit allowed for the degree concerned. You should discuss the appropriate length for your thesis with your supervisor(s) in view of the nature of the work you have undertaken. The word length permitted for each research degree is given in Section 1 . Theses which exceed the word limit may not be accepted for examination.

Approval is required to submit a thesis exceeding the word limit. This should usually be requested prior to thesis submission; a statement explaining the reason for exceeding the word limit, with support from the candidate’s supervisor should be submitted to the Doctoral College for consideration by the Academic Director. This approval does not preclude examiners from recommending that the thesis be shortened.

2.2 Typing of Thesis

Theses should be typed with 1.5 line spacing, with the exception of the abstract/summary , which may be single spaced. Page numbers should be typed at least 1.5 cm into the page. The final library-bound thesis should be formatted in line with the guidance at section 17.1 of this guidance.

2.3 Proofreading

Candidates are advised that they will be required to correct any typographical errors to the satisfaction of the examiners before the award of the degree is approved by the Senate. Candidates should therefore carefully proofread their thesis for typographical errors and correct them before submitting the thesis. The University understands that, in the course of producing a high-quality piece of work for assessment, students may wish to receive input from a third party prior to submission. The proofreading policy sets out what the University considers to be appropriate in regards to proofreading and the checks that should be in place when proofreading is undertaken.

Guidance from Disability Team, Wellbeing Support Services - May 2021 We would expect all students to take some care in proofreading their work but acknowledge that it is more challenging for students with Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) to recognise their own errors. We encourage students to use the technology available to them to assist with this. Texthelp Read and Write is often used - it has an enhanced spell and grammar check and also reads aloud text which can help with proof reading. The Library has information on useful technology tools which we encourage students to use, especially those doing theses. For PhD students whose work needs to be of a standard for publication, we would encourage them to use various means to assist them with proof reading - whether that is specialist study skills, technology or proof reading services. We encourage supervisors to be aware of any students with a SpLD and to provide constructive feedback on drafts where more work is needed on language or structure. They should be aware that this may be a challenging area for the SpLD student.

2.4 Title and Title Page

The title should describe the content of the thesis accurately and concisely.

The title page of every volume shall give the following information in the order listed (see model title page for an example):

The full title of the thesis and the subtitle, if any;
The total number of volumes if more than one and the number of the particular volume;
The full name of the author, followed, if desired, by any qualifications and distinctions;
The full name of the qualification for which the thesis is submitted (i.e. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics);
The name of the University and of the department, school or centre in which the research was conducted;
The month and year of submission (or resubmission).

You will be required to provide a correct version of your title page if it does not meet the requirements as listed above.

2.5 Table of contents

The table of contents shall immediately follow the title page. It shall list in sequence, with page numbers, all relevant subdivisions of the thesis, including the titles of chapters, sections and subsections, as appropriate; the list of references; the bibliography; the list of abbreviations and other functional parts of the whole thesis together with any appendices. The table of contents should be followed by the list of illustrations and tables.

If a thesis comprises more than one volume, the contents of the whole thesis shall be shown in the first volume and the contents of each subsequent volume in a separate contents list within that volume.

2.6 Tables and Illustrated Material

The lists of tables and illustrations shall follow the table of contents but be placed before the acknowledgements and should include all tables, photographs, diagrams, etc., in the order in which they occur in the text.

2.7 Acknowledgements

Any acknowledgements shall be on the page following the table of contents and list of illustrations and tables.

2.8 Declaration

The acknowledgements should be followed under a separate heading by a declaration in which the author indicates any material contained in the thesis which they have submitted for a previous degree, has been published or is derived from collaborative research. The declaration shall state that the thesis is the candidate’s own work except where it contains work based on collaborative research, in which case the nature and extent of the author’s individual contribution shall be indicated, using the following wording:

‘This thesis is submitted to the University of Warwick in support of my application for the degree of [Doctor of Philosophy] . It has been composed by myself and has not been submitted in any previous application for any degree [(if parts previously used add: (apart from the background material in sections XXX which was previously submitted for YYY degree). ]

‘The work presented (including data generated and data analysis) was carried out by the author except in the cases outlined below:

‘List of data provided and/or analysis carried out by collaborators.

‘Parts of this thesis have been published by the author:

‘List of publications including submitted papers.'

2.8.1 Inclusion of materials from a prior thesis

Candidates should note that they may incorporate work already submitted for another degree (e.g. a Master’s) into the current thesis as long as the material concerned is indicated clearly in the text and the declaration refers to the incorporation of this material. Such material may provide support for a thesis but it will not be taken into account in evaluating the achievement of the requirements for the degree for which the thesis is being examined.

2.8.2 Inclusion of Published Work (excluding PhD by Published Work)

Candidates may include in a thesis any material arising from work on the thesis which had appeared in print before the thesis was completed or examined. For further info see section 3 . Work published or submitted for publication before the beginning of a candidate’s period of study may be included within a thesis, provided that it is clearly acknowledged in the declaration and set apart from the main body of the thesis (e.g. in an appendix) but this work should not in itself form part of the material to be examined for the degree.

2.9 Summary or Abstract

There shall be a summary or abstract of the thesis, which should not exceed 300 words, included after the acknowledgements and declaration. The summary should not extend beyond a single A4 side, and to facilitate this, single spaced typing is permitted for the summary only. The summary shall provide a synopsis of the thesis and shall state clearly the nature and scope of the research undertaken and of the contribution made to the knowledge of the subject treated. There should be a brief statement of the method of investigation where appropriate, an outline of the major divisions or principal arguments of the work and a summary of any conclusions reached.

2.10 Abbreviations

Where abbreviations are used a list of definitions shall be provided at the beginning or end of the thesis and the location of the list should be clearly indicated in the table of contents. Abbreviations may be used at the discretion of the author. For an abbreviation not in common use, the terms shall be given in full when the abbreviation is first used followed by the abbreviation in brackets.

2.11 Research Training

It is permissible for a thesis to include information on the research training undertaken by the student during their period of study if the candidate and supervisor feel this to be appropriate.

2.12 Bibliography

Theses submitted for any higher degree by research shall contain a full bibliography and references. The Library website offers advice on referencing.

2.13 Covid-19 Impact Statement

Candidates may wish to submit a Covid-19 impact statement to inform examiners of the impact of any Covid-19 related disruption on their research. This should be uploaded as a separate document at the time of thesis submission.

3.1 Inclusion of published material

Candidates may include material arising from work on the thesis which has been published before the thesis was completed or examined. Work published or submitted for publication before the beginning of a candidate’s period of study may be included within a thesis, provided that it is clearly acknowledged in the declaration and set apart from the main body of the thesis (e.g. in an appendix) but this work should not in itself form part of the material to be examined for the degree. The inclusion of published work in a thesis is not the same as PhD by Published Work which requires work to be published prior to the beginning of the registration period.

All theses submitted for examination should meet the standard presentation requirements and word count for the specific degree. All theses, including those incorporating published material, should meet the relevant requirements for the award of research degrees . The inclusion of publications does not of itself verify the quality or significance of the work in meeting the criteria for the award of a research degree. The thesis examiners will ultimately determine whether a thesis is acceptable and meets the required University academic standard.

The research work must be performed, and the papers written, during the period of registration for the degree for which it is submitted. Papers that have been submitted and accepted to a conference, or are under peer review in reputable peer-reviewed journals and have not been rejected, or that are published already are permitted (but not required). The published paper can be attached as an appendix to comply with copyright regulations.

The candidate must normally be the first author in at least one of the papers. The candidate must have had a demonstrable substantial or significant input in the investigation underpinning the papers as well as the draft and revisions of the manuscript itself. The independent contribution and comprehensive effort of the PhD candidate must be evident in all parts of the work.

Any material included within a thesis, derived from collaborative work must be acknowledged appropriately .

Departments/Faculties may have additional advice in place to complement this guidance.

3.2 Alternative thesis formats

Candidates registered on practice-based courses should follow departmental guidance on the format of the thesis as follows:

PhD in Applied Screen Studies

PhD in Literary Practice

PhD in Literary Translation Studies

PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies

PhD in Translational and Transcultural Studies

The written element should meet the standard presentation requirements for the specific degree.

The Doctoral College strongly encourages students and supervisors to be creative and adaptive in considering any changes they could make to particular research projects and to consider what can be achieved that will mitigate against the effects of Covid-19 related disruption. However it is recognised that in some cases students may wish to inform examiners of the impact of Covid-19 related disruption on their research. Examiners will consider this statement alongside the student’s thesis and performance in the oral examination (if held), but will ensure that the Requirements for the Award of Research Degrees are met and the integrity of the examination is maintained before the recommendation of any award.

4.1 Guidance for PGRs

Any PGR submitting their thesis for examination before the end of September 2024 may choose to submit a Covid-19 impact statement alongside their thesis. The statement is not compulsory and should only be included where a student wishes to highlight the impact of the pandemic and the changes made to their research as a result. Students considering the submission of a Covid-19 impact statement should discuss with their supervisor(s) in the first instance.

Covid-19 statements, not exceeding 600 words, should be submitted to the Doctoral College together with the thesis for examination (uploaded as a separate document). Students may wish to include:

Details of planned research activities disrupted due to the impact of Covid-19 e.g. inability to undertake/complete fieldwork as a result of travel restrictions, lack of or reduced access to facilities such as labs/libraries/archives, changes in the way in which they were able to liaise with research participants etc
An explanation of the expected impact on the thesis if the stated research activities had not been disrupted and how disruption was mitigated against (where possible)
Any other relevant factors relating to the impact of Covid-19 related disruption on the research

The statement should not include reference to issues arising from personal circumstances such as illness, disability or funding issues relating to Covid-19 as these should be addressed through other mechanisms e.g. temporary withdrawal, extension. In submitting a statement, students agree that the contents will be provided to their examination team (usually internal examiner, external examiner and examination advisor).

4.2 Guidance for examiners

Examiners are responsible for ensuring that academic standards are upheld in relation to the Requirements for the Award of Research Degrees . Where a student has submitted a Covid-19 impact statement, examiners may wish to allow some flexibility in relation to the scope and volume of the thesis, such as where the planned research activities have been disrupted, but not in relation to its quality or the criteria for the recommendation of an award.

As the examiners’ recommendation is a matter of academic judgement, it is their decision as to the allowance given to the scope and/or volume of the thesis in relation to the reported disruption experienced by the student. Examiners are asked to consider the information provided by the student and to decide whether, in their academic judgement, the research meets the requirements for the award of the appropriate degree.

Examiners are asked to confirm that they have considered the Covid-19 impact statement in their joint report to the Doctoral College.

If examiners recommend that corrections or a resubmission is required, these should only be those necessary to meet the criteria for the award and not to address the disrupted research activities.

Academic departments are required to nominate examiners for each candidate for approval by the Academic Director, in accordance with the requirements below. Candidates and their supervisor(s) should complete the nomination of examiners form and pass to the relevant Head of Department/Director of Graduate Studies for departmental approval prior to consideration by the Academic Director. Completed forms should be sent to the Doctoral College one month before thesis submission to ensure timely dispatch to examiners. Candidates should not seek to contact their examiners once they have been appointed.

5.1 General principles

Normally two examiners should be nominated, one of whom is a member of academic staff of the University and one who is external to Warwick, usually a member of academic staff at another institution of higher education or research institute. Additional examiners may be required for Joint PhDs, co-tutelles and EngD examinations.

In addition to the two examiners described above , an industrial examiner should be appointed for the degree of Doctor of Engineering (EngD). It is not necessary for an industrial examiner to hold a qualification or record of completed research equivalent to the degree being examined, nor to have previous supervisory or examination experience to the level being examined. However, the proposed industrial examiner should normally be working in a senior position in a commercial organization with relevance to the subject of the research, and generally have experience of working at this level with other organizations. A copy of their curriculum vitae should be provided with the nomination of examiners form, which demonstrates a sustained level of achievement, identifying them as an expert within the field.

Two external examiners and an experienced examination advisor are required for examinations for the award of PhD by Published Works.

The constitution of the examination team for candidates registered on joint programmes/subject to a co-tutelle agreement will be set out in the agreement and may involve the inclusion of examiners from both home and host institutions, in addition to external examiner(s). The Doctoral College can advise on specific requirements for individual candidates.

A candidate's supervisor(s) should not serve as internal examiner. Where there is no suitable member of staff within the department to act as either internal examiner or examination advisor, every effort should be made to identify a suitable member of staff elsewhere in the University. If there is no other suitable internal examiner, a second external examiner should be appointed in place of an internal examiner. An examination advisor is always required in the event that two external examiners are nominated.

Where the candidate is, or has been, within the 12 months prior to the submission of the thesis, a member of the academic staff, research staff, administrative or library staff of the University, the examination shall be conducted by two external examiners, unless the candidate is a full time student, in which case one internal and one external examiner may be nominated. Any potential conflicts of interest arising from the candidate’s employment should be declared to the Doctoral College at the time of nomination. Exceptionally, where the candidate is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate who has not been based on the University campus whilst pursuing their research, a case may be made for the appointment of one internal and one external examiner.

An external examiner shall not normally be a former member of staff at the University unless at least three years have elapsed since their leaving date from the University.

5.2 Experience and qualifications of examiners

Probationary staff shall normally not be appointed to examine higher degrees by research. Examiners are normally expected to have previous experience of supervising and examining theses for the degree they are being nominated to examine. Examiners for a higher degree by research must normally hold a qualification or a record of completed research comparable to that required for the higher degree in question.

Where a proposed examiner does not have a qualification equivalent to that of the higher degree being examined or equivalent record of research, has little or no previous experience of supervision and examination at research degree level and/or is a probationary member of staff, departments are required to make a special case for the appointment of the proposed examiner. This case should be attached to the form for nomination of examiners and address the examiner's particular suitability to examine the thesis concerned. A curriculum vitae setting out the nominee's research record should also be included. It is recognized that staff have to gain experience as examiners and the pairing of a relatively inexperienced internal examiner with an experienced external examiner will usually be acceptable as long as the internal examiner has relevant subject expertise, a case has been made as outlined above, and an examination advisor has been appointed. The appointment of inexperienced external examiners will only be considered in exceptional circumstances; for example, for very specialized projects for which it was difficult to identify an experienced external with the necessary subject expertise. In such cases a very experienced internal examiner would be normally be regarded as essential.

5.3 Honorary and Emeritus examiners

Honorary staff of the University shall not be appointed as external examiners for higher degrees. Where an honorary member of staff is appointed as internal examiner an examination advisor shall also normally be appointed.

Emeritus Professors and Readers may be considered for appointment as internal examiners if they have only recently retired from the University or remain research active, Emeritus staff from other universities may be considered as external examiners on the same basis (a maximum interval of three years may be taken as a guideline of appropriate recency).

5.4 Potential conflict of interest

Departments should disclose details of any situations which have the potential to impair the ability of the examiner(s) to make a fair and impartial assessment of the student’s thesis. A non-exhaustive list of potential sources of conflict is provided below:

a) Nominated examiner’s substantial involvement in the student’s research, for example direct and sustained input/advice into the work being examined.

b) Membership of an annual review panel should not compromise the ability of an individual to act as internal examiner, unless they undertake a more active role in the student’s research;

c) Close personal relationship between the nominated examiner and the student, supervisor or other nominated examiner;

d) Close professional relationship between the nominated examiner and the student, supervisor or other nominated examiner for example joint holding of grants, co-authorship of papers, working in the same Institution (in the case of two external examiners). This may be mitigated by the size and relative independence of the research team;

e) Nominated examiner having acted as personal tutor to the student;

f) The work of the nominated examiner is the focus of the student’s research;

g) In cases where the student’s research has involved collaboration with or funding of research by an external party, the nominated examiner not being independent of that relationship;

h) Nominated examiner having direct commercial interest in the outcomes of the research;

i) Nominated examiner working in the same institution/department as another nominated examiner.

The existence of a potential conflict of interest should not necessarily be a bar to the appointment of a nominated examiner. However, departments, examiners and students are required to declare any potential conflicts which may affect the integrity of the examination process at the point of nomination, or in the case of situations that only become apparent after examiners have been appointed, as soon as reasonably possible.

6.1 Appointment of examination advisor

It is recommended that consideration should be given to appointing an examination advisor in all cases. The examination advisor, who shall be a member of staff of the University other than the candidate’s supervisor, will advise and assist the examiners in following University procedures (hence should be experienced and/or knowledgeable in the procedures) and chair and maintain a record of the oral examination but not otherwise act as an examiner of the thesis. The use of video recording does not obviate the need for an examination advisor.

The examination advisor should be identified on the nomination form and should normally be a member of staff from the Department, School or Faculty with substantial experience of research degree examinations at Warwick. It is also possible, where the examiners are both very experienced, to appoint an inexperienced member of staff as an examination advisor in order to gain experience of the examination process.

In cases where there are two external examiners an examination advisor must be appointed.

In the event that experienced examiners are nominated, Departments can recommend to the Academic Director that an examination advisor is not appointed. In order for an internal examiner to be considered experienced, and therefore able to conduct an examination without an advisor present, they must have experience of conducting an examination at the same or higher level on at least one previous occasion at Warwick.

In addition to the above, Departments should note that students have the opportunity to request that an examination advisor be appointed for their examination. If requested, Departments should nominate an examination advisor.

In the event that the viva is due to beheld via video conference , departments are strongly advised to consider appointing an examination advisor, particularly if the internal examiner does not have experience of conducting meetings by video conference. In addition to the usual duties of the examination advisor, the advisor should be responsible for ensuring that the student is not disadvantaged due to the format of the viva, attempting to resolve any technical issues and stopping the viva at any point they deem necessary due to technical issues.

6.2 Role of examination advisor

Where there are two external examiners (and no internal examiner) appointed, the responsibility for fixing a time and place for the viva and informing the examiners and student rests with the examination advisor. Otherwise, the examination advisor should liaise with the internal examiner about these arrangements.

Prior to the viva the examination advisor may request that the Doctoral College supply them with copies of the independent report of each examiner. The Doctoral College will send these onto the examination advisor, subject to their receipt prior to the viva.

At the beginning of the viva, the examination advisor should introduce the examiners and explain to the student what is going to happen.

If the viva is being conducted by video conference , the examination advisor should be responsible for ensuring that the student is not disadvantaged due to the format of the viva, attempting to resolve any technical issues and stopping the viva at any point they deem necessary due to technical issues.

The examination advisor should be present throughout the viva (including any viva required as part of the examination of a resubmitted thesis), but is not expected to take an active role in questioning the student. However, the advisor should have regard to how the student is reacting and, if the student is clearly distressed or misunderstands a question, to intervene either to put the student at ease or to ask the examiner to clarify the question. The examination advisor should also ensure that the student is given an opportunity at the end of the viva to make any additional comments.

The examination advisor should be present while the examiners reach their decision, so as to be able to advise them on the options open to them and University procedures (for example, where the examiners do not agree). If the student is to be told straight away of the outcome of the viva, again the examination advisor should be present to clarify any questions on subsequent procedures that the student might have.

The examination advisor is not required to complete an independent report prior to the viva, but should complete the relevant section of the joint report following the viva.

In the case of recommendation (b) minor corrections or (c) major corrections and where there are two external examiners, the examination advisor is responsible for the nomination of one of the external examiners to check that the corrections have been completed satisfactorily. The examination advisor is also responsible for forwarding the corrected theses for checking to the nominated external examiner.

Submission and viva

Candidates must submit their thesis during their period of registration or during a period of extension approved by the Academic Director. If submitting after the period of authorised extension expires, the University may refuse to examine a candidate’s thesis or require them to request leave to submit . The timing of submission should be carefully discussed with the supervisory team but it is ultimately the candidate’s decision when to submit.

7.1 Early Submission

The University’s regulations permit candidates to submit their theses more than a month before the end of their fee-paying registration (usually 3 years for full-time PhD and 5 years for part-time PhD). Candidates who are ready to submit earlier than one month before the end of their fee-paying registration should consult their supervisor(s). If it is agreed that an early submission is appropriate, the candidate and their supervisor(s) should complete the Early Submission Form for a Research Thesis . This form requires authorisation by the candidate’s departmental Director of Graduate Studies, who should confirm that approval for early submission has been granted. Once approved the form should be sent to the Doctoral College, however Academic Director approval is not required. This form will not be sent to the examiners of the thesis. Candidates should be aware that early submission will not normally entitle them to any reduction or rebate in the fees normally payable for their degree. They will normally be expected to pay any remaining fees to the University.

7.2 Maintenance Awards

Candidates are only entitled to receive their maintenance awards up to and including the month of their first thesis submission. Once this has been processed through the system the candidate’s accounts will be reviewed and adjustments made if required. Candidates are entitled to keep any payments relating to the month of their submission, regardless of which date within the month the submission date is. In the case of any overpayments, candidates will be notified of the value of the refund due and the charge will be transferred to their student account for payment.

For self-funded students fees will be capped at 36 months full time equivalent, but will not be reduced below this.

For students whose fees are covered by an external sponsor, funder or university scholarship fees will be reduced pro-rata to the month of submission, capped at a minimum of 36 months full time equivalent.

7.4 Late Submission

Any thesis not submitted to the Doctoral College by the expected end of registration date (including any period of approved extension) will be considered a late submission. If a candidate does not expect to be able to submit during their standard registration period, they should discuss with their supervisor whether it would be appropriate to request an extension , noting that extensions are only granted in extenuating circumstances. Failure to submit the thesis on time may result in a candidate being permanently withdrawn from the University.

7.5 Leave to Submit

If a candidate is not able to submit by the end of their registration period (including any period of approved extension) it may be possible to submit the completed thesis for examination at a later date by requesting ‘leave to submit’. When the thesis is ready for examination a candidate should submit a request, outlining the reasons for not being able to submit during the registration period supported by their former academic department which will be considered by the Academic Director. Candidates considering requesting leave to submit at a later date should be aware that they will not have access to University facilities or be entitled to supervision after the end of their registration period. Requests should be sent to [email protected]. If approved, the Doctoral College will reactive the candidate’s registration period to allow access to University facilities during the examination period, subject to any visa requirements.

Candidates submitting for the award of EngD should submit directly to WMG. All other PGR candidates are required to submit an electronic version of the thesis for examination, together with a completed Thesis Submission Declaration Form via the Doctoral College online form. Candidates are not required to submit printed theses at this stage; the Doctoral College will provide hard copies to examiners if required. If submitting a Covid-19 impact statement this should be uploaded as a separate document.

The Doctoral College cannot accept a thesis without a completed Thesis Submission Declaration Form. Candidates submitting a thesis for the award of PhD by Published Work should also submit a completed PhD by Published Work Thesis Submission Checklist .

Candidates submitting for PhD by Published Work should be aware that two copies of any published material not available electronically will need to be submitted separately. Please contact the Doctoral College in advance of submission if any published work is not available in an electronic format.

Candidates will receive a confirmation of receipt email within five working days of submission. During our peak periods we may not be able to confirm receipt should a candidate contact us for an update. If a thesis does not comply with the presentation requirements it will not be accepted for examination and candidates will be contacted via their Warwick email address with details of the outstanding requirements.

The Doctoral College reserves the right to ask for alternative electronic copies of a thesis if the original version of your thesis is not compatible with Turnitin, the source-matching software used by the University.

Upon receipt of a thesis submitted in accordance with this guidance, the Doctoral College will extend a candidate’s registration period to allow access to the University’s facilities during the examination period.

For both new and resubmitted theses an electronic version will be sent to each examiner as soon as possible after submission. Examiners are asked to examine the thesis within a maximum of four months from the date on which they receive it (three months for Master’s by Research or a resubmitted thesis). Examiners are required to prepare an independent report on the thesis before any oral examination or conferral with the other examiner has taken place. After the final decision on the thesis has been reached a joint report is required which sets out the examiners’ final recommendation. The examiners’ decision is subject to the approval of the Chair of the appropriate Faculty Education Committee who will scrutinise the examiners’ reports before the Doctoral College confirms the outcome of the examination. Should the examiners suspect a candidate of plagiarism, the examination process shall be stopped and an investigation undertaken as outlined in Regulation 11

An oral examination is required for the first submission of all theses except for Master’s degrees by research where the holding of an oral is at the discretion of the examiners. If revisions to the thesis are required (either minor/major corrections or a resubmission ) a separate set of notes for guidance jointly agreed by the examiners must be prepared for the candidate and returned as soon as possible together with the independent and joint reports to the Doctoral College. Guidance notes should be presented as a single agreed set of notes which clearly set out the amendments required. In the case of minor/major corrections it is the responsibility of the examiners to inform the candidate of the revisions required and the deadline.

The University expects the examiners to act expeditiously in completing the examination process and has set the following deadlines by which the different stages of the process should normally be completed:

Viva (PhD/MPhil/MD/EdD/EngD/DBA first submission) - within 4 months of examiners' receipt of thesis

Viva (PhD/MPhil/MD/EdD/EngD/DBA resubmission or Master's by Research (if required)) - within 2 months of examiners' receipt of thesis

Completion of examiners' independent reports - At least one week prior to the viva (where held). If no viva required (e.g. for Master's by Research or if examiners do not require a second viva for a resubmission), within 2 months of examiners' receipt of thesis

Completion of joint examiners' report - Within 2 weeks of viva (if held). If no viva held, within 1 month of completion of independent reports

Review of examiners' recommendations by Chair of relevant Faculty Education Committee - Within 2 weeks of Chair's receipt of examiners' reports

Whilst recognising that examiners will have many other commitments, examiners are asked to adhere to these time limits if possible as delays to the examination process can cause considerable distress to candidates, especially if they are required to resubmit the thesis. If it appears that the expected time period will be exceeded, the Doctoral College should be informed immediately so that the situation should be explained to the candidate.

It is recognised that further delays may occur should it be necessary for the Chair of the Faculty Education Committee to refer the examiners' recommendation to an external adjudicator. In the unlikely event of a referral to an independent adjudicator, the Doctoral College will contact the candidate and their academic department to inform next steps.

10.1 Requirements of the award

To satisfy the requirements of the degree of PhD in Published Work , the submitted material must constitute a substantial original contribution to knowledge. The material shall be clearly and concisely written and well-argued. The covering document shall explain the inter-relationship between the material presented and the significance of the published works as a contribution to original knowledge within the relevant fields. It shall contain a full bibliography of all the work published by the candidate.

A candidate must submit for examination published material from a nominated field of study together with a covering document of 5,000 - 10,000 words. The covering document must explain the inter-relationship between the material presented and the significance of the published works as a contribution to original knowledge within the relevant fields. In addition, the covering document must include, as an appendix, a full bibliography of all the work published by the candidate. A candidate may include with their submitted material work that has not been published only with the prior approval of the Academic Director.

Candidates are required:

to declare that the submitted material as a whole is not substantially the same as published or unpublished material that they have previously submitted, or are currently submitting, for a degree, diploma, or similar qualification at any university or similar institution;
to state which parts if any of the work or works submitted have previously been submitted for any such qualification; and
where the work submitted includes work conducted in collaboration with others, to provide a written statement on the extent of the candidate’s individual contribution to the material and the conditions and circumstances under which the work was carried out. This statement should normally be signed by all collaborating parties.

The material submitted shall be examined by two external examiners appointed by the Academic Director on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate Department or School. In the case of collaborative work the examiners must satisfy themselves that the submitted material attributed to the candidate constitutes a substantial original contribution to knowledge.

A candidate shall be required to undergo an oral examination which shall be on the submitted material itself and the related general field of study.

The examination and appeals processes set out in the Regulation on Research Degrees apply to submissions for the degree of PhD by Published Work.

10.2 Recommendations available to examiners

Regulation 38.11 sets out the recommendations open to examiners of research degrees. Further clarification on the use of each recommendation in relation to theses submitted for PhD by Published Work is set out below:

Award Degree in Question

This recommendation should be chosen if the candidate has met all the requirements for the degree and the thesis is essentially free of typographical errors.

Pass with Minor Corrections

In the case of a PhD by published work, the examiners may require minor corrections to the covering document only.

Pass with Major Corrections

In the case of a PhD by published work, the examiners may require major corrections to the covering document only (first submission only, not available for a resubmitted thesis).

Resubmission of Thesis

A candidate should normally be allowed to resubmit a revised covering document and/or a different selection of published material if it contains work which is adequate in substance but which requires greater revision than permitted under major corrections but still can be completed within 12 months. Where, however, faults are found in the substance of the work, resubmission should be allowed only if the thesis is generally acceptable, faults notwithstanding, and where the substitution of published material is not so different to the original material as to constitute virtually a new thesis. On resubmission, the examiners will have available the same range of recommendations as in the original submission, except that a candidate will not be permitted a further resubmission or pass with major corrections.

Examiners may advise but not require a candidate to resubmit a thesis for a lower degree. Candidates can be permitted to submit a revised covering document and/or a different selection of published material for a degree of lower status providing the thesis is generally acceptable for the lower degree, faults notwithstanding, and where the substitution of published material is not so different to the original material as to constitute virtually a new thesis. A recommendation to resubmit for a lower degree will be advisory only and will not be binding on the examiners at the time of resubmission. A candidate will be permitted to resubmit on only one occasion for the degree in question.

Award Lower Qualification

PhD by Published Work candidates whose theses clearly do not meet the requirements for the degree for which the thesis was submitted and who are considered unable to bring the thesis up to an acceptable standard within the 12 month period allowed for resubmission may be considered for the award of a lower degree of MPhil or the appropriate Masters degree by Research. The award of a degree may be subject to minor amendments.

If award of the lower qualification is subject to minor amendments to the covering document, these must be completed by the candidate to the satisfaction of nominated external examiner. Minor corrections should not entail a significant amount of further research or analysis. The examiners must specify the time available for completion of the corrections, up to a maximum of three months. The nominated external examiner shall ensure that the one copy of the thesis has been amended.

Failing the Candidate

11.1 Requirement to hold an Oral Examination

All candidates for doctoral degrees and for the degree of MPhil are required to attend an oral examination after the first submission of the thesis. In the case of MA/MSc/LLM/MMedSci/MS degrees, an oral examination shall be held where one or both examiners consider this to be necessary to the examination process, at the discretion of the examiners.

There is no requirement for the examiners of a resubmitted thesis to hold a second oral examination, however, a second oral examination should be held where one or both of the examiners considers this to be necessary to the examination process. A second oral would be usual if the examiners are considering the award of a lower degree or failing the candidate.

11.2 Arrangements for the Oral Examination

The internal examiner is responsible for organising the oral examination. Where no internal examiner is appointed, the examination advisor is responsible for organising the oral examination. The Doctoral College cannot undertake to assist with these arrangements. The date chosen should be as convenient as possible to all parties, including the student. The supervisor(s) should also be consulted and the oral should normally be held on a date on which the supervisor(s) is available in order to provide support to the student immediately before/after the viva. If the viva is being held by video conference , it should be scheduled at a time that is reasonable in relation to the time zone in which all parties are located, if not the UK.

At least two weeks before the date of the oral examination, the internal examiner or examination advisor should inform the external examiner, the candidate and the supervisor(s) in writing of the date and place of the oral examination. The internal examiner or examination advisor should also act as ‘host’ for the oral examination.

A viva can take place by video conference if all parties to the examination agree. Any video conferences held should be conducted on a secure platform as recommended and supported by the University’s Audio Visual Services department. ‘Domestic’ Skype is not considered to be a sufficiently stable platform for the conduct of vivas.

11.3 Conduct of the Oral Examination

It is recommended that in all cases where an oral examination will be held, departments should consider the appointment of an examination advisor , who will chair and maintain a summary record of the oral examination and be available to advise the examiners on university procedures and the recommendations available to them. Where an examination advisor is appointed, they should always be present at the viva (including any viva held for a resubmitted thesis). Should a department consider that an examination advisor is no longer necessary, approval should be obtained from the Academic Director prior to the viva.

It is the responsibility of the examiners in their joint report to provide a summary of the issues covered and the candidate's performance in the oral examination. The purpose of the oral examination is to enable the examiners to clarify any ambiguities in the thesis, to satisfy themselves that the thesis is the candidate’s own work, that the candidate is familiar with the relation of their work to the field of study and also that their knowledge and appreciation of adjoining fields in the subject are up to the standard expected for the award of the appropriate degree.

The examination advisor and/or the examiners should attempt to make the candidate feel at ease and to ensure that the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the thesis are covered in the oral examination. Examiners may request advice on University procedures from the examination advisor and information from a candidate’s supervisor, and, if they wish, ask the supervisor to be present at the oral examination. A supervisor can only be present at an examination at the request of the examiners and should play no part in the oral examination.

11.4 Feedback to the Candidate and Supervisor(s)

Where both examiners have agreed upon a recommendation , they are normally expected (but not required) to make it known to the candidate during or at the end of the oral examination if one is held. The examination advisor (if one is appointed) should be present when such feedback is given to the candidate. Where no oral is held (for example following a Masters by Research examination or a resubmission) the internal examiner is expected to make the outcome known informally to the candidate (and supervisor(s)). In all cases, the examiners must make it clear that this is their recommendation and that the final decision rests with the Chair of the Faculty Education Committee and the Senate and that the candidate should expect to receive official notification of the approval of the decision in due course from the Doctoral College.

In the case of minor/major corrections , the examiners should inform the candidate of the corrections required and the deadline for completion. The candidate should proceed to correct the thesis from the date of receipt of the corrections. The examiners might also wish to provide other feedback on the thesis at this stage, particularly if revisions or corrections are required. Please note, however, that although the examiners may provide the candidate with informal feedback and comments on any revisions required at the oral examination (and the internal examiner may undertake to do this when an oral is not conducted), the examiners should still submit a written note of guidance for revision with their reports, as this forms part of the formal record of examination.

It is the responsibility of the internal examiner to make the examiners’ decision known and provide feedback to the supervisor(s) on any corrections required after the examination. Where two external examiners are appointed, the examination advisor should inform the supervisor(s) of the outcome of the examination and the external examiners should therefore ensure they let the examination advisor know their decision.

If the internal examiner/examination advisor anticipates any difficulty in making contact with a candidate where no viva has been held they should contact the Doctoral College for advice.

Vivas may be held fully online, in person or with one or more parties joining remotely. It is not necessary to receive approval from the Doctoral College prior to making arrangements for the video conference.

Guidance for PGRs

Guidance for staff

12.1 The independent reports

The examiners should prepare independent reports , without consultation, before any oral examination or conferral with the other examiner has taken place. The report should be sent to the Doctoral College by email one week before the oral examination takes place.

The independent report should be sufficiently detailed to enable the Chair of the appropriate Faculty Education Committee to assess the scope and significance of the work and the examiner’s considered view upon it. It should assess the work in relation to the requirements specified for each degree. Examiners should look for evidence of training in and application of research methods appropriate to the particular field of study and should take into account the evidence of originality, critical power and publishable quality as appropriate to the degree concerned. The literary form must be satisfactory and the thesis should not be of unnecessary length. Examiners may require a candidate to confirm the length of the thesis. For Doctorates and the MPhil, the candidate must satisfy the examiners that they are well acquainted with the general field of knowledge to which the subject relates. For a Master’s degree by Research, the candidate should satisfy the examiners that they have a general acquaintance with the published work relating to the subject of the thesis.

The report should highlight any particular strengths and any areas of concern and identify the major issues which the examiner wishes to explore in the oral examination, if one is to be held. This will not preclude the examiners raising additional issues during the course of the oral examination.

In the unlikely event that an examiner suspects a candidate of plagiarism, the examination process should be stopped. The internal examiner or examination advisor should make a report to the Head of the candidate's Department. The case will then be dealt with in accordance with the procedures set out in University Regulation 11 .

Under Regulation 11 cheating is defined as “an attempt to benefit oneself or another, by deceit or fraud. This shall include reproducing one's own work or the work of another person or persons without proper acknowledgement.”

An independent report is required both when a thesis is first examined and also when a resubmitted thesis is assessed, whether or not a second oral examination is to take place. The individual report should conclude with the examiner’s independent recommendation on the thesis in line with the list of recommendations available to the examiners.

12.2 The joint report

The joint report should normally be completed on the day of the oral examination or immediately after the examiners have conferred as to the quality of the thesis where no oral is held. The joint report need not be as detailed as the individual reports but should briefly summarise the examiners’ conclusions on the work and should summarise the issues covered and comment on the candidate’s performance in the oral examination (if held) in sufficient detail to enable the Chair of the appropriate Faculty Education Committee to judge how the joint recommendation relates to the recommendations made in the individual reports. If a candidate has submitted a Covid-19 impact statement , examiners are asked to confirm in the joint report that this has been considered.

The examination advisor (if one is appointed) should complete the relevant section of the joint report. If the examiners recommend that the degree for which the student has submitted be awarded, no more than a signature and a brief summary comment on the viva from the examination advisor may be necessary. If it was necessary for the examination advisor to intervene at any stage, this should be noted in the report and the circumstances explained.

If the decision is for resubmission, to award a lesser degree or no degree at all, a longer report is likely to be required, especially if the performance in the viva had a bearing on this decision. The examination advisor is not expected to provide a full transcript of discussions. It is up to the examiners to explain why the student's performance in the viva was unsatisfactory. The examination advisor should be able to say that the viva was conducted fairly and that the student was given adequate opportunity to answer the questions put by the examiners.

Examiners should ensure that there is no unnecessary delay between the examination of a thesis and the submission of the joint report on the work. It is the responsibility of the internal examiner or examination advisor to ensure that all reports are submitted promptly, together with any list of corrections or notes of guidance for resubmission, to the Doctoral College.

In the unlikely event that the examiners cannot agree on a joint recommendation on the thesis, an external adjudicator, who shall be external to the University will be appointed. The decision of this external adjudicator will normally be expected to prevail.

12.3 Confidentiality of reports

Examiners' reports should remain confidential to the examiners, the examination advisor, the Chair of the appropriate Faculty Education Committee, the Doctoral College and the external adjudicator (if appointed), until the reports have been formally approved by the Chair of the appropriate Faculty Education Committee. After that, the Doctoral College will release the joint examiners’ report to the student via their department. Independent reports will not normally be released. Should a student request copies of the independent reports, providing that the examiners have indicated their willingness for these to be shared, these will also be provided by the Doctoral College. Should a student request copies of their examiners' reports by submitting a subject access request , we would be legally obliged to release these.

Examiners’ reports may be released where deemed appropriate in the consideration of an appeal , complaint or investigation into suspected cheating, research misconduct or similar procedure.

Should the Chair of the Faculty Education Committee require further advice when considering examiners' reports for approval, they may consult with the Academic Director, who in exceptional cases may ask for the matter to be referred to an external adjudicator.

Regulation 38 .11 sets out the recommendations open to examiners for research degrees. Further clarification of the use of each recommendation is set out below:

a) Award Degree in Question

B) pass with minor corrections.

This recommendation is appropriate where t he thesis is generally acceptable, and the corrections required can be completed in 3 months (or less) . Minor corrections should not require any further significant research and should not substantially alter the results and/or conclusions of the thesis. They may require corrections of errors and omissions of a clerical nature, minor changes in phraseology, and small improvements in descriptions, explanations and/or corrections of faults in subsidiary arguments.

Examiners are asked to list the ‘Minor Corrections’ as a separate, jointly agreed accompaniment to their report. Examiners do not need to attach a list of typographical corrections to the reports, but may choose instead to annotate a copy of the thesis if this is more convenient. However, any other corrections should be included within the jointly agreed list attached to the examiners’ reports.

The examiners must specify the time available for completion of the corrections, up to a maximum of three months. The internal examiner (or nominated external examiner) shall ensure that the thesis has been amended. In the case of a PhD by Published Work , the examiners may require minor amendments to the covering document.

Examiners may recommend the award of the degree without delay, so long as the thesis is corrected before deposition in the University Library. The internal examiner (or nominated external examiner where there is no internal examiner) is requested to confirm that the corrections have been carried out to their satisfaction and the degree cannot be awarded until this has been confirmed in writing to the Doctoral College.

Alterations of a more substantial nature will require major corrections to be completed within a maximum period of six months or resubmission of the thesis, which will need to be completed within 12 months or such shorter period as recommended by the examiners.

c) Pass with Major Corrections

Major corrections should not entail a significant amount of further research or analysis and is normally offered where the candidate has satisfied the examiners that the research/analysis has been undertaken, but has failed to be fully articulated in the thesis. The recommendation of major corrections is not available for a resubmitted thesis.

Examiners are asked to list the ‘Major Corrections’ as a separate, jointly agreed accompaniment to their report. Examiners do not need to attach a list of typographical corrections to the reports, but may choose instead to annotate a copy of the thesis if this is more convenient. However, any other corrections should be included within the jointly agreed list attached to the examiners’ reports.

The examiners must specify the time available for completion of the corrections, up to a maximum of six months. At least one examiner, usually the internal (where appointed) shall ensure that the one copy of the thesis has been amended. In the case of a PhD by Published Work , the examiners may require major amendments to the covering document.

Alterations of a more substantial nature will require resubmission of the thesis, which will need to be completed within 12 months or such shorter period as recommended by the examiners.

d) Consider Master’s by Research Thesis (MA, MSc or LLM by Research) for an MPhil

In such exceptional cases, the thesis as first submitted must, in the view of the examiners, be close to MPhil standard. Where a candidate is permitted to submit a revised thesis for the degree of MPhil, they should have the right, should the examiners deem the work as submitted to be of sufficient quality without revision, to be awarded the degree of MA, MSc or LLM (as appropriate) instead. Where a thesis is re-examined for the degree of MPhil, an additional external examiner will be appointed and an oral examination be held.

Under these circumstances, where a thesis is not subsequently approved for the award of an MPhil, it is expected that the candidate shall be awarded the degree of MA, MSc or LLM as appropriate.

e) Consider MPhil Thesis for a PhD

In such exceptional cases, the thesis as first submitted must, in the view of the examiners, be close to PhD standard and the award of an MPhil would seriously undervalue the work. Where a candidate is permitted to submit a revised thesis for the degree of PhD, they should have the right, should the examiners deem the work as submitted to be of sufficient quality without revision, to be awarded the degree of MPhil instead. Where a thesis is re-examined for the degree of PhD an additional external examiner will be appointed and an oral examination be held.

Under these circumstances, where a thesis is not subsequently approved for the award of the PhD, it is expected that the candidate shall be awarded the degree of MPhil.

f) Award Master’s by Research Thesis (MA, MSc or LLM by Research) with Distinction

This should be recommended only where the thesis is of highly exceptional quality.

g) Resubmission of Thesis

A candidate should normally be allowed to resubmit a thesis if it contains work which is adequate in substance but which requires greater revision than permitted under major corrections but still can be completed within 12 months. Where, however, faults are found in the substance of the work, resubmission should be allowed only if the thesis is generally acceptable, faults notwithstanding, and where the amount of further research required is not such as to constitute virtually a new thesis. In the case of a PhD by Published Work , the examiners may permit the submission of a revised covering document and/or a different selection of published material

If resubmission is recommended, examiners are required to supply the Doctoral College with a jointly agreed note providing details on the points of which the candidate needs to take account when revising the thesis, and in a form suitable for giving to the candidate. It is important that the candidate is given clear and non-contradictory guidance on the revisions required and therefore that a single note is jointly agreed by the examiners. This note should be attached to the examiners’ reports (but be separate from them) and will be forwarded to the candidate by the Doctoral College once the examiners’ recommendations have been approved. Examiners should also specify in their recommendation the length of time which the candidate has for resubmission of their thesis. This is at the discretion of the examiners up to a maximum period of 12 months.

On resubmission, the examiners will have available the same range of recommendations as in the original submission, except that a candidate will be permitted to complete major corrections or resubmit on only one occasion (unless the resubmission is specifically for a higher degree than the one for which the thesis was originally submitted – see recommendations d) and e) above) .

Examiners may advise but not require a candidate to resubmit a thesis for a lower degree. Candidates can be permitted to submit a revised thesis for a degree of lower status providing the thesis is generally acceptable for the lower degree, faults notwithstanding, and where the amount of further research required is not such as to constitute virtually a new thesis. A recommendation to resubmit for a lower degree will be advisory only and will not be binding on the examiners at the time of resubmission. A candidate will be permitted to resubmit on only one occasion for the degree in question. Notes of guidance should be provided as indicated above.

h) Award Lower Qualification

Candidates whose theses clearly do not meet the requirements for the degree for which the thesis was submitted and who are considered unable to bring the thesis up to an acceptable standard within the 12 month period allowed for resubmission may be considered for the award of a lower degree:

PhD; the degrees of MPhil or the appropriate Masters degree by Research may be awarded.

MD; the degree of MMedSci may be awarded

EngD; the degrees of MPhil or MSc by Research in Engineering may be awarded

EdD; the degree of MA or MSc by Research in Education or in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching

LLM; the Diploma in Legal Studies.

If award of the lower qualification is subject to the completion of minor or major corrections, these must be completed by the candidate to the satisfaction of the internal examiner (or a nominated external examiner where there is no internal examiner). The examiners must specify the time available for completion of the corrections, up to a maximum of three months (minor corrections) or six months (major corrections).

Candidates will have the right of appeal under Regulation 42 .

i) No Degree Awarded

This recommendation will only be made exceptionally and where the examiners deem the thesis of such poor quality as to make it unlikely that the candidate will be able to improve it to an acceptable standard for the award of any degree within the 12 month period allowed for resubmission. Where the examiners wish to make this recommendation for a Master’s degree by Research, it is normal to hold an oral examination .

Post-viva and final submission

The recommendation of the examiners is subject to the approval of the Chair of the appropriate Faculty Education Committee who will scrutinise the examiners’ reports before approving the recommendation. There may therefore be a delay between the oral examination and the approval of the award of a degree by Senate.

In the unlikely event that the examiners are unable to agree on the recommendation to be made, or if for any other reason a further opinion is required on the work submitted, an external adjudicator may be appointed. Examiners/academic departments should contact the Doctoral College as soon as possible to discuss the nomination and approval of an external adjudicator.

Where a decision of minor corrections or major corrections is recommended, a jointly agreed list of the corrections concerned should normally be appended to the examiners’ reports to enable the relevant Faculty Education Committee Chair to evaluate the nature of the changes required to the thesis. Examiners do not need to attach a list of typographical corrections to the reports, but may choose instead to annotate a copy of the thesis if this is more convenient. However, any other corrections should be included within the jointly agreed list attached to the examiners’ reports.

The Doctoral College will normally expect the candidate (and supervisor(s)) to receive the list of corrections and deadline for completion (up to 3 months from date of receipt for minor corrections and up to 6 months from date of receipt for major corrections) directly from the examiners, wherever possible on the day of the oral examination, if one is held, to enable the candidate to complete the amendments as quickly as possible. Where an oral examination is not required, the internal examiner should ensure that the candidate is notified of the corrections at the earliest opportunity. (If there are two external examiners, the examination advisor should ensure that the candidate is notified of the corrections at the earliest opportunity.) The Doctoral College will notify candidates of the deadline for completion of corrections; this is the date by which the corrected thesis should be submitted to the internal (or nominated external) examiner.

Once corrections have been addressed, the candidate should provide a copy of the amended thesis directly to the internal examiner, or nominated external examiner, who is required to inform the Doctoral College by email as soon as the corrections have been satisfactorily completed. Upon receipt of confirmation that corrections have been completed to the satisfaction of the examiners, the Doctoral College will provide the candidate with instructions for submitting the final thesis in order to complete the examination process.

In the event that a resubmission is required, the examiners should provide a jointly agreed note of guidance which lists the revisions which are required to the thesis. These should be listed in a clear and unambiguous way and in sufficient detail to enable the candidate to be sure of what is required of them. This statement should be separate from the examiners’ reports but should be attached to the reports when they are returned to the Doctoral College. This statement is required even though the examiners may have provided the candidate with feedback at the oral examination. It will be the responsibility of the Chair of the Faculty Education Committee, when approving the reports and recommendation, to ensure that the guidance on resubmission provided by the examiners is clear and unambiguous.

Candidates who are required to resubmit their thesis will be contacted by the Doctoral College who will provide the single note of guidance prepared by the examiners on the revisions required. A time limit will be set for the resubmission (up to 12 months) and this must be strictly adhered to. There will be a fee payable when the thesis is resubmitted; this can be made via the online payment form . When a candidate resubmits their thesis to the Doctoral College, they should submit an electronic version, together with a memo detailing how they have addressed the requirements for revision set out by the examiners in their single note of guidance.

16.1 Supervision during resubmission period

Supervisor(s) are expected to provide detailed guidance to the candidate on the work to be done in light of the guidance prepared by the examiners. Where necessary the supervisor(s) and the candidate may wish to discuss the changes required with the internal examiner but the latter must normally avoid taking on a substantial supervisory role in relation to the candidate during the resubmission period.

Departments are responsible under the Guidelines on Supervision and Monitoring of Research Degree Students for ensuring that students whose theses are referred for resubmission are provided with appropriate advice by the supervisor and internal examiner, or examination advisor where two external examiners are appointed. A student who is required to resubmit is entitled to receive a level of supervision equivalent to a student at the writing up phase. Supervisors should normally read through the revisions prior to resubmission, noting that it remains the student's decision when to submit the thesis within the time allowed by the examiners.

16.2 Examination of a resubmitted thesis

When assessing a resubmitted thesis, examiners should pay particular attention to the way in which the candidate has revised the thesis according to the recommendations made by the examiners in their written statement to the candidate. The candidate is expected to provide the examiners with a memo, together with the revised thesis, detailing how they have addressed the requirements for revision set out by the examiners in their single note of guidance. In most cases the original examiners will examine the resubmitted thesis. In the event that a new examiner has been appointed in the period between the first submission and the resubmission, the examiners will be expected to judge the quality of the thesis according to the stipulations for improvement made by the initial team of examiners.

The procedures for the examination of a resubmitted thesis are essentially the same as for the initial submission of the work and examiners' independent reports and a joint report are again required. There is no requirement for a second oral examination although one may be held at the discretion of the examiners. An oral examination would normally be held if the candidate is resubmitting for a higher degree and an oral examination has not previously been held. If an oral examination is held and an examination advisor was appointed for the initial examination, they should also be present at the subsequent oral examination. Should a department consider that an examination advisor is no longer necessary, approval should be obtained from the Academic Director prior to the viva.

Unless the candidate is resubmitting the thesis for a higher degree, only one resubmission of a thesis is permitted and therefore the only recommendations available to examiners of a resubmitted thesis are:

To award the degree
To award the degree subject to completion of minor corrections
To award a lower degree with or without minor corrections
To award no degree/fail the candidate

Unless the candidate is resubmitting the thesis for a higher degree than on the original submission, award of a higher degree is specifically excluded at this stage. A recommendation of major corrections cannot be made but if minor corrections are required they may be of greater extent than usually permitted but it should normally be possible for the candidate to complete them within three months.

Following a successful examination (i.e. once the examiners have recommended the award of a degree and any corrections have been completed to the satisfaction of the examiners), the candidate should arrange for their thesis to be library-bound according to University specifications, as set out in Appendix B. Please note that the Library Declaration and Deposit Agreement form must be signed and bound in with the thesis, immediately prior to the Title Page. Candidates are required to submit evidence that a library-bound copy of their thesis has been ordered, together with an electronic copy in PDF to the Doctoral College. Candidates submitting for the degree of Master’s by research are not required to submit an electronic copy of their thesis.

17.1 Binding

For single-sided theses a 4 cm margin must remain on the left hand edge (binding edge) and adequate margins on the other three edges to allow for trimming after binding. Final hard bound copies of the thesis may be double-sided, in which case a 4 cm margin must remain on both the left-hand and right-hand edges with adequate margins on the other two edges. Page numbers should be typed at least 1.5 cm into the page.

When both the library-bound order confirmation and electronic copies (if applicable) have been received, a candidate's name will be included on a pass list for the award of the appropriate degree. The library-bound copy will subsequently be deposited in the University Library and the electronic copy will be uploaded to the University’s institutional repository ( WRAP ). Unless otherwise indicated on the Library Declaration and Deposit Agreement, this will be made openly accessible on the Internet and will be supplied to the British Library to be made available online via its EThOS service.

Theses submitted for a Master’s degree by Research (MA, MSc, LLM, MS or MMedSci) are not deposited in WRAP and hence are not made available via EThOS.

17.2 Restriction of Access/Embargo

On submission of the thesis candidates are required to complete the Library Declaration and Deposit Agreement , indicating that their thesis will be deposited in the University Library in both hard and digital copy format following successful completion of the examination process.

Candidates can choose between four available options in respect of the availability of the thesis. The first three options can be selected without the requirement to seek the approval of the Academic Director, as follows:

i) Both the hard and digital copy thesis can be made publicly available immediately;

ii) The hard copy thesis can be made publicly available immediately and the digital copy thesis can be made publicly available after a period of two years; iii) Both the hard and digital copy thesis can be made publicly available after a period of two years.

Candidates wishing to restrict access because of their intention to publish would normally be expected to choose option (ii); where a thesis contains sensitive or confidential material, option (iii) would be recommended.

The final option, to embargo the thesis for a period exceeding two years, will require the prior approval of the Academic Director and will be granted only in exceptional circumstances. Restrictions to access in excess of two years have been agreed in the past where the material, if made publicly available in that time, could jeopardise the application for a patent, is commercially very sensitive, could endanger the author or other parties, or could jeopardise the reputation of an individual or individuals. Requests should be made by the candidate and supported by the candidate’s supervisor, in writing, to the Doctoral College.

Section 2.5 of the Library Declaration and Deposit Agreement allows candidates to deposit an abridged hard and/or digital version of their thesis in the Library, should it contain material protected by third party copyright for which they have been unable to obtain permission for inclusion within the thesis. In such circumstances the sensitive material must be available to the examiners, but may be presented in a separate volume which does not then form part of the Library copy.

17.3 Permission to Copy

A declaration giving permission for reproduction may be made on the Library Declaration and Deposit Agreement to grant powers of discretion to the depository library to allow the thesis to be copied in whole or in part without further reference to the author. This permission covers only single copies made for study purposes, subject to normal conditions of acknowledgement. If the form is not signed and completed, it will be assumed that permission to reproduce single copies has been given.

Once the Doctoral College has received the final electronic thesis and confirmation that a library-bound copy of a candidate’s thesis has been ordered, and all of the internal paperwork in respect of the examination has been concluded, their name will be placed on a pass list for the conferral of the award by the Senate at the next available opportunity . Formal notification of award will be sent to the candidate’s University email address and any other email address held on the student record shortly after the award has been conferred. Candidates will not receive a conferral email or be eligible to attend a Degree Congregation if they have any study-related debts to the University.

Following conferral of the award, candidates will be invited to attend the next available Degree Congregation . Congregations are held in mid-July and late January each year and candidates may receive their degree in person or in absentia. Hard copy degree certificate cannot be provided until the degree has been conferred formally at a Congregation whether you decide to be present in person or not. However all eligible students receiving an award from the University of Warwick will automatically receive a digital certificate in addition to their hard copy certificate, in the weeks following conferral. These do not need to be requested and will be provided automatically. Digital certificates are not available for the small number of joint award programmes where hard copy certificates are not produced by the University of Warwick. Additionally, digital certificates are not currently available for graduates from Cranfield, Exeter and Warwick joint degree programmes, due to the bespoke formatting of the certificates. For further information please see Awards and Ceremonies website.

In the unlikely event that the examiners recommend that the thesis be failed or that a candidate be awarded a lower degree than the one for which they were registered, they have the right of appeal under Regulation 42 .

19.1 How to appeal

Information on the grounds eligible for making an appeal are set out in Regulation 42 . Candidates who believe they have grounds for an eligible appeal should complete the appeals form and email it to Turn on JavaScript to view obfuscated email addresses within 10 working days of the notification of the assessment decision. Candidates considering submitting an appeal can seek advice from the Dean of Students’ Office or the Students’ Union Advice Centre .

19.2 Appeal process

If an appeal is not eligible under Regulation 42, the candidate will be contacted to explain why their appeal cannot be considered.

If the appeal is eligible, the candidate will be contacted to confirm receipt of their appeal and explain the appeals process. If the appeal is eligible, it may be sent to the candidate's academic department for its response.

All paperwork relating to the appeal will then be considered by an Appeal Review Panel (ARP), which is constituted of academic members of staff as outlined in Regulation 42 , which will determine whether or not the candidate has established grounds for appeal. If the ARP determines that grounds for appeal have been established, it will refer the appeal to the relevant examiners.

In certain circumstances an appeal may be referred to a meeting of a Graduate Appeals Committee (GAC).

Regulation 42 outlines the procedure of the Academic Review Panel and Graduate Appeals Committee.

Return to the PGR Submissions root page

Dissertation Format Regulations

Please click on each of the seven headings below to see the regulations which must be followed to format your dissertation correctly:

1. Number of copies

One electronic copy must be uploaded to the Assessed Assignment Submission area, within the module section of Minerva.

A hard copy of the Dissertation is not required.

If you need to upload any additional data in a separate document, there is an additional submission area to upload this.

2. Indicative length

The main body of the Dissertation must not exceed the word limit.

Does Count toward word count

The word count covers everything within the main text of the Dissertation, including:

the abstract and contents page
lists of tables and illustrative material
any tables, diagrams, subtitles, footnotes and references which are included within the main text.

Does not Count toward word count

The word count does not include;

the title page and front cover
any acknowledgements
bibliographies
end lists of references

Words presented as images

Any words presented in graphs, tables, or other graphics must be included in the word count.

Words displayed in these formats may need to be counted manually, as they will not be detected by the word count function on most word processing software.

Appendix Abuse

You must not use appendices to present matters of substance which should be included in the main body of the text.

The text must remain understandable without reference to any appendices.

3. Text and Layout

Font and size.

Dissertations should be presented using a standard font, and a font size of between 10 and 12 points.

Text must not be presented using only upper case letters.

Line Spacing

All standard text must be presented using double or one and a half line spacing.

Indented quotations and footnotes have an exception to the above rule, and may use single spacing.

For Microsoft Word this means standard dissertation text should have a spacing setting of either 2.0 or 1.5

Margins along all sides of the document (left, right, top and bottom) should not be less than 2.5cm (25mm).

For reference, the "normal" margins setting on a Microsoft Word document is 2.54cm on all sides - this is acceptable.

4. Pagination

All pages of text and appendices in your dissertation should be numbered consecutively.

Images and diagrams should also have their own consecutive numbering where possible.

5. Title Page

You must use the Leeds University Business School Dissertation / Project coversheet as your title page.

This can be downloaded from the Forms and Guidance Page

6. Table of Contents

Your dissertation document must include a contents page.

The contents page should list all main numbered chapter headings (such as 1, 2 , 3).

It is good practice to break down chapters into numbered sections, and these should also be listed on your contents page (such as 1.1, 1.2, 1.3).

Please carefully check the section above on word counts (2. indicative length) for information on which text contributes to your maximum permitted word count.

7. Acknowledgements

It is common to include a list of acknowledgements at the start of your dissertation, but you do not have to do so.

Students may wish to acknowledge the help their Supervisor provided, as well as the support of others such as family members or friends.

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A General Guide to PhD Dissertation Word Count And Structure

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COMMENTS

King's College London
Word limits. PhD - not to exceed 100,000 words; MPhil - not to exceed 60,000 words; MD(Res) - not to exceed 50,000 words MPhilStud - not to exceed 30,000 words; Professional Doctorates - at least 25,000 words and not to exceed 55,000 words; Thesis word limit inclusions and exclusions The thesis word count includes everything from the start of chapter 1 up to the end of the last chapter.
Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee
The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree, including the summary/abstract. The table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, appendices, bibliography and acknowledgements to not count towards the word limit.
Thesis word count and format
What you need to know about thesis word counts as well as laying out and printing your thesis. Student Directory. ... Word count : PhD** 80,000: Professional Doctorate: 40,000: MD: 65,000: MPhil: 50,000: MA/MSC by Dissertation: 30,000: What's excluded from the word count *In all cases above, the word count includes quotations but excludes ...
PDF Guidelines for the Submission and Format of Theses
One electronic copy of your thesis, preferably a PDF file, normally via one of the following methods: USB memory stick labelled with your name and student number. Via the University's file drop-off to: [email protected] (HaSS and SAgE students) [email protected] (FMS students) A completed Library Thesis Deposit Licence*.
Preparing a thesis
Social Sciences: 40,000 words (MPhil); 75,000-100,000 words (PhD) The above word counts exclude footnotes, bibliography and appendices. Where there are no guidelines, students should consult the supervisor as to the length of thesis appropriate to the particular topic of research.
PDF Introduction to Thesis Formatting Guidelines
If many tables, they may be collected at the end of the thesis as an appendix Normally portrait Word Count A Phd thesis should not normally exceed 100,000 words of text (including your appendices and additional material). However, the PGR Committee of the College of Social Sciences suggest the following limits: PhD: 70,000 to 100,000 words.
PDF Rules for Submission of Theses for Research Degrees
5.Word Limits of Theses The length of a thesis should not normally be greater than 90,000 words for PhD, 60,000 words for MPhil, and 30,000 words for LLM. A thesis may be no more than five percent over the limit. The word count excludes the appendices, the bibliography and any bibliographical material contained within the footnotes.
Thesis submission
Word count. The word limit for your thesis depends upon the qualification you are working towards: PhD theses should not exceed 100,000 words . MPhil theses should not exceed 60,000 words . Please note, the word limits for MRes theses vary according to the number of taught module credits taken.
PDF Guidance on Thesis Word Count
Guidance on Thesis Word Count . Please note the University of London and Royal Holloway Research Degree Regulations for the Degrees of MPhil and PhD state that the that the thesis will comprise a piece of scholarly writing of not more than 60,000 words for the MPhil degree and 100,000 words for the PhD degree. In both
Format your thesis
Types of thesis. There are two main types of thesis. A monograph or traditional thesis: a unified, single author document comprising a number of chapters with an introduction and conclusion.; A journal-style thesis: a document that incorporates one or more chapters that are in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed title alongside a supporting commentary.
PhD: thesis submission and examination
Where and what to submit. You should submit an electronic pdf copy of your thesis via the Engineering Degree Committee thesis submission Moodle site. Please name the file "PhD_ Your CRSid.pdf" so that it is identifiable. Providing examiners have been appointed, your thesis will be forwarded to the examiners within two days of receipt by the GSO.
Guide to Submission and Presentation of the Thesis
The appendices are not included in the word count of the thesis. The appendices allow the student to further illuminate the main text and can act as a repository of raw data. It should be noted that examiners are not obliged to read the appendices when examining a thesis. 6.3.14. Glossary
Writing up and word count
Writing up and word count. As stated in the Student Registry PhD format requirements, a PhD thesis in the Department of Computer Science and Technology "is not to exceed [...] 60,000 words including tables and footnotes, but excluding appendices, bibliography, photographs and diagrams.". Candidates abusing these rules mostly risk annoying ...
PDF Writing a Thesis As a Collection of Papers
Structure. A typical format might be as follows: Abstract: As outlined in the Rules for Submission of Theses for Higher Degrees. Chapter 1: Introduction - A concise introduction to the aims of the research, the key research. questions being addressed, and how these are addressed in the papers which are.
PDF Guidance on word counts for final Thesis / Portfolio
the word limits 2. Examiners may request that the thesis is shortened as part of their post-viva recommendations (but may not return a submitted thesis with an excessive word count - see regulation 16 'A viva voce examination is mandatory once a … candidate has submitted a thesis.'). 70,000 words PDHealth 45,000 words write 45,000 words for
PDF Thesis Word Count Requirements for the Degree of PhD Information for
Where the thesis word count is 10% lower or higher than the expected requirements (63,000 words or 110,000 words) the College can allow this on a discretionary basis and you will not be required to make a formal request. Please contact the Graduate School to confirm this in advance of submitting your thesis. Where the thesis word count is ...
How Long is a PhD Thesis?
Each university sets its maximum and minimum word count limits for PhD students. PhD. Thesis Word Count. So how many words is a Ph.D. thesis? At UWS London, your PhD thesis should not typically exceed 40,000 words for PhD students studying Mathematics, Technology, Science, and Engineering - this excludes ancillary data. For PhD students ...
Procedure for the submission of theses for examination : Academic
The text of the PhD thesis is a maximum of 100,000 words (excluding appendices and references). The text of the MPhil/LLM (Res) or Dag/DProf thesis is a maximum of 60,000 words (excluding appendices and references. ... Please email [email protected] for more information. ... This form also includes the word count of your thesis, which must be ...
How Long Is a PhD Thesis?
However, from the analysis of over 100 PhD theses, the average thesis length is between 80,000 and 100,000 words. A further analysis of 1000 PhD thesis shows the average number of pages to be 204. In reality, the actual word count for each PhD thesis will depend on the specific subject and the university it is being hosted by.
Guide to examinations for higher degrees by research
The inclusion of published work in a thesis is not the same as PhD by Published Work which requires work to be published prior to the beginning of the registration period. All theses submitted for examination should meet the standard presentation requirements and word count for the specific degree.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
PhD by Thesis. This is the most popular route to the award of PhD. ... Where your submission involves your own creative works or a scholarly edition of the creative works of others your thesis word count will be reduced to no more than 40,000 words. ... A UK 2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent) or a UK Masters qualification ...
Dissertation Format Regulations
The word count covers everything within the main text of the Dissertation, including: the abstract and contents page; ... For Microsoft Word this means standard dissertation text should have a spacing setting of either 2.0 or 1.5. Margins. Margins along all sides of the document (left, right, top and bottom) should not be less than 2.5cm (25mm
A General Guide to PhD Dissertation Word Count And Structure
Most of the students don't know how many words are included in the different chapters of the dissertation. Here, we will provide a general guide about the PhD dissertation word count and structure. 1) Preliminary pages. In the structure of the PhD dissertation, first of all, there come preliminary pages. These preliminary pages include ...

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Format of thesis and Binding

Study at Cambridge

Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee

Extending the Word Limit

Requirements of the Degree Committees

Biological Anthropology:

Architecture:

History of Art:

Earth Sciences:

Criminology:

Institute of Astronomy, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, Department of Physics:

Department of Chemistry:

Thesis word count and format

Page layout

Illustrations (Graphs, diagrams, plates, computer printout etc.)

Word counts

What's excluded from the word count

Specific requirements

Preparing a thesis

English language requirements

Guidance on writing the thesis

Acceptable support in writing the thesis

Yellow Sticker scheme for disabled students

Related information

Thesis submission

Proof readers

Format of thesis

Alternative formats

Submission deadline

Notification of submission

Late submission

How to submit

What happens with my submission

Publishing your thesis: open access, embargo or restriction

Embargo:

Thesis Restriction:

Format your thesis

Related links

Types of thesis

Practice-based PGR programmes

Requirements for all theses

Printing and e-theses

Typographic design

Additional thesis-specific guidance

Study at Cambridge

Before submitting

Additional Materials

Format and presentation

Your submission deadline

Preparing to submit

Where and what to submit

After submitting

After the examination

No corrections needed, or corrections completed and approved before paperwork considered by Degree Committee

Corrections required

Other outcomes

After degree approval

Guide to Submission and Presentation of the Thesis

Drafting, Submitting and Examining A Thesis

2. Maximum Word Limits for Each Degree

3. Minimum Word Limits

4. Practice-Based Research Degree Thesis

5. Bar on Access

6.1 - 6.2.15 Thesis Conventions

6.4 - 6.7 Conventions

7 & 8 Thesis Conventions

Study at Cambridge

Related links

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How Long is a PhD Thesis?

PhD. Thesis Word Count

How Many Pages is a PhD Thesis?

How Flexible Are PhD Limits of Length?

How to Structure Your PhD Thesis

Planned Writers

Generative Writers

PhD Writing Tips

1. Clear Exposition is Key

2. Trust in the Process