Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme

PhD Thesis Examination

To be considered for the award of the PhD degree

How it Works


  1. Seek Approval

    Seek approval from your supervisor(s) and TAC members during a formal TAC meeting

  2. Submission

    Submit your thesis by/before the maximum period of candidature OR a date stipulated by your supervisors, or the University (whichever date is earlier)

  3. Follow the general guidelines

    Refer to the section below

Guidelines

Candidates must follow the general guidelines:

  • Thesis preparation
  • Plagiarism check/copyright matters
  • Nomination of thesis examiners
  • First submission of thesis for examination
  • Oral examination/thesis defence

Candidates should refer to:

And, they should download the NUS Thesis and Submission Guidelines.

FAQs

Thesis Submission Deadline & Fee(s)

When do I need to submit my thesis?

Please submit your thesis by the end of Instructional Week 2 of the Academic Calendar or by the maximum period of your candidature, whichever is earlier.

I cannot submit my thesis by the deadline, can I request for an extension?

You can request for a two week grace period if you are unable to submit your thesis by the maximum period of your candidature. Simply drop ISEP an email, together with your supervisor’s email approval, to request for this extension.

Please note that this grace period is not applicable to students who have been granted prior candidature extension(s) nor students who are submitting their revised/final approved thesis.

I am unable to submit my thesis by the grace period. Can I request for more time?

If you are unable to submit your thesis by the grace period, please submit the Extension of Candidature Form before the expiry date of your candidature. Any late request would be considered as a reinstatement of candidature and an administrative fee of S$250 will be imposed for all successful reinstatement.

When do I need to submit my thesis to avoid paying fees?

Please submit your thesis by the end of Instructional Week 2 of the Academic Calendar to avoid paying tuition fees for the semester.

I am not able to submit by the end of Instructional Week 2. How much tuition fees do I need to pay?

Please refer to the following URL for the tuition fees payable: http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/docs/info/graduate/GDFeesAnnex.pdf. The tuition fees payable will depend on the thesis submission date (i.e. the date on which the main supervisor endorses the Thesis Submission online.)

Nomination of Examiners

When does my thesis advisor need to submit his nomination?

Your thesis advisor has to submit his nomination online, via EduRec, about one month before the thesis is expected to be submitted.

How many examiners does my thesis advisor need to propose?

Your thesis advisor has to propose 2 internal examiners. Thesis Advisors who wish to nominate an external examiner (due to valid reasons e.g. no suitable internal examiner with relevant expertise to review the PhD thesis) will need to have strong justification and seek support from both ISEP Programme Director, and from the Dean of NUS Graduate School.

What are the criteria of the examiners?

Internal Examiners refer to NUS staff (include adjunct staff, visiting professors, etc.), and examiners who comes from the same institution in which the candidate is performing all or a substantial part of his/her research work, if different from NUS. Members of the Thesis Advisory Committee (except the supervisor & chairperson) can serve as an examiner.

 

Proposed external examiners can be from local institutions / organisations outside NUS, e.g. local universities, national-level research institutes, hospital, etc, and at least Associate Professor level, or equivalent.

Thesis Examination

I am submitting my thesis soon. What documents do I need to submit?

Candidates have to log in to myEduRec (navigate to Academics > Graduate Research > Submit Thesis) once the thesis is ready for submission:

  • Complete the online Thesis Submission Form.
  • Upload a softcopy (PDF format) of the thesis
  • Prepare a printed soft-bound copy of the thesis and submit to ISEP if requested by the administrator

The guide for the online submission is available at https://myportal.nus.edu.sg/studentportal/eservices/all/myedurec.html under “Graduate Research”.

How long are the examiners given to review my thesis?

Examiners are given about seven weeks, from the receipt date of the thesis, to examine the thesis and submit their evaluation report.

When will my Oral Examination be held?

Typically, the Oral Examination would be held around 3 – 4 months, from the date you have submitted your thesis. Please note that the Oral Examination date is subjected to the availability of your examiners.

I may be overseas during the Oral Examination period. Can I attend the Oral Examination via Video Conference?

No, all candidates are to be physically present for their Oral Examination. If you foresee that you will be overseas during your Oral Examination period, please inform ISEP so that we can avoid scheduling the Oral Examination during that period.

Who are the examiners who will attend the Oral Examination?

The Oral Examination Panel will be chaired by the Chair of the candidate’s Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). Along with him/her will be the internal examiners who would form the examination panel. External examiner(s) may be present but this is not mandatory.

In some cases, ISEP will nominate additional ISEP thesis advisors to participate in the examination.

Do I need to bring any documents for the Oral Examination?

Please bring a copy of your thesis for your Oral Examination.

General Questions

I have uploaded my final thesis. When can I get my conferment letter?

The examiners’ recommendations will be submitted to the Board of Graduate Studies for the award of the degree. Subject to the Board’s approval, the degree will be conferred on you about one to two months after the thesis has been uploaded.