Request your exam

Submitting your request for oral examination
Each student must submit the final draft of their thesis/dissertation for review by their supervisory committee. Please contact your supervisor, graduate adviser or graduate secretary for the departmental deadlines. They'll specify the time required by your supervisory committee to review your thesis/dissertation before the submission of your request for oral examination.

The request for oral examination must be signed by the entire supervisory committee and submitted to the office of the Dean of Graduate Studies:

• at least 30 working days before the set date of the oral exam for doctoral degrees
• at least 20 working days before the set date of the oral exam for master's theses
• at least 10 working days before the exam date for non-thesis master’s degrees

Filling out the request form implies that the thesis/dissertation meets the standards for examination and the supervisory committee is satisfied that extensive re-writing will not be required.

Grades

The department/school must submit grades to Graduate Admissions and Records on official grade sheets before the announcement of the oral examination.

Oral exam dates

Holding your oral examination

It is recommended that oral examinations be held as early as possible.

• For doctoral dissertations: No later than Monday, July 8, 2013
• For master's thesis degrees: No later than Monday, July 22, 2013
• For master's non-thesis degrees: No later than Monday, July 29, 2013

Letter of recommendation

The letter of recommendation for degree is prepared by the academic unit, usually in advance of the oral examination, to be available to be signed by the examining committee upon satisfactory completion of the examination.

The only required signatures are those of the chair of the supervisory committee and the chair of the student's department. Other signatures may be added at the discretion of the academic unit.

All signatures must be original (i.e., not one person signing for another). The letter of recommendation for degree can be submitted to the Graduate Admissions and Records Office after you have passed your oral examination and your thesis/dissertation is in its final form.

Your final copy

Submission of the final copy of your thesis or dissertation

Be sure to bring the thesis/dissertation approval form to the oral examination. Original signatures of all committee members are required on this form.

You must submit the thesis/dissertation in its final form to the Graduate Admissions and Records Office in person. There are still some official steps at this point which require a legal signature. If there are any problems, they can only be resolved if you are present. Missing signatures will result in the cancellation of the application to graduate.

If circumstances make in-person submission impossible, arrangements must be made with the Graduate Admissions and Records Office before you leave campus. If you are leaving campus immediately following your oral examination, you are strongly advised to complete your degree requirements well in advance of the published deadlines.

Fees

Graduation application fees

Your application to graduate fee is $40 if your application is submitted before the deadline, and $50 is your application is late.

In addition to this standard fee, there are associated costs for archiving and microfilming. The application for graduation contains all details and can tell you if these fees apply to you.

Fee installments

The University of Victoria requires graduate students to make a minimum number of fee installments during their time at UVic.

You should check your fee status at the Graduate Admissions and Records Office well before the degree completion deadline. Do not ask the accounting office as they will only have the balance required for the current term’s registration.

Students with outstanding accounts may attend convocation, but do not receive a diploma. Any fees owing to the university must be paid by August 31, 2013.

Co-op students

Co-op students who are enrolled in a work term during the Summer Session (May–August) who wish to convocate in the Fall Convocation must make arrangements with their department for their work term report to be submitted and graded by the final business day in August.