Guidelines for oral examinations

At the point that each supervisory committee member has read the thesis/dissertation and agreed that it is examinable:

• The student and the committee will decide on a date for the oral that is convenient for everyone. This date must be far enough in advance to allow time to submit the request for oral examination form to the dean's office at least 20 working days (for master's) or 30 working days (for PhD) before the examination. If there are extenuating circumstances that may result in not being able to meet the requirement, prior written permission will be required from the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.
• The supervisor or a committee member must recommend an appropriate external examiner to the dean. They must also confirm the examiner's availability to attend the oral examination on the specified date and time.
• Booking a suitable room for the examination is the academic unit's responsibility.

Request for oral examination forms

• The request for oral examination form must be completed and signed by each member of the supervisory committee. Committee members who are away may fax a signature or send an email stating they agree the thesis/dissertation is examinable and that they are available on the specified date and time. The form must include the name, address, telephone number and email address for the proposed external examiner.

• PhD orals: the request for oral examination form must be accompanied by one PDF copy of the dissertation burned to a CD, an updated C.V. from the external examiner for approval by the dean as well as a copy of the Confirmation of Arms Length Status Form.  Two Arms Length Status Forms must be submitted if the student has two co-supervisors.  Graduate Studies will email one copy of the dissertation to the external examiner as well as to the chair when one has been found. Graduate Studies does not cover any expenses incurred for sending thesis/dissertations to out-of-town external examiners or committee members.

  • At the time that the dissertation is deposited in the dean's office, PhD candidates must sign a PhD declaration form. If the candidate is out of town, it is expected that they come and sign the form sometime before the date of the oral examination.

• Master's orals: the request for oral examination form must be accompanied by one PDF copy of the thesis burned to CD.  Graduate Studies will send this copy to the chair of the examination when one is located. It is the responsibility of the student/department to deliver a copy of the thesis to the external examiner as soon as possible once the date of the examination has been confirmed. Graduate Studies does not cover any expenses incurred for sending thesis/dissertations to out-of-town external examiners or committee members.

Expenses associated with oral examinations

In the case of master's oral examinations, the Faculty of Graduate Studies does not cover any expenses incurred in relation to the examination.  Normally the committee members and external examiner are located on campus and no travel or postage expenses are necessary.

In the case of PhD oral examinations, the following alternatives are available to departments/schools:

1. Audio conferencing - only for PhD oral exams with the external examiner at a distant site. Graduate Studies will cover the cost of the telephone call for conducting the oral examination.
2. Interactive video conference - only for PhD oral exams (held in Social Sciences and Mathematics Building) with the external examiner at a distant site. Graduate Studies will cover the cost of conducting an examination this way.
3. A limit of $100 for travel expenses for an external examiner from Vancouver or Seattle.
4. A limit of $250 toward the travel expenses of an external examiner arriving from a distant location, whose physical presence is deemed absolutely essential. Please refer to the External Examiner Expense Form.
5. The couriering/mailing of any additional forms or copies of the dissertation to the external examiner or committee members, will not be covered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Examination announcement

• For master's orals, a formal announcement of the examination will be produced in the office of the Dean of Graduate Studies.  The oral announcement will be posted on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.
• For PhD orals, an oral examination announcement booklet must be prepared in the student's department and submitted to the office of the Dean of Graduate Studies ten working days before the examination date. The oral announcement will be posted on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

Guidelines for External Examiners and Chairs 

Masters

• Chair's Thesis Guidelines
• External's Thesis Guidelines
• Chair's Non Thesis Guidelines

PhD

• External's Guidelines
• Chair's Guidelines