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Academic Registry and Council Secretariat

Examination Entry Staff

Nomination of examiners and examination entry

All applications for examination entry and nomination of examiners should be made online through MySIS

The process for examination entry and nomination of examiners is initiated by the student. The student completes part 1 of the online form. In MySIS please click the 'My Details' page on the top menu, and then the 'Progression and Examination' tab. The links to the form and guidance notes are displayed under the 'Examination' heading.

A student and their supervisor should discuss the appropriate timing of examination entry and the nomination of examiners to read the thesis and conduct the viva voce examination before the student completes their part of their form and before submitting the thesis.

There are two examiners. The following two options will be considered by the Research Degree Programmes and Examination Board:

Either Model A

  • one internal examiner from the academic staff of Queen Mary University of London who has not been involved in the candidate’s work and has not been a member of the candidate’s progression panel(s); and
  • one external examiner.

Or Model B

  • Where the criteria above for an internal examiner cannot be met or a school/institute considers it to be academically desirable, two external examiners may be appointed.
  • Examiners should be experts in the field of the thesis but not necessarily in all parts of the precise topic.

If nominating two external examiners, please enter the details of the lead examiner in the section for examiner 1 on the nominations form. Examiner 1 is the lead examiner who takes responsibility for completing the examination outcome form and returning to RDO the form and the examiners’ reports.  

 

Criteria for examiners

Examiners for MPhil, PhD, MD(Res), DrPS, DPsych and DClinDent normally fulfil the following criteria: 

  • The examiners should have examined at least five research degrees of the same or equivalent level between them, of which a minimum of three examinations should have been for a research degree in the UK.  For the MD(Res), at least one examiner should have previous experience of examining for the MD(Res).  

  • Nominated examiners must have had no direct involvement in the candidate’s research and they must not have taken an active role in considering the student’s progression.
  • Nominated examiners must not have any close connections or extensive recent (within the past five years) collaborations with either the supervisor(s) or student including joint publications or research grants which might inhibit a completely objective examination.
  • An external examiner should not normally be appointed more than once during a given academic year by members of the same School/Institute.
  • An examiner who is a member of QMUL staff may be appointed up to three times during a given academic year.
  • NHS Consultants or the equivalent in the NHS who are not QMUL or University employees may be appointed as examiners but they should hold an Honorary Senior Lecturer or above contract with a College or University.  Other professional experts may be appointed as external examiners, but the normal requirements for examining experience across the examination team will apply.
  • Individuals who were previously members of staff, students or other members of Queen Mary University of London must not be appointed as an external examiner until a period of three years has elapsed.
  • Individuals who have retired from academic positions at Queen Mary University of London or another higher education institution may be appointed as internal or external examiners if they remain active in their field of research.
  • Overseas examiners are appointed as external examiners only in exceptional circumstances and where it is considered that such an appointment is necessary.


Candidates should pay particular attention to the declaration. By signing this declaration and entering the examination, you authorise the College to make your thesis publically available on the open-access institutional e-repository, Queen Mary Research Online (QMRO), according to the conditions set out in the declaration. Please refer to the Library’s guidance on publishing e-theses for more details about the inclusion of your thesis in QMRO and the implications of this (for example about how it may affect future publication). You may indicate on the examination entry form that you wish to apply for restriction of access to your thesis for twelve months.

Examination entry and nomination of examiners are considered by the Research Degrees Programmes and Examinations Board. The board meets monthly to consider applications received in the preceding month, according to the schedule in the table below. The Research Degrees Office will inform you and your supervisor of the Board’s decision after the meeting.

Please note: Currently the Board takes place remotely. Please email researchdegrees@qmul.ac.uk or pgrexaminations@qmul.ac.uk with completed forms and requests.

Theses cannot be sent to the examiners until the Board has approved the examiners. Only the Research Degrees Office can send the thesis.

Dates for RDPEB meetings and paperwork deadline

Paperwork to RDO deadline

RDPEB date
(third Wednesday each month)

02 August 2023

16 August 2023

06 September 2023

20 September 2023

04 October 2023

18 October 2023

01 November 2023

15 November 2023

29 November 2023

13 December 2023

03 January 2024

17 January 2024

07 February 2024

21 February 2024

06 March 2024

20 March 2024

03 April 2024

17 April 2024

01 May 2024

15 May 2024

05 June 2024

19 June 2024

03 July 2024

17 July 2024

07 August 2024

21 August 2024

04 September 2024

18 September 2024

 Dates are subject to change. Please check for updates to this information.


If the Board does not approve the examiners, you will be invited to nominate an additional or alternative examiner, or to appoint an independent chair, depending on the Board’s requirements. If the Board asks you to make such a nomination, please nominate an alternative examiner using the MySIS task.

If the Board does approve the examiners, the Research Degrees Office will write to the examiners to formally invite them to act, and will inform you that we have done so. You will be responsible for arranging the viva once the candidate has submitted their thesis to the Research Degrees Office.

Please inform the Research Degrees Officer for your School of the date of the viva, once all parties have agreed on a date.

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