1. Candidates reading for a higher degree by research pursue an independent but supervised research in an approved field of advanced study, at the end of which a thesis is submitted for examination.
2. Students who are in the programme of study for more than 2 weeks of a semester are liable for research fees for that semester as long as they have not submitted their thesis in a form ready for examination.
3. Students who submit their thesis before 30 September (for Semester 1) or 31 March (for Semester 2) may pay half a semester’s fee. The date on which the supervisor endorsed the thesis to be in an acceptable form for examination will be taken as the date of submission.
4. Students will be liable for examination fee when they submit their thesis, unless the examination fee is covered under the terms of the research scholarship and the thesis is submitted within the prescribed scholarship period.
5. In addition to being examined on the thesis, a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must pass an oral examination(1) on the subject matter of the thesis and other related subjects. The oral examination is arranged and conducted by the School after thesis examination/re-examination is completed. For all other candidates, an oral examination may be prescribed at the discretion of the Board of Examiners.
6. Masters theses will be examined by 2 examiners(2), while Ph.D. theses will be examined by 3 examiners(2).
(1) Students have to attend oral examination in Singapore. Video conferencing will only be allowed in special circumstances, subject to the permission of the School. For oral examination conducted via video-conferencing, the School will liaise with the student on the details and resources, and all costs are to be borne by the student.
(2) For Masters students, one University examiner and one second examiner (can be either University examiner or external examiner) will examine the theses.
For Ph.D. students, one University examiner and two external examiners will examine the theses.