Revising an MPhil thesis and re-examination

If, after examining your thesis and conducting the oral, the Examiners cannot recommend that you pass (even if you were to correct your work), they will in most cases recommend that you should be allowed to revise and resubmit your work for a second examination.

Should the Degree Committee agree that you should revise and resubmit your work you will be allowed up to 10 weeks from the date of the Degree Committee's email confirming that decision. The Degree Committee will provide you with the revision advice supplied by the Examiners, and will give you a deadline for letting them now whether or not you wish to do this. If you do not chose to revise your thesis you will not receive a degree.

 

Submitting a revised thesis

It is important to recognise that being permitted to revise your thesis for re-examination is not the same as making corrections.

We ask that you follow the same procedures as when preparing for the original submission (i.e. give us advance Notice of your intention to submit, make any voluntary disability disclosure, and submit two bound copies of your revised thesis and a new certificate of submission to the Degree Committee Office, not directly to your Examiners).

If you have not submitted within the time allowed you will be withdrawn from study. Reinstatement will be considered when you are ready to submit.

 

Examination

The Degree Committee will normally appoint the same Examiners to examine the revised thesis. If you have good reason to object to the reappointment of the examiners, you should tell your supervisor before you resubmit the thesis and you should also inform the Degree Committee office at the point of submitting your Notice of intention to submit form. Bear in mind that if the same Examiners are appointed, they are best placed to judge whether or not you have made the revisions at the level required for the MPhil. If new Examiners are appointed, they will know that the work is revised and they will be aware of what you have been asked to do to bring it up to MPhil level.

If you have the same examiners and they both agree that your revised work is of MPhil standard, they can waive a second oral. However, if they differ in their opinions or are not sure whether you have met the requirements for the degree, they will hold a second oral. If either of the examiners is new (i.e. did not examine the original thesis), an oral must always be held. An Independent Chair will also be appointed to be present at an oral exam.

 

Results

Your Examiners send their reports and your candidature will be considered at the next available meeting of the Degree Committee.

The Degree Committee is the awarding body for the MPhil Degree and immediately after the meeting the result will be entered in CamSIS. You will be sent an email informing you of the result and advising you on the next steps for graduation, or in the case of failure, what to do if you think the result unfair. Your Examiners' reports will be attached to the email. The possible examination outcomes are:

  • pass;
  • or pass subject to corrections;
  • or fail. A maximum of two attempts are allowed for the MPhil examination. If the MPhil cannot be recommended following revision and resubmission, the candidate will not be awarded the degree.

 

Student Status

If you are required to revise and resubmit your thesis you are expected to be studying full-time in Cambridge from the date you are notified of your result unless you have applied for and been granted permission to work away. If you have already taken up employment you should temporarily withdraw from the University while you work on your revisions as it is not possible to be a student and be working at this stage.