Guidance for research degree examiners

Overview of the examiners' role in research degree exams.

This guidance is underpinned by the assessment area of the regulations and code of practice for research degrees.

Reports used in the exam process

Summary of the examination process

This webpage provides an overview of the PGR exam process for examiners. There is more detailed guidance provided in the links at the end of this page.

1. Arranging the oral exam

The internal examiner (or the independent chair if there is no internal examiner) makes the practical arrangements for the oral exam. They decide on the time and date of the oral exam in discussion with the external examiner/s and with the student.

If the student is on sick leave or on short-term exceptional leave (eg they have an emergency domestic situation or an emergency caring responsibility) at the planned time, the oral exam must be postponed.

2. Costs

The relevant school covers appropriate costs for the oral exam, including the fee and appropriate expenses for external examiners. 

The external examiner fee is

  • £180 for a doctoral exam
  • £130 for a research master’s exam

External examiners must send completed fee and expenses forms to the relevant administrator in the student’s school. The Academic Quality and Policy Office is not involved in paying fees and expenses.

3. The preliminary reports

After reading the dissertation, examiners complete individual preliminary reports and exchange them before they meet to prepare for the oral exam.

Examiners use the preliminary reports as the basis for formulating the questions they want to ask the student.

Examiners agree on an appropriate time to exchange their preliminary reports, which must be before they meet to plan for the oral exam.

If there is an independent chair, the examiners also send the chair their preliminary reports before they meet. The independent chair must oversee the discussions between examiners at the planning meeting.  

4. Oral exam (viva)

Oral exams are usually held in person but can be held partly or fully online if needed. The student and the examiners must agree how the oral exam will be held. 

An independent chair, if appointed, oversees the oral exam.

University of Bristol staff can find out more about video conferencing platforms in guidance from IT Services.

5. Sending guidance on corrections or for a resubmission to the student

As soon as possible after the oral exam has finished, the internal examiner (or independent chair if there is no internal examiner) sends the examiners’ combined guidance on any required corrections or for a resubmission directly to the student. This allows the student to make a start on making those corrections or preparing for the resubmission.

6. The joint final report

After the oral exam, the examiners complete a joint final report. The report must include a recommendation and a rationale that comments on both the dissertation and on the student’s performance in the oral exam.

If there are corrections or a resubmission required from the student, the examiners must copy and paste the combined guidance they sent to the student into the joint final report.

7. Submitting reports

The internal examiner (or independent chair if there is no internal examiner) sends the joint final report, the preliminary reports, and the independent chair report (if appointed) to the School PGR Director (in most schools this is via the School PGR team).

The School PGR Director reviews the reports, signs the declaration on the joint report, and sends all reports to the Academic Quality and Policy Office to arrive no later than two weeks after the oral exam.

8. The exam board

The Academic Quality and Policy Office processes examiners’ reports for the Research Degrees Examination Board, which meets six times a year.

The exam board reviews examiners’ reports and decides whether to approve the examiners’ recommendation.

Following the Board’s decision, the student is informed of the outcome.

9. Award and corrections

If the award is approved, the student receives an award letter and is eligible to attend graduation. Please direct students to the current graduation information; examiners must not try to provide any graduation details to students themselves.

If the award is approved with outstanding minor errors, the internal examiner (or independent chair or another academic if there is no internal examiner) approves the corrections.

For errors of substance outcomes, all examiners must review and approve the revised dissertation.

For a resubmission outcome, all examiners must conduct a re-examination for the revised dissertation.

Further guidance for examiners

Please use the links below to see more detailed guidance on each stage of the process.

Preparations – covering the examining panel, arranging the oral exam, and the initial assessment of the dissertation.

Oral exam – covering what examiners need to do before, during and after the oral exam, and guidance from examiners for any corrections or for a resubmission.

Recommendations and reports – covering examiners’ recommendation, the joint final report, and submitting reports.

Approval of results – covering the Research Degrees Examination Board and results.

Corrections and resubmissions – covering what happens if the student is require to correct minor errors or errors of substance, or has to resubmit.

Examiners can comment on any aspect of the research degree examination process in confidence to the Research Degrees Examination Board (via pgr-exams@bristol.ac.uk).