The following documents are relevant for those who are on any Masters by Research programme, except for the School of Biological Sciences.

• Masters by Research assessment process - Guide for students
• Masters by Research assessment process - Guide for departments

Please note if you are on the MSc Biological Sciences by Research, the submission process is slightly different to that for other Masters by Research. Please see the department-specific version of the Guide for Candidates and Guide for Department below:

• MSc Biological Sciences by Research  - Guide for students
• MSc Biological Sciences by Research - Guide for department

You should submit your entry form at least 2 months before your submission deadline, to allow time for your examiners to be approved, invited and receive confirmation of their acceptance to examine your project.

• Masters by Research entry form - please contact the Doctoral School if you need the resubmission version of the Masters by Research entry form
• Guidance on completing the Masters by Research entry form
• Completion and approval of the Masters by Research entry form

All Masters by Research candidates are required to submit their dissertation within 1 year (full-time) / 2 years (part-time) of their start date. An electronic copy of the dissertation and a declaration of number of words should be be submitted to the Doctoral School. 

• Guidance on the format of the Masters by Research dissertation
• Declaration of authorship
• Declaration of co-authorship

If both examiners have accepted our invitation by the time you submit the dissertation, we will send the electronic copy to them within 3 to 5 working days. Your examiners are expected to examine your work and return their final reports to us within 6 weeks of dispatch. If this is not possible because of their commitments, we will let you know when you can expect to hear the result.

For first submissions, there are 3 possible outcomes:

• Pass
• Pass with corrections within 6 weeks
• Resubmission within 6 months - a viva is required before this outcome can be handed

For resubmissions, there are 3 possible outcomes:

• Pass
• Pass with corrections within 6 weeks
• Fail - a viva is required before this outcome can be handed

If your examiners decide you should complete some corrections before the Masters by Research can be awarded, the Doctoral School will contact you upon receipt of your outcome to inform you. We will confirm your 6-week deadline and the nominated examiner to check your corrections, as well as forwarding your list of amendments.

NB. Please note that if your supervisor was your internal examiner, they won't be in charge of checking your corrections.

By your deadline, please forward your amended dissertation to your nominated examiner with an accompanying document explaining how you have undertaken the corrections (copying in the Doctoral School and your supervisor).

Your examiner is expected to confirm whether you have completed all the necessary corrections to their satisfaction within 2 weeks. If they are unable to do so, we will let you know when to expect to hear their decision.

If your examiners are considering a resubmission as an outcome, then we will contact your supervisor so that they can organise a suitable time for the viva.

NB. the viva will be recorded and an Independent Chair will be present

• Conducting vivas online - guide for candidates
• Conducting vivas online - guide for departments

If following the viva your examiners decide to ask for a resubmission, your outcome will be send to the Director of Postgraduate Education in your School for approval. If they approve, then we will inform you of the outcome officially, confirming your 6-month deadline.

N.B. Please note that the resubmission process has a flat resubmission fee attached of £145 - or £275 if a second viva is required.

Once your examiner confirms their approval of your corrections, the Doctoral School will send your award to the Director of Postgraduate Education in your School. Your award date will be the first of the month following their approval.

Please note Masters by Research dissertations do not need to be submitted to Pure.

Upon receipt of award approval from the Director of Postgraduate Education, we will close your record and send you your award letter and examiners' reports. Your official certificate is processed by the Diploma Production Office and you should receive it within 3 to 6 months after we email you your award letter and reports.

To be eligible to attend the Winter Graduation ceremonies, you should have a 01 November award or earlier. To be eligible to attend the Summer Graduation ceremonies, you should have a 01 June award date or earlier.

Find more information about what happens once you have been awarded here.