S.L. 327.695 Art. 53

(1) Following the submission of the preliminary individual reports, students shall be required to defend their thesis and practice (as applicable) orally and in person before all the members of the Board of Examiners. The oral defence, which shall be held in English, except for a thesis written in another modern language, which may be held in that particular language, shall cover the subject of the thesis and practice (as applicable) and matters relevant thereto, and shall enable the examiners to:

(a) question the student on the substance and method of the work submitted, as well as the significant contribution to knowledge in the particular field of study;

(b) assess the ability of the student to present and defend intellectual arguments;

(c) assess the student’s knowledge and understanding of the discipline and of the relevant literature; and

(d) verify that the work submitted is the student’s own and assess the extent of any collaboration.

(2) In the case of Ph.D. by Practice as Research, the submission of both practical and written components shall be the subject of the oral examination.

(3) Students shall be informed of the date of the oral examination at least three weeks before the scheduled date.

(4) The oral examination shall take place at the University, except when a particular Ph.D. Degree programme is governed by a collaborative agreement, in which case the location shall be specified in the agreement. In exceptional circumstances, the Doctoral Academic Committee may approve that an oral examination is held with one of the examiners participating remotely.

(5) If the Board of Examiners discerns serious dissonance between the quality of the work and the performance of the student during the oral examination, it shall endeavour to establish whether the work is truly the student’s own. If the Board of Examiners is of the opinion that a breach of the University Assessment Regulations may have occurred, it shall submit a report in writing to the University Assessment Disciplinary Board. When the University Assessment Disciplinary Board informs the Board of Examiners of its decision, it shall proceed with the examination process subject to any disciplinary penalties as may be imposed, unless the University Assessment Disciplinary Board finds that the student is in breach of the regulations and recommends that the degree be not awarded.