11.1 The supervisors and students should agree a timetable for completion which should include approval of the thesis title, nomination of the examiners, entry for the examination and compliance with other regulations, policies and procedures of the University.
11.2 There should be no unreasonable delay in examining a thesis once it has been submitted to the University; 3 months is a reasonable maximum in most circumstances. However, the viva would not normally be arranged in less than 4 weeks from the date of submission.
11.3 In cases where a thesis is referred for resubmission in revised form, the Postgraduate Research Tutor should be informed of the situation and if appropriate, the student invited to discuss his or her position with the Postgraduate Research Tutor and supervisors.
The supervisors should continue supervision until the thesis is resubmitted. If there are difficulties between supervisor and student, the Postgraduate Research Tutor should arrange alternative supervision arrangements.
11.4 An Independent Chair should be appointed in cases such as those outlined in the Guidance Notes for the appointment of an Independent Chair. The Independent Chair should, where possible be proposed when the examiners are nominated for approval. All internal examiners must attend relevant training to ensure consistency and standardisation of the processes.