Guidance to Examiners and Chairs

The Oral examination (or viva) panel

For each student a panel for the oral examination is appointed by Research Degrees Committee (RDC). 

The panel will comprise of two examiners and an Independent Chair.

For most students, there is one external examiner and one internal examiner and the Chair is also an internal member of staff.

For students who are also members of staff, there will be two external examiners and an internal member of staff acting as the Independent Chair.

 Appointment

After approval by RDC, you should receive a letter confirming your appointment as examiner for the student.

 When the thesis arrives

Once the student submits, you will be posted the thesis by registered delivery.

The package will contain the thesis, a letter to you, copies of the letters to the other panel members and the cover sheets.

 What you need to do 

Examiners - please see your One pager for Examiners

Independent Chairs - please see your One pager for Independent Chairs

You will be asked to complete the Part 1 or Independent report and cover sheet with your initial recommendation* ahead of the viva date and send it to Harriet Wallis. Signed forms can be scanned and emailed to Harriet to ease the process. Wherever possible, we ask for Part 1 reports to be submitted no later than one week before the scheduled date of the student's viva.

Harriet will exchange the reports between the examiners.

The viva will take place.

You should then complete your Part II or Joint report and cover sheet bearing your final recommendation* and send to Harriet Wallis

* The Recommendation system at Keele ranges from 1-7 and is described in detail in Annex A2 of our Code of Practice on Postgraduate Research Degrees.  It is also abridged on the one pagers cited above.

 What happens to my reports?

Once both the Part I and Part II reports are available, they are considered by RDC.

An outcome letter and copies of your reports are sent to the student, supervisor, RI and yourself.

RDC will make a recommendation to Senate about the award of the degree.

 External examiners only - your fee and expenses

Your expense claim is sent to you along with the thesis as it is centrally generated and linked to the student.

If you need a reprint, please contact Harriet Wallis in the first instance.

Your fee and expenses will be processed after the consideration of the full set of reports at RDC.