The Role of Internal and External Examiners

Supervisors: Considerations when appointing examiners

University regulations state that Examiners for research degrees will be appointed by the Standing Committee on Assessment (SCA), after approval by the Biology Graduate School Board (BGSB). However, it is the student’s supervisor who can select the best examiners with the appropriate background, knowledge and expertise. Below are some guidelines to help you choose internal and external examiners that will be approved by BGSB and then by SCA. 

PhD

Internal examiner

The role of the internal examiner is to determine whether the results presented in the candidate’s Thesis meet the academic standard required. The internal examiner will also play a role to ensure fairness and balance during the viva voce. The internal examiner should act as chair during the viva and shall ensure that it is conducted in accordance with University regulations. It is the job of the internal examiner (NOT the candidate’s supervisor) to organise the viva, and make arrangements for, and communicate with, the external examiner after he/she is appointed.

An internal examiner must be a member of the University’s academic staff other than the candidate’s supervisor(s). A member of the candidate’s TAP may be appointed as an internal examiner, and is often the best choice. However, a TAP member who has served a quasi-supervisory role to the student concerned or has advised on the final drafting of the student’s thesis will not be appointed. An internal examiner should not have had substantial co-authoring or collaborative involvement in the candidate’s work.

The BGSB suggests that the internal examiner be selected from our staff that are members of the Biology Board of Studies and have experience supervising and examining PhD students. The appointment of a member of the TF staff as an internal examiner will be acceptable only in some circumstances, when a case can be made that their expertise is required.

External examiner

An external examiner should be a member of the academic staff of another higher education institution in the United Kingdom, or be of comparable academic standing. External examiners should have appropriate levels of expertise and experience supervising and examining PhD students.

The external examiner is also meant to have the “capacity to command authority and the respect of their colleagues in their particular field”; therefore, a CV should be attached and some notes included making a case that the proposed examiner is an expert in the field with right qualifications to thoroughly examine the thesis.

The external examiner should be independent, and therefore not be a collaborator on the work published or otherwise, that is under examination as part of the PhD thesis. The external should not be a collaborator or associate of the candidate’s supervisor. The supervisor and the external should not have co-authored recent publications. In addition, we will not appoint an examiner from a department/school/faculty where the candidate’s supervisor has recently served as an external examiner.

MSc by research

The Thesis produced by a candidate for a masters by research is examined by an internal and external examiner, appointed using the same criteria described for PhD examiners. There is no viva voce, unless specifically requested by one of the examiners.

Appointment of Examiners

Appointment of examiners

• Information for Examiners
• University Policy on Research Degrees

Two External Examiners may be required when:
Any candidate for a research degree award who, at any time, during the five years prior to the date on which s/he submits his/her thesis for examination, has been an Academic/Research/Teaching (ART) member of staff (at grade 7 or above) of the University shall normally be examined by at least two, and not more than three, examiners, two of whom shall be external examiners (see 12.7). 

In these circumstances, an internal chair should be provided, who should be a member of academic staff in the relevant discipline (but not necessarily an expert on the subject of the thesis) other than the supervisor. The role of the chair is to oversee the process, and to confirm that the oral examination is conducted according to the University’s policies and regulations (see 12.8).

Examination Process

Examination process

Information for Research Students and Examiners

• Submission and examination process
• Assessment and examination  
• The University's policy on the audio-recording of oral examinations
• Policy on research degrees
• Information and examiners' report forms
• The University's guidelines on examiners' expenses and accommodation and the external examiner expenses form

Viva recording

The University's policy on the audio-recording of oral examinations (see 12.29)

Internal examiners will be contacted by BGSO regarding the viva date in order that equipment can be pre-ordered from the Audio Visual Department.

Internal examiners are reminded that, following the viva, memory cards should be treated as 'examination scripts' and brought over in person to the Biology Graduate School Office. Please do not send them via the internal mail.

Memory cards for use in MPhil/PhD examinations will be sent to the Biology Graduate School Office from the Examinations Office at the time the thesis is sent out for examination.