Your Thesis Pending Year
Congratulations...you're on the home straight!
Your thesis pending year is the time after you finish your supervised research period and usually when your research funding ends.
It's allocated time, usually one year (more if you are part time), for you to write up and complete your thesis.
During this time you will continue to have access to the library and some support from your supervisors.
Below you can see vital information on what to expect and how to complete your intention to submit when you're ready.
Writing Your Thesis
What does it involve?
It involves excellent planning, attention to detail and strong formatting. The time taken to write a thesis is often longer than you first think.
Have a chat with your supervisor and agree on a sensible timetable and plan for writing at an early stage.
This should include sufficient time for corrections of draft chapters by them and for second (and third) rounds of redrafting.
Help with thesis preparation can be found in the PGR Student Handbook.
Formatting Your Thesis
Refer to Appendice 5 - Recommendations for the Presentation of Theses in the PGR Student Handbook.
Here you will find all you need to know about formatting, length, content, printing, etc.
When planning your thesis pending period remember to incorporate time for:
- Checking formatting of your thesis
- Use of ChatGPT and AI Guidance
- Converting your thesis to PDF
- Printing for proof-reading, etc
STEP ONE:
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Intention to Submit
- Your final submission date is your end date on MyCampus when in thesis pending.
- Complete your 'Intention to Submit' online, on TAP, 3-6 months before your end date.
- This begins the process of organising a Committee of Examiners for your viva voce (oral exam).
- If you do not submit this form prior to handing in your thesis it will delay setting up a viva voce date.
- If you want to submit earlier, your thesis will be due 6 months from that date, not your MyCampus end date. If you miss the 6 month deadline you are liable for a late fee, £350 in 2022-23.
- If you are unsure of your end date, email the Graduate School for confirmation.
- If you require your PhD title on MyCampus to be changed prior to graduation, please discuss this with your supervisor and inform the Graduate School. Any changes must be made before we complete your record for award.
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STEP TWO:
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Submitting Your Thesis
- Check your thesis thoroughly before submission.
- Submit your final thesis and Word count form, via email, to the MVLS Graduate School in either word or pdf format.
- The University File Transfer portal can be used if your thesis is too large to send by email: https://transfer.gla.ac.uk/
- PhD/MD - max 80,000 words
- MSc(R), MPhil or MVM - max 50,000 words
- If your thesis submission date is on the weekend, submit it on the first working day after the weekend or bank holiday.
- If converting to pdf format, make sure to reduce the size of your images to reduce the size of the pdf doc.
- Someone else can submit your thesis for you but it is your responsibility to ensure the thesis is submitted by the submission deadline.
- If an external examiner requests a hardcopy, your school will be notified to inform you to provide one.
- Your final submission is the one we will take. You cannot email the Graduate School and say you need to resize images or can you send in another copy later in the day.
- If you do need extra time, this is classed as an extension, for which you need to complete an extension form and get your supervisor and PG convenor to support it.
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STEP THREE:
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The Viva Process
- Copies of your thesis will be sent to the exam committee for review.
- PhD/MD - You will be notified of the date, time and location of your viva by the exam convener or school PG Admin. Not the Graduate School.
- It may be F2F, via Zoom or hybrid. Let the exam convenor know what you are comfortable with.
- MSc(R)/MVM - an oral examination is at the discretion of the examiners.
- After the viva, the exam committee will sign a joint report confirming the outcome of the examination.
- They will provide a list of corrections specifying the requirements and stating the timescale allowed.
- The Graduate School will email you an 'Outcome of Viva' letter with the date your final corrected thesis is due.
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STEP FOUR:
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After Your Viva - Submitting Your Corrected Thesis
- After addressing your corrections, send them back to the exam convenor, no later than two weeks before your final submission date. They will ask one, or both, examiners to confirm that the changes you have made are satisfactory. The convenor will ask one, or both, examiners to confirm that the changes you have made are satisfactory.
- Once the corrections are approved, email us your final corrected thesis and Thesis Access Declaration Form.
- Enlighten: Thesis - Create a record on the library’s website.
- Once we have received your final, approved thesis, we will then write to you formally, recommending to the Senate of the University that you should be awarded your degree.
- Electronic versions of theses under embargo/copyright restriction will not be uploaded to your record but will be securely archived by the library. Electronic receipt of the final version of the approved, final, corrected thesis will be considered sufficient for award of the degree.Library staff will be able to answer any further questions on thesis upload if you have any.
- Email: theses@glasgow.ac.uk
Thesis Access Declaration Form
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STEP FIVE:
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Your Award Letter & Graduation
- On receiving your award letter, you are ready to proceed to graduation.
- Graduation ceremonies are held twice a year, during summer and winter.
- Registration is mandatory for graduation.
- Do not book your graduation until your MyCampus record states you have completed.
- Do not book travel and accommodation until your MyCampus record states you have completed and you have registered for graduation.
- Refer to the Graduation webpage for more detailed information and contact details
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Thesis by Alternative Format:
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PROCESS
According to the PGR Code of Practice:
- If you want to submit your thesis by alternative format, such as a thesis containing one or more journal articles as submitted to a journal or as published, discuss with your supervisor as early as possible during your period of research to check if it is an appropriate route.
- Students in any College may be permitted to submit a thesis in a ‘journal format’ subject to adherence to College and/or School guidance on the use of this format for their discipline. It may not be appropriate to submit a thesis in this format in all disciplines and students and supervisors should take care to explore whether this is an appropriate route for each individual.
- Discuss with your supervisor the structure for your thesis as early as possible in your research period and ensure that you understand the expectations for thesis standards and formats.
- Be aware that while publishing in a peer reviewed journal may be an indicator of the quality of the work for specific journals, this is no guarantee of success in an examination context.
- Notify your local school admin and PG Convenor for approval.
- Once approved the graduate school will process te approval and make a note on your student record.
IMPORTANT - This is NOT a PhD by Published work or a PhD by Publication.
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FORMAT
- The format of the thesis has no bearing on the requirements for originality, criticality, and the student’s own contribution to knowledge in the discipline or requirements for minimum or maximum word counts. Therefore, where students submit a thesis containing work that has been previously published or is in the process of being published, they must address the following within their thesis:
- a justification for considering the body of work presented as a coherent whole or for the contribution of particular pieces of work to this whole;
- an explicit statement as to what their contribution has been where others have been involved in the work or where there are named co-authors. Students are expected to have made the primary contribution to any work presented within a thesis;
- an elaboration, if needed, to address any gaps in a published piece, e.g., to be clear about research design or methods used or present supplementary data;
- confirmation that permission has been obtained from a publisher where this is required, e.g., to ensure that the copyright of the publisher has not been violated;
- provision of clear formatting to ensure that examiners are able to follow the structure and content of the thesis despite the existence of chapters that may be formatted according to a published version.
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FAQS
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Can I do the ‘Intention to Submit’ form at the same time as sending in my thesis?
Yes, this form can be submitted with your thesis. However, this will delay your thesis being sent out for examination as a Committee of Examiners will have to first be appointed.
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Which form do I hand in with my final thesis?
When submitting your final thesis, please include the Thesis Word count form.
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What do I do if my thesis submission date is on the weekend?
The Graduate School will accept the submission of your thesis on the first working day after the weekend or holiday.
However, we recommended that the thesis be submitted earlier if possible.
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How many copies of my thesis do I submit?
Submit one copy of your thesis via email only. You may be asked to provide a physical hardcopy if an external examiner requests one. Arrange this with your school and local PGR administrator.
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What happens after I submit my thesis?
Your thesis will be sent to the exam committee as soon as possible after it has been submitted, provided we have details of who the full exam committee is. If we don't yet have that information, we will send your thesis out when we do.
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What if I cannot submit my thesis by my submission date?
Contact your supervisors or the Graduate School as soon as possible.
If you need extra time to submit your thesis, you may be granted an extension. This will depend on the reason the additional time is required.
If you do not apply for an extension you will be charged a late submission fee and your thesis may not be accepted for examination.
For more detailed information go to our Policies and Procedures page:
Extension to Thesis Submission
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Is a PhD by Published Work the same as a PhD by Alternative Format?
No they are NOT the same so don't get the two confused. A PhD by Published Work or by Publication is a separate application and does not cover a three year research project. A PhD by Alternative Format is open to all students but a PhD by Published Work/Publication is not. Please contact the MVLS Graduate School if you require more info.
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I'm not going to submit on time, can I get an extension?
If you and your supervisor(s) perceive that the original submission date may not be achievable you may apply for an extension no later than 3 months prior to the planned submission date.
An extension to a student’s submission deadline can be granted subject to approval by the Higher Degrees Committee and in compliance with any funder terms and conditions. See the PGR Code of Practice for more detailed information and also our policies and procedures for the process on what you need to do.
Extensions are not normally granted for a period in excess of 12 months and are considered on a case by case basis.
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If I submit late do I get charged a fee?
In normal circumstances, yes, you would be charged a fee if you miss your submission deadline. This happens if you do not contact us to discuss your situation or do not apply for an extension.
You can also be charged a late fee if you do not submit your final corrected thesis after you have completed your viva and have been given corrections to do.
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If I'm in thesis pending, do I still need to register on MyCampus?
Absolutely. If you wish to attend a Graduation ceremony you need to register on MyCampus.
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Will I be charged fees if I'm in thesis pending?
No you do not have thesis pending fees to pay. However, depending on when you go into thesis pending during the academic year, you may still have tuition fees/bench fees to pay for, in that year. Be mindful of this.
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My thesis submission is going to be a couple of days late, do I need an extension?
It is at the Graduate Schools discretion to allow you to hand in a couple of days late. Have a chat with your supervisor first and then contact us to discuss your options, also cc'ing your supervisor.
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