phd appeal

phd tracker

Hi, I am in the process of appealing a failed phd in an Irish university. It is difficult to obtain information about the process and I would love to hear from somebody who has gone through it.

Climate Expert

phd tracker wrote: »

Hi, I am in the process of appealing a failed phd in an Irish university. It is difficult to obtain information about the process and I would love to hear from somebody who has gone through it.

Ouch. I'm worried the same thing might happen me in a few months. If you don't get it is that it? 4 years down the drain?

Red Alert

Do you mean failed as in you submitted and did your viva or finished four years and had your registration terminated? Just curious.

Dr Strange

Climate Expert wrote: »

Ouch. I'm worried the same thing might happen me in a few months. If you don't get it is that it? 4 years down the drain?

Roughly, there are five possibilities after the viva:

1) Award PhD without changes
2) Award PhD subject to minor changes
3) Major changes and resubmission for viva
4) Not enough for doctorate, award of Masters recommended instead
5) Award of PhD not recommended and no resubmission recommended

The last one is extremely rare. I have only heard of people failing without any chance of resubmission because they didn't listen to their supervisor(s) etc. I do not think that once your supervisor(s), advisor(s), and the PhD director are happy with your thesis (you need at least your supervisors approval/signature to go ahead and submit it for the viva, although exceptions are possible) that it is going to be a total fail. That's what they are there for in the end, to make sure that the work is worthy of a doctorate and are happy with it before submitting it to an external examiner.

blucey

Preusse wrote: »

Roughly, there are five possibilities after the viva:

1) Award PhD without changes
2) Award PhD subject to minor changes
3) Major changes and resubmission for viva
4) Not enough for doctorate, award of Masters recommended instead
5) Award of PhD not recommended and no resubmission recommended

The last one is extremely rare. I have only heard of people failing without any chance of resubmission because they didn't listen to their supervisor(s) etc. I do not think that once your supervisor(s), advisor(s), and the PhD director are happy with your thesis (you need at least your supervisors approval/signature to go ahead and submit it for the viva, although exceptions are possible) that it is going to be a total fail. That's what they are there for in the end, to make sure that the work is worthy of a doctorate and are happy with it before submitting it to an external examiner.

Mostly true. However, the responsibility of submission lies with the student, as you note.

Dr Strange

blucey wrote: »

Mostly true. However, the responsibility of submission lies with the student, as you note.

Yes, of course. I just meant that it would be in the best interest of the supervisors to only sign off on submissions they have read and considered ready to go for external examination.

H2G2

Sorry to hear about that. I can only imaging how difficult it is.
Bottom line is all Universities have different procedures, so you need to talk to someone in your university who knows the rules. But in most cases you appeal directly to academic council / senate / governing body, or whatever the higher power in your institution is called.

To give better advice, you should tell us a bit more, ie. which one of the 5 options Preusse outlined applies to you.
In my Department there has been 3 fails in the last 2 years and all have been allowed one resubmission – and 1 candidate was allowed 2 resubmissions. The final outcome was award MSc. in those cases. However, Preusse’s option (5) Award of PhD not recommended and no resubmission recommended is something I have never heard of happening. But I would be amazed if there wasn’t an appeals procedure for dealing with it. If your case is (3) Major changes and resubmission for viva then I would doubt an appeal would even be listened to.

phd tracker

Hi, Thanks everybody for the advice. I have been awarded a Msc but am not happy with that - as it was four years hard work etc.. I am investigating an appeal but the rules are vague and make for difficult reading. I would really like to hear from somebody who has actually gone through the appeals process even if it was not successful.
Thanks.