2024 Examinations Policy Changes

The Graduate Research Examinations Policy suite has been revised, effective 18 March 2024.

This includes changes to the existing:

• Graduate Research Examinations Policy
• Graduate Research Examinations Procedure – Appointment of Examiners
• Graduate Research Examinations Procedure – Thesis Requirements, Submission and Retention
• Graduate Research Examinations Policy – Schedule A – Masters by Research Thesis Grading Schema
• Guidelines for Examinable Components of Practice-Based Degrees by Research

And the creation of a new procedure:

• Graduate Research Examinations Procedure – Revise and Resubmit

The updated policy and procedures will be available in the policy library from 18 March 2024.

What is changing?

The major changes to the Examinations Policy and procedures are summarised below:

Graduate Research Examinations Policy

• We have provided more guidance about what constitutes typographical corrections, minor amendments, and major amendments in an examined thesis and how these differ from the level of revision required for a deferred thesis (see Clause 39, Recommendations Table).
• The examination outcomes of pass with major amendments and pass with minor amendments have been combined into one category of pass with amendments, with the School Director of Graduate Research (DGR) stipulating the amount of time provided to make the amendments. Examiners can still distinguish between minor or major amendments in their individual reports to help inform the DGR’s recommendation (see Clauses 47 and 48).
• An Examination Panel has replaced both the Advisory Panel and Examination Sub-Committee (see Part I). The Panel is chaired by the relevant DGR (or nominee) and includes all examiners.

An Examination Panel may be formed in the following circumstances:

• Where an examination is deferred:
  • to endorse the Revision Plan, and
  • to provide an independent, joint recommendation to the Chair of the Board of Graduate Research after the examiners have re-examined the revised thesis.
• To make a joint recommendation on the examination classification where three examiners have independently provided differing recommendations.
• To make a joint recommendation on the grade for a Masters by research, where individual grades differ by more than ten, and the DGR has sought to form an Examination Panel rather than make the recommendation directly.
• In the exceptional circumstance where the Examination Panel cannot provide a joint recommendation, the Chair of the Board of Graduate Research may make the final decision, or refer the matter to the full Board for consideration (see Clause 51).

Graduate Research Examinations Procedure – Appointment of Examiners

• Candidates and supervisors will be informed of the identity of the nominated examiners at the start of the examination process (see Clauses 27 and 35).  This will:
  • Provide candidates with an opportunity to raise any concerns regarding the nomination of their examiners prior to the examination.
  • Help candidates and supervisors avoid any accidental communication with their examiners relating to the examination of the thesis.
  • Help manage potential conflicts of interest between a candidate and their examiner.
• Examinations will continue to be conducted in confidence, with no unauthorised communication between the candidate and supervisors and the approved examiners, or between the examiners, during the examination process (see Clauses 36 and 37).

Graduate Research Examinations Procedure – Thesis Requirements, Submission and Retention

• We have added guidance around the editorial use and acknowledgement of digital assistance tools used in the research of preparing the thesis, such as large language models like ChatGPT (see Part E).

Graduate Research Examinations Procedure – Revise and Resubmit

• The revise and resubmit procedure has been removed from the main policy and procedure, and relocated into a separate procedure to improve flow and usability.
• The Examination Panel may now also recommend a ‘pass with amendments’ for a re-examined thesis (see Clause 32).

Graduate Research Examinations Policy – Schedule A – Masters by Research Thesis Grading Schema

• The description and grade range for a fail for a Masters by research has been added to the grading schema.

Guidelines for Examinable Components of Practice-Based Degrees by Research

• We have included a new section for practice-based degrees in the discipline of History.

How will the changes affect me?

Whether the changes impact you will depend on when you started your degree and when you submit your Notification of Intention to Submit (NOI) form.

• If you submit (or have submitted) your NOI before 18 March 2024, your examination will be conducted under the previous version of the policy suite.
• If you submit your NOI on or after 18 March 2024, the revised policy and procedures will apply to your examination unless you choose to opt out. The opt out provision is available to candidates who commenced before the new policy came into effect. We will write to you with details of how to opt out once we receive your NOI. If you chose to opt out, your examination will be conducted under the previous version of the policy suite.

Where can I get help?

If you have any questions about the policy changes, you can get in touch with us via exams.grs@latrobe.edu.au or drop into one of our online Zoom sessions which run every Monday to Thursday between 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, and 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.