Guidelines for oral exams with the candidate at a distant location
The Dean of Graduate Studies may approve an oral examination when the candidate is at a distance. In recommending such a procedure, the department or graduate program must take full responsibility for the quality of the examination and for all costs.
Candidates may complete oral examinations remotely. In recommending such a procedure, the department or graduate program must take full responsibility for the quality of the examination.
When the candidate is attending remotely:
- The Notice of Thesis Oral Examination (NOE) form must be completed accordingly:
- Check ‘Yes’ for “Will there be at least one person attending the exam remotely?”
- Provide emergency contact info for the student. This information must be provided on the NOE in order for it to be approved, and shared with the Neutral Chair prior to the examination.
- The candidate must be alone in the space in which they are completing their examination. This is also required for any examiners attending remotely.
- The program must make arrangements for the remote delivery of the exam (i.e., setting up the Zoom).
- In the event of technical disruption, the examination may be interrupted for up to 30 minutes. If connections cannot be re-established within that time, the examination will be suspended and reconstituted when appropriate connections are established. The Neutral Chair must immediately notify Faculty of Graduate Studies regarding the disruption. The candidate and all committee members (or persons involved) should be advised of this policy at the start of the examination.
Otherwise, typical exam regulations apply:
- For doctoral thesis examinations, Faculty of Graduate Studies’ approval for the external examiner must be requested 6 weeks before the proposed examination date.
- Any documents used during the examination must be in the possession of the Neutral Chair of the examining committee before the examination is held.
- The post-examination deliberations of the Examination Committee are confidential. The student may not be involved in any of these discussions.
- The Neutral Chair will notify the candidate when the deliberations are complete.
- Upon conclusion, the Neutral Chair will provide a written report on the conduct of the examination with respect to compliance with Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations and note any unusual occurrences.