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PhD examination entry: procedures for entering your thesis for assessment

To get your PhD thesis assessed, you will need to follow this procedure:

1. Upgrading to a PhD: The Registry must be informed that your MPhil has been upgraded to a PhD (normally your supervisor will do this via the School administrator).
2. Application pack: You should contact the Examinations Office to get an application pack, consisting of the following:
   1. Entry form for PhD
   2. Declaration of number of words form
   3. Reproduction of theses form
   4. Description of thesis form
   5. Abstract of thesis form
   6. Address labels
   7. Appointment of Examiners' form (For completion by supervisor)
   8. Birkbeck College BKC6 Form
   9. Regulations for the degrees of MPhil and PhD
3. Initial submission of forms: You should submit the completed and signed forms (which should be checked and countersigned by your supervisor) to the Examinations Office, not more than six months before the end of your prescribed course and at least four months before you submit your thesis. The thesis must be submitted within 18 months of your submission of these forms. If you miss this deadline, the examination entry will be cancelled, and you will have to complete and submit a new set of forms.
4. Nomination of examiners: You may leave the nomination of examiners' form with your supervisor to complete and send to Registry. Senate House will approve the examiners and inform your supervisor.
5. Submission of the application pack: Registry staff will check to see that all parts of the application pack have been received, complete and correct. When they are satisfied that the pack is complete, they will lodge it with the Research Degrees Office at Senate House. This will alert them that your thesis is to be submitted.
6. Submitting your thesis: When you are ready to submit your thesis, you must submit it with a completed declaration of words form to the Research Degrees Office at Senate House. Please do not send your thesis to the examiners.
7. Arranging the oral examination: Once you have submitted the thesis, your oral examination (viva voce) will be arranged by your supervisor in conjunction with the Research Degrees Office at Senate House. The supervisor must wait for the examiners to be approved before setting a date for your viva. Senate House can declare a viva void if it takes place before the examiners have been approved.
8. The examiners' decision: Once your viva has taken place you will be informed of the examiners' decision by the Academic Registrar of the University.