The candidate shall give an oral account of the research on which the thesis is based and defend the thesis itself. The candidate must be prepared to answer questions on the field of the research and related fields.

Thesis examinations are open to the University community. Copies of the thesis abstract shall be made available to all those attending the examination. The chair of the examining committee shall allow proper opportunity for questions on the thesis to come from persons who are not members of the examining committee but are attending the examination. The dean of graduate studies or designate shall have the right to attend all phases of the examination.

After the chair of the examining committee is satisfied that all relevant questions have been answered, the examining committee shall meet in camera to classify the thesis.

There are four possible outcomes of the thesis defence.

1. the thesis may be passed as submitted
2. the thesis may be passed on the condition that revisions be completed to the satisfaction of the senior supervisor
3. the examining committee may defer making judgement if it judges that the thesis could pass after additional work by the candidate. A thesis upon which judgement is deferred shall come forward for re-examination within a period specified by the examining committee. The examining committee may require formal re-examination under section 1.10.1 or may reach its decision by examination of the revised thesis. The examining committee may not defer judgement a second time.
4. the thesis may be failed. In this case, the candidate is required to withdraw from the University.

The decision of the examining committee is by simple majority vote except that, in the cases of doctoral candidates or candidates enrolled under special arrangements, the classification of the thesis may not be at a higher level than that of the external examiner. A decision to pass the thesis or to defer making judgement may not be reached on a tie vote of the examining committee. If at first a majority vote to pass the thesis cannot be reached, and subsequently, if a majority vote to defer judgement cannot be reached, the thesis will be failed.

When a student has successfully defended the thesis and made any minor revisions required, the supervisory committee shall recommend award of degree. This recommendation goes for approval respectively to the graduate program committee, the faculty graduate studies committee, the senate graduate studies committee and senate, which has the final authority to award the degree.

The title of the thesis, extended essays, professional paper and projects will be recorded on the student’s transcript.

If the examining committee has required minor revisions to a thesis, these will be completed as soon as possible after the examination and checked by the senior supervisor. Two unbound copies of the final draft of the completed thesis shall be sent to the library together with a memorandum from the senior supervisor certifying that all required revisions have been made. These two copies will be bound, catalogued and retained by the library, one for the general collection and one for the University archives. Graduate program committees may also require not more than two bound copies for departmental files and these should be submitted for binding at the same time.

When the library representative of the dean of graduate studies has checked the thesis and accepted the format, the representative will notify the director of graduate programs, admissions and records. No degree will be approved by senate until the director of graduate programs, admissions and records has been so notified.