Thesis Guidance for Current Students

Are on your Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) journey? Do you have ethical approval in place as applicable* and is your data collection is underway/ complete? If so, below is some key information relating to the thesis submission process that may be helpful at this stage. 

*The University requires that all research conducted under the auspices of the University that involves human participants, human material, personal data, animals, or research which may impact the environment, must receive research ethics approval before it commences. For further information please see Research Ethics and Ethical Approval for PGR Thesis Projects.

Can the thesis title be changed prior to submission?

Students can apply to change the thesis title, particularly when it reflects a change to/evolution of the research. Rationale for the change has to be provided in the application. The Change of Thesis Title form can be accessed here.

When is a thesis usually submitted?

In order to qualify for the award of a research degree a student must present a thesis and attend a Viva Voce examination. Final approval of the award is required by the University of Chester Awards and Progression Assessment Board (APAB) by the end of the registration period.

It is generally expected that at years 3 (FT) or years 6 (PT) of a PhD, the status of the thesis (or any additional material) will be approaching readiness for submission.

Minimum and maximum thesis submission periods:

*Minimum submission period: The earliest date by which a student is permitted to submit their thesis.

*Maximum submission period: The latest date by which a postgraduate research student must have submitted their thesis.

*Maximum period of registration: The maximum amount of time permitted for a student to have completed their programme ‐ this includes periods of suspension, extension and resubmission.

How do you know when you are ready to submit your thesis?

As a basic rule it is down to the student to determine whether or not their work is at the required level of maturity for submission and that it is within the maximum permitted period of submission for the award. However, students are strongly advised to discuss their work and thesis with their Supervisory Team before submitting. If the supervisory team do not consider the thesis to be ready for submission/examination and the student disagrees with this judgement, there is a process that enables submission against the advice of the supervisory team. 

What are the presentation requirements of the thesis?

Students are encouraged to discuss the presentation of their thesis with their supervisory team. As a general guide, the thesis will be expected to meet the following criteria:

• Constitute a systematic and critical evaluation both of the research topic and of a body of knowledge at the forefront of the academic discipline, field of study or creative domain to which the research relates; and
• Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the research methods in the relevant academic discipline, field of study or creative domain to which the research relates; and
• Demonstrate an independent and original contribution to the body of knowledge of an academic discipline, field of study, or academic domain in a way that extends the forefront of the academic discipline, field of study or creative domain and that would warrant publication in the judgement of peers; and
• Demonstrate the capability to undertake further research without supervision, such research being of a kind that would warrant publication in the judgement of peers.

The maximum length of a thesis submitted for the degree of PhD shall be 100,000 words. Where the thesis accompanies the submission of a body of artistic work, the thesis shall not exceed 50,000 words. For the degree of MPhil the maximum length shall be 60,000 words. Where the thesis accompanies the submission of a collection of original creative material, the thesis shall not exceed 30,000 words. These word counts include footnotes and references but not appendices or the bibliography.

The information in the appendices is supplementary to the thesis and so should not include materiel integral to the thesis itself. It will only be referred to by the examiners where they think necessary and may not all be read by the examiners. Information which the student feels is critical to their argument must be included in the main body of the thesis. In respect of the PhD, the appendices should not exceed either 20,000 words or 80 pages and in respect of the MPhil the appendices should not exceed either 12,000 words or 48 pages.

How is the thesis submitted?

Contact studentadministration@wrexham.ac.uk to confirm thesis submission arrangements including the requirements for any soft bound copies of the thesis. Students are required to submit an electronic copy of their thesis via Turnitin and an electronic copy of the thesis is usually submitted to Student Administration. Turnitin is available in the MyUni VLE (Moodle). 

Once the thesis has been submitted it cannot be retracted, amended or added to. If the thesis supports any original creative material, it must be accompanied by a short inventory which refers the reader to this material and how and where it can be accessed (photographic, CD, video, website, displayed in the viva room, etc.).

Further guidance can be found in the Thesis Submission Policy.

Are there any confidentiality considerations for a thesis?

It is normally expected that the results of postgraduate research documented in an examined and approved thesis will be made openly available through libraries and research repositories for the benefit of the wider research community and the public in general. If there are elements of the thesis that are considered particularly confidential, the student must inform the Student Administration team prior to submission of the thesis so that their examiners may be informed.

Exceptionally, and at the discretion of both Institutions, restrictions may be requested. Approval will normally only be given in order to enable intellectual property rights to be formally established, to protect commercially sensitive material, or to protect sources of information where sensitivity to safeguard the interests/privacy of individuals can be established.

Is there any guidance on intellectual property rights?

Wrexham University's policy on Intellectual Property (IP) is applicable to postgraduate research students. The ownership of IP is usually considered early on in postgraduate research studies.

The thesis is one example of a “research output”. There are many types of research outputs, including papers published in journals, patents, books and exhibitions, and “know‐ how”. All of these contain IP of one kind or another. Students occupy a different position from members of staff.

For further detail of arrangements for ownership of, and use of, IP created by students and staff please visit the Innovation and Commercialisation pages or contact the the Innovation and Commercialisation (I&C) team via enterprise@wrexham.ac.uk. 

Additional Information

Guidelines for your 'upgrade'

UoC Guidelines for your Viva

For further information please visit PGR Students or email researchoffice@wrexham.ac.uk.