Regulations on Master’s Dissertation Defense and Degree Application of China University of Geosciences

Document of Graduate School of China University of Geosciences

(Wuhan)

ZDDYF [2019] No. 46

Regulations on Master’s Dissertation Defense and Degree Application of China University of Geosciences

In order to standardize the master’s dissertation defense and degree application of our University, the regulations are revised in accordance with the spirit of relevant documents of the state, Hubei Province and relevant professional degree education steering committee, as well as the actual situation of graduate education of our University.

I. Basic Requirements for Application for Defense

1. Supporting the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system, upholding the four fundamental principles of the socialist road, abiding by the law and discipline, with good moral character, good academic ethics and corresponding academic level.

2. All education procedures have been completed according to regulations. According to the requirements of the master education program of our university, the applicant should have completed all the courses required by the education program, passed the examinations, and obtained the required total credits. Those who apply for the master’s degree with the equivalent education level must also pass the national unified level examination. The applicant should also have completed the mid-term assessment and dissertation proposal, etc.

3. The master dissertation should be completed and examined and approved by the supervisor.

II. Defense Qualification Examination

Those who meet the basic requirements should apply to the education unit and the degree evaluation sub-committee for defense, and submit the following materials for defense qualification examination:

1. Graduate course transcript. Those who apply for master’s degree with the equivalent education level must also submit the national unified examination certificate.

2. Master dissertation.

3. Other application materials required by the degree evaluation sub-committee.

The qualification examination is jointly conducted by the supervisor and the education unit (degree evaluation sub-committee). The supervisor focuses on the quality of dissertation, scientific research achievements, professional ability, theoretical basis and professional knowledge. The education unit and the degree evaluation sub-committee shall focus on whether they meet the requirements for application for defense.  Graduate School and the Office of Academic Degree Assessment Committee of the University (hereinafter referred to as Degree Office) shall be responsible for selective examination and supervision.

III. Dissertation Evaluation and Appraisal

1. Dissertation evaluation. The education unit should formulate and improve its own management measures for the evaluation of master dissertation and submit to the Degree Office for record. The evaluation shall be organized by the education unit or the degree evaluation sub-committee.

2. Dissertation appraisal. Each master dissertation should be appraised by two experts with profound academic attainments in and out of the University, and the reviewer of professional master dissertation should include at least one off-campus industry (enterprise) expert. Generally, the appraiser should complete the dissertation appraisal within one month, write detailed academic comments, and fill in the “Academic Appraisal of Master Dissertation”. If one appraiser holds the negative opinion, the academic degree evaluation sub-committee shall conduct analysis and research, and employ another appraiser if necessary; if two appraisers (including the additional one) hold negative opinion, the dissertation should not pass the appraisal and cannot go to the next procedure.

IV. Pre-defense

All units (degree evaluation sub-committee) are encouraged to formulate and improve the methods for pre-defense of master dissertation, and organize the pre-defense before formal defense, so as to better ensure and improve the quality of dissertation. The pre-defense can be organized by the supervisor, discipline, education unit or degree evaluation sub-committee.

V. Dissertation Defense

1. Composition of Defense Committee. The dissertation defense is organized by the Defense Committee. The members of the Defense Committee is generally proposed by the Department (Teaching and Research Section) and reviewed by the education unit (degree evaluation sub-committee).

The Defense Committee shall be composed of at least five experts with advanced academic attainments in relevant disciplines with senior professional titles or master supervisor qualification. The members of the Defense Committee for professional master dissertation shall include at least one industry (enterprise) expert.

There is one chairman in the Defense Committee, which is generally held by professor, associate professor or experts with equivalent professional and technical titles. The supervisor cannot be the chairman of the Defense Committee for the dissertation under his guidance.

There is one secretary in the Defense Committee, who is a teacher with intermediate title or above in the University. The secretary participates in the whole process of the defense and is responsible for the specific work of the defense (including meeting minutes, drafting the resolution of the defense committee, arranging the venue, sorting the defense materials, etc.). The defense secretary has no right to vote.

2. Responsibilities of the Defense Committee. The Defense Committee is responsible for listening to the introduction of the dissertation by the respondent and the academic comments of the supervisor and evaluation experts on the dissertation, examining the degree applicants’ ability to understand and answer the questions related to the dissertation, and carefully examining and evaluating the level and defense of the dissertation according to the relevant documents of the state and the University, voting to decide whether the defense is passed or not and whether it is recommended to confer the degree.

3. Defense procedures. The dissertation defense is serious and the sense of ceremony should be emphasized. The respondent should pay attention to the etiquette, wear formal clothes and stand up when speaking. The dissertation defense should be carried out one by one, and the next defense can only be carried out after the previous respondent has completed all the defense procedures. If the defense procedure is not standardized, the defense shall be deemed unqualified. The specific defense procedures are as follows:

(1) Announcing the list of members of the Defense Committee

(2) The chairman of the Defense Committee presides over the meeting and introduces the defense procedures.

(3) The supervisor introduces the graduate student (including resume, performance during study, academic performance, scientific research, etc.).

(4) The master candidate reports the main content of the dissertation (generally 30-40 minutes).

(5) The members of the Defense Committee ask questions on the dissertation, and the master candidate answers questions.

(6) Reading out the comments of evaluation (appraisal) experts and the academic comments on the dissertation by the supervisor.

(7) The meeting is suspended, the respondent, the attendants and spectators shall withdraw from the meeting place, and the Defense Committee shall hold an internal meeting. According to the defense situation and the comprehensive performance of the graduate student, the Defense Committee shall decide whether the defense is passed or not and whether it is recommended to confer the degree. The evaluation mainly includes the following contents: the comprehensive review of the level of the dissertation, the evaluation of the applicant’s defense, whether the dissertation defense is passed, the results of the dissertation, the suggestions on the degree to be awarded and other opinions. The resolution shall be made by secret ballot and shall be approved by two thirds or more of all members, and must be signed by the chairman of the Defense Committee. The meeting shall be fully recorded.

(8) The meeting is resumed, and the chairman of the Defense Committee shall announce the voting results and the resolution.

(9) Thank-you speech by the master candidate.

(10) Declare that the defense is closed.

4. Relevant requirements

(1) The defense announcement should be made on the website of the Graduate School one week in advance, and the defense meeting should be held in the open academic venues of the University. Smoking and using mobile phones are prohibited in the defense venues.

(2) The whole defense procedure for each master dissertation shall generally not be less than 60 minutes. Generally, there are no more than 4 defense dissertations for each unit (half a day) in the same venue.

(3) For dissertations that have been approved to be classified, the defense shall be organized in accordance with the relevant provisions of classified dissertations.

VI. Handling of Failure in the Defense

Those who fail to pass the defense for the first time, upon application by themselves and approval by the supervisor and degree authority, can attend the defense again after 3 months and within 1 year after the first defense. For those who fail to pass the second defense, the University will no longer accept their application for defense. The revision of dissertation and the re-defense shall not exceed the maximum number of years required by the regulations on student status administration.

VII. Degree Application

After passing the defense, the author of the dissertation applies to the education unit (degree evaluation sub-committee) for the degree. Those who have passed the defense but fail to meet the requirements of degree application can only apply for graduation and graduate first. If they meet the requirements within two years, they can apply for a degree, but they shall not exceed the maximum number of years stipulated by the student status administration.

The degree applicants must submit the revised dissertation, defense materials and related academic achievement materials, and pass the text coincidence rate detection of the dissertation according to the regulations.

The degree evaluation sub-committee shall hold a special meeting to discuss the degree application and decide whether to grant a master’s degree, and report the list of master’s degree to be awarded to the Degree Office and submit it to the Degree Evaluation Committee of the University for approval.

This document shall be implemented as of the date of issue, and the same kind of document shall be repealed at the same time. This document is interpreted by the Graduate School.

August 20, 2019

Graduate School of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)    Aug. 20, 2019