Doctoral students must submit a summary of the research goals of their doctoral program and the like in the form of a Thesis Writing Plan (on the designated form) to the Dean of the Graduate School by the specified deadline, after first gaining their supervisory team’s approval.
Before submitting the Thesis Submission Approval Application Documents, doctoral students must give a public Interim Presentation on Doctoral Thesis, in which they explain the results of their research over the previous two years and their progress toward writing their doctoral thesis. Those enrolling in April must give this presentation in the first semester of the third year, while those enrolling in October must give it in the second (October to March) semester of the third year.
The Thesis Submission Approval Application Documents must first be submitted to the individual’s supervisory team to determine eligibility. If the supervisory team’s approval is forthcoming, the individual becomes a doctoral candidate.
Doctoral candidates submit the Thesis Submission Approval Application Documents to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Once the Thesis Submission Approval Application Documents have been received, the Faculty Council will select a Preliminary Review Committee (1 chief examiner and 4 examiners).
The applicant will be granted approval to submit their thesis once the Preliminary Review Committee has been appointed. (The assent of a majority of attendees will be required for acceptance.)
The name of the doctoral candidate will be publicly announced and their application documents published.
The Preliminary Review Committee will review the Thesis Draft. The period allowed for this will be no more than six months from the date of the Faculty Council meeting. (If the process is not completed within six months, the Preliminary Review Committee will be re-appointed.)
If accepted subject to amendments, the re-submitted thesis will be reviewed again.
The chief examiner of the Preliminary Review Committee will report the completion of the preliminary review to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Perusal of the post-preliminary review draft.
Individuals who have been granted permission to submit their thesis will submit to the Dean of the Graduate School their Application for Thesis Examination and other relevant documents prescribed in Article 8 of the Internal Regulations Concerning the Handling of Theses.(Candidates wishing to be awarded their degree in March should preferably submit by the end of the preceding November and no later than the end of the year before they wish to be awarded their degree.)
The Faculty Council will deliberate on whether or not to accept the thesis. (The assent of a majority of attendees will be required for acceptance.)
As a general rule, the Preliminary Review Committee members will transition to being members of the Thesis Review Committee.
The Dean of the Graduate School will notify the President of the submitted thesis’s acceptance.
The President will refer the submitted thesis to the Dean of the Graduate School for review.
The chief examiner will notify the candidate of the date of their public defense at least two weeks beforehand.
The review and final examination will be carried out by public defense.
The chief examiner will report on the result of the defense to the Dean of the Graduate School.
The Faculty Council will deliberate and decide on whether or not to grant approval for degree conferment. (At least two-thirds of the Faculty Council members will need to be present and the assent of at least two-thirds of attendees will be required for acceptance.)
The Dean of the Graduate School will report to the President regarding the results of the thesis defense and decision on degree conferment.
The President will issue the Dean of the Graduate School with a Notice to Confer a Doctoral Degree.
The candidate will also receive a Notice of Degree Conferment from the President.
Degree conferment ceremonies are held twice a year, in September and March.