Doctoral students must submit documents summarizing the research goals of their doctoral program and the like in the form of a Thesis Writing Plan (on the designated form) and Schedule for Earning a Doctoral Degree (on the designated form) to the Dean of the Graduate School by the specified deadline, after first gaining their supervisory team’s approval.
Before seeking Approval to Write a Thesis, doctoral students must give a public Interim Presentation on Doctoral Thesis, in which they explain the results of their research to date and their progress toward writing their doctoral thesis. However, before giving their Interim Presentation on Doctoral Thesis, doctoral students must satisfy the following conditions and obtain approval from their supervisory team.
After the doctoral student has given their Interim Presentation on Doctoral Thesis, their principal supervisor immediately submits their Report on Delivery of Interim Presentation on Doctoral Thesis. Submission of the Report on Delivery of Interim Presentation on Doctoral Thesis entitles the doctoral student to earn 4 credits for Individual Doctoral Dissertation Advising at the end of the semester in question.
(Note) A doctoral student who has earned credits for Individual Doctoral Dissertation Advising and has been enrolled for the specified period (3 years) may withdraw from the university after obtaining the required credits. Individuals who have withdrawn from the university after obtaining the required credits may submit a thesis for a doctoral degree by coursework within three years of withdrawal if they have satisfied all conditions from obtaining Approval to Write a Thesis onward.
Before submitting their thesis draft for preliminary review, doctoral students must satisfy the following conditions, submit the Application for Approval to Write a Thesis form, and obtain Approval to Write a Thesis.
(Note) A doctoral student will become a Ph.D. candidate upon obtaining approval to write a thesis.
A doctoral student who has obtained approval to write a thesis may, if they have received approval to submit a thesis draft after continued supervision by their supervisory team, submit their Thesis Draft and Preliminary Review Committee Appointment Application Form to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Once the Thesis Draft has 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 individual submitting their Thesis Draft 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 concerned and the committee must hold an oral interview (viva voce) during this period, without fail. If the process is not completed within six months, the committee may, after reporting to the Faculty Council, extend the preliminary review period for three months, but only once. If the process is still not completed within this extended period, the Preliminary Review Committee will need to 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.
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.
After the public defense, the candidate will submit their thesis to the Faculty Council in electronic form before the Faculty Council meeting.
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.