Defence Format
Defences are offered with the option to be conducted fully remotely via Zoom, as a Hybrid, or fully in-person. Please note that if scheduling is unable to accommodate for a hybrid defence, the committee and student may be asked to hold the defence fully remotely.
Thesis and Dissertation Deadlines
The deadline to request a defence is established in the graduate calendar. Students are required to submit at least 6 weeks prior to the anticipated date of defence for a Masters degree or 8 weeks prior for a PhD (4.5/7.10 in the Calendar). The dates posted on the Theses and Dissertation Pages have been based on the calendar policy, aligned to the recent Senate decision to adjust dates, and in compliance with the Office of the Registrar's final date to submit grades. Please review the information on final document submission below to ensure sufficient time for revisions.
Scheduling Flexibility
We endeavor to be flexible wherever possible; however, Fall and Winter are the busiest semesters for scheduling defences, and scheduling has limited availability. Should submission of the defence request or scheduling of your defence present a challenge for you, please reach out to grad-office@unbc.ca as early as possible in order to discuss other options.
Final Document Submission
Ideally, students will allow sufficient time in their request for a defence date to accommodate for post-defence revisions. The absolute last day we can have a defended and revised thesis/dissertation submitted to our office is the final grading deadline, as is dictated by the Office of the Registrar.
Students are permitted to extend the date for final submission into the next semester on an exceptional basis. The add/drop date in the academic calendar is referred to as a concession period and the final defence grade is assigned to the prior semester. For example, a student defending in December 202X who submits their final revised thesis or dissertation on January 10, 202Y would have their P (Pass) grade granted in accordance with their Fall 202X registration.
Please note that the previous requirement that students register and pay for the full semester prior to dropping registration, where fees are refunded at final processing, is no longer in place. UNBC no longer requires registration or fee payment within the add/drop window. Now, only students who move past the add/drop date and into the next semester will be registered and incur full semester tuition fees and any Time Extension fees. This accommodation is typically not made for a student who has required revisions. The Prorated Defence Fee Reduction Schedule will apply.
It is important to understand that any student who does not have a final defended and revised thesis/dissertation submitted to the Graduate Administration Office by the final grade deadline in the Winter semester will not be eligible for Winter graduation. Students who submit documents in the Spring semester add/drop period will automatically be moved into Fall semester graduation and will not be permitted to attend the Spring Convocation ceremony until the next year.
Forms
All current forms are posted on the website.
Distribution of the Thesis/Dissertation
Based on feedback from the faculty, once the Request for Oral Examination has been signed and approved, the External Examiner has been confirmed, and a Chair has been located, the draft copy of the thesis/dissertation will be attached to the Outlook calendar defence invite for the full committee to reference.