Process

• The MS Thesis/PhD Dissertation Defense Examination may be held only if the student has already satisfied the seminar course requirements (click here).
• Ideally, student must complete the final defense examination when enrolled in his/her remaining units of Chem 300/400. If this was not met, student must enrol for Residence in the succeeding semester/s to be able to complete the final defense examination (this is if the student has already finished all his/her course work and is just working on finishing his/her thesis/dissertation).

The steps that lead to the final defense are as follows:

Note that the deadline to defend is on the last day of the final examination period of the current semester in order to be considered as
candidate for graduation for that semester.

For AY 2024-2025, please refer to the CS calendar for important deadlines.

1. Student writes thesis/dissertation manuscript with the guidance of his/her Advisor (and Co-advisor, if any).
2. Student emails a copy of the manuscript to his/her Reader for endorsement. Reader must be given at least 3 weeks to read the manuscript.
3. Reader endorses student’s final defense through a letter to the IChem Graduate Committee (GradCom).
4. GradCom decides on the Examiners based on the research topic to complete the student’s Examination Panel.
5. DDRE announces the decision to the student and provides the student with the necessary forms for completion.
6. Student emails his/her Panel to arrange the date and time of final defense. Student also emails his/her manuscript to the Examiners.
7. Student fills up the necessary forms and emails the completed forms to the IChem Director (for signature) and the DDRE.
8. DDRE submits the forms to the CS Grad Office. Note that these forms must be submitted at least fifteen (15) working days before the target defense date. 
9. CS Grad Office emails the Official Appointment of Examiners and signed Announcement of Examination to IChem.
10. IChem publicizes the Announcement of Examination.
11. Student prepares an oral presentation of his/her research and gets ready for the final defense examination.

During the defense:

• The final defense examination is open to the public and is usually held at the Chemrez AVR (IChem Teaching Building).
• The student’s Thesis/Dissertation Examination Panel must be present during the defense. The Panel consists of the Advisor, Co-advisor (if any), Reader, and Examiners. The Reader is designated as the Chair of the Panel. If the student or any Panel member is unable to be on campus, permission can be requested by the student to hold the public defense remotely or through a hybrid setup such that the student or any panel member will be able to participate remotely.

1. Reader (as the Chair of the Panel) introduces the student and moderates the defense.
2. Student orally presents his/her research.
3. Student answers questions from the public and the Panel.

After the defense:

1. Panel deliberates on whether the student passed/failed the defense examination. Deliberations are done privately.
2. Panel signs the Report of Masteral/Doctoral Examination (RoE).
3. Reader announces the decision to the student.
4. Reader submits the RoE to the IChem Admin Office for signature of the Director.
5. IChem Admin Office submits the signed RoE to the CS Grad Office. Take note that the RoE must be submitted to CS within the first working day after the examination.