The eThesis Examination system was developed to facilitate the ONLINE processing of research theses: from initial submission, through examination process, to Academic Council Committee on Examinations (ACCE) decision; resulting in the student being conferred with an Award.
What is Research Repository UCD (RRU)?
Research Repository UCD (RRU) is a digital collection of open access scholarly publications from University College Dublin. Managed by UCD Library, the repository collects, preserves and makes freely available a wide range of publications created by UCD researchers. These include peer-reviewed articles, working papers and conference papers.
In line with the National Principles for Open Access newly awarded research degree theses are automatically uploaded to RRU.
Further information available at https://researchrepository.ucd.ie/
What are the benefits of students hosting thesis on Research Repository UCD (RRU)?
• Maximises timely dissemination of your research to a global academic audience.
• Increases the visibility of your research.
• Enhances its discoverability through Google Scholar.
• Increases the impact of your research as evidenced by increased citation rates.
• Showcases the student's research and that of your School.
• Enhances UCD’s reputation and international standing.
What happens to the electronic thesis once it is hosted on Research Repository UCD (RRU)?
In line with UCD's Intellectual Property Policy the student’s electronic thesis is deposited in the University Repository (RRU) via eThesis system. The thesis will become publicly available to download, unless embargoed. Once in the RRU it is assigned a persistent identifier which allows for easy discoverability. In depositing their work in the RRU the author(s), copyright owner or assignee, grant a worldwide non-exclusive, royalty free, irrevocable, perpetual licence to UCD to make the work available online via the UCD repository and to translate the work to any medium or format for the purpose of preservation or accessibility within the confines of the Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000. The electronic copy of their e-thesis, when available online, will be subject to the terms of use permitted by the specified licence.
How does the thesis transfer to the RRU?
Theses submitted for examination after 13 September 2021
Following ACCE approval of the degree award, any thesis submitted through the University’s eThesis Exam system after 13 September 2021 will automatically transfer to the RRU, unless embargoed.
Theses submitted for examination before 13 September 2021
Following ACCE approval of the degree award, any thesis submitted through the eThesis Exam system prior to 13 September 2021 can be transferred to the RRU with the student’s written permission. An email can be sent to acce@ucd.ie to give permission for the thesis transfer.
When is the electronic thesis transferred to the RRU, making it publicly available to download?
The electronic thesis is automatically transferred to the RRU 2-3 working days after ACCE approve the student's award recommendation, unless embargoed. Therefore this transfer to the RRU takes place before the student confers. If embargoed, only the title and the abstract of a thesis will appear in the RRU. The full text of the thesis will become available for public view when the embargo period expires.
What is a thesis embargo?
A thesis embargo will delay the release of a thesis to the RRU for a specific period. Once embargoed, only the title and the abstract of a thesis will appear in the RRU. The full text of the thesis will become available for public view when the embargo period expires. See Graduate Studies webpages for Thesis Embargo information
How is an embargo set up?
An embargo can be set up through a student’s application to the Graduate Research Board (GRB). A Research Thesis Embargo request form can be accessed via the GRB webpages. The form is completed and submitted following preparation of supporting documentation and discussion with the student's Supervisor.
To seek an embargo on a research thesis, evidence must be provided that the research thesis contains personal, security or commercially sensitive information or the thesis contains material intended for future publication and the publishers specifically require that the thesis is restricted.
Once the embargo has been approved, the GRB will enter the embargo details on the eThesis Exam system record.
Do students still need to submit a hard-bound copy of the thesis if it is being hosted on the RRU?
Yes. A UCD research degree award requires candidates to submit a final hard-bound copy of the thesis to the UCD Student Desk. This is an archival/preservation copy which will be held in closed store in the Library. See the section on Hardbound Thesis Information (Graduate Research Degrees) on the ACCE website for further details.
The eThesis system has undergone a number of enhancements to ensure the seamless logging of the submission, approval and examination results of research students. These enhancements will better align the system with Academic Regulations. These enhancements have now gone live and can be viewed by clicking the link below.
Completed eThesis Enhancements 2022
Q: I am an Extern Examiner and I cannot access the eThesis Exam system?
A: You will have received your login details in an email (it could be in your spam folder). Your username is your assigned ‘V’ number. The default password is the last six digits of that V number. If you cannot locate your login email please contact externexaminer@ucd.ie who will reissue the login details to you.
Q: The Extern Examiner has requested a printed copy of the thesis. How can this be provided?
A: The University has determined that printed copies of the thesis are no longer required for examination purposes. It is recognised that a small number of Extern Examiners may require a printed copy of the thesis. If this is the case they can print a copy and charge the costs to the University via their expenses claim form, which can be found on the Assessment Extern Examiner website.
Q: Where do I submit my Preliminary Report for Research Masters and Professional Doctorates (eg MDs)?
A: For Research Master and Professional Doctorates, a viva voce examination is required only on the request of the Head of School (or the MD Committee). In these cases, you can use a Preliminary Report form downloadable on the Assessment website and send it to the Chair of the Exam Committee. UCD Assessment can advise on what headings within the report need to be completed to make it applicable to a Research Masters.
Q: As Chair, I cannot see an option to enter the Joint Degree Report on the eThesis Exam system. What do I do?
A: The Chair should first check that, if appliable, the Preliminary Examination Reports have been entered by the Intern and Extern examiners. The Chair will need to contact the Intern and Extern Examiners to ensure this step has been completed.
Q: Why do I get an error message when I try to submit/save my report in the online form?
A: This error message is usually generated when the character limit in a section or sections has been exceeded. The character limit is displayed in the bottom right corner of the text boxes. If there is an error saving the form it is recommended to copy the text into the this web site and ensure the byte value is less than or equal to the 4000 character limit:
https://mothereff.in/byte-counter
Q: Why are there multiple entries of Preliminary Report or Joint Degree Report?
A: Pressing the back arrow after completing the report will cause the report to save multiple times. This is not encouraged but it will not be an issue if there are no changes to the report.
Q: How does the student receive the corrections/revisions post-examination?
A: Corrections/revisions do not go to the student through the eThesis Exam system. The Chair will give the candidate a high-level review or overview. The Chair will assign a member of the Exam Committee to work with the student on completing the corrections.
Q: What if in an exceptional case the student requires longer to complete the corrections/revisions post-examination than originally assigned?
A: The Chair of the Examination Committee has the authority to authorise a change to the final date for submission of corrections. The member of the Exam Committee assigned to work with the student must be liaised with to agree a timeline.
Q: How does the examiner overseeing corrections/revisions sign off on the corrections?
A: There is no traditional paper sign-off form needed, the eThesis Exam system provides electronic sign-off. The corrections and final version will first be overseen and agreed outside the system. Then, the student must upload the final version of the thesis onto the eThesis Exam system and the examiner approves this version online.
Q: What if the Exam Committee prefers to submit a paper report?
A: If the Joint Degree Report and/or Thesis Corrections Sign off Form are only submitted in paper, the student will be unable to upload the corrected Final Thesis in the system and an incorrect version of the eThesis may transfer to the RRU.
Q: As Chair of the Exam Committee, how do I know the Committee has completed all the tasks?
A: The steps required for the submission of the Joint Degree Report are: Final Research Degree Report completed in the system and approved by both Intern and Extern Examiner. The student submitted the final version of the eThesis and it is approved by the Exam Committee Member assigned to oversee the corrections.
Q: What happens when the Exam Committee does not reach a unanimous decision?
A: As per Academic Regulations 7.78, where the examiners are in disagreement and cannot agree a recommendation, the examiners shall submit separate reports to the ACCE acce@ucd.ie
Q: Who is notified when ACCE approves the award?
A: When the award is approved by ACCE, the student’s record is updated to reflect that they are degree complete. An email will be sent from the eThesis Exam system to notify the Student, Supervisor, Head of School and Chair of Exam Committee of the award.
Q: I am unable to see the student listed in My Exam Committee Tasks, who do I contact?
A: Please contact ethesis@ucd.ie for technical support
Q: My student is trying to upload their thesis to the eThesis System but their status has switched to Alumni. They can only view the Alumni Portal. What do they do?
A: Click on 'quick links' in the top right hand corner of the Alumni Portal and select 'SISweb' to begin the thesis upload process.
Q: Will my student be charged additional fees if I am not available to permit the upload of their eThesis?
A: The date and time on which your student first submits their thesis will be taken as their submission date, even if you are not available to accept it. It is recommended that you engage with your student in advance of submission to agree a timeline so that this situation does not occur. If you do not agree to provide confirmation for the student to upload their eThesis, then the student will incur additional fees until confirmation is provided. Students can apply for extenuating circumstances if required. The student should be encouraged to consult with the School and Graduate Research Board to apply for information on how to do this.
Q: My student is not visible in My Graduate Research Students, what do I do?
A: Check that the student has a current registration. The Student can review your registration in the UView section of SISWeb.
Q: I am satisfied with the thesis but I am unable to permit my student to upload it. What do I do?
A: Contact the Graduate Research Board Support Team (grb@ucd.ie) to check if Programme Compliance has been approved.
Q: The Exam Committee has not yet been approved, can I permit my student to upload their thesis?
A: Yes, you can permit your student to upload their thesis, however, you can only approve it for examination after the Exam Committee has been approved. This way your student will submit by the fee deadline and will not incur any fees. Please note, you will not receive a reminder email after the Exam Committee has been approved by ACCE, so you must remember to approve the student’s thesis for examination.
Q: My student is getting an error message when they try to submit their thesis on the ethesis form. What should they do?
A: Ensure they have not exceeded the character limit in the text boxes on the online form. This limit is located in the bottom right corner of the text boxes. If there is an error saving the form it is recommended to copy the text into the this web site and ensure the byte value is less than or equal to the 4000 character limit:
https://mothereff.in/byte-counter
OR
A: The filename for the thesis they are uploading could be too long
Q: What if I do not allow my student to submit their eThesis?
A: As per UCD’s Academic Regulations 7.56 a), a supervisor must be satisfied that the thesis is ready for examination before approving submission of the thesis. The student may appeal to the Head of School if they disagree with the decision.
Q: What if the wrong PDF is uploaded?
A: As the supervisor, you can reject the submission, which will then allow upload of the correct document.
Q: After the thesis has been accepted for examination, can the student replace it and resubmit a revised version if, for example, they notice an error?
A: No, as per Academic Regulations 7.57, a thesis cannot be withdrawn from the examination process once accepted for examination.
Q: What if the student has additional materials that should accompany the thesis e.g. designs, databases. How should these be submitted to the Examination Committee?
A: All material should be contained in the PDF that is uploaded to the eThesis Exam system. Supplemental information can be in the appendices at the end of the document. See link to saving your thesis as a pdf. If there is material that can’t be included as an appendix, the School is responsible for ensuring the Examiners have access to them.
Q: Does the eThesis Exam system have the ability to undertake a plagiarism check on the work submitted?
A: The eThesis Exam system does not facilitate a plagiarism check. It is recommended that such checks are conducted outside of the system in advance of thesis submission and prior to the commencement of the examination.
Q: Will my student be able to keep track of their thesis progress?
A: The eThesis Exam system will update the thesis status throughout the examination process so that your student can keep track of the progress it is making in SISWeb.
Q: What if the student has extenuating circumstances that prohibits them from submitting their thesis?
A: As supervisor, in conjunction with your School, agree with your student on the most appropriate action relevant to their situation. Options include submission of an extenuating circumstances request, an extension, or a leave of absence.
Q: What if the student has extenuating circumstances that prohibits them from undertaking their Viva Voce?
A: The Student should contact the Exam Committee in the first instance to discuss the situation. Depending on the situation It could require a simple rescheduling of the viva voce with the Exam Committee, or the student may need to contact their Supervisor and School for assistance.
Q: The Extern Examiner has requested a printed copy of the thesis. How can this be provided?
A: The University has determined that printed copies of the thesis are no longer required for examination purposes. It is recognised that a small number of Extern Examiners may require a printed copy of the thesis. If this is the case they can print a copy and charge the costs to the University via their expenses claim form, which can be found on the Assessment Extern Examiner website.
When is the electronic thesis transferred to the RRU, making it publicly available to download?
The electronic thesis is automatically transferred to the RRU 2-3 working days after ACCE approve your stundent's award recommendation, unless embargoed. Therefore this transfer to the RRU takes place before the student confers. If embargoed, only the title and the abstract of a thesis will appear in the RRU. The full text of the thesis will become available for public view when the embargo period expires.
Q: Who should I contact for further support if I require it?
A: Assessment (ethesis@ucd.ie) should be your first point of contact if you require support with the eThesis Exam system.
Q: What should a student do if they upload an incorrect version of their thesis?
A: If an incorrect pdf is uploaded, the supervisor can reject the submission, which will then allow the student to upload the correct document.
Q: Who should be contacted for support?
A: For technical support please contact ethesis@ucd.ie. For all policy related queries please contact acce@ucd.ie
Q: Will the student be charged additional fees if the Supervisor is unable to permit thesis upload?
A: The date and time on which the student first submits their thesis will be taken as the submission date. If this is on/prior to the fee submission deadline, then they will not be charged extra fees. It is advisable that a student uploads their thesis as soon as possible allowing sufficient time for uploading and supervisor approval.
Q: What if the Supervisor does not permit a student to submit their thesis?
A: As per UCD’s Academic Regulations 7.56 a), where a supervisor is, in the opinion of the candidate, unreasonably withholding their permission for thesis submission, the student may appeal to the Head of School in which they are registered, who may provide permission to the student to submit.
Q: The Exam Committee has not yet been approved, can a Supervisor permit the student to upload their thesis?
A: Yes, the supervisor can permit the student to upload their thesis, however, they can only approve it for examination after the Exam Committee has been approved. This way their student will submit by the fee deadline and will not incur any additional fees. Please note, the supervisor will not receive a reminder email after the Exam Committee has been approved by ACCE, so the supervisor must remember to approve the student’s thesis for examination.
Q: After the thesis has been accepted for examination, can the student replace it and resubmit a revised version if, for example, they notice an error?
A: No, as per Academic Regulations 7.57, a thesis cannot be withdrawn from the examination process once accepted for examination.
Q: What if the student has additional materials that should accompany the thesis e.g. designs, databases. How should these be submitted to the Examination Committee?
A: All material should be contained in the PDF that is uploaded to the eThesis Exam system. Supplemental information can be in the appendices at the end of the document. See link to saving your thesis as a pdf. If there is material that can’t be included as an appendix, the School is responsible for ensuring the Examiners have access to them.
Q: Does the eThesis Exam system have the ability to undertake a plagiarism check on the work submitted?
A: No, the eThesis Exam system cannot facilitate a plagiarism check. It is recommended that such checks are conducted outside of the system in advance of thesis submission. Urkund may be used for this purpose.
Q: What if the student has extenuating circumstances that prohibits them from submitting their thesis or attending their Viva Voce?
A: The supervisor, in conjunction with the School, will agree the most appropriate action relevant to the situation. Options include; submission of an extenuating circumstances request, an extension, or a leave of absence.
Q: The Extern Examiner has requested a printed copy of the thesis. How can this be provided?
A: The University has determined that printed copies of the thesis are no longer required for examination purposes. It is recognised that a small number of Extern Examiners may require a printed copy of the thesis. If this is the case they can print a copy and charge the costs to the University via their expenses claim form, which can be found on the Assessment Extern Examiner website.
Q: What if the Extern Examiner cannot access the system?
A: The Extern Examiner will have received their login details in an email (it could be in their spam folder). Their username is their assigned ‘V’ number. The default password is the last six digits of that V number. If the Extern Examiner cannot locate their login email, please direct them to email externexaminer@ucd.ie who will reissue the login details to them.
Q: What if the Chair of the Exam Committee cannot enter the Joint Degree Report?
A: The Chair should first check that, if applicable, the Preliminary Examination Reports have been entered. Ensure that the text boxes character limit has not been exceeded. They each have a limit of 4000 characters. If there is an error saving the form it is recommended to copy the text into the this web site and ensure the byte value is less than or equal to the 4000 character limit:
https://mothereff.in/byte-counter If the problem persists, contact ethesis@ucd.ie for further assistance.
Video 1: Supervisor approves thesis for examination
Video 2: Extern access to the system
Video 3: Entering a preliminary report
Video 4: Chair enters joint degree report
Video 5: Approving a joint degree report
Video 6: Student upload of final thesis
Please see the Hardbound Thesis Information (Graduate Research Degrees) section on our Assessment ACCE Webpage for further details.
Contact the eThesis team at ethesis@ucd.ie
Where a pre-exam research thesis or the post-exam joint degree report cannot be submitted via eThesis Exam system due to exceptional circumstances, a written request to use paper based format must be made. A clear rationale for this request must be provided to acce@ucd.ie by the Supervisor/Chair of the Examination Committee.
Please complete the following to apply for a paper based format submission:
- Student name
- Student number
- Degree type
- Role of person requesting
- Route
- pre-examination paper format by Supervisor
- report by Chair of Exam Committee
- Rationale
- Supporting evidence for request
