BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY – PH.D.

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.708

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF

PHILOSOPHY – PH.D. – UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

17th October, 2023

LEGAL NOTICE 244 of 2023.

(1)

These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws for

the degree of Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D. -under the auspices of the

Faculty of Engineering.

(2) In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires –

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Engineering;

“the Degree” means the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D.;

“the Faculty” means the Faculty of Engineering;

“FICS” means any Faculty, Institute, Centre or School; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the Doctor of Philosophy –

Ph.D. - Regulations, 2023.

These bye-laws shall be applicable from 1 October 2023

onwards.

(1)

Applicants for the Degree offered by the Faculty

shall be in possession of one of the following degrees obtained in the

last fifteen years prior to registration

(a)

a Master’s degree, in an area of study related to

Engineering, Science, ICT or Mathematics; or

(b)

a Bachelor Honours degree in an area of study

related to Engineering, Science, ICT or

Mathematics obtained at First Class Honours or

Second Class Honours (Upper Division), provided

that the Faculty Doctoral Committee

(i)

ascertains that applicants have a very strong

background in the area of study related to the

proposed area of research; and

(ii)

submits a clearly motivated recommendation

for acceptance to the Board for eventual

consideration by the Doctoral Academic

Committee and Senate; or

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY – PH.D.

(c)

qualifications which the Board deems comparable

to the degrees indicated in sub-paragraphs (a) and

(b) of this bye-law.

(2) Applicants in possession of one of the degrees indicated in

paragraph (1) of this bye-law obtained more than fifteen years prior

to their application may apply and are required to produce sufficient

proof of their competence to carry out research at the required level.

(1)

Applicants may submit their application form,

together with a comprehensive research proposal outlining the

proposed project, including research sources and materials, at any

time of the year, as detailed in the Principal Regulations.

(2)

Applicants may also be asked to demonstrate competence

in those skills required by the nature of the proposed research.

The Board shall recommend to Senate the appointment of

a Faculty Doctoral Committee composed as follows

The Dean of the Faculty or delegate as Chair,

4 heads of department or their delegates.

All members of the Faculty Doctoral Committee must be

resident academics.

When the Board deems it necessary, it may require

students to successfully complete a number of study-units during the

course of their studies, under those conditions that it may impose,

after approval by Senate. Students shall successfully complete such

study-units with an overall average mark of at least 60% before they

apply to transfer their studies from the M.Phil. degree to the Ph.D.

degree, in accordance with the provisions of the Principal

Regulations.

The Transfer Assessment Board shall be composed of an

examining Chair, an internal examiner, and the Principal Supervisor.

The Chair and the internal examiner shall normally be resident

academics, provided that one of these shall normally be a Faculty

member from a department different from where the student is

registered, or from another FICS where this is necessary to provide

the appropriate range of expertise for the assessment of the research

carried out.

After 12 months and not later than 24 months of full-time

study or the equivalent in part-time study have elapsed, students are

required to submit a report on their research work, for consideration

by the Transfer Assessment Board appointed by Senate.The Transfer

Assessment Board would give favourable consideration to work

published or accepted for publication in refereed technical journals or

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY – PH.D.

conferences.

The Board shall approve and publish guidelines on the

format and presentation of the transfer report.

(1)

The Board of Examiners for Ph.D. degrees shall

include a Chair, who shall be a resident academic, a visiting external

examiner, and two internal examiners who shall normally be resident

academics. One of the internal examiners shall normally be a Faculty

member from a department different from where the student is

registered, or from another FICS where this is necessary to provide

the appropriate range of expertise for the assessment of the research

carried out. The Chair shall only act as a convenor.

(2)

The Board of Examiners for M.Phil. degrees shall include

a Chair, who shall be a resident academic, a visiting external

examiner, and two internal examiners who shall normally be resident

academics. One of the internal examiners shall normally be a Faculty

member from a department different from where the student is

registered, or from another FICS where this is necessary to provide

the appropriate range of expertise for the assessment of the research

carried out. The Chair shall only act as a convenor.

The Board shall approve and publish guidelines on the

format and presentation of the thesis for the Degree.

On successful completion of their studies, students shall

be required to submit to the Faculty two hard bound copies of the

thesis and one copy in digital format within six weeks from the

publication of their result. The Degree shall not be conferred on

students who do not comply with the provisions of this bye-law.

The Bye-Laws of 2009 in terms of the Doctor of

Philosophy – Ph.D. – Degree Regulations, 2008, for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D. - under the auspices of the Faculty of

Engineering, published as Legal Notice 313 of 2009, shall be deemed

to cease to be in force as from 1 October 2023.