thesis submission birmingham

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Thesis submission and examination FAQs

I have been asked to re-register and pay a continuation fee, is this correct.

All postgraduate researchers in thesis awaited status are required to register online . If you have not submitted your thesis in a previous academic year, you will be required to pay a continuation fee for the new academic year. The annual continuation fee for the 2022/23 academic session is £264.

Further information can be found on the thesis awaited webpage .

If you have further questions about the continuation fee that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via Student Help .

Who do I need to notify if I have changed my intended date of submission?

Do i need my supervisor’s permission before i submit my thesis.

You cannot submit your thesis until after the end of the minimum period of registration and must submit your thesis before the end of your maximum period of registration.

Your supervisor is required to sign the intention to submit a research degree thesis form to acknowledge your proposed submission date. It is your decision when to submit your thesis. However, you are advised to consider the feedback from your supervision when making this decision.

If you have further questions that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Why do I need to submit a Notice of Intention to Submit a Research Degree Thesis form?

Receipt of the Notice of Intention to Submit a Research Degree Thesis form by the Research Student Administration Team triggers the nomination of examiners process. 

It is recommended that to avoid delays to the examination of your thesis that you submit your Intention to Submit a Research Degree Thesis three months before your proposed submission date to allow time for the examiners to be approached and their nomination confirmed.

Full details of the intention to submit process can be found on the intention to submit webpages .

If you have further questions regarding the notice of intention to submit form that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

How do I submit my thesis for examination?

You are not required to submit printed copies of your thesis as the examination will be conducted using an electronic copy of your thesis obtained from the copy you submit for the plagiarism check via Canvas.

On submission of your thesis for the plagiarism check, please send an email to  [email protected]  with “ELECTRONIC THESIS SUBMISSION” and your ID number in the subject field.  In the email you should confirm the date that you submitted your thesis for the plagiarism check (attaching a receipt if you have one) and attach the documents detailed in the 'Forms for submission' section below'.

Full details of the submission process can be found on the submitting your thesis webpages.

If you have questions about submitting your thesis for the plagiarism check via Canvas, please contact the PGR administrator in your School.

If you have further questions regarding submitting your thesis that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

When can I submit my thesis?

The end of the minimum period of registration is the earliest date on which you can submit your thesis for examination.

The end of your maximum period of registration is the latest date for submission of your thesis.

You can check your registration dates via the Student Gateway.

If you have further questions about your registration dates that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

How do I apply for an extension to my submission deadline?

It is expected that you will submit your theses within your maximum period of registration or by the deadline for submitting your revised or corrected thesis. In exceptional circumstances you can apply for an extension to these deadlines. 

It is important that you make your request approximately 2 months before the end of the maximum registration period or as soon as possible for a revised or corrected thesis using the extension request form.

The extension request form is available from the extensions webpages. 

Evidence to support the request must be attached to the request form.

• Part A - to be completed by the Postgraduate Researcher
• Part B - to be completed by supervisor and passed to the Head of School (or nominee)
• Part C - to be completed by the Head of School (or nominee) and sent to Research Student Administration

If you have further questions regarding extensions that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Can I exceed the word limit?

Thesis world limits are set out in University Regulation 7.4.2 (d):

The maximum number of words in the thesis or report is shown in the table below. The calculation of the word length excludes: abstract, acknowledgements, contents pages, appendices, tables, diagrams and figures (including associated legends), the list of references, bibliography, footnotes and endnotes and any bound published material.

A thesis that exceeds the maximum number of words will not be accepted for examination unless permission to exceed the stated word count has been granted by the Research Progress & Awards Sub Panel. Permission to exceed the stated word count is only granted in exceptional circumstances. If you believe that you will not be able to meet the permitted word limit, you are advised to discuss this with your supervisor at an early stage. 

Applications to exceed the stated word count should be made in writing to your supervisor and should include how many additional words you require and the academic reasons to support your request. Your supervisor is required to comment on your application and indicate whether or not they support your request and then submit the request to Research Student Administration at [email protected] .   

Research Student Administration will notify you of the outcome of your request once the decision has been made by the Research Progress and Awards Sub Panel.

If you have further questions regarding word limits that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What forms do I need to submit with my thesis?

• A signed declaration form (PDF - 280KB)
• A degree congregation choice form (PDF - 199KB)
• A third party editor form (Word - 27KB) (if applicable)

Forms should be submitted to [email protected] as per the 'How do I submit my thesis for examination' FAQ above.

If you have further questions regarding submission forms that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help

Why has my thesis not be sent for examination when I submitted it weeks ago?

A thesis cannot be sent to the examiners until Research Student Administration are in receipt of:

• completed nomination of examiners form and the examiners approved for appointment;
• confirmation from your School that the plagiarism check has been completed and Research Student Administration have been advised that the thesis is cleared for examination (this can take up to two weeks from the date of your submission). 

What is the word count for an Alternative Thesis format?

Normal word limits as set out in Regulation 7.4.2(d) apply for alternative format theses.  

Further details on alternative format theses can be found in the 'Previously published or submitted work' section of the presenting your thesis webpage.

If you have further questions regarding alternative format theses that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Who will contact me about my viva?

It is the responsibility of the internal examiner or the chairperson of the viva (if no internal examiner and two external examiners are appointed) to make all the arrangements for the oral examination.  You will normally be given at least two weeks notice of the date, time, venue and the names of those attending. You should make the internal examiner aware of any dates on which it would be particularly difficult for you to be available for the oral examination - any dates you indicate as problematic will be taken into consideration, but the day chosen will depend on the examiners’ other commitments. 

If you have any questions about arrangements for the viva, please speak to your internal examiner, via your supervisor.

Can I take my thesis into the viva?

Yes, you can take your thesis into the viva.

Can I take a recording device into my viva?

The viva cannot be recorded or broadcast in any format.

Will my supervisor be present at the viva?

Your supervisor cannot be present at the viva but should be available on the day and may be present at the end of the viva when the examiners advise their provisional recommendation.

I have a Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP). How do I ensure that these adjustments are in place for my viva?

Please contact Research Student Administration at [email protected] to inform us that you have a RAP in place. We will then liaise with your examiners to ensure that these adjustments are in place for your viva.

Further information about Reasonable Adjustment Plans can be found on the Student Disability Service webpages.

When will I receive the outcome of the examination?

Once the examiners’ reports have been received by the Research Student Administration team, you will be sent a letter confirming the outcome together with a copy of their reports and providing a new deadline for the completion of any revisions or corrections required.

Further information on the examiners' recommendations can be found on the  examination outcome webpages.

If you have further questions regarding examination outcomes that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What are the recommendations open to the examiners?

The examiners may recommend that:

• The degree is awarded
• The degree is awarded subject to completion or minor or major corrections
• You should revise and resubmit your thesis for the same or lower qualification
• Award a lower degree with/without minor/major corrections
• The thesis is rejected and no award made

Further information on the examiners' recommendations can be found on the examination outcome webpages.

What is the time limit for completion of minor corrections?

The normal timeframe for completion of minor corrections is one month but examiners may give a longer period. The date for submission of your corrected thesis will be given to you in the examination outcome letter sent to you by Research Student Administration. 

Further information can be found on the corrections webpage.

If you have further questions regarding corrections deadlines that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What is the time limit for completion of major corrections?

The normal timeframe for completion of major corrections is six months but examiners may give a longer period. The date for submission of your corrected thesis will be given to you in the examination outcome letter sent to you by Research Student Administration. 

Further information can be found on the  corrections webpage.

How should I get in touch with my examiners if I require clarification about the corrections they have asked for?

Do i need to submit the same forms with the corrected thesis as i did with the first submission.

For minor/major corrections, you only need to include a signed authorised declaration in the front of the thesis.

If you have further questions regarding submission of corrections that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Is there a fee required for submitting corrections?

There is no fee for submission of a corrected thesis following minor or major corrections.

What is the timeframe for revise and resubmit?

The normal timeframe for resubmission is 12 months but examiners may give a longer period. The date for resubmission of your corrected thesis will be given to you in the examination outcome letter sent to you by Research Student Administration. You are required to pay a resubmission fee and a full and further examination will take place.

Further information can be found on the revise and resubmit webpage.

If you have further questions regarding revise and resubmit deadlines that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What date do I put on the title page of my resubmitted thesis?

The date on the title page of your thesis should be the month and year of your initial submission for examination. If you are required to make corrections to your thesis, this date should not be changed.

Further information can be found on the  revise and resubmit webpage.

If you have further questions regarding revise and resubmit submissions that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Do I have to put my thesis through Turnitin again for corrections/revise and resubmit?

For minor/major corrections, you do not need to submit your thesis again to Turnitin.  If the examiners recommend revise and resubmit, you will need to submit your revised thesis to Turnitin via Canvas.

When and where do I pay the resubmission fee?

If the examiners recommend that you revise and resubmit your thesis, you are required to pay a resubmission fee when you submit your revised thesis.  This is currently £180 and you should pay this in advance of your resubmission via the Online Shop . 

When submitting your resubmission forms (as per 'What forms do I need to submit with my resubmitted thesis' FAQ below), you should attach a copy of the confirmation of payment of the resubmission fee.

If you have further questions regarding the revise and resubmit fee that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What forms do I need to submit with my resubmitted thesis?

A revised and resubmitted thesis is subject to a full examination and you must submit the following forms:

• A signed  declaration form (PDF - 280KB)
• A  degree congregation choice form (PDF - 199KB)
• A  third party editor form (Word - 27KB)  (if applicable)

Forms should be submitted to  [email protected]  as per the 'How do I submit my thesis for examination' FAQ above. You should also attach confirmation of payment of the resubmission fee (see 'When and where do I pay the resubmission fee' FAQ above).

Do I have to have another oral examination following revise and resubmit?

A viva examination is compulsory for all resubmitted doctoral theses. For a resubmitted masters thesis, you may be required to attend an oral examination and the internal examiner will advise you if this is the case.

I am not happy with the outcome of my examination, what are my options?

How do i deposit my thesis with the library.

As per the Requirements for Award webpage , you must deposit an electronic copy of your completed final thesis, after corrections (if applicable), in the Library’s eTheses repository.

More information is available from the Library’s Depositing your thesis web pages .

Do I need to get my final thesis bound?

As of January 2024, you are no longer required to submit a hardbound copy of your thesis to the Library. You must still deposit an electronic copy.

If you would like a hardbound copy to keep for yourself, the University has for many years successfully outsourced binding to Blissetts , who you can contract with directly. 

If you have further questions regarding hardbound thesis binding that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

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Tracing Theses

Introduction to theses, finding university of birmingham theses, finding uk theses, finding theses from other countries.

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A thesis is a published piece of written work embodying the results of original research for the award of a higher degree from an academic institution. 

Reasons for consulting a thesis include:

• For use as an information resource relevant to your research topic, i.e. you may like to refer to and cite a thesis;
• To ensure that your proposed topic of research has not already been substantially covered by somebody else;
• To become acquainted with recent trends, methodologies and approaches in your subject;
• To gain understanding about what is expected of you if you are undertaking a research degree, and to gain ideas for structure, tone, language, layout etc.

Theses for the higher research degrees (PhD, M Litt,  M Phil or MRes) of the University of Birmingham are deposited with Library Services. Since 2009, University of Birmingham research theses have been deposited in electronic format in the University of Birmingham eTheses Repository .

University of Birmingham theses are indexed and discoverable on FindIt@Bham . Carry out a search on FindIt@Bham using your topic, or search for your school or department directly (for best results, use the dropdown menu in the FindIt@Bham search bar to switch the scope of the search from an "Everything" search to a "UoB Research & Publications" search). Once you have generated some results, use the "Resource Type" filters in the “Tweak my results” menu on right-hand side of the page and select "Dissertations" (you may need to click "Show more" to get this option).

Theses listed in the  eTheses Repository will be available electronically, unless embargoes are in place. Click on “View Online…” to access the full text. 

To access the older, printed theses, click "Check for current availability at Research Reserve..." and then click “Request this item from the Research Reserve…”. Complete the form, selecting your delivery site. You will receive an email notification when the thesis is ready for collection. 

Please note the following:

• Theses may not be removed from the Library;
• You must sign the copyright declaration in each thesis used;
• Since theses are under copyright, you must consult Library Services staff if you wish to photocopy more than a short extract;
• Occasionally an author may place an embargo on a thesis if any of its content is commercially valuable or confidential.

To search for research theses across the UK, the British Library's  EThOS  service is highly recommended. EThOS is the British Library’s e-theses service and provides access to over 500,000 doctoral theses.  Many are available for immediate download (registration is required, but this is free and straightforward to do), and for others you can request that the printed version be digitised. If you are requesting digitisation of a thesis, a scan fee may apply depending on whether the institution is a participating Higher Education Institution (HEI) – see the list of Participating Institutions  for details of members.

To search widely across theses from many countries, the  ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global  database is highly recommended (theses from the UK and Ireland are included here too). It includes millions of searchable citations to theses from 1861 to the present day, together with over a million full-text theses that are available for PDF download. The database offers full text for most of the theses added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for older graduate works. Each thesis published since July 1980 includes a 350-word abstract. Simple bibliographic citations are available for dissertations dating from 1637. 24-page previews of theses are provided where possible.

Another option when searching for theses globally is to consult e-theses repositories available from other countries. The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations  contains a breakdown of e-theses repositories by country.

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Postgraduate Law Research: How to Apply?

We accept applications at any time, though we strongly encourage research students to begin their studies at the start of the UK academic year (i.e. in September). There are, however, deadlines for applying for financial support. This section is designed to guide you through the application process and to help you identify funding opportunities.

Step 1: Which degree?

We offer three different postgraduate research degrees:

• PhD: 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
• MPhil:  2 years full-time, 4 years part-time
• MJur :1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

PhD students are initially registered on the MPhil programme and are expected to submit a 10,000 word paper showing PhD potential between 9 and 18 months after registering at the School. Your registration is then transferred to 'full' PhD status and, following further work, a thesis of 80,000 words is submitted. Full-time students are expected to complete their work within three years. 

The MPhil programme requires you to research and write a 60,000-word thesis under the supervision of a member of academic staff. Full-time students are expected to complete their thesis within two years.

The MJur programme requires you to research and write a 40,000-word thesis under the supervision of a member of academic staff. Full-time students are expected to complete their thesis within one year.

Entry Requirements

• Please check our coursefinder page about the programme for the current entry requirements

Step 2: Contact a member of staff

Once you have identified the subject area that you want to research, we recommend that you contact a member of our staff with appropriate expertise to discuss your proposed research. Please contact only one member of staff in the first instance; if necessary, we will redirect your email to a member of staff with expertise more directly relevant to your proposed research. If you are unsure which member of staff to approach, please contact  [email protected] for advice.

This is a pre-application step to help us match your research interests with our expertise. We will give you a preliminary view about whether you proposed research and academic background is a good fit with the School’s research strengths. If there is a good fit between your proposed research and our research strengths, we will give you advice on a draft of your research proposal before you make a formal application. We will also help you to identify funding opportunities.

When contacting a member of our staff, it would be helpful to include the following:

• A draft research proposal  or a summary of your research ideas - view a sample proposal .
• Details of university-level qualifications and any relevant professional experiences
• Details on how you propose to fund your research.

A list of our research strengths can be found here . 

You can also consult individual staff profiles to find more about our research interests as well as our contact details.

Step 3: Explore funding opportunities

There is a wide range of funding opportunities available to students interested in pursuing postgraduate research at Birmingham Law School—but it is vital that you explore these opportunities early. For more information, including details of funding deadlines, see here .

Step 4: Submit a formal application

Applications are submitted online . Applications are made directly to the University of Birmingham by using course finder and clicking on the course you wish to apply for. To complete an online application, you will require the following:

• A research proposal
• Copies of university transcripts
• Two references from referees who are able to comment on your academic and professional background
• Certificates to show competence in the English language (if English is not your first language).
• A personal statement of no more than one side of A4 in length explaining why you are interested in studying on your chosen programme.

It normally takes us 8-12 weeks to make a decision as we select students with care and your application is likely to be considered by several members of academic staff. If you have followed the steps above, however, we are likely to arrive at a decision much more quickly. During the application process, we may ask you to refine or reformulate your proposal in the light of comments from staff involved in assessing your project. You may also be invited for an interview. If you have any questions on the application process, please contact  [email protected]

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