Postgraduate_Handbook_(Structures_B_and_C)_Nov2025

A candidate shall pass the proposal defence within the norm and maximum periods, relative to the registration date of the programme as follows:

The proposal defence presentation must have at least the followings:

1. Introduction and Justification of the Study (Research Background, Problem Statements and Motivations, Objectives and Deliverables)
2. Literature Review
3. Research Methodology
4. Research Schedule

A candidate shall be given THREE attempts to pass the proposal defence. A pass will be graded as ‘S’ while failure will be graded as ’US’. Failure on the third consecutive attempt within the maximum period of proposal defence or obtaining the grade of ‘US’ beyond the maximum period of proposal defence, whichever is earlier, shall result in the termination of the candidature.

Should a candidate fail to conduct the proposal defence within the maximum period for completion of proposal defence, the candidate is deemed to have failed and shall automatically terminated.

Forms and Guidelines

1. Research Proposal Defence Form

Candidates who register for dissertation must submit a progress report not later than the last week of every long semester to the Supervisor(s).

The progress report shall indicate the achievements/milestones achieved/ list of publications (if any), etc. and also include the work plan (including dissertation/project writing plan) for the next semester.

Failure to submit the progress report will result in the candidate being given a ‘F’ grade.

A candidate will have his candidature terminated after obtaining 3 cumulative ‘F’ grades.

The Dissertation Seminar functions as a feedback-driven platform to provide constructive feedback in an advisory capacity to strengthen the candidate’s ability to articulate and defend their work for viva voce.

The candidate must obtain the agreement and signatures of the Supervisor, Co-Supervisor and Dean of Faculty, who will verify on the Dissertation Seminar form whether the candidate has:

1) Completed and passed all pre-requisite courses and proposal defence seminar (attached as evidence with the thesis seminar form)
2) An active candidature by the time of thesis seminar
3) Fulfilled the minimum period for thesis submission
4) Completed the draft thesis (containing all chapters)
5) Paid up in full all fees and dues owed to the University
6) Possesses a valid student visa (Applicable to International Students only)

Upon fulfilment of the above requirements, the Faculty shall arrange the Dissertation Seminar for the candidate. The candidate is highly encouraged to publish before proceeding with the Dissertation Seminar.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All candidates must ensure their research work is fully completed and aim to submit the final thesis within a maximum of THREE (3) MONTHS from the date of thesis title approval.

On completion of the dissertation, it is essential for the candidate to submit a draft copy of the dissertation to the Supervisors to be checked for conformity to the format stipulated in the ‘Guideline for Thesis Preparation’ (can be found in “Thesis Template and Writing Guideline” below) before it is allowed to be submitted for examination.

The candidate is also required to prepare required documents for dissertation submission.

Forms and Guidelines

1. Thesis Checklist and Format Acknowledgement
2. Thesis Submission Form
3. Similarity Index Form
4. Thesis Template and Writing Guideline

The Senate shall award the degree upon the recommendation of the BOE once all Requirements for Conferment of Degree have been met.

Below is the link for the training information:

1. Turnitin User Guide
2. Online Guides & Resources
3. Tutorial Videos
4. Turnitin Workshops