Dissertations and Theses

1. Title
   These are the Dissertations and Theses Regulations 2020.
2. Date of effect
   These regulations are effective from 1 January 2020.
3. Definitions
   In these regulations

dissertation means a piece of written work that reports on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation and is undertaken in accordance with the regulations for an honours or first masters degree
first masters degree means a masters degree except for the Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
thesis means a piece of written work undertaken in accordance with the regulations for a first masters degree and equivalent to at least 90 points at 500 level, or a piece of written work undertaken in accordance with the regulations for a Master of Philosophy or doctoral degree. Applicants who intend to integrate a creative practice component with their thesis must comply with the Requirements for PhD with a Creative Practice Component, available from Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research. A thesis is externally examined and if passed is considered to embody research of a kind and standard appropriate for the thesis to be lodged permanently in the University’s digital repository, Research Commons, and is publicly accessible (unless embargoed under section 12 of these regulations).

4. Word limit for dissertations
   The maximum word limit for a dissertation is determined by the School of Faculty in which the dissertation is undertaken.
5. Word limit for first masters theses
   Unless the Head of School or Dean of the School or Faculty in which the thesis is undertaken approves otherwise in the case of an individual student or subject, the maximum word limit for a first masters thesis is 50,000 words.
6. Word limit for Master of Philosophy (MPhil) theses
   Unless the Postgraduate Research Committee approves otherwise in an individual case, the maximum word limit for an MPhil thesis is 50,000 words.
7. Word limit for doctoral theses
   Unless the Postgraduate Research Committee approves otherwise in an individual case, the maximum word limit is
   1. for a PhD thesis, 100,000 words
   2. for an EdD or SJD thesis, 60,000 words
   3. for a DMA thesis, 50,000 words.
8. Submission of dissertations
   1. When the dissertation is ready for examination, the student must submit two copies to the relevant Head of School or Dean of the School or Faculty.
   2. Dissertations are not required to be bound, but must be formatted and presented in accordance with relevant School or Faculty policy.
   3. The relevant Head of School or Dean may agree to accept part or all of a dissertation solely in digital form.
9. Submission of first masters theses
   1. When it is ready for examination, a digital copy of the thesis, which will include an abstract of no more than 500 words, immediately following the title page and written in a form suitable for publication, must be submitted by the student to the Student Centre Team.
   2. The thesis must be accompanied by a declaration, signed by the student’s chief supervisor, stating
      1. whether the thesis is, in the supervisor’s opinion, ready for examination, and
      2. that the thesis embodies the student’s own work, carried out under the supervisor’s direct supervision, and
      3. that evidence of ethical approval or a statement confirming that it is not required, in accordance with the Ethical Conduct in Human Research and Related Activities Regulations 2008 and/or the Code of Ethical Conduct for the Use of Animals for Research Testing and Teaching 2014 had been provided.
   3. After a thesis has been examined, passed and returned to a student, the student must, within three weeks, submit a final digital copy of the thesis to the University’s digital repository, Research Commons.
   4. After a thesis has been examined, passed, and submitted in final digital form the digital copy will be lodged permanently in the University’s digital repository, and, unless the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research has approved an embargo under section 12 of these regulations, will be publicly accessible.
10. Submission of MPhil and doctoral theses
    1. When it is ready for examination, a digital copy of the MPhil thesis or the doctoral thesis, which will include an abstract of no more than 500 words, immediately following the title page and written in a form suitable for publication, must be submitted by the student to Moodle, as per the submission for examination process outlined by Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research.
    2. The thesis must be accompanied by a declaration, signed by the student’s chief supervisor, stating
       1. whether the thesis is, in the supervisor’s opinion, ready for examination, and
       2. that the thesis embodies the student’s own work, carried out under the supervisor’s direct supervision, and
       3. that evidence of ethical approval or a statement confirming that it is not required, in accordance with the Ethical Conduct in Human Research and Related Activities Regulations 2008 and/or the Code of Ethical Conduct for the Use of Animals for Research Testing and Teaching 2014 had been provided.
    3. After a thesis has been examined and passed, a student, before being entitled to have the relevant degree formally conferred, must submit in final digital form, the copy to be lodged permanently in the University’s digital repository, Research Commons, and, unless the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research has approved an embargo under section 12 of these regulations, this copy will be publicly accessible.
11. Digital format
    1. The format for submission of the digital copy of a thesis required under subsection 9(1) and 10(1) of these regulations is set out in the University publication Write and Submit a Thesis a which is available from the Library website.
12. Embargoes
    1. Because freedom to exchange ideas and to publish acquired knowledge are fundamental to the purposes of a university, restrictions on freedom of access to dissertations and theses are acceptable only in very limited circumstances approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research or delegated authority.
    2. Embargoes of dissertations or theses, either in part or in full, are subject to written approval of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research.
    3. Embargo of a dissertation or thesis is normally approved only under the following circumstances:
       1. if it is pending publication
       2. if it is pending the filing of a patent
       3. to allow a funder to comment
       4. to protect pre-existing traditional knowledge of a whanau/hapu/iwi
       5. to protect pre-existing commercial agreements
       6. if there is a pre-existing contractual obligation
       7. if restriction is necessary under the Privacy Act 2020 or the Official Information Act 1982.
    4. An embargo will be approved only for a limited period.
    5. If the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research has approved an embargo, only the author, title, abstract and other meta-data of the full digital copy held by the University may be publicly accessible through the University’s digital repository, Research Commons.