MASc Thesis Examination

The MASc Thesis Examination is a degree requirement. It is an oral examination conducted at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering with the candidate and the members of the Examination Committee present. The Thesis Examination seeks to evaluate the candidate’s ability to present the research contained in the thesis and the depth of their knowledge about the research.

  • Specifically, the examining committee seeks to assess the student’s ability to

                (i) define a research problem,

                (ii) provide sufficient understanding of the relevant literature and

                (iii) critically evaluate and analyze the research outcomes.

A MASc Thesis Examination Committee should be formed by the MASc Supervisor(s), in consultation with the candidate, prior to the Thesis Examination.

The MASc Thesis Examination Committee will consist of:

  1. The student’s supervisor(s).
    • If there are two supervisors, then they each get half a vote.
  2. First Examiner. A regular faculty member from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.
    • The first examiner serves as the chair of the examination committee.
  3. Second Examiner. An additional examiner whose expertise can support the evaluation of the master's thesis.

The examiners are the same as the designated readers and are selected by submitting the MASc Thesis Submission Form to the ECE Graduate Studies Office. The committee is subject to approval by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

The following instructions outline the steps to complete the Thesis Examination degree requirement:

  1. Coordinate with your supervisor and the examination committee to confirm a date for completing your thesis examination.
  2. Once a date is determined, email the following information to the MASc Program Coordinator/Advisor:
    • Title.
    • Abstract.
    • Proposed date and time for your examination and whether it will be held online or in-person.
      • If the examination is held in person, please indicate if you require any audio-visual equipment, such as a data projector or laptop.
      • All committee members must attend the thesis examination. If a student has two supervisors, both must attend the exam. The Chair, Candidate and at least one supervisor must all be present in person for any hybrid defence arrangement. If any one of these individuals are not able to be physically present, the defence should be held in a remote format with everyone participating remotely
    • Names of first and second examiners
  3. On the day of your examination, your supervisor and the examination committee will receive an email with a web link to confirm the outcome of the examination.

Once the thesis has been accepted by the committee (Category A), the Departmental Thesis Approval form will be sent to Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, where a staff member will then record the completion of the Thesis Milestone on your academic record..

For details on completing your Thesis Examination please access the ECE Thesis Examination Guide.