Chapter Ten: Thesis, Supervision, and Defense
Chapter Ten of the higher education regulations addresses the policies and procedures related to the thesis component of graduate studies, as well as the supervision and defense mechanisms for theses at both the master's and doctoral levels within universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This chapter, encompassing Articles 35 to 52, provides comprehensive guidelines to ensure that the thesis process is conducted with academic rigor, transparency, and fairness, thereby maintaining high standards of graduate education.
Article 35 stipulates that the University Council shall issue rules regulating the oral and written comprehensive examinations for both master's and doctoral stages, based on proposals from the Standing Committee. This ensures that assessment mechanisms are standardized, rigorous, and reflective of the academic expectations at each graduate level.
Article 36 mandates that the University Council shall issue rules governing the registration of graduation research projects and theses, as well as the mechanisms for determining thesis supervisors and assistant supervisors. These rules are to be established based on recommendations from the Standing Committee, providing a clear framework for students and faculty regarding thesis initiation and supervision assignments.
Article 37 specifies that theses must be written in the language approved for the program by the University Council. If the thesis is written in a language other than Arabic, it must include an adequate summary in Arabic. This requirement ensures accessibility and compliance with national language policies while accommodating programs offered in other languages.
Article 38 outlines the qualifications for thesis supervisors. Theses are to be supervised by professors and associate professors from the university faculty. An assistant professor may supervise graduation research and master's theses and may assist in supervising doctoral dissertations, provided they have at least two published research papers or papers accepted for publication in refereed academic journals in their field of specialization. This criterion ensures that supervisors possess sufficient academic experience and a track record of research, contributing to the quality of guidance provided to graduate students.
Article 39 allows for experienced and specialized individuals who are not university faculty members to supervise or assist in supervising theses. These individuals can be from inside or outside the university and must be approved based on a recommendation from the Department Council and approval from the College Council. This provision enables the inclusion of external experts and practitioners, enriching the supervision process with diverse perspectives and specialized expertise.
Article 40 states that the University Council shall issue guidelines for assistant thesis supervisors, based on proposals from the Standing Committee. This ensures that the roles and responsibilities of assistant supervisors are clearly defined and standardized across the university.
Article 41 permits faculty members to supervise theses outside their university, whether within or outside the Kingdom, without prejudice to their job duties. This is to be conducted in accordance with regulations approved by the University Council based on proposals from the Standing Committee. This facilitates academic collaboration and allows faculty to contribute their expertise more broadly while ensuring that their primary responsibilities at their home institution are not compromised.
Article 42 requires supervisors to evaluate the student's performance at the end of each semester and determine their progress in the thesis, following mechanisms approved by the Standing Committee. Regular evaluation ensures that students are progressing satisfactorily and allows for early identification of any issues that may impede timely completion.
Article 43 stipulates that the number of students enrolled in the graduation research course should not be less than five. However, the College Council may make exceptions to this minimum in accordance with regulations approved by the University Council based on proposals from the Standing Committee. This provision aims to ensure that resources are efficiently utilized while allowing flexibility in cases where enrollment numbers are low.
Article 44 addresses situations where a student is not in good academic standing during the thesis stage, based on the supervisor's report. In such cases, the student is warned by a letter from the competent department. If the student receives two warnings and fails to address the reasons for these warnings, their enrollment will be terminated based on recommendations from the Department and College Councils. This process emphasizes the importance of maintaining academic standards and provides students with opportunities to rectify issues before severe consequences are enforced.
Article 45 limits the number of theses a supervisor can oversee to a maximum of seven at any one time, whether individually or jointly with others. The Standing Committee may grant exceptions to this limit based on recommendations from the Department and College Councils, following regulations approved by the University Council. This limit ensures that supervisors can provide adequate attention and support to each student, maintaining the quality of supervision.
Article 46 specifies that the supervision load for a faculty member, whether as a main supervisor or an assistant supervisor for each thesis, is included in their teaching load. This is to be regulated in accordance with policies approved by the University Council based on proposals from the Standing Committee. Including supervision in the teaching load acknowledges the significant time and effort faculty invest in guiding graduate students and balances their overall workload.
Article 47 outlines the procedure upon completion of the thesis. The supervisor must submit a report on the thesis's completion to the Department Head, attaching a copy of the thesis. This initiates the defense procedures as determined by the College Council, ensuring a structured and timely progression toward the student's final evaluation.
Article 48 states that the defense committee is formed by a decision of the College Council based on recommendations from the Department Council. This ensures that the committee is composed of qualified individuals appropriate for evaluating the thesis.
Article 49 mandates that the University Council shall issue rules for selecting members of the master's thesis and doctoral dissertation defense committees, as well as the mechanisms for conducting defenses, based on proposals from the Standing Committee. This standardizes the defense process and ensures fairness and consistency across the university.
Article 50 details the possible outcomes of the thesis defense. The defense committee must prepare a report signed by all members and submit it to the Department Head within one week of the defense. The report should include one of the following recommendations:
- Acceptance of the thesis and a recommendation to award the degree.
- Acceptance of the thesis with minor amendments without requiring a re-defense. A committee member is delegated to verify the amendments within a period not exceeding three months from the defense date, extendable to six months by the College Council.
- Completion of deficiencies in the thesis and re-defense before the committee within a period determined by the College Council, not exceeding one year from the defense date.
- Non-acceptance of the thesis.
Committee members have the right to present differing views or reservations in a detailed report to the Department Head within one week of the defense, which is then submitted to the College Dean along with the defense committee's report. This provision ensures transparency and allows for minority opinions to be formally recorded and considered.
Article 51 outlines compensation for supervisors from outside the university. A lump-sum payment of 5,000 Saudi Riyals is paid to a master's thesis supervisor, and 7,000 Riyals to a doctoral dissertation supervisor from outside the university. The Standing Committee may approve, upon request from the student's university, the temporary secondment of an external supervisor to meet with the student, provided that the assignment does not exceed twice in each academic year for each external university where students' theses are supervised. This incentivizes external experts to contribute to graduate supervision while managing the frequency of such engagements.
Article 52 specifies the compensation for defense committee members. A lump-sum payment of 1,000 Riyals is paid to a defense committee member who participates in the defense of a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation if they are a faculty member at the same university. If the committee member is not a faculty member at the university where the thesis is defended, they receive:
- 1,500 Riyals for a doctoral dissertation.
- 1,000 Riyals for a master's thesis.
If the member is from outside the Kingdom, the payment increases to 2,500 Riyals. This compensation acknowledges the time and expertise contributed by committee members, especially those who travel or are external to the university.
Conclusion
Overall, Chapter Ten establishes a comprehensive framework for the thesis process in graduate studies, covering the selection and responsibilities of supervisors, the evaluation and defense procedures, and the compensation for external contributors. The chapter emphasizes the importance of maintaining high academic standards, providing clear guidelines for both students and faculty, and ensuring fairness and consistency throughout the thesis journey. By detailing these regulations, the chapter supports the development of rigorous research, contributes to the advancement of knowledge, and upholds the integrity of graduate education within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Article 35
The University Council shall issue rules regulating the oral and written comprehensive exams for the master's and doctoral stages, based on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
Article 36
The University Council shall issue rules regulating the registration of the graduation research project and the thesis of the graduate student, if any, and the mechanism for determining the thesis supervisor and assistant supervisor, based on the recommendation of the Standing Committee.
Article 37
Theses are to be written in the language approved for the program by the University Council, provided that the thesis contains an adequate summary in Arabic if it is written in a language other than Arabic.
Article 38
Theses are supervised by professors and associate professors from the university faculty. An assistant professor may supervise graduation research and master's theses and assist in supervising doctoral dissertations if they have two published research papers or papers accepted for publication in a refereed academic journal in their field of specialization.
Article 39
Experienced and specialized individuals in the field of the thesis research who are not faculty members, whether from inside or outside the university, may supervise or assist in supervising theses based on a recommendation from the Department Council and approval from the College Council.
Article 40
The University Council shall issue guidelines for assistant thesis supervisors based on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
Article 41
A faculty member may supervise theses outside their university, whether inside or outside the Kingdom, without prejudice to their job duties, in accordance with regulations approved by the University Council based on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
Article 42
The supervisor shall evaluate the student’s performance at the end of each semester and determine their progress in the thesis in accordance with mechanisms approved by the Standing Committee.
- The student must pass the supplementary course on the first attempt with a grade of no less than "Above Average," and their cumulative GPA in all supplementary courses must not be less than "Very Good."
- For alternative exams and courses that require more than one semester to complete, the College Council decides what is appropriate based on the Department Council’s recommendation.
Article 43
The number of students enrolled in the graduation research course shall not be less than five. The College Council may make an exception to this minimum in accordance with regulations approved by the University Council based on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
Article 44
If it is proven that the student is not in good academic standing during the thesis stage, based on the supervisor's report, the student is warned by a letter from the competent department. If the student is warned twice and does not resolve the reasons for the warnings, their enrollment will be terminated based on recommendations from the Department and College Councils.
Article 45
Whether individually or jointly with others, a supervisor can supervise a maximum of seven theses at one time. The Standing Committee may make exceptions to this based on recommendations from the Department and College Councils, in accordance with regulations approved by the University Council based on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
Article 46
The supervision load for a faculty member, whether they are a main supervisor or an assistant supervisor for each thesis, is included in their teaching load in accordance with regulations approved by the University Council based on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
Article 47
After the completion of the thesis, the supervisor shall submit a report on its completion to the Department Head, attaching a copy of the thesis, in preparation for completing the defense procedures determined by the College Council.
Article 48
A defense committee shall be formed by a decision of the College Council based on the recommendation of the Department Council.
Article 49
The University Council shall issue rules for selecting the members of the master's thesis and doctoral dissertation defense committees and the mechanism for conducting those defenses, based on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
Article 50
The defense committee shall prepare a report signed by all its members and submit it to the Department Head within a week from the date of the defense, including one of the following recommendations:
- Acceptance of the thesis and a recommendation to award the degree.
- Acceptance of the thesis with minor amendments without requiring a re-defense. A member of the defense committee shall be delegated to recommend awarding the degree after ensuring the implementation of the amendments within a period not exceeding three months from the defense date. The College Council may extend this period, provided it does not exceed six months from the defense date.
- Completion of deficiencies in the thesis and re-defense before the committee within a period determined by the College Council based on the recommendation of the competent Department Council, provided it does not exceed one year from the defense date.
- Non-acceptance of the thesis.
Each member of the defense committee has the right to present differing views or reservations in a detailed report to the Department Head within a period not exceeding one week from the defense date, which is submitted to the College Dean along with the defense committee's report.
Article 51
- A lump-sum payment of 5,000 riyals will be paid to a master's thesis supervisor from outside the university, and a lump-sum payment of 7,000 riyals to a doctoral dissertation supervisor from outside the university.
- The Standing Committee may approve, based on a request from the student’s university, the temporary secondment of an external supervisor to meet with the student they are supervising, provided the following: a. The assignment shall not exceed twice in each academic year for each external university where students' theses are supervised.
Article 52
A lump-sum payment of 1,000 riyals shall be paid to a defense committee member who participates in the discussion of a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation if they are a faculty member at the same university where the thesis is submitted.
If the defense committee member is not a faculty member at the university where the thesis is being defended, whether they are an employee of that university or someone invited from outside, they shall receive:
- 1,500 riyals for a doctoral dissertation.
- 1,000 riyals for a master's thesis.
The payment shall be increased to 2,500 riyals if the defense committee member is from outside the Kingdom.