Master's Thesis - Examination Chair

It is the supervisor's responsibility to find an Examination Chair.   The Examination Chair and Arm's Length Examiner should not be the same faculty member.

The chair should be a professor from KSR who is not a member of the supervisory committee.  The Chair should not have real or apparent conflict of interest with the student or any of the examiners. The chair should be a faculty member with experience supervising graduate students and experience with the examination process. The chair should have sufficient experience with graduate examinations to be able to allow the examination to be conducted in a fair manner. The chair is responsible for moderating the discussion and directing questions. It is the chair’s responsibility to ensure that departmental and FGSR regulations relating to the final examination are followed. If the chair is not an examiner, then the chair does not vote.  

The Chair of the examination will receive relevant documentation at least one week prior to the exam.   If you are chairing an examination and have not received paperwork one week ahead of the exam, contact the graduate education office IMMEDIATELY at  ksrgrad.info@ualberta.ca

The role of the Chair of Examination Committee is to:

• Moderate the proceedings;

• Ensure that a fair examination occurs

• They are NOT part of the examination committee

• Submit the completed documents of the final oral examination to the Graduate Program Office (3-134 UHall).

For further information on the role of Exam Chair and conduct of exams, please refer to the University of Alberta Calendar: Supervision and Examinations.