Prince of Songkla University Graduate Studies Regulation B.E. 2563 

Section 1 Administration of Graduate Studies

Topic 6 Graduate level studies shall be organized as follows:
     6.1 The Graduate School regulates and maintains the standard of graduate studies programs at Prince of Songkla University.
     6.2 The Graduate School is responsible for coordinating and supporting graduate education, and the faculties are responsible for providing education in their respective subjects.
     6.3 The Graduate School may provide multidisciplinary curricula in order to facilitate and administer education in courses which are relevant to several faculties.

Section 2 Graduate Study Programs

Topic 12 Structure of Graduate Study Programs
     12.1 Graduate Diploma
     A comprehensive program of study with an emphasis on academic and professional development, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university. The program consists of at least 24 credits of study.
     Higher Graduate Diploma
     A comprehensive program of study with an emphasis on academic and professional development, applicants must have completed 6 years of study at bachelor’s degree and master’s degree level, or equivalent qualifications from an accredited college or university. The program consists of at least 24 credits of study.
     12.2 Master’s Degree
     A program of study with the emphasis on academic and research development in various areas at a level higher than a bachelor’s degree or a graduate diploma, the program consists of at least 36 credits of study with 2 study plans to choose from:
     Plan A – Research focused
          Plan A1 - Thesis only with 36 credits. Students may be assigned additional audit coursework.
          Plan A2 - Combined coursework and thesis with at least 18 thesis credits and 18 coursework credits.
          Plan B - Coursework focused
          Students do not have to write a thesis, but have to write a minor thesis (independent study) of at least 6 credits.
     12.3 Doctor of Philosophy
     A program of study with the emphasis on academic and research development in various areas at a level higher than a master’s degree or a higher graduate diploma. The program consists of at least 48 credits of study for applicants with a master’s degree or equivalent and at least 72 credits of study for applicants with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent with an excellent academic record. There are 2 study plans to choose from:
     Plan 1 – Thesis only plan, where research of exceptional quality leading to novel studies is emphasized. Students may be assigned additional audit coursework or activities.
          Plan 1.1 – Applicants with a master’s degree or equivalent must take at least 48 thesis credits.
          Plan 1.2 – Applicants with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent must take at least 72 thesis credits..
     Plan 2 – Combined coursework and thesis plan, where research of high quality leading to academic and professional development are emphasized.
          Plan 2.1 – Applicants with a master’s degree or equivalent must take at least 36 thesis credits and at least 12 coursework credits.
          Plan 2.2 – Applicants with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent must take at least 48 thesis credits and at least 24 coursework credits.

Topic 13 Duration of Study

     a. Graduate Diploma and Higher Graduate Diploma – depending on the program of study, but not more than 3 academic years.
     b. Master’s Degree – depending on the program of study, but not more than 5 academic years.
     c. Doctor of Philosophy – depending on the program of study, but not more than 8 academic years for students with a bachelor’s degree and not more than 6 academic years for students with a master’s degree.

Section 3 Graduate Study Lecturers

Topic 24 Qualifying Examination Committee
     Committees consist of at least 3 members:
          - The Program Convenor as chairperson
          - Thesis advisor
          - A lecturer

     Upon completion of the qualifying examination and its approval, the faculty staff must submit the result to the Graduate School.

Topic 25 Thesis Proposal Examination Committee
     Committees consist of 3 to 5 members:
          - Thesis advisor
          - Thesis co-advisor (if any)
          - Lecturer and/or recognized expert in a related field of research

     Upon completion of the proposal examination and its approval, students must submit the Request for Thesis Proposal Approval form (GS2) to the Graduate School.

Topic 27 Thesis Examination Committee
     At the end of a student’s research work, a thesis examination committee must be appointed by submission of the Request for Appointment of Thesis Examination Committee form (GS3).
     The committee consists of:
          a. At least 1 external expert in the related field of research who is not the current thesis co-advisor
          b. At least 1 lecturer who is not the current thesis co-advisor and a recognized expert in the related area
          c. Thesis advisor
          d. Thesis co-advisor (if requested)

     Note: The thesis examination committee consists of at least 3, but not more than 5 members, and the thesis advisor / co-advisor may not act as the Chairperson of the committee. For Ph.D. level, the external expert chairs the examination committee.

Section 5 Student Registration

Topic 34 Registration

     Number of Credits per Semester
     Students may not register for more than 15 credits per semester, and registration must be done with the consent of the academic or thesis advisor.
     Thesis Advisor / Co-advisor
     Students under a master’s degree Plan A program and Ph.D. students must file the Request for Advisor and Co-advisor Appointment (GS1) before registering for thesis credits. The form should be filed at the student’s respective school or faculty.
     Registration Procedure
     Both online and advance registration are available to students. The PSU academic calendar at www.grad.psu.ac.th or the Registrar’s Division website provide the relevant information about registration period, deadlines and procedures for each campus at::

• Hat Yai Campus: www.reg.psu.ac.th
• Pattani Campus: www.regist.pn.psu.ac.th
• Phuket Campus: www.phuket.psu.ac.th/registra
• Surat Thani Campus: www.reg.surat.psu.ac.th
• Trang Campus: www.trang.psu.ac.th

Topic 36 Change of Study Plan

     A request for changing a student’s plan of study must be filed and approved by the respective school / faculty. The request can be made after having studied for at least 1 semester.

Topic 37 Change of Study Program

     In order to request a change in the program of study, the Request for a Change of Study Program (GS12) may be filed through the respective school / faculty to the Graduate School for approval.

Topic 38 Changing the Level of Study

     Students who wish to switch the level of study from a master’s degree to a doctorate degree in the same area of study, or vice versa, may file a Request for Change of Level of Study (GS13) through their respective school / faculty to the Graduate School for approval.

Topic 40 Transfer of Course Credits

     Students may request a course credit transfer by filing a Request for Credit/Coursework Transfer (GS10) to their respective school / faculty for approval. The transferred credits must be from courses or a thesis at graduate level, taken within the previous 3 years with a grade of P, S, or at least B.

Section 6 Assessment of Educational Outcomes

Topic 42 Examinations at Graduate Level

     42.1 Comprehensive Examination
     Master’s degree Plan B and Ph.D. students in Plant Science are required to take a comprehensive exam set by the school / faculty. The comprehensive exam assesses a student’s ability to apply the knowledge and principles acquired through study or research to their field work.
     42.2 Thesis Examination
     42.3 Minor Thesis Examination
     42.4 Qualifying Examination (For Ph.D. student)
     All Ph.D. students are required to pass a qualifying exam, set by their respective school / faculty, within 4 semesters of admission to the program. The qualifying exam assesses a student’s basic knowledge and readiness to conduct research at doctoral level.
     42.5 English Language Proficiency Examination

Section 7 Thesis and Minor Thesis

Topic 49 Thesis Examination

     A student is required to do the following:
          a. Agree upon the time and date of the exam with all thesis examination committee members;
          b. Fill out and submit the Request for Thesis Examination (GS4) with the approval of the thesis advisor to the Graduate School at least 2 weeks prior to the examination date;
          c. Provide a copy of the thesis to all thesis examination committee members at least 2 weeks prior to the examination date;
          d. Prepare the forms Specification of Thesis Examination Report (GS.5/1) and Report on Thesis Examination (GS5) for committee members to complete and sign on the day of the exam. The completed forms will then be forwarded to the Graduate School by the faculty;
          e. If the thesis title needs to be revised after examination, the student needs to inform the faculty and complete the Request for Change of Thesis Title (GS5/2).

Topic 50 Submission of the Completed Thesis

     After completion of the thesis, students should submit the following items to the Graduate School:
          a. GS8 Request for Thesis Submission
          b. GS14 Originality Report
          c. Committee approval signatures page (page ii of the thesis)
          d. Thesis Format Inspection Report (Yellow Sheet) issued by the Graduate School upon submission of form GS6
          e. One printed and bound copy of the completed thesis
          f. A CD containing the PDF files of the completed thesis

      Non-Thesis Examination and Submission
     Examination must comply with the school / faculty non-thesis regulation. The complete non-thesis book and CD disc with files of the complete non-thesis work must be submitted to the respective faculty.

Topic 53 Thesis Format Inspection

     The layout and format of the following 6 thesis pages will be checked by the Graduate School:
          a. Front cover
          b. Inside cover (i)
          c. Approval (committee signatures) page (ii)
          d. 2 certification pages (iii & iv)
          e. CV page (last page of thesis)

     Students can submit these pages for inspection at the One Stop Service, Graduate School, together with the Thesis Format Correction Form (GS 6) They will be given immediate feedback on whether the format is correct or changes are needed. For more information, please go to the thesis formatting guidelines at Thesis Manual

Section 8 Completion of Study

Topic 54 Completion of Study
    Requirement for graduation (degree award):
        a. Completion of all courses as required by the program of study with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00
        b. Pass the minimum English proficiency test set by the Graduate School for each program of study.
        c. Pass the required exams:
            (i) For master’s degree Plan B students: Pass the comprehensive exam and non-thesis exam with a grade of S or X;.
            (ii) For master’s degree Plan A students: Pass the thesis proposal examination and thesis examination with a grade of S or X;
            (iii) For Ph.D students: Pass the qualifying exam, thesis proposal examination and thesis examination with a grade of S or X.

        d. Publication Requirements

            (i) A master’s degree Plan A student must present his/her work at an academic conference
(and have it published in the conference proceedings), or have it published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal;
            (ii) A Ph.D. students’ research work must be published or accepted for publication in a
            peer reviewed journal.
        For more information on journals acceptable for publication, please go to Click Journal Information
        Upon completion of all requirements set by the program and the Graduate Study Regulation B.E. 2556, students may file a request for graduation to the Registrar’s Division online
The Registrar’s Division will then check all the graduating criteria before forwarding the request to the Graduate School for verification of graduation and submitting it to the President of the University Council for approval.

     English Language Proficiency
        Master’s Degree and Ph.D. students must pass an English proficiency exam as determined by the Graduate School

        Test results can not be older than 2 years, counting from the commencement of studies at PSU. Students who wish to use test results from TOEFL, IELTS, or other testing institutes must submit a Submission of English Language Proficiency for Graduation (RF5) for English language equivalent, together with the valid test result. The request must be signed by the academic/thesis advisor and submitted to the Graduate School for approval.

        In cases where exam scores have been obtained from other sources, or where a student has graduated from an educational institution where the language of tuition was English and where there is evidence of sufficient English language proficiency, the Graduate School will use its discretion to consider each case individually.

        Master’s degree students who are unable to pass the English proficiency test may register for class 890-901 English for Graduate Study (3 credits) offered by the Faculty of Liberal Arts or 935-561, 417-501/417-502, 811-501 offered by the faculties at each campus. Once students have obtained “Satisfactory” level, the English proficiency requirement is automatically fulfilled without making a request to the Graduate School.

        NOTE: The applicant must have a PSU-TEP score to apply for this class.

        Students in international programs and Ph.D. programs who are unable to pass an English proficiency test as required by the Graduate School may register for class 890-902 (Academic English for doctoral students) offered by the Faculty of Liberal Arts (Hat Yai Campus), 417-601 (Academic English for doctoral students) offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science (Pattani Campus), or 811-501/811-502 offered at Surat Thani Campus in order to improve their English skills.

        NOTE: 890-902 and 417-601 are not a substitution for a proficiency test (PSU-TEP, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.). However, the test results of both academic English courses can be partially used in combination with the PSU-TEP and CU-TEP score for English proficiency approval when the students are approaching the final semester according to their study program.

        Further information on English proficiency testing (PSU-TEP) may be obtained at the Education Unit, 2nd Floor, Faculty of Liberal Arts (Tel. 0-7428-6665) or via the Graduate School website at http://www.grad.psu.ac.th.

        Detection of Plagiarism
        The Graduate School has to ensure that every thesis and publication meet the expected quality and reliability standards. Students must maintain proper ethical standards in their research and must not copy work from other people, as well as their own work, without proper citation.

        In order to prevent plagiarism, all students must submit form GS14 together with a Turnitin™ Originality Report to their advisor and examination committee prior to the thesis examination. When the thesis is completed, students must submit form GS14, the Turnitin™ Originality Report, together with an electronic copy of the report on CD to the Graduate School.

Section 9 Student Status

Topic 58 Suspension of Study
    The suspension of study may not be longer than 2 semesters. Upon approval, students must maintain their student status by submitting a student status maintenance request at the Registrar’s Division and pay the status maintenance fee at the Finance Office.

Topic 59 Retirement/Termination of Study
    Students who wish to terminate their study may file a request using the form assigned by the Registrar’s Division through their respective program committee to the Graduate School. The request will be approved by the president of the university.

Topic 61 Dismissal from Study
    Reasons for student dismissal:
        a. Not registering within 30 days after commencement of a semester without having obtained approval for suspension of study;
        b. Obtaining a cumulative GPA of less than 2.50 in any single semester;
        c. Completing 2/3 of the required coursework credits, not including thesis credits, and receiving a cumulative GPA of less than 2.75;
        d. Exceeding the maximum permissible duration of study (as defined in Section 13) with a cumulative GPA of less than 3.00;
        e. Thesis proposal not having been approved within these times:
            (1) Master’s degree Plan A1
                - 4 semesters for full time students
                - 5 semesters for part time students
            (2) Master’s degree Plan A2
                - 5 semesters for full time students
                - 6 semesters for part time students
            (3) Ph.D. Plan 1
                - 6 semesters for full time students
                - 7 semesters for part time students
            (4) Ph.D. Plan 2
                - 7 semesters for full time students
                - 8 semesters for part time students
        f. Not passing the thesis examination or comprehensive examination at the 2nd attempt;
        g. Not submitting the completed thesis within 6 months of the thesis examination date;
        h. Not submitting the completed non-thesis work within 3 months of the examination date;
        i. The Graduate School finds a student to be guilty of serious misconduct.

Section 10 Announcements

• Foreign Language Assessment of Master and Doctoral Students as a Requirement for Graduation
• Attachment of Announcement : Foreign Language Assessment of Master and Doctoral Students as a Requirement for Graduation 
• Criteria for Evaluating Quality of Thesis Involving Innovations or Creative Works for Fulfilling Graduation Requirements in PSU Issued on May 19, 2021
• Criteria for Publications of Research to Fulfill the Requirement for Graduation (No. 3) Issued on March 24, 2020
• Criteria for Publications of Research to Fulfill the Requirement for Graduation (No.2) Issued on August 29, 2018
• Check for Theses, Minor Theses and Publications of Students (No.2) Issued on September 28, 2018 
• Annex Announcement 
• Thesis and Publication Plagiarism Protection

• Rate of fees on expenses of the Graduate School. Issued on March 15, 2021. - Request for Certificate (RF2) 

Other

    1. Requesting a Letter of Recommendation
         25.1 Letters verifying student status, completion of study, or a student transcript may be obtained from the Registrar’s Division.
         25.2 Students who are civil servants or government employees may request a letter verifying their study status by submitting an Application for Certification Letter (RF3) through their academic / thesis advisor to the Graduate School.

    2. Requesting a Letter to Report Back to Work
         Students who are civil servants or government employees may obtain a letter to request the return to work by submitting a Request Form 4 (RF4) through their academic / thesis advisor to the Graduate School.