Sorry, just to clarify: I've been asked to re-submit the thesis, as the examiners have said the two extra chapters amounts to a substantial change.

It's a very odd result: they've said that it's good, nothing should change re the argument, and that I've done all I can within the given word-count. They feel, however, that by adding an extra 5-10,000 words, it will have a greater coherence.

I've never heard of this, whereby all is well with what has been done, and yet you're asked to re-submit.

The viva itself was great fun; I genuinely enjoyed the experience. The questions were fair but tough, and they all led into a three-way conversation. It's because the viva went so well that I was so shocked to be asked to re-submit.

I just need to get on with the work, but I would love to know if anyone else has been through this.

So I've just had my viva, in which my examiners said my thesis and viva were exemplary.

So it came as a bit of a bombshell when they then said they were grading the work as a 'deferred pass' as it needed an extra intro and conclusion. I asked how this was possible, given that the current thesis is five words under the max limit - but apparently they can do this.

Has anyone heard of this phrase before, as I haven't and can't find it in the exam regs? It sounds like it's almost a cross between a minor corrections pass and a major corrections re-submission.

Thanks.