Logging into myThesis for examiners


OVERVIEW

Target audience: McGill faculty and staff, and academics outside McGill University who may not have McGill username and password credentials.

In this article:

Also refer to the myThesis Service Description for FAQs.

tipTIP:

It is recommended to use Incognito or Private Browsing functionality to prevent your other logged-in credentials from auto-populating. Refer to the FAQ section for more detailed instructions.

Use an incognito or private window in your browser if you encounter the following login issues:


For external examiners only: After following the instructions, if you are still having trouble creating a Microsoft account to access myThesis, fill out the myThesis support form for external examiners for a support ticket to be created.


Logging into myThesis

Internal McGill users

To log into my myThesis:

  1. Open your browser and go to https://mythesis.mcgill.ca/.
  2. Log in with your McGill username (e.g., firstname.lastname@mcgill.ca) and password.
  3. You will be brought to the myThesis dashboard if you have a role in the system.

     

     


External non-McGill user (Guests)

McGill uses Azure AD authentication to allow users from other institutions to be guest users in myThesis. There are different procedures to follow if you log in with a Microsoft or non-Microsoft account.

Logging in with an existing Microsoft work or school account

First-time login

The first time you are accessing McGill resources, follow these steps (see below for the steps for subsequent logins):

  1. You will receive a myThesis invitation email. Click the link in the email to be redirected to the Microsoft sign-in page.
  2. Enter the email address that received the myThesis invitation and click Next.

3. Enter the password generally associated with this email account and click Sign in.

4. Read and accept the permissions.

Note: McGill will not have access to any personal information.

For subsequent logins

After you log in for the first time, follow these steps for subsequent logins:

  1. Open your browser using an incognito/private window (to ensure your device is not logged into a different email account) and go to https://mythesis.mcgill.ca/
  2. Log in using the email address where you received the myThesis email invitation and enter the password that is generally associated with this email address.
  3. You will be brought to the myThesis dashboard after logging in if you have a role in the system.


No Microsoft account - One-time passcode access

First-time login

The first time you are accessing McGill resources, follow these steps (see below for the steps for subsequent logins):

  1. You will receive a myThesis invitation email. Click the link in the email to be redirected to the Microsoft sign-in page.
  2. Click Send Code.

2.  You will receive an email with a verification code:

Enter the verification code on the next screen within the next 30 minutes:

3.  Read and accept the permissions

Note: McGill will not have access to any personal information.

For subsequent logins

After you log in for the first time, follow these steps for subsequent logins:

  1. Open your browser using an incognito/private window to ensure that your device is not logged into a different email account, and go to https://mythesis.mcgill.ca/
  2. Log in with the email account you used to receive the myThesis email invitation.
  3. A verification code will be sent to that email account. Enter the verification code within the next 30 minutes.
  4. You will be brought to the myThesis dashboard if you have a role in the system. 


Frequently asked questions

Permissions: What am I  agreeing to?

The myThesis application requires your permission to read the name, email and photo (if available) associated with your Microsoft account. This information is used for authentication purposes only. The myThesis application does not save or modify this information.

Why am I getting the "An unexpected error occurred" message when trying to log in?

The "unexpected error occurred" surfaces when the user logs in with the wrong account.

To ensure that previously logged-in accounts are not automatically populated when trying to access myThesis, you should log in through an incognito or private browser window. Copy and paste myThesis link (https://mythesis.mcgill.ca/) in the incognito/private window and manually enter the email address and password.

Why am I getting an "Invitation redemption failed" message when trying to log in?

The "invitation redemption failed" surfaces when the user is already logged into another account that cannot be found in myThesis.

To prevent this from happening:

To ensure that previously logged-in accounts are not automatically populated when trying access myThesis, you should log in through an incognito or private browser window. Copy and paste the myThesis link (https://mythesis.mcgill.ca/) in the incognito/private window and manually enter your credentials (the email address to which the invitation/email notification was sent) and password.

Why does McGill use Microsoft Azure?

McGill University uses these services for external examiners to securely access the myThesis application through the public MS Azure cloud platform. The Azure platform aims to help McGill manage security challenges and meet our organizational goals.

Azure AD (Active Directive) allows users from other institutions to be invited guest usersMcGill'sll's Azure AD tenant. A simple invitation and redemption process lets invited guests use their organization's credentials. A one-time passcode email will be sent if the invited guest is authenticated through other means, such as Azure AD or Microsoft account (MSA).

How do I set up an incognito or private window?

Follow these steps to open an incognito/private window in Chrome (see this article for other browsers):

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Click the 3 dots at the top right corner of the browser and select New incognito window (or New Private window).

    incognito Window Chrome

    New Tab should appear in Chrome.

    Incognito window

  3. Go back to your myThesis email invitation, hover over the link that reads "access and approve/decline the invitation" and right-click to copy the link address.
  4. Paste this link in the incognito/private window and enter the email address to which the invitation was sent, along with the associated password you usually use to log in.


Availability

myThesis is available 24 X 7, except during scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. Check the System Status page for announcements regarding service interruptions.


references

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:

  • For technical issues, such as problems creating an account or logging in, contact the IT Service Desk.
  • For external examiners only: After following the instructions, if you are still having trouble creating a Microsoft account to access myThesis, fill out the myThesis support form for external examiners for a support ticket to be created.