Doctoral oral defense: A procedure

Ross Woods, 2023. With thanks to Dαwιε ναn Vυυrεn

Prior preparation

  1. The candidate's supervisor:
    1. informs the academic committee that the candidate is ready for the defense.
    2. informs the candidate about preparation for the defense, and preferably gives the candidate at least one practice run of the presentation.
  2. The academic committee:
    1. selects the members of the assessment committee (“the committee”).
    2. selects a committee member to be moderator.
    3. decides whether a rubric is to be used and confirms its format.
    4. sets the maximum number of guests who may be invited.
    5. sets the maximum time of the defense (e.g. two hours).
  3. The moderator is responsible for the whole process:
    1. The moderator ensures that all questions and comments are fair.
    2. The moderator sets the date and time for the oral defense in consultation with the candidate and the assessment committee.
    3. The moderator sends assessment committee members the rubric plus a final copy of the dissertation.
  4. The moderator may:
    1. invite other members of the student’s cohort to the defense
    2. give the student and committee members the opportunity to invite a limited number of guests who may be interested.
  5. Assessment committee members read the dissertation and prepare their questions and remarks for the meeting.
  6. The moderator gives the candidate and assessment committee members opportunity to invite a limited number of guests who may be interested in the subject (e.g. email invitations or videoconference links).
  7. The moderator informs guests of date and time of the oral defense and the maximum time it may take:
    1. If the defense will be held in person, the moderator sends an invitation, with instructions on what time to arrive and be seated by, how to get to the location (e.g. a map of campus with the building and room marked), and information about parking (where to park, parking permits or fees, etc.).
    2. If the defense will be held by videoconference, the moderator sends informs guests of the time they will be sent a link to attend the videoconference.

Meeting Agenda

There is no difference whether the defense is done in person or by videoconference and whether the dissertation has already been read by an external examiner.

  1. The moderator opens the meeting with a welcome and then introduces committee members.
  2. The student gives a 30-minute presentation of the research, preferably with a PowerPoint (or similar).
  3. The moderator gives committee members opportunity to give remarks and ask the candidate questions. Their questions may have been prepared beforehand, or may have arisen during the presentation.
  4. The moderator may give guests opportunity to ask questions. He/she may also require that all guests' questions are passed through the moderator.
  5. The committee members meet privately for a final deliberation to make an assessment decision.
  6. The student and guests are re-admitted to the meeting.
  7. The moderator announces the committee's assessment result, gives the reasons for it, and makes any other supporting remarks.
  8. The moderator closes the meeting.

Evaluation of process

  1. The academic committee reviews the procedure and decides on any necessary improvements.