Defending Your Dissertation
PUBLIC SEMINAR
A Notice of Seminar (example form) should be completed at least two weeks in advance. Cut and paste your info into the booklet and the chair's assistant will make copies for you. Each primary faculty should get a copy and also copies for you to distribute. We will also advertise the defense via Jaynet News and via departmental e-mail.
Also, nicely ask the chairman's assistant to reserve a room for you: You will need approximately a three-hour block of time reserved, one hour for the oral presentation (this seminar fulfills the requirement for course BMS 791) and two hours for the defense, when the candidate will address questions from their committee. Both may take place in the same room or the seminar can be given in a larger room and then the candidate and committee may convene in our conference room (310).
PRIVATE INTERVIEW
The Advisory Committee will continue the oral examination according to criteria used for the Research Proposal Evaluation.
The candidate should be able to clarify which research work was original and which was suggested by the Major Advisor. Print a Final Report copy and bring this with you to your private interview.
RESULTS
Pass
A majority of the Advisory Committee must be satisfied that the overall performance in the thesis and oral defense merits a "Pass". The Dean of the Graduate School will be informed accordingly.
Failure
- The candidate may be invited to resubmit a revised dissertation and/or engage in a further oral examination in no less than three months.
- The candidate may be given the option of submitting the thesis for the M.S. degree.
- The candidate may fail without invitation to 1. or 2.
A second failure in 1. or 2. disqualifies the candidate.
