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Oral Defense Structure and Format

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Oral Defense Structure and Format

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Pattern II Degree Program

MSc / PhD Thesis Oral Defense Procedure – physical sciences (10-20 minute oral presentation required)

MA / PhD Thesis Oral Defense Procedure – socio-cultural studies (does not include the 10-20 minute oral presentation)

  1. After the Candidate, the Examiners and the Chair have all been introduced to each other, the Candidate is asked to leave the room.
  2. The Chair reads the reports on the thesis submitted by each Examiner, asks for any clarification, and discusses the procedures that will be followed during the exam.
  3. The Candidate is invited to return to the room and is asked to give a brief (10-20 minutes) presentation about their thesis.
  4. Questioning then begins. Each Examiner takes 15-20 minutes to ask their questions. The order of questioning for the master’s oral defense is: Internal-External examiner, Internal Examiner, Head or Delegate, Graduate Supervisor. The order of questioning for the doctoral oral defense is: External/External Examiner, Internal-External Examiner, Internal Examiner, Head or Delegate, Graduate Supervisor.
  5. There may be two or more rounds of questioning.
  6. When all questions are completed the Candidate will be asked to leave the room.
  7. The Chair will ask the Examiners to discuss the Candidate’s thesis and performance during the defense. Examiners will be asked to choose one of the three categories of results: passed, referred, failed.
  8. The Candidate will be asked to return to the room and will be told the result.
  9. The Candidate and the Chair will sign the necessary forms required by SGS.
  10. The Chair will return all documentation to the SKHS Thesis Coordinator.
  11. The SKHS Thesis Coordinator will submit all required documentation to SGS.
  12. The Graduate Supervisor will explain to the student any edits or revisions identified by the Examining Committee before the thesis may be approved for final upload to QSpace.
  13. Student to complete all required edits/revisions and submit to the Graduate Supervisor for final approval.
  14. Graduate Supervisor to provide final approval of thesis document via email notification to SGS.
  15. SGS to provide email to student indicating when they may load their final, approved thesis to QSpace.
  16. SGS to provide student details on how to apply for convocation.