How to survive your viva - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 10
About This Presentation
Title:

How to survive your viva

Description:

approved by Director of Graduate School. student consulted; no right of veto ... PhD awarded forthwith. PhD awarded subject to minor corrections (in 3 months) ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:235
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 11
Provided by: chris129
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: How to survive your viva


1
How to survive your viva
  • Chris Park Director, Graduate School

2
Before the Viva
  • Examiners
  • normally 2
  • 1 internal, 1 external
  • staff 2 internals
  • Selection
  • chosen by Department
  • approved by Director of Graduate School
  • student consulted no right of veto
  • Supervisor
  • may attend Viva if examiners happy
  • Examiners must
  • have subject expertise
  • be research active
  • have experience of supervising and examining (at
    least in team)

3
Preparing for submission Viva
  • Supervisors blessing
  • advised, not compulsory
  • Copies
  • need 1 copy for each examiner and 1 for
    supervisor if you wish
  • can be soft bound
  • no loose sheets allowed
  • Postgraduate Studies Office in Uni House
  • Viva
  • may take weeks/months
  • ask supervisor to arrange a mock viva
  • think about
  • research rationale
  • originality
  • contribution to knowledge
  • strong and weak points

4
The PhD Viva
  • An integral part of the examining process
  • may confirm a favourable impression of thesis
  • may compensate for weaknesses
  • Allows candidate to
  • defend research/thesis
  • expand and clarify
  • Allows examiners to assure themselves that
  • the research is original
  • the candidate did the work
  • the candidate is capable of future research
    unsupervised

5
Key aspects of the Viva
  • Typical duration 1-2 hours
  • Evidence
  • Independent Chair
  • Audio record (tape)
  • Examiners
  • equal status and responsibilities
  • share the asking of questions
  • Supervisor, if present, is a silent witness
  • Questions may be wide-ranging and demanding, but
    the tone should be civilised
  • It is usual at the end to ask the candidate to
    withdraw
  • does not mean you have failed!

6
Criteria for award of PhD
  • Convincing evidence of capacity to pursue
    research/scholarship in 3 years full-time
  • Thesis to make an original contribution to
    knowledge
  • Thesis must contain material of a standard
    appropriate for publication
  • Thesis must comply with regulations on length,
    form etc
  • dont forget the Abstract

7
Outcome of the Viva
  • PhD awarded forthwith
  • PhD awarded subject to minor corrections (in 3
    months)
  • PhD awarded subject to minor amendments (in 6
    months)
  • PhD not awarded - revise and resubmit (in 12
    months)
  • MPhil be awarded
  • the candidate be permitted to resubmit for MPhil

8
What happens next?
  • PhD awarded
  • candidate takes 2 copies of thesis to be
    hard-bound
  • result approved by Director of the Graduate
    School on behalf of the Senate
  • December graduation
  • Minor corrections and amendments
  • usually checked by Internal Examiner when agreed
  • then proceed as PhD awarded

9
What happens next?
  • Revise and resubmit
  • student receives written guidance from examiners
  • is entitled to continued supervision
  • after thesis resubmitted may be second Viva
  • if not, both examiners report in writing

10
What if you are unhappywith the result?
  • Appeal
  • can only be made on procedural grounds
  • no appeal against academic judgement
  • seek advice on the appeal process
  • department
  • Postgraduate Studies Office
  • Postgraduate Review Panel
  • automatic process
  • procedural grounds
  • chair and 2 senior academics
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com