The Thesis Defence

Supervisor Responsibilities (or Graduate Coordinator in some departmental or school practices)

  1. Arrange for an internal and external examiner. When contacting examiners, please inform them that their comments on the thesis are required one (1) week in advance of the defence. Criteria for determining who can serve as an examiner can be found at:
  2. Send the examiners the formal invitation form at:
  3. Check committee members’ availabilitiesand select a convenient date and time for the defence. If the external cannot attend the defence (either in person, by phone, or SKYPE), you will be responsible for asking the questions on his/her behalf. If the internal cannot attend the defence (either in person, by phone or SKYPE), you will be responsible for appointing a delegate.
  4. Sign the Request for Oral form. Ensure that if AV equipment (e.g., data projector, conference phone) is needed that it is clearly identified on the form. In the event that a member of the committee is connecting by SKYPE, the supervisor must arrange for the equipment and the connection. In the event that a member is connecting by phone, you will need to obtain/provide the phone numbers to the members involved. If there is a University cost involved, you/your department or school will cover the expense.
  5. When the comments from the internal and external examiners are provided to you from Graduate Studies, it is your decision whether you share these in general with the student prior to the defence.They are not to be shared verbatim.

Student Responsibilities

  1. Four weeks prior to the defence, email a copy of the thesis to Theresa Starratt () andbring one (1) hard copy to Graduate Studies (to be provided to the Chair of the defence). If the external examiner requires a hard copy of the thesis, please provide an additional copy to Graduate Studies. If any other member of the defence committee requires a hard copy, you or your supervisor are responsible for providing this to him/her.
  2. If a computer is needed for your presentation, please bring your own.
  3. Bring at least 1 original copy of your thesis page ii to the defence for your committee to sign.
  4. At the oral examination you will make a brief presentation (maximum of 20 minutes) of your thesis.
  5. Important: You are strongly advised to review your thesis and practice your presentation in advance of the oral, preferably in the location where the defence will be held. Determine in advancethe location for all outlets forany audio-visual equipment and ensure that everything is in working order.
  6. Suggested attire is professional dress (i.e., as you would dress for a job interview).

Graduate Studies Office Responsibilities

  1. Process the copies of the thesis.
  2. Arrange for a room for the defence and any required audio-visual equipment.
  3. Find a chair for the defence and provide him/her with a copy of the manuscript.
  4. Prepare the Notice for Thesis Defence (includes the names of the committee, the date and location of the defence). The notice is then sent to the Departmental or School secretary, the Supervisor and the Student by email.
  5. Send the internal and external a reminder email 1 week before their comments are due. If comments are not received by the deadline, a possibility of postponement will be announced.
  6. Send an email reminder to the committee two days before the scheduled defence.

Research & Graduate Studies

Last Modified 12/14/2018