Oral Defense of Your Thesis

This is the exam format used here at UWO.

For a M. Sc.

• The Board of Examiners consists of three examiners normally two from your department and one out side the department.

For the Ph. D.

• The examiners are the same except that an expert in your field from outside your university is added, the external examiner.

The internal examiners:

• The internal examiners will most probably be outside the specific field of your research.
• It is therefore unlikely that they will know more about your field than you do.
• Where they may stump you is on how more general areas impact on your particular findings.
• To defend your thesis properly, you must have a good well rounded knowledge of neuroscience. Beside taking courses in neuroscience, get into the habit of reading in areas outside your immediate field.

The external examiners:

• The external examiners will most probably know the specific field of your research.
• Find out what their research interests are.

The exam consists of questions from each of the examiners in turn; of two rounds of 15 min. each from each for a total of about two hours.

The examiners then vote on:

The content of the thesis.

• You should have no trouble with this, particularly if you have had effective meetings with your advisory committee.

The form of the thesis.

• Again no problems, if you and others have proofed the thesis carefully.

The oral defense.

• If you understand what you did, and the implications of your results on your field and related areas, this should also be a snap.