PURPOSE OF THE ORAL DEFENSE

This is a public presentation and defense of your scholarly research project or creative work or performance. It’s your chance to show your expertise in a specialty in terms of research and scholarship or by showing artistic mastery of an art form, on an instrument, or in a chosen medium. The defense is scheduled well in advance and presented to your full committee, plus any guests you wish to invite, and other interested members of the public.

The majority of your committee must be satisfied that the quality of the work or performance, and your conduct in the oral defense warrants conferring a Clark Honors College degree. In addition, your defense must satisfy the CHC Thesis Advisor on your committee that you have successfully explained the essence of the research or the artistic decisions to an educated but non-specialist audience, using clear and effective writing.

SCHEDULING YOUR DEFENSE

Plan ahead. You’ll need to schedule your thesis defense within the first 8 days of the term in which you plan to defend (see current Term Deadlines. Your thesis defense should take place at least two full weeks before the end of the quarter in which you intend to graduate. No thesis orals will be scheduled during week 10 of the term (the week before finals week), or during finals week, except for reasons of illness or postponement necessitated by thesis committee faculty members.

One of the first things you’ll need to do is consult with your thesis committee (all must be present) to find an agreeable time, date, and location for the defense. Keep in mind that your CHC Thesis Advisor will only be scheduled for one oral defense per week. That can limit the dates available to you, especially during spring term when the majority of seniors defend their theses.

Although the thesis defense takes about one hour, you and your committee are requested to schedule 1.5 hours for the defense, which gives a cushion and allows travel time to the next appointment. Your presentation will be 15 to 20 minutes, leaving 20 to 40 minutes for a question and answer period.

Location can also be tricky. Typically, thesis defenses are scheduled in a conference or seminar room in your major department. Your Primary Thesis Advisor should be able to help you get a room.

When you and your committee members have agreed on a time, date, and location, you are ready to schedule your thesis online. Remember, this scheduling must be done within the first 8 days of the term. Follow this link to the Thesis Defense Scheduling page.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The defense should be an hour or less. The student gives a presentation for 15-20 minutes. This is followed by a question and answer period of 20 to 40 minutes, and then by deliberation time for the committee. Students and faculty are requested to set aside 1.5 hours for the defense (see Scheduling Your Defense above), which prevents rushing and allows travel time to the next appointment. Defenses absolutely may not exceed an hour and a quarter.

The Presentation:
Your presentation should review the thesis, its background, and its results and implications. Start with a brief summary of your thesis (your committee will have read the thesis), then discuss some of the broader implications of the research process you have undertaken and of your findings. Faculty is also interested in hearing about the practical and intellectual issues and challenges you faced while preparing your thesis. In rare cases, the committee may decide to omit the formal presentation by the candidate and begin questioning immediately.

The Deliberation:
After questions are concluded, you and any guests will be asked to leave while the committee makes its decision. The committee's options are five: Pass with Distinction, Pass with Honors, Pass, Decision Withheld Awaiting Revisions, and Fail. After the decision is agreed upon, the Thesis Evaluation Form is signed by all committee members. After the defense, the CHC Thesis Advisor will return the form to the CHC Academic Coordinator.

Your Primary Thesis Advisor asks the candidate or candidate and audience -- depending on decision, to step in and tells him or her of the committee's conclusion. The committee's decision is announced publicly in cases of "Pass with Distinction," "Pass with Honors," or "Pass" only; in cases of "Fail" or "Decision Withheld Awaiting Revisions," the candidate is informed privately. Any suggestions for revision can be discussed with the student in depth at another time.

A committee that selects "Decision Withheld Awaiting Revisions" has determined that substantive revisions are necessary, and the Primary Thesis Advisor characterizes these revisions on the form. In such cases, the Primary Thesis Advisor withholds his or her signature from the approval page until the revisions are complete, signs off on these revisions, and returns the thesis evaluation form to the CHC Academic Coordinator.