By Jeff Bookwalter and Doug Dalenberg

Combined we have served on over 40 thesis committees so far, so we find that we tend to take the thesis defense process for granted. As an aid to your thesis defense preparation we have assembled these guidelines.

Before the Defense

• Before you schedule your defense, the chair of your committee has to agree that the thesis is defendable. To be safe, you and your chair should make sure that the rest of the committee is on board.
• Before you schedule your defense, the chair of your committee has to agree that the thesis is defendable. To be safe, you and your chair should make sure that the rest of the committee is on board.
• Through the chair of your committee you must submit an electronic version of your defendable thesis to the Graduate School at least one week prior to your defense.
• Prepare a 20 minute summary PowerPoint presentation of your thesis. Note: Some thesis chairs require something different for a presentation. Check with the chair of your committee.
• Two days before the defense e-mail a reminder to your committee members with the time and place of the defense.
• One day before the defense you should check in with your chair to see if any committee members judged the thesis not to be defendable.
• A portion of the defense is open to the public.
• Optional: Bring food and/or drink for guests at your defense.

At the Defense

• Dress appropriately.
• Bring a printed copy of your thesis to the defense because you will be asked questions regarding something you wrote on page 57.
• The defense has 4 parts:
  • Part 1: Your Power Point summary of your thesis.
  • Part 2: Questions from the audience, but not from your committee. Occasionally a committee member will ask a single question at this public portion. This typically lasts from zero to 20 minutes.
  • Parts 1 and 2 are open to the public.
  • Part 3: The audience is asked to leave and the committee gets to ask as many questions as they wish. This is the candidate and the committee only and typically lasts for an extended period of time, often more than an hour.
  • Part 4: Committee meeting – the candidate is asked to leave and the committee discusses whether the candidate passed the defense and what changes in the thesis need to be made. This typically lasts 20 minutes.

After the Defense

You will be required to make changes in your thesis after the defense in order to deal with questions, comments and issues raised at the defense.

After you make the changes, you must follow the graduate school rules about submission of the thesis.