Thicket data repository for the EEG
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1{
2 "id": "https://mort.io/blog/phd-viva/",
3 "title": "PhD viva, UK style",
4 "link": "https://mort.io/blog/phd-viva/",
5 "updated": "2025-01-31T00:00:00",
6 "published": "2025-01-31T00:00:00",
7 "summary": "<p>Having recently, happily, had several PhD students completing in short order,\nI’ve been approaching external PhD examiners. Occasionally I find myself asking\nsomeone who’s not done any / many in the UK previously. As our system – as all\nsuch systems! – is a bit different to those in other parts of the world, I’ve\nwritten a few notes on a couple of occasions about what to expect. So I figured\nI might as well publish them.</p>\n<p>What follows is my impression / understanding based on experience here in the\n<a href=\"https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/\">Department of Computer Science & Technology</a>,\n<a href=\"https://www.cam.ac.uk/\">Cambridge University</a> ca. 2025. Your Mileage May Vary\nanywhen and anywhere else, including anywhere else in the UK – check local\nregulations to be sure.</p>\n<p>In terms of process, the system here is that candidates submit their complete\ndissertation and then undergo a “viva voce” (oral examination). It would be\nusual for the viva to take place within 2—3 months of submission. It’s better\n(IMO, much better) if it can happen in person but we may still be able to\narrange to do it online in extremis.</p>\n<p>There are two examiners:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>The <em>internal examiner</em> (typically connected to the Department) who ensures\nthe process is followed properly but may not be a deep expert in the specific\ntopic, and</li>\n<li>The <em>external examiner</em> (from outside the University) who is there as the\nsubject matter expert.</li>\n</ol>\n<p>The viva consists of the two examiners asking the candidate questions about\ntheir dissertation until they’re satisfied; typically this takes at least 2h and\ncan go longer, though more than 3.5—4h is unusual in my experience.</p>\n<p>The examiners are each expected to read the dissertation in detail before the\nviva and each write a short (typically 1—2pp) independent report giving their\nopinion, outlining any concerns they will have and the resulting\ntopics/questions they will be exploring in the viva, and indicating what their a\npriori judgement is in terms of recommendation (roughly: pass/pass with\ncorrections/revise & resubmit/no Ph.D. but you can have a Masters/fail).</p>\n<p>The examiners will then typically meet ~30min or so before the viva to discuss\ntheir independent reports and decide on the approach to take in the viva. After\nthe viva they write a joint report (usually shorter than their independent\nreports; perhaps 0.5pp) outlining what happened in the viva, as well as making a\nfinal recommendation and providing (if appropriate) a list of corrections that\nmust be satisfied for the candidate to pass.</p>\n<p>Finally, the University pays a (risibly small) honorarium to the external\nexaminer for doing the viva plus reasonable expenses.</p>",
8 "content": "<p>Having recently, happily, had several PhD students completing in short order,\nI’ve been approaching external PhD examiners. Occasionally I find myself asking\nsomeone who’s not done any / many in the UK previously. As our system – as all\nsuch systems! – is a bit different to those in other parts of the world, I’ve\nwritten a few notes on a couple of occasions about what to expect. So I figured\nI might as well publish them.</p>\n<p>What follows is my impression / understanding based on experience here in the\n<a href=\"https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/\">Department of Computer Science & Technology</a>,\n<a href=\"https://www.cam.ac.uk/\">Cambridge University</a> ca. 2025. Your Mileage May Vary\nanywhen and anywhere else, including anywhere else in the UK – check local\nregulations to be sure.</p>\n<p>In terms of process, the system here is that candidates submit their complete\ndissertation and then undergo a “viva voce” (oral examination). It would be\nusual for the viva to take place within 2—3 months of submission. It’s better\n(IMO, much better) if it can happen in person but we may still be able to\narrange to do it online in extremis.</p>\n<p>There are two examiners:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>The <em>internal examiner</em> (typically connected to the Department) who ensures\nthe process is followed properly but may not be a deep expert in the specific\ntopic, and</li>\n<li>The <em>external examiner</em> (from outside the University) who is there as the\nsubject matter expert.</li>\n</ol>\n<p>The viva consists of the two examiners asking the candidate questions about\ntheir dissertation until they’re satisfied; typically this takes at least 2h and\ncan go longer, though more than 3.5—4h is unusual in my experience.</p>\n<p>The examiners are each expected to read the dissertation in detail before the\nviva and each write a short (typically 1—2pp) independent report giving their\nopinion, outlining any concerns they will have and the resulting\ntopics/questions they will be exploring in the viva, and indicating what their a\npriori judgement is in terms of recommendation (roughly: pass/pass with\ncorrections/revise & resubmit/no Ph.D. but you can have a Masters/fail).</p>\n<p>The examiners will then typically meet ~30min or so before the viva to discuss\ntheir independent reports and decide on the approach to take in the viva. After\nthe viva they write a joint report (usually shorter than their independent\nreports; perhaps 0.5pp) outlining what happened in the viva, as well as making a\nfinal recommendation and providing (if appropriate) a list of corrections that\nmust be satisfied for the candidate to pass.</p>\n<p>Finally, the University pays a (risibly small) honorarium to the external\nexaminer for doing the viva plus reasonable expenses.</p>",
9 "content_type": "html",
10 "author": {
11 "name": "Unknown",
12 "email": null,
13 "uri": null
14 },
15 "categories": [],
16 "source": "https://mort.io/atom.xml"
17}