phd without viva

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Is it possible to do a PhD without doing the viva?

BabyDubsEverywhere · 27/11/2017 11:10

I think I know its not possible, which is why I can't ask anyone face to face... I'm half way through my masters, I loved my degree, love my course and I'm a good student. I am also mad as a box of frogs (not in a fun way, in a serious mental health way - schizophrenia, bipolar, and psychosis) and suffer with intense anxiety. I can't present. I just can't. I am violently sick and have panic attacks for weeks before a presentation comes up and to date I have been unable to do any of them. I always plan to, I really do, but the illness takes over every time. its crippling. My dissertation supervisor in encouraging the PhD, which I would love to do, but there is no way I will be able to do a viva if I can't even manage in class presentations. I'm not concerned about career prospects, I have none. Uni is my therapy really but I will never be well enough to hold down a job. I use student finance to fund my studies so I can't just do another degree, (I wish!) So it would be PhD or nothing... History/literature btw.

I found my history viva was more like a discussion rather than a presentation. How did you find undergrad exams? Were you able to manage the anxiety then?

Can you see it as an extension of your supervision discussions? I do feel for you but I can't see how a viva can be avoided.

How are you with sit down meetings rather than presentations? The viva isn't about you standing up and presenting your research, it's typically a sit down discussion (how formal it is depends on the examiners). My viva was just me, the internal examiner and external examiner sat around a table. Would this seem any less unachievable to you? It sounds as if you are really suited to doing a PhD in many ways, but not being able to present is tricky as PhD students are now expected to discuss their research much more outside their supervision meetings i.e. reviews by other staff members, going to conferences etc. How aware is your dissertation supervisor about the challenges you face? They'll be keen not to let a good student go, so perhaps chat to them about what they and your institution can do to help you? Good luck.

There might be some adjustment available for your disability. I've lost touch with the friend who had some adjustment made for his very severe stammer, but IIRC he had a sort of question-and-written-answer session rather than a presentation or face to face viva. (His other option would have been to turn up roaring drunk, in which state he was far more fluent than usual, but I don't think they'd have gone for that.)

I don't think so, sorry. Also vivas can differ from a conversational discussion, to an intense 2/3 hour interrogation about your topic (mine). It is expected you can defend your work, your thesis. You also do this in an upgrade at my uni which lasts 1-2 hours, at the end of the second year. You could talk with the disability service about what adaptations could be made so that you are not discriminated against due to your condition. That said, they will usually be an adaptation of the existing set-up, not the option to just not do it at all. If you are not fussed about doing this for career reasons, then could you carry on studying anyway, using MOOCS if you run out of money. This is a really difficult problem, I can't think of an obvious solution, but it's a shame if you feel you can't do a PhD because of that. I'd also say that doing a PhD tends to be very stressful because of the isolation/lack of structure, and mental health difficulties are very common amongst PhD students, so that's another thing to bear in mind. That said, a good uni will have support services.

My viva was a fairly informal chat. It was quite a long chat, but I didn’t have to present anything. I’m an engineer if that makes a difference..

:( I thought as much. Exams are fine, essays are fine, dissertations are fine. I'm not anxious about them at all. I only study because I enjoy it and I love writing about my subject and grab any chance to do so. The anxiety comes in actually presenting - due to the meds I take to control my mental health I'm always 'sluggish'. Its like constant brain fog and my speech is often slurred and confused. I appear drunk, I suppose, which makes me incredibly anxious in any social situation. (As I think it would anyone). May I ask, what was the set up like? Is it like facing an interview panel or more sitting around a table? ( I realise how inconsequential this would be to most people, but I am trying to find anyway I could make this possible!)

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Sorry, there was only two posts when I replied, reading through now :)

In the Uk, it is typically you, an internal examiner and external examiner sitting round a table. It is more informal than an interview. Good examiners are there to help you demonstrate your knowledge, not to trip you up. They are used to nervous candidates! Speak to your supervisor about your concerns. Honestly, a phD is more about hard-work and stamina. You should get support through your course to help you prepare for public speaking and your viva.

Oh I'm so glad I posted! This morning I was sure it would be impossible but there seems to be some variation with how these things are conducted. So that could mean there may be adjustments I could ask for with my disabilities. Student services have been great with that so far. A sitting down chat would be much more possible than standing up presentation. It really is the little things that help when you're this mental. My mental health has improved so much whilst studying and I really don't want to stop. I can't go back to rocking in the corner waiting until med-o'clock :( Isolation sounds great to me - I would have done undergrad and MA by distance had it been an option. The lack of structure could be an issue, but they run language courses here that I would sign up to and I think that would be more than enough to shape my week around. Thank you for your replies. I'm going to email student services and see what they can offer :)

Do email Student Services. I used to work in a branch of disability support post-PhD and there is a lot of support available. For my viva, I had a face to face discussion which was robust but fair. We didn't have a table, just three chairs arranged in a circle. I actually quite enjoyed it as it was a chance to defend and explain my approach. I also had a captive audience of two people who had read the PhD and who were happy to discuss and challenge it! I suffer from anxiety and I psyched up to go in only to find the examiner was running late. I had to go away until he turned up! Good luck!

I had terrible anxiety through my PhD about presentations and my viva. I also seriously considered dropping to an MPhil to try to avoid a viva. Looking back, I was very unwell for a lot of the time. I was absolutely dreading it, but I survived and it was ok! You have a lot of say in who your examiners are, so I was comfortable with them and they were aware of my anxiety before hand. It was absolutely fine. The anticipation was much worse than the experience. I think that if you just want to do a PhD for personal reasons rather than career (which was the case for me also), then can you view it as, 'oh well it doesn't matter if I perform terribly in the viva as I don't need to have the PhD on my cv' etc?

If you are really nervous, this won't necessarily affect the result of the PhD. I was with a very nervous student recently and they didn't do a great job in the viva, but their written work was strong and they ended up with the same amount of corrections they would have done anyway (in my opinion). I was very nervous and didn't do an amazing job in my viva, but still have a PhD now!

My advice is to make sure you choose a supervisor who is understanding of your problems. A sympathetic supervisor will be an ally in making sure that the University makes reasonable accommodations for you mental health and in helping choose examiners who will put you at your ease during the viva.

Please, please do not let this be a reason for not doing a PhD. I have been in this situation; developed severe mental health problems during the second year of my PhD. These included amnesia, dissociative disorders and post traumatic stress, to the point where I had no recollection of even doing some of my PhD work. I would have to read papers again and again and again; I would look at a piece of writing and have no idea that I had written it; only if my name was on the top of the page would I know if it was my work or not. I refused to walk in to any room that had people in it that I didn't know. I delayed handing in my thesis because I was so scared of doing my viva - how could I defend my work if I couldn't even remember doing it? But I did :-). With the support of excellent supervisors, my internal examiner, the university disability support office, and the university counselling service. The disability office helped me write guidance for the examiners. It was a bullet point list of ways to communicate that would help: please avoid a confrontational tone; please repeat questions if necessary; examiners may need to return to aspects of the conversation later in the viva, to allow further discussion; please allow the student time to write down your questions, and to refer to her written notes if necessary. My supervisor made sure this guidance was sent to the internal and external examiners beforehand. Also, my internal spoke with me beforehand about where I would be most comfortable to have the viva take place; I asked for a room away from the busiest part of the building, with windows (felt calmer if I could see out!). I had some counselling sessions at the university specifically on how to deal with the viva, in the three/four months leading up to it. In the end I nearly enjoyed the experience...wouldn't quite go so far as to say the viva was fun, but it wasn't unpleasant! The examiners conducted the viva in such a way that academic standards were maintained, but without it needing to be a confrontational, negative, stressful exam. It was clear that the guidance that we had sent had been read, understood and followed by the examiners and that made all the difference. And at the end my examiners said I had defended my thesis well, which meant a lot; almost more than getting the PhD itself. So use the resources the university has available to you, seek help early, and have faith that it will be ok and you can do it. I was so well supported by a number of academics throughout the process, they were great. Good luck!

Gently, yes, that's totally my approach to it - I don't have a cv, no one will ever know if I totally fucked it up and failed anyway! Channelling my inner hippy - I'm here for the journey, man! It is yet to help the anxiety in the sense of actually doing a presentation, but it helps in that I should do the phd anyway and not worry about failing. Thetree, that's great to hear! (Not that either you or your student were anxious, of course, just that its still possible to pass in that state). This is all much more positive than I expected. Thank you all so much.

Themost, thank you for sharing your experience. It sounds like you went to hell and back so I'm glad it worked out for you in the end and it sounds like really useful, and reasonable adjustments were made so you could complete. Those sort of things would make a huge difference to me, too. I'm writing them down. I can relate to so much of what you have said. I have felt anxious in lectures and concentrated on taking notes to avoid my defunct brain. Written reams and reams of notes, only to read them later and realise I wasn't even writing words! just bloody letter chains like the little ones do in nursery!

Mine was definitely a sitting down chat. i have great anxiety. My internal examiner asked me beforehand what kind of things would help. I took beta blockers, and i made sure I knew exactly where/when/how things would be conducted, so I could mentally rehearse as much as possible. It was fairly informal. I didn't have to present anything; they took the lead and asked about my work, some questions, pointed out a couple of typos, etc. It helped that I knew the internal examiner already. There were only two of them in there. I didn't feel they were ever trying to catch me out - they want to pass people, and just have to make sure that it's justified, rather than trying not to pass you unless they have to! So no tricks or anything, just making sure I had done it all, I knew what it was about, I could answer more detailed questions about what I'd done or where I'd go with the research in the future, etc. It wasn't 'defensive' in the sense of them playing devil's advocate and trying to disagree, but just asking sensible questions about the arguments and research. It would be worth finding out from your supervisor whether he/she'd continue supervising you, who your internal examiner might be, what the process is, etc, unless you want to change universities. Some have more people than others in the viva. Mine was one internal and one external, and not my supervisor, though I think some places do include your supervisor. You also get a say in who the examiners are, both internal and external, though I think it's your supervisor who actually asks/arranges it.

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

That is another stress; if you don't complete by a certain date, you have to repay all the money you've received. This was not the case for me, so it varies from funding source to funding source. I was still under pressure to complete within a certain time limit, as it would have affected the department's access to future funding (even from different providers), but I don't think that is the case any longer in my old department. And it's not like they could have done anything if I didn't complete - they just wanted to try to make sure I did, which would have been giving any further support possible. I wouldn't have had to pay anything back. It's worth checking what the rules might be in your case before you make any decisions.

Academia does involve quite a lot of presenting though, it's how you share your independent work with others and is essential to peer review. I had to attend conferences and enter abstracts with hope of presenting as part of my PhD. It was also a condition of my department to take turns presenting at lunchtime and journal clubs, even taking the odd lecture for my supervisor. I think it is to help prepare for lecturing. If you don't want to go further in academia anyway, perhaps see if there is a research assistant type job in your area instead? Maybe consider a PhD when you have more confidence or have received help for this particular phobia.

"presenting research at postgrad seminars and conferences, teaching undergrad seminars, speaking at reading groups, etc." Good point, I will ask student services how that would work for me when I go in and see them. They have asked me to go in and talk it through when we go back in January. but they said not to panic, and that there's help available, so that's hopeful! I am wondering how that works for distance phds? Or are you still expected to go to the uni and do these things? I am planning on using the student finance funding, as that should be up and running by Sept 18. If that funding doesn't go ahead it wont be an option anyway. I wouldn't want to even try for other funding sources, it would feel disingenuous when I'm only doing it for interest. (I feel 'wrong' enough about using student finance!) I would love to wait out my health issues but I have been living with this for over a decade and I can't see any big changes coming, it is what it is. I've been much more stable whilst studying than the years before when I was rotting, really. I dip terribly in the summer when I have little to work on. I do Moocs, I've done hundreds of them and they are great but its not the same with no pressure at all. As weak as I sound being as ill as I am, I love the pressure of having to turn things in etc, having a purpose, of sorts. I'll see what student services can do in the new year, but I am considering everything you have all said so thank you for the different perspectives.

In some subjects at some Unis it is possible to do a PhD by publication. My viva was also a very civilized affair. I was told I had passed as soon as I walked in and then we discussed publication ideas. They are not all an awful drilling.

In addition to speaking to student services you may want to talk to current PhD students - I mean this kindly but I don't think you have a very good understanding of what is involved in doing in a PhD, it is very different from a taught masters. PhD is much more of a research apprenticeship, you mentioned that you like deadlines and so on - in a PhD you will need to be able to drive those deadlines yourself and learn to be an independent researcher. Like others above, I would also recommend that you think extremely carefully before embarking on a PhD given your mental health issues as the unstructured nature of a doctorate can likely make them worse. I know my depression/anxiety became much worse whilst doing a sociology PhD and I know plenty of others that struggled. If you want to carry on studying you may want to consider doing another masters perhaps with the Open University, that may be a cheaper option as you would be paying per module and could spread the cost out. Last but not least I would encourage you to reach out to your careers services as you assumption that you cannot have a career may be a false one. I now work as a project manager at a large university (didn't choose to continue in academia, no jobs and impact on my mental health was bad) and I do work with colleagues who have significant health issues, accommodations can be made so don't assume that your only option is escape into studying more.

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What is the PhD Viva?

Written by Mark Bennett

The viva voce is the final assessment for a PhD. It is an oral examination where the student defends their research to two academic examiners. This involves answering questions about your work, typically related to the literature, methodology, your findings and the significance of your conclusions. In some countries (like the USA ) the viva is actually referred to as a 'PhD defence', because the candidate defends their thesis from these questions.

This guide explains exactly how the viva works, what to expect on the day, how to prepare and what happens afterwards.

An overview of the PhD viva

The PhD viva can seem like an intimidating process, but it actually serves a very simple purpose: proving that your research is original, that you understand its contribution to knowledge and – most importantly – that your work is your own. It's also very rare for students to fail.

Who attends a viva?

A PhD viva usually involves two examiners: one internal examiner (from your university) and one external examiner (from another university). Both should be familiar with your field and the external examiner in particular should be a recognised expert in your specific research area.

The internal examiner usually acts as the chairperson for the exam, making sure it follows your university's procedures.

Your supervisor doesn't normally attend the viva itself, but they will help you prepare for it and should be around to provide support on the day.

How long does a PhD viva take?

There is no set length for a viva voce exam, but most take between one and three hours .

A longer viva doesn't necessarily indicate any problems with your thesis: it may simply be that the examiners are enjoying the discussion. Equally, a shorter viva may just mean that your examiners are satisfied with the thesis and your responses to their questions.

Why is the viva necessary?

The most basic function of the viva is to prove that your work is original (i.e. not plagiarised). This is especially important because the criteria for a doctorate is to offer a significant new contribution to knowledge.

By discussing your work with you directly and confirming that you fully understand your thesis, examiners can be confident that this is your own research.

Do all PhD students have to have a viva?

Almost always. One exception is for PhDs by publication (as the work in these will already have been through academic peer review). Some countries such as Australia and New Zealand also take a slightly different approach as their location makes it harder to invite external examiners for a face-to-face defence.

The viva format

Universities set their own viva voce processes, but most will follow a fairly similar format.

Before the exam

Many supervisors let you choose an external examiner . They need to have expertise in the topics you have researched, but not someone you have collaborated closely with during your PhD or who you have a strong personal friendship with (as these might create a conflict of interest).

Your supervisor will normally discuss possible options and then submit the invitation on your behalf. This usually happens just before you complete your PhD.

The next step is to submit your thesis . Nowadays most universities only ask for a digital submission which is sent out to your examiners for you.

The gap between submission and viva is usually one to three months. This allows time for both examiners to thoroughly read and consider your thesis and for you to prepare.

Your supervisor/s should offer to conduct a mock viva with you shortly before the real exam. They'll ask the sort of questions an examiner might have about your thesis so that you can practice answering and discussing them.

Your supervisor will normally meet with you before the viva begins to help you relax and ease any last minute nerves.

The exam room will be somewhere on your university campus that has been booked for the occasion. It will be laid out very similarly to a job interview, with space for you and the examiners to sit with your notes. Drinking water is also normally provided.

Most vivas are recorded and will begin with the internal examiner explaining the rules and regulations as a formality. Either they or the external will then begin asking questions about your thesis.

The examiners will usually help you relax and settle in to the discussion by asking something quite general, such as what interested you in this PhD project or what the most enjoyable part of the research was. Subsequent questions will be more specific, often referring the arguments made at particular points in your thesis.

The examiners will end the viva once they have completed their questions and feel able to come to a judgement. You will then be asked to leave the room whilst they discuss your performance and decide on a result to recommend. This normally takes around fifteen minutes or so.

After the viva

The next steps depend on your viva result. The examiners will invite you back in to explain their recommendation and provide general feedback on your work. This may include advice on whether or not you should seek to publish any of your PhD thesis and what sort of edits or further work might be required to prepare it for that.

Hopefully you'll then be able to celebrate with your supervisor, but they should be on hand to offer their to support and advise you whatever the outcome.

The majority of students have some corrections (usually minor) to make before resubmitting a final version of the thesis to be checked by the internal examiner. Once the final copy of your thesis is approved, you will be awarded your PhD! It's time to look forward to using your new title (and wearing some exceptionally elaborate robes at your graduation).

Viva preperation tips

It may feel like you're at the end of a long PhD journey by the time the viva comes around (and you are) but the oral exam is an important part of your doctorate and you should prepare accordingly.

Whatever else you do or don't do, listen to the advice of your supervisors. They'll have experience of all sides of the process, from sitting their own viva voce to preparing previous students for theirs. Chances are they've also served as internal or external examiners too and will know exactly what sort of questions they'd ask about a thesis like yours.

Here are seven tips for effective viva preparation.

#1 Take a (short) break first

Chances are you've been working very hard on your PhD recently, getting it written up, responding to feedback from your supervisor, making edits, sorting the bibliography (which you still left to the last minute, right) and getting the whole thing printed in time for the final deadline.

Whatever happens next, you've just successfully submitted a PhD thesis and you deserve a break. So take one.

A week or two away from your PhD will be ideal (no, don't take a copy of your dissertation with you). You'll get some mental rest and be in a better place to take a fresh look at your thesis and think clearly about it.

There's no need to feel guilty: the time between submission and viva is partly intended to make this possible.

#2 Read through your thesis

You may feel pretty familiar with your thesis by now but, actually, you aren't. You're familiar with a series of chapters that may well have developed separately over several years. It was probably only recently that you wrote them up in their final form, added an introduction and conclusion and turned the whole thing into a dissertation setting out your entire PhD thesis.

You need to know that thesis inside out and be completely familiar with the structure of the dissertation that contains and communicates it: which page a key concept or topic appears on for the first time, where key stages of your argument occur, where you cite or critique particular scholarship, and so on.

At the very least, this means reading your full thesis through at least once. Really though, you should be re-reading each chapter a couple of times and. . .

#3 Annotate key points

The PhD viva isn't a closed-book exam and you're expected to take a copy of your thesis with you. It's perfectly fine to consult it in response to questions, so make that process easy by annotating the most important stages of your argument.

There are lots of ways to do this, but, really, there's no substitute for sticking markers through your dissertation and scribbling in the margins.

If the copy of the thesis you take into the exam room looks like it's survived an explosion in a post-it note factory and then spent several years being read by rough-fingered undergraduate students in the library, well, you're on the right track.

#4 Note down potential questions (and answers)

You'll never be able to guess all of the questions that will come up at your viva, but you should be able to anticipate a few of them. Sketching out some bullet-point answers in advance will help you think critically about your thesis and boost your confidence going into the exam.

Spend extra time on any questions you're concerned about. If there's a point where your argument gets a bit strained or where you think your conclusions might be easy to challenge, have a think about how you'd defend them. Remember that your thesis doesn't have to be perfect, but you do need to be able to make a case for it – so practice doing that.

Incidentally, no one has been able to completely test the hypothesis that preparing for a viva question ensures it doesn't actually come up, but, well, the anecdotal evidence is strong. Prepare anyway.

#5 (Re)familiarise yourself with your examiners' work

The viva is about your thesis, but your examiners will have been selected due to the relevance of their own research and their perspectives will be at least partly informed by it.

It makes sense to consider how their work might inform their attitudes towards yours (this should also help you antitipate some questions, as above).

#6 Definitely take up the offer of a mock viva

Your supervisor/s should offer to arrange a mock viva with you shortly before the actual exam (once you've had time to prepare). This is a really helpful process.

The mock viva won't be anything like as long as the real thing and it won't cover every question your examiners will ask (or necessarily predict any of them). But it doesn't need to.

The most valuable feature of a mock viva is to get feedback on how you answer questions. Your supervisors will be able to spot whether you're coming across as too hesitant or too confident, or whether your answers are sufficiently clear.

#7 Try to enjoy it

Chances are you'll be sick of hearing this advice by the time your exam comes around, but it's true. A PhD viva voce really can be fun.

This is your chance to sit down with two experts in your academic field who have read and carefully considered your thesis and whose attention, for the duration of the exam, is entirely on your research. That's a privilege and it's one you've earned by getting to this stage.

Prepare effectively and give the viva voce the respect it deserves. But, once you get into that exam room, be confident, own your ideas and enjoy the chance to let them take centre stage in a serious academic discussion.

Viva results

The vast majority of PhD students pass their viva. By the time you're ready to submit your PhD you will be an expert in your subject area, more than capable of discussing and debating it. You'll also have done so many times before: at conferences, in conversations with your supervisor, and in your own writing.

Your supervisor will also ensure your thesis is ready for examination before they recommend you proceed to this stage. The only exceptions to this will be if you submit against the advice of your supervisor (never a good idea) or if you've over-run the time period for your PhD and have to hand in a thesis that isn't ready (you're unlikely to get to this point unless your PhD has been going badly for some time).

PhD viva outcomes

It's rare to fail a viva, but it's also rare to pass outright. Instead, most students are asked to make some corrections to their thesis.

Here are the possible outcomes of a PhD viva voce:

Pass with no corrections – (uncommon) – Your viva has revealed no significant issues with your thesis and the dissertation itself is error-free. Congratulations, you are eligible to receive your PhD now!
Pass with minor corrections – (very common) – Your thesis is essentially sound, but there are some minor issues with your dissertation (such as typographical errors, or missing references). You will normally have three months to submit a corrected thesis.
Pass with major corrections – (fairly uncommon) – There are some parts of your argument that need to be clarified, expanded or otherwise rewritten. You will normally have six months to submit a revised thesis, but won't need a second viva.
Revise and resubmit – (fairly rare) – Your thesis is potentially good enough for a PhD, but it needs some significant work, usually including some substantial additional research. You will have around a year to re-submit an improved and updated version of your dissertation for a second viva voce exam.
Be recommended for MPhil – (rare) – Your thesis isn't good enough for a PhD, but it is sufficient for an MPhil (a research Masters that doesn't require a substantial original contribution to knowledge). You may receive the MPhil outright, or after some edits and corrections.
Fail – (exceptionally rare) – Your thesis does not meet the required standard for a PhD (perhaps due to fundamental flaws in your data and analysis, or due to evidence of plagiarism) and it cannot be converted into an MPhil. You have failed your doctorate and cannot resubmit your thesis.

Those last couple of results may appear scary but, in practice, it's only a few % of candidates each year who don't pass with corrections. The only way a PhD is likely to fail outright is if you have run down the clock on your registration period, submitted a poorly written thesis based on insufficient data and probably done so against the advice of your supervisor/s. The entire PhD process is designed to prevent this happening.

So relax. The likelihood is that your PhD will pass with minor corrections (or better) and that your next challenge will be deciding what to use your new 'Dr' title on first.

Can you appeal a viva result?

If you think your viva outcome was incorrect or unfair, then you may be able to appeal it with your university. The first thing to do is check their guidelines and appeal process. Your students' union may also be able to support and advise you.

Note that you can't normally appeal on academic grounds . Your examiners' judgement is generally final. It is also difficult to appeal a PhD result if you submitted without the support of your supervisor/s or have otherwise ignored their advice at other points in your project.

You may have grounds for appeal if you can demonstrate that you have been poorly advised or supervised (you will need evidence of this and of the specific impact it has had) or if there was an irregularity in the conduct of your viva (such as interruptions, an unsuitable venue, or a lack of consideration for relevant disabilities or health conditions that may have impacted your performance).

Common viva questions

The questions your examiners ask will obviously be very specific to your thesis and anticipating them is a big part of your specific viva preparation . There are a few things that are likely to crop up more often than not, though.

Here are some example viva questions , along with some tips for answering them well.

"Why did you choose this PhD project?" / "What interested you most about this topic?"

This is a classic icebreaker: it's an invitation to speak generally and positively about your work. As well as being a fairly easy question to answer (after all, there must be at least something you enjoyed about your PhD) this should also help you channel your passion and enthusiasm for your research as the viva gets going.

"What was the most challenging part of the project?"

This probably won't be the first question you're asked, but it might also come up early in the viva as the examiners ease you into talking about your project. It doesn't mean that they think your PhD is flawed. All research involves overcoming obstacles. This is an invitation to talk about how you did that and reflect on the practicalities of your project.

"What is the original contribution to knowledge made by this thesis?"

This question is highly likely to come up at some point in the viva and it's one you absolutely must have a clear answer for. You should be able to explain in one or two sentences what your contribution is, how it's original and why it matters.

Some examiners might not be so explicit or direct in asking this, so be on the lookout for questions like "why is this PhD important?", "why was this project worth completing?", "what were your main findings?" or "why does this research matter?". If you hear any of those, it's time to deploy the original contribution answer.

"Why did you include / exclude X?"

All doctoral projects need to be selective about what they can and can't include, and successful PhD students need to set boundaries for their research. At some point your examiners will probably want to see the logic behind yours.

Be confident and own your decisions. If there was a particular topic or approach you didn't include, then give your reasons for that.

Remember that there are lots of reasons why something might not make the cut for a PhD and the examiners aren't trying to catch you out. They don't even need to agree 100% with your decisions, but they do need to hear that you had credible reasons for making them.

It may be that there wasn't space to cover everything (in which case you should justify prioritising the material you did include). Or perhaps you felt that there was already sufficient scholarship related to a particular source or concept and your aim was to take the field in a different direction (this is a very good answer, if you can make it convincingly).

"If you were to repeat this project, what would you do differently?"

This question (or one like it) may come towards the end of the viva as you reflect on the project as a whole.

Again, the aim isn't to try and undermine your thesis, but rather to see whether you can constructively critique your own work and approaches. Or, to put it another way, have you learned anything from the experience of doing a PhD? You should have. After all, a doctorate is partly about learning to become an effective researcher and mistakes are a great thing to learn from.

In any case, this shouldn't be too hard to answer. There are likely to be all sorts of things you would do differently in future: from adopting different approaches or directions sooner, to heading off blind alleys or methodological mistakes.

"What do you think the next steps might be for this research?"

Relax, your examiners aren't expecting you to dive straight into another PhD. But they may want to hear where you would take this research next, or what you think other scholars could do to build on your findings. After all, part of the value in a new contribution to your field should lie in what it makes possible, as well as what it is .

It's best to be modest and realistic here, rather than making sweeping claims for how your findings will allow other researchers to reinvent the wheel (unless you have actually come up with a new technique for designing wheels, in which case, go ahead).

"Do you have any questions or comments for us?"

Your examiners will probably end the viva by asking if you'd like to ask them any questions, or say anything else about your thesis. This might seem a bit odd, but it's actually a helpful way for you to revisit or clarify any of your earlier answers.

For example, you might like to acknowledge a specific critique and reiterate your reasons for believing the thesis to be valid in spite of it. Or you might want to confirm that the examiners understood what you meant at a particular point in the previous discussion.

It's not a good idea to try and rehash large chunks of the viva here, but it's fine to pick out one or two things and be assertive. This demonstrates your confidence and commitment.

Equally, you can take the opportunity to ask the examiner's opinions on areas of the thesis that haven't come up, if you wish. This is fine, provided you're confident in those sections and comfortable discussing them.

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What nobody tells you about ‘minor corrections’

Have you ever wondered what happens after the examiners give you feedback on your dissertation? In the UK and many other countries, this feedback is given in an oral presentation called the Viva. The viva is becoming more common in Australia, but most people will still get a written report from the examiners. It is your job to make changes based on this feedback, in consultation with your supervisors. It sounds simple, but in reality, making changes to a complete piece of work can be tricky.

This post is by Dr Mary Frank, who holds a PhD in Translation Studies from the University of Bristol, England. Her practice-based research investigated the interplay of translation theory and translation practice and led to three different translations of collection of satirical stories written in the German Democratic Republic in the 1960s. Her research interests are literary translation, the translation of literature from the GDR and prismatic translation (multiple translations of one text). https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-frank-0b27619/

In the UK system, the majority of PhD students pass their viva ‘with minor corrections’. Your examiners present you with a list of corrections, you go away and implement them. Easy, yes? Well, no, not necessarily.

If you’re lucky, corrections are simply typos, formatting issues etc. So far, so good. Any thesis will inevitably contain some of those, and you’d definitely want to correct them before submitting the final version. Corrections of that nature can legitimately be considered ‘minor’. But corrections of that kind are only a small part of the story. Much more problematic, in my experience, are corrections that, although still considered ‘minor’, involve re-thinking and re-writing. Nobody warns you that you’ll need to re-gather your energy and brainpower to tackle them. That, for me, turned into a struggle for which I was completely unprepared.

Let’s be clear: getting through your viva ‘with minor corrections’ is a great achievement. Your work is definitely of the required standard, but there are still tweaks to be made, perhaps to make connections clearer or to fine-tune an explanation. After all, you and your supervisors have become so close to your work that you may not realise that a particular point is not entirely clear to somebody reading it for the first time. This means that ‘minor’ corrections are entirely legitimate, and indeed should be welcomed as contributing to the quality of your final thesis. So why, when my examiners reeled off their list, did making those corrections seem like another huge mountain to climb? After all, it was the most likely outcome of the viva, so it wasn’t a surprise.

The problem, I think, was that after six years of researching and writing, and (for reasons beyond my control) a long and anxious wait for the viva, I had simply burned out. I had nothing left to give. While my supervisors cracked open a bottle of bubbly after the viva and people started gathering to congratulate me, I found it hard to celebrate. My brain felt completely drained, yet I knew that I somehow had to address those corrections before I could pass the finishing post. To my examiners and supervisors, those corrections were indeed ‘minor’, but to me they seemed bewildering and daunting.

“Do the minimum necessary,” my supervisors advised. For the first few days, all I could do was stare at my thesis. It was if it was carved in stone. It was only painfully slowly that my energy and brainpower returned and I felt able to tackle the typos, the easiest of the corrections. Once that barrier had been broken, the corrections that involved re-thinking and re-writing followed. In the end, I wrote three additional paragraphs at various points in the thesis and expanded my illustrations of an argument at another. Not, after all, a big deal.

Given that there is so little advice around on how to deal with ‘minor’ corrections, perhaps I’m unusual in having experienced this response. Or perhaps people like supervisors, having come out the other side, quickly forget what it’s like to have to re-visit your thesis at the very point when you may have nothing left to give. In case it helps others to avoid a crisis, here’s my advice:

Although the viva is the key milestone in your PhD journey, try to bear in mind that it may not be the final one. In the UK and similar systems, you may well need to make corrections, so be sure to preserve some energy.
When tackling corrections, it’s helpful to distance yourself from your thesis. Imagine yourself as an editor looking critically at somebody else’s work. That way, you’ll find it easier to break through that barrier of being unable to see how anything could be changed.

Thanks Mary! Are you tackling corrections now, or have you completed the ones asked of you? So you have any advice to offer?

The wildcard of examination

Doing your ammendments without losing heart (or your mind)

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What is a PhD Viva?

Maisie Dadswell
July 31, 2024

After you have written and submitted your PhD thesis, the next stage in the process is to pass your PhD viva examination, which your PhD supervisor at UWS London will fully prepare you for. Your viva will happen within three months of submitting your thesis; after completing your viva, you will know if you have passed with flying colours and can call yourself a doctor in your respective field. Though the prospect may sound daunting, see it as the chance to prove that your creative knowledge makes you a peer to the academic panel that will be present for your viva; it is the perfect opportunity to establish yourself as an intellectual authority in your field.

This article will cover what a viva is, how it works, what the potential outcomes are, who will be present on the panel and provide some helpful tips that are relevant for all fields of study.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is the highest academic degree one can earn in most fields of study. It typically involves conducting original research, making a significant contribution to the field’s knowledge, and writing a dissertation or thesis that demonstrates expertise in a specific area. Learn more about PhD at UWS Londo n here .

A PhD viva also referred to as a Viva Voce, Latin for ‘living voice’, is an oral examination which follows the submission of your doctoral thesis, where you will showcase your knowledge and defend your research in front of a panel comprised of academic experts. This examination is compulsory for the vast majority of doctoral students.

PhD Viva Questions

All the questions asked during your viva will assess:

Your knowledge depth in your specific area of research.
How deep your knowledge is concerning the broader research field relevant to your PhD.
If you can place your work in a broader context.
If you can demonstrate how your research contributes to your field.
If you know of any potential limitations and oversights in your work – where applicable.

If the panel has any suspicions that your work may not be your own, they may also question the authenticity of your work.

How Long Does a PhD Viva Take?

One of the most frequently asked questions is how long is a PhD Viva. The average length is around three hours, but several factors can extend or shorten your oral examination. If there are issues in your PhD thesis or if it is poorly presented or formatted, this could lead to confusion on the panel, which will necessitate more clarification for you to set the record straight and prove that you understand your field of study. Similarly, how well-prepared you are and how concisely you respond to questions will also have a bearing on the duration of the viva.

However, lengthy PhD defences don’t always need to be a sign that it is going poorly! Your examiners may enjoy the discussion enough that they will want to talk about it long after they have concluded that you have passed the examination. Even though, in some rare instances, a viva can take up to eight hours there may be university or country-specific rules on maximum duration – feel free to discuss this with your PhD supervisor beforehand.

Who Will Be on Your Viva Panel?

Your PhD examination will be carried out by one examiner from your university and an examiner from an outside university. Your PhD supervisor may also be on the panel, although this is not always the case. If you do find your supervisor on your viva panel, in the UK, it is common that they are prohibited from speaking. If they are present, they will solely act as observers.

Together, the examiners will highlight what they found when reading your PhD thesis thoroughly, focusing on the theories and key concepts you put forward in your research. To ensure that the examiners are being fair and appropriate in the viva process, there is also usually a chairperson on the panel who takes notes documenting any notable suggestions or comments. The chairperson will either be internal or external from the university.

What Are the Outcomes of a Viva Exam?

In the UK, there are six potential Viva PhD outcomes. We have listed them below from the best outcome to the worst. However, it is worth bearing in mind that even if you need to make minor or major corrections after your viva, you will be given equal credit as someone who was awarded their PhD degree without corrections.

The average pass rate for a PhD viva in the UK can vary depending on the university, field of study, and specific criteria used for evaluation. However, it is generally quite high.

In many UK universities, a significant majority of candidates who reach the viva stage pass, often with some amendments required. A “pass with minor amendments” is a common outcome, indicating that the candidate has demonstrated a sufficient understanding of the research. Recent research on viva experiences indicates that 84% of Ph.D. candidates are required to make minor revisions in order to achieve a passing grade.

1. Awarded PhD Degree with No Corrections

It is rare for students to pass their PhD degree without any corrections. So, if this is your outcome following your viva, celebrations are in order! It means you have seriously impressed your examiners with your research and examination.

2. Minor Corrections Required to Pass

Recent viva experience research has highlighted that 84% of PhD candidates must make minor corrections to pass. Typically, the minor corrections will be small issues with the thesis, such as grammatical errors, typos, typograph issues, or presentational faux pas, which can be quickly edited. Don’t be disparaged if you are presented with this outcome following your viva; it still means that you have done remarkably well with your thesis and viva.

3. Major Corrections Required to Pass

This outcome is the second most common following a viva; it means you have met the required standard to be awarded your doctorate, but some revisions or corrections need to be made. Typically, this will involve you improving the structure or clarity of your thesis by rewriting chapters or adding additional analysis. Once again, needing to make major corrections shouldn’t be seen as a failure; although it may be disparaging, it doesn’t invalidate your research or contribution to your field.

4. Revise and Represent to Pass

You will be asked to revise and represent your work if the panel can see the potential within your work and that it can meet requirements if you undertake additional research or analysis. You will be presented with this outcome if your work doesn’t quite reach the PhD degree standard; unlike with the minor and major corrections outcomes, if you are asked to revise and represent, you will need to present your revised work to the panel again.

5. Awarded an MPhil Degree

If the academic panel decide that major corrections or additional research still won’t allow your work to meet the PhD standard, you may be awarded a lower-standard MPhil degree instead. For example, philosophy PhD candidates will be awarded a Master of Psychology degree instead of a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Typically, MPhil degrees are awarded in place of PhDs if your work lacks originality or the knowledge creation that a PhD requires. An MPhil degree ranks above MA and MSc degrees as the most advanced Masters degrees. An MPhil degree still demonstrates that you have the same skill set as someone who successfully obtained a PhD, and they are still valuable to employers.

6. Immediate Fail

An immediate fail is rare; a 2022 survey found that only 3.3% of PhD candidates fail their viva outright – it certainly isn’t something you should obsess over. If when you are preparing for your viva, you find some faults in your thesis, don’t be afraid to broach them yourself in your exam; this will show that you can present a passable thesis. `

PhD Viva Tips:

Don’t work with irrelevant guidance or tips.

While brushing up on generalised tips online can help you to feel prepared for your viva, remember that there will always be variability in the process, the focus of the exam, and the questions asked. The variable factors include your field of study and the university you are obtaining your doctorate. With this in mind, always chat with your supervisor to ensure you are preparing with the right and relevant knowledge.

Treat the Examiners as Equals

Your PhD defence may technically be an exam, and naturally, many PhD candidates are stressed, daunted, or overwhelmed by the process for weeks. However, you will do much better if you go into the exam with the mindset that you are equal with the academic panel and treat the examination as a discussion rather than an inquisition. Remember, your viva is your chance to be seen as a doctor, not a student.

Mindset Matters

After spending years on your thesis, you will know your subject inside and out; it is your area of expertise; don’t go into the viva with a defensive and confrontational mindset; remain confident in your knowledge creation and how it benefits your field of study. Imposter syndrome can come in hard here, so limit your negative self-talk and silence your inner critic.

Ask for a Mock Viva with Your Supervisor

Never be shy about asking your PhD supervisor for the support you need as you prepare for your viva. They will be best placed to answer all of your questions as they will know the procedure for your university and your field of research. Your PhD supervisor will likely have already been present in viva exams; they will know the score, and more importantly, after working with you for years, they will want you to pass your viva – never be shy about asking them to arrange a mock viva to help you prepare.

How long is a PhD?

If you look for an answer to the question, how long is a PhD thesis, you will notice that there is a lot of contradictory information on the internet because there is no one-size-fits-all answer for PhD students. How long does a PhD take ? Well, we’ve got all the info you need in our other blog

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The Oral Examination (viva) - Doctoral degrees, MSc, MLitt, MPhil by Thesis

What is a viva.

The viva (short for viva voce) is an oral examination which gives the opportunity for:

you to defend your thesis and clarify any matters raised by your examiners
the examiners to probe your knowledge in the field
the examiners to assure themselves that the work presented is your own and to clarify matters of any collaboration
the examiners to come to a definite conclusion about the outcome of the examination

Your examiners will determine if you meet the requirements for award of the research degree for which you are a candidate.

Preparation

Talk to your supervisor and/or Academic Adviser for guidance on how to prepare for your viva.

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has produced a series of videos to help PGR students prepare for their viva. Note that the procedures for examination at the University of Cambridge may be different to those referred to by other Higher Education Institutions featured in the videos.

You will have been told the identity of your examiners. This will normally be one examiner internal to the University of Cambridge and one external examiner, but you may have two external examiners. The Degree Committee may also appoint an Independent Chair to be present during your viva and/or additional examiner(s). Your examiners will be in touch to make arrangements for your viva . If you have not been advised of the date for your viva within six weeks of submitting your thesis, you should contact your Degree Committee.

Location of the viva

The viva will normally take place in-person in Cambridge, but you may choose to be examined remotely by video conference. You should inform your Degree Committee of your preference when you notify them of your intention to submit/apply for appointment of examiners. Please also make your supervisor aware of your preference as it may affect the choice of available examiners.

Arrangements where you and one examiner are co-located in Cambridge, with the second examiner participating by video conference, where both examiners are co-located and you participate by video conference, or where you and the examiners are all in separate locations, are permissible provided all parties agree.

In-person oral examination: In-person examinations may be delayed depending on the availability of the examiners as travel time will need to be factored in. Students who are overseas and returning to Cambridge for their viva should contact the International Student Office for visa advice if their student visa has expired or will be expiring soon.

Video conference oral examination: A guide to conducting vivas by video conference can be found here .

The choice of in-person or video conference viva does not constitute procedural irregularity grounds for complaint should you fail the examination.

Adjustments to the oral examination on the grounds of disability

If you wish to notify examiners of a disability or request adjustments on account of a disability for your viva (either your first year assessment or final examination), you can do this via your Degree Committee by completing and submitting the voluntary disclosure form . It is recommended you do this at least four weeks before your expected date of examination to allow time for appropriate recommendations and adjustments to be made.

Once you have submitted the form, your Degree Committee will contact the University’s Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC) who will advise the Degree Committee on the appropriate course of action. You may be contacted by the ADRC if additional information is required or to provide you with an offer of additional support.

The information provided on the voluntary disclosure form will be kept confidential and will not be used for any other purpose.

If you already have a Student Support Document (SSD) that includes recommendations for adjustments to the viva , and you have given permission for the SSD to be shared with the Degree Committee, you do not have to complete the voluntary disclosure form but may do so if you wish.

There is no specific dress code. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable in.

What can I take in to my viva?

You may take the following into your viva:

A copy of your thesis (the same as that you submitted)
plain paper or blank notebook and a pen/pencil for taking notes or sketching ideas
a presentation in the form specified by your Examiners – your Examiners will advise you in advance if a presentation is required
any other provision that is agreed in advance with the Degree Committee as a reasonable adjustment for disability.

What happens at the viva?

It is carried out between yourself and the two examiners and is conducted in English
It may include an Independent Chairperson if the Degree Committee requires this
There is no set duration, but a viva will normally last between 90 minutes and three hours
You may be required to do a presentation - please check with your Department whether this is the case. If you are required to give a presentation, you should be informed at least two weeks in advance of the viva
The viva cannot be recorded
Your supervisor cannot attend the viva

Your Department should advise on any department-specific conventions or procedures.

Possible outcomes of the viva

The possible outcomes are:

Conditional approval - pass without correction (but for doctoral degrees subject to submission of hardbound and electronic copies of the thesis ); or pass, subject to minor or major corrections
Revision and resubmission of the work for a fresh examination
[Doctoral examination only] Revision and resubmission of the work for a fresh examination or acceptance of the MSc/MLitt without further examination (but possibly subject to corrections)
[Doctoral examination only] Not to be allowed to revise the thesis, but offered the MSc/MLitt without further revision or examination (but possibly subject to corrections)
[Doctoral examination only] Revision and resubmission of the thesis for examination for the MSc/MLitt degree
Outright failure

Notification of the result of the viva

Your examiners are asked not to give any direct indication of the likely outcome of the examination as the official result of examination can be confirmed only by the Postgraduate Committee or by Student Registry acting on its behalf (or the Degree Committee for the MPhil by Thesis). The Degree Committee will forward their decision to the Student Registry who will notify you of the outcome and email your reports to you, copying in your Supervisor.

Process following the viva

Information about the process following your viva can be found here.

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5 tips for passing your PhD viva

Every Doctoral researcher is expected to defend their thesis through an oral test known as a viva voce - so discover how to prepare for your PhD viva and ensure you make a good impression on the examiners

1. Understand what's expected of you

The PhD viva exam has traditionally always taken place in person, with the interview style discussion overseen by at least two (internal and external) examiners. Afterwards, you would be provided with a joint written report detailing any corrections that need to be made.

However, during the pandemic, the online PhD viva become more commonplace with this exam more likely to take place via Microsoft Teams, Skype or Zoom. Even now, a number of years later, many universities still allow for the viva to take place online, or a hybrid of online and in-person assessment.

The virtual experience still follows much the same format, but you'll be briefed in advance about the arrangements and any technical aspects to bear in mind. You can prepare for an online PhD viva by reading our video interview tips .

The chair of the viva is usually the internal examiner, although it can be an independent person. If you and the examiners agree, your PhD supervisor can also be present.

The examiners' main objective is to ascertain that you've written your own thesis, so if you have and are ready to talk through how you completed it, there's no need to panic. You may even enjoy the viva voce test.

In addition to assessing your thesis, the examiners are also there to assist you in deciding how and where this research might be published.

There are various results between a 'pass' and 'fail' but it's very rare to slip up at this point of a PhD. Most Doctorate awards will be made upon the condition that a number of minor corrections are made, with re-submission requests far less common.

While the pass rate is high, the viva exam itself can still be intellectually demanding. This is because you'll be debating issues that are conceptually complex, so preparation is crucial to your success.

At the end of it, whatever the outcome, be prepared to take on board any advice, as the examiners are there to help you improve your argument or the presentation of your thesis.

2. Know your thesis inside out

While this isn't a memory test - as you're fine bringing notes and a copy of your thesis with you - it's still important to gain a good understanding of what you've written and be knowledgeable about your field of study.

You'll need to think carefully about where this original piece of work would be placed in the context of the wider body of research carried out in this field. Questions will be asked about this, as well as whether the project could possibly be developed further through any future research.

As you'll be explaining parts of the document to the examiners (who'll also have a digital or physical copy), make sure the pagination is the same in your version as the one they're looking at to avoid any issues regarding everybody being on the same page.

If you get stuck at any point during the viva exam, you can use looking at the thesis as an excuse to re-focus and gather your thoughts.

3. Anticipate the PhD viva questions

The examiners will have prepared a series of questions for you to answer at the viva voce, but this is nothing to get too concerned about. The questions will all be based on your thesis - what it's about, what you did and what you found out - and why this matters, in relation to your field of study.

So when getting ready for the viva, consider the types of questions you're likely to be asked, including:

What original contribution has your thesis made to this field of study?
Explain the main research questions you were hoping to address.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your thesis?
If you had to start the thesis again, what would you do differently?
If funding was no object, describe how you'd follow on from this project.
What are your plans for the future?

It can be helpful to practise your answers beforehand, ideally vocalising them by arranging a mock mini viva - although, as you aren't restricted in terms of referring to notes in the exam, you can leave room for spontaneity, and you don't need to learn it all off by heart.

If your viva is being held online, you can ensure any technical issues are identified before the day by having a run through with your supervisor or a friend.

While it may sound simple, stick to answering the questions posed. It's really easy to go off on a tangent and this can open up other lines of enquiry from the examiners - possibly in areas you hadn't expected to be quizzed about.

On the other hand, it's completely fine to bring personality to your reasoning and use stories as a means of describing the learning process you've gone through and the techniques mastered over the last three or four years that have brought you to this point.

4. Learn about your examiners' own work

The senior and well-respected academics who'll be reading your thesis will have their own ideas on conducting PhD standard research. Therefore, it's worth taking a look online at their academic and LinkedIn profiles to discover if there's any correlation with the research they've had published and your own work.

From this, you should be able to gain a better idea of their motivations, their possible views on your thesis and the kinds of questions they might wish to discuss after having read through it.

You should research up-to-date theories, read any recent papers on the subject and speak to others who've recently had their own viva exam. Think about how your work differentiates from the research carried out by others in your chosen field.

Prepare to provide any supporting evidence asked of you by the examiners - for example, they may request to see experimental data you mention once the exam is over.

It's also necessary to check the policies and practices in place at your university and be sure of what the roles of the examiners are and how the viva panel will be structured. In many cases, Doctoral students can choose the examiners conducting the PhD viva.

5. Plan towards the viva exam

From the moment you know the date of your viva voce, work backwards and plan the steps you'll need to take before the day itself. Allow enough time to assess and review your work so that as the day approaches, you can focus on the practicalities.

This encompasses everything from making sure you relax, eat and sleep well the day before to arranging transport so you get to the viva on time.

An online PhD viva will present its own challenges, so ensure your working space is presentable and you still make an effort in terms of what you'll be wearing.

It's always advisable to adhere to interview etiquette and go with something that's both smart and comfortable. By looking the part, this should get you in the right frame of mind to communicate in a professional manner.

In the build-up, avoid any situations that might make you feel stressed and instead try to adopt a positive attitude, one that results in a genuine eagerness to engage in a debate about the work you've been toiling over.

If you're travelling to the exam, be sure to check that you have everything you need, including the thesis, plus any notes or other materials that will help support your claims.

The Doctoral viva can last between one and four hours - usually two - so it's necessary to pace yourself to get off to the best possible start.

Remember, the examiners aren't trying to trip you up - they want you to pass and are primarily there to hear you talk about your project. So, after the polite introductions, they'll typically start with an icebreaker to put you at ease and help calm the nerves.

It's meant to be an open and honest conversation about your work, so feel free to politely disagree with the examiners, especially on areas you feel strongly about. Don't forget to use examples from your thesis to back up what you're saying, remembering to be clear and concise.

If you know your way around your thesis and can explain your thinking and way of working, this test shouldn't be a problem. And if you don't know the answer to a specific question - admit it, as it's better to concede your limitations in an area than ramble on and hope they don't notice you're struggling to come up with an explanation.

Remember that no research is perfect, so it's important to appreciate this during the discussion - but don't be too overcritical about your work either, as that's not your job.

Finally, as the PhD viva can quickly move from a series of friendly questions to those that are more in-depth, take some time to think before answering. Don't worry about any periods of silence from the examiners, as this certainly isn't an indication that you're doing badly.

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Are you unofficially a PhD holder after passing viva voce for PhD? [duplicate]

In my university, after passing a viva voce examination, it will take more than 3 months before the university issues an official letter/transcript/certificate to certify that one is officially a PhD holder. Of course, after PhD viva, it will take some time to perform correction as stipulated by examiners. It can be major/minor correction. After a PhD candidate passes viva exam, is she/he unofficially a PhD holder? Considering that one has yet to successfully correct one's thesis as instructed by examiners during viva exam.

3 IMO, you don't "pass" a PhD, you get acknowledged by other PhD holders that you are a Doctor of Philosophy. It's a subtle difference. If you were after something already known then you would be passing a Master's examination. But philosophy is about the known and the unknown . As such, other's can't examine you fully, they can only test your critical acumen and your basis of knowledge -- not whether you've "passed" some further point. – Mark Rosenblitt-Janssen Commented Nov 10, 2017 at 21:11
@TheDoctor Amazing view about Ph.D. Thanks. It made my day. I used to think that I must know a lot of things. I am in my initial year of my phd, and your point "philosophy is about the known and the unknown." should help. – Coder Commented Nov 11, 2017 at 6:11

3 Answers 3

At my American university, the process of officially getting a PhD was tiered. It went something like this:

No claim to being a PhD until after successfully defending.

Some informal claim to being a PhD after successfully defending. The committee members would usually make this explicit by congratulating the successful defendee with "Dr.".

A weird quasi-official claim when the university's official degree-completion tracking system formally acknowledged that the student has officially met all degree requirements and is scheduled to receive their degree at graduation.

Official claim upon graduation (whether or not attended).

Verifiable official claim once you have the piece of paper, which may be several weeks after graduation if not attended.

Folks I knew were reluctant to claim PhD-status until graduation, but I think that hiring managers in academia and industry tend to find the caveat of not having been through the ceremony to be fairly trivial. Family and friends are especially unlikely to care about that caveat, except as an excuse to talk about how exciting graduation'll be.

Nobody is going to quibble with you calling yourself a PhD after you've passed your defense, assuming everything went well. For legal purposes such as employment you are not technically a PhD until your university says you are, but in between those times you can honestly say "I've met all the requirements for a PhD and I'm waiting for graduation in the Spring".

It is not uncommon to be asked to make changes to the dissertation, or even do some extra experiments/investigation. Usually committee members consider these to be minor changes that do not require another defense, though they might withhold final approval signatures until they're satisfied. The point is that the committee members themselves do not expect the requested changes to be major endeavors- more of a refinement than substantially new work.

If your committee fails your defense then obviously you're still not a PhD in anybody's view.

Unofficially, YES. Officially, NO.

It is country and university specific. In my university (and in the country where I am working now), it works like this.

The Ph.D. student submits his thesis, checked by his own supervisor(s). This is then checked by the Academic Research Dean.

Once, it passes the above step, it goes to at least two/three external reviewers: one/two examiner(s) in the same country, another examiner in a different country.

The examiners usually get 3-6 months to review the dissertation. Time depends on field and department.

The outcome of the review is one of the following, which is decided by academic research dean and few other Ph.D. quality members:

Accept as it is
Accept with minor revision (comments from examiners)
Accept with major revision (it goes again to the examiners, but less time for review is provided)
Reject (usually unlikely; based on history)

Once the thesis is accepted (either of the first three of the above), the examiner(s) comes to the students' university for viva-voice. This process is called the `defense'.

Mostly, since the dissertation has been formally accepted if the student defends the thesis in front of the examiners and the Ph.D. panel, he is congratulated at the end. From this, he can assume himself to be graduated.

The official transcript and degree take some time to be conferred on him. Until the official transcript is received, one should not assume to be "officially" graduated.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged defense .

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Five top tips to pass your PhD viva

Research assistant Kirsty Devaney , who successfully completed her doctorate , provides five invaluable pieces of advice on passing the PhD viva.

First thing's first...what is the PhD viva?

Officially called the viva voce , meaning ‘living voice’ in Latin, the viva is an oral examination that sees a PhD student defend their thesis and showcase their knowledge to a panel of academic experts.

The viva takes place after you have completed your thesis and sees these experts ask you various questions to ensure you understand your work and have become an expert in your field.

Now, over to Kirsty…

1). Make your own learning space

"It's important on the lead up to the viva voce to have a space that's designated for your preparations. This could be at your university, in a coffee shop or at home.

"For instance, I took over my dining room table for a good two months. I had all of my resources there - my books, my thesis and lots of post-it notes."

2). Take some time away from your thesis

"I had a three-month wait in between submitting my thesis and sitting my viva, but I knew I couldn’t spend that time prepping as it would be far too intense. I took a full month off from revising and returned with a clear idea of what I needed to do."

3). Make a plan of action

"A month before my viva, I made a list of things I wanted to achieve before the day.

"One was to read through my thesis in full three times. I also committed to tabbing all of the important chapters, diagrams and data in my thesis, so I could refer to them quickly if needed.

"I then compiled a series of questions which I thought might come up in the viva and put them all into a pot. Once I’d got enough questions, I’d ask my husband to pull out one of the pieces of paper at random and ask me the question.

"Some days I would also catch up on any recent literature I may have missed that could be relevant.

"All of this proved incredibly useful for when my viva arrived."

4). Know your examiners

"When you’re close to completing your doctorate, you might have a conversation with your supervisors about the people in the field who might be external examiners.

"Once you know who they are going to be, it’s really important to get to know their research, what their research interests are and what methodologies they use."

5). Become the expert

"BCU does a mock viva, which I found incredibly helpful as it meant I could work on any difficulties I faced.

"One issue that arose from my mock was that I had to become a lot more confident and assertive about my research and my findings.

"When you walk into the room to do your viva, you are making the leap from being a student to having the certainty of an expert."

How scary was the PhD viva?

Kirsty, who also runs the successful Young Composers Project , says it’s important not to be too fearful of the examiners.

"They are there to challenge you, but they’re not trying to be mean for the sake of it,” she explains. “They want to make sure you know your stuff and haven’t just plagiarised the material.

"However, it’s important to breathe and take your time – they’re not expecting rapid-fire responses."

Kirsty credits the support of the School of Education and Social Work for getting her through her PhD.

"They really got it right,” she says. "They have been incredibly supportive. I never felt alone."

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5 Tips for Preparing for Your PhD Viva

By Zebastian D.
December 13, 2019

You’ve just passed a massive milestone: writing and submitting your PhD thesis. This has been the culmination of at least three years of work and is definitely a cause for celebration. But the journey’s not fully over just yet – you still have the viva to pass. In the UK the viva usually lasts a few hours and involves a detailed discussion of your thesis with two expert examiners; your primary supervisor may or may not sit in this. Expect the viva to be tough – you’ll need to be able to defend your PhD thesis and respond to questions designed to probe your understanding of your subject. But if you prepare for it well, you’re likely to come out of it having had an enjoyable experience discussing your work with people genuinely interested in your project.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for the day.

1. Know Your Thesis

You should expect your examiners to have spent a considerable about of time going through your PhD thesis and the content of it will be fresh in their mind; make sure it’s fresh in yours too. Yes, you’re the one that’s written it but, if you’ve planned well , you may have written some of your chapter content quite a while ago. Equally, I would definitely recommend checking to see if any new papers in your field have been published since writing your chapters and submitting your thesis.

2. Know Your Examiners

Your examiners will be experts in their fields, and at least one (if not both) will be experts in the same field of your research. Make sure you look up papers they’ve published and think about how they fit in with your work. It’s likely that some of their line of questioning in the viva will be based around their contributions to the research area.

3. Think of Possible Questions

It’s a good idea to spend time with your supervisor to think of possible questions the examiners may ask you. In particular, can you predict the tough questions that might come your way and how you might best answer them? Are there any areas within your work that you would consider as limitations for your studies and that you should be prepared to acknowledge? Some preparation here and even a mock interview will go a long way in making the actual thing feel easier.

4. Bring a Copy of Your Thesis

Make sure you have your own printed copy of your PhD thesis that you bring along with you to the viva. Make notes and highlight pages and sections within it that you especially want to bring attention to. You might also find it useful to print separate larger copies of key results (e.g. graphs or figures) that you think would be useful to discuss. Some props that help explain concepts (if relevant) can also be a brilliant way to guide the discussions to areas you’re most comfortable with.

5. Focus on Your Strengths

Try to view the viva as an opportunity to showcase the new knowledge you have added to your field of research. Focus on the positives that have come out of your work; all projects will have some areas of weakness but there’s no need to highlight these to your examiners unless directly asked about them. Coming into your viva with one or two papers published (if possible) is a great positive – it’ll give you confidence that your work has already stood up to peer-review and is a very good way to present your contributions to research.

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An academic transcript gives a breakdown of each module you studied for your degree and the mark that you were awarded.

You’ll come across many academics with PhD, some using the title of Doctor and others using Professor. This blog post helps you understand the differences.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

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In the UK, a dissertation, usually around 20,000 words is written by undergraduate and Master’s students, whilst a thesis, around 80,000 words, is written as part of a PhD.

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Dr Williams gained her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York in 2020. She is now a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University, researching simplifying vaccine manufacturing in low-income countries.

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How to Excel in Your Doctoral Viva

© 2022
Stacey Bedwell 0 ,
Isabelle Butcher 1

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK

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Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Explains what the viva is, how the process works, and what the purpose of the viva is
Explores the course of preparing for a viva examination, focusing on organisation through to dealing with viva concerns
Features contributions from over 25 academics for a unique insight into the experiences of PhD candidates and examiners

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Why Tourette syndrome research needs philosophical phenomenology

Enactments in Transference: Embodiment, Trauma and Depression. What Have Psychoanalysis and the Neurosciences to Offer to Each Other

The Madness of Interpretation and Meaning in Psychoanalytic Treatment and Literature: Reading Patrick Casement’s ‘A Retrospective Overview’

life sciences
social sciences
research degree

Table of contents (11 chapters)

Front matter, introduction.

Stacey Bedwell, Isabelle Butcher

What Is the Viva?

Isabelle Butcher

Urban Myths about the PhD Viva

Stacey Bedwell

Real Viva Experiences

Making the most of and enjoying your viva, after the viva, practice questions, being confident in your thesis, the viva preparation timeline, participating in a mock viva, viva concerns, back matter.

— Sarah Lloyd , final year PhD candidate

— Gemini Katwa , PhD candidate

Authors and Affiliations

About the authors.

Dr. Isabelle Butcher was awarded her PhD in Psychology in 2021 from the University of Manchester, UK, for her work on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and traumatic life events. Isabelle’s current research interests are in the area of adolescent mental health and the impact of traumatic life events. Isabelle also has a keen interest in the ethics of research and is currently chair of an NHS ethics research committee.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : How to Excel in Your Doctoral Viva

Authors : Stacey Bedwell, Isabelle Butcher

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10172-4

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan Cham

eBook Packages : Education , Education (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-031-10171-7 Published: 16 September 2022

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-10172-4 Published: 15 September 2022

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XIII, 183

Number of Illustrations : 69 b/w illustrations

Topics : Science Education , Higher Education , Psychology, general

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Defending your doctoral thesis: the PhD viva

Format for defending a doctoral thesis.

Every institution will have specific regulations for the thesis defence. In some countries or institutions, the convention is for thesis defences to be public events where you will give a lecture explaining your research, followed by a discussion with a panel of examiners (opponents). Both your examiners and the audience are able to ask questions.

In other countries, including the UK, the oral examination is usually conducted behind closed doors by at least two examiners, usually with at least one being from another institution (external examiner) and an expert in your topic of research. In the UK the supervisor does not participate in the viva, but may be allowed to observe. Sometimes someone from your own institution is appointed as an independent chair. Although it is now becoming more common for the candidate to have an opportunity to give a public lecture in UK institutions, this does not form part of the examination and may or may not be attended by the examiners.

Viva preparation

Take the preparation for your viva seriously and devote a substantial amount of time to it. The viva preparation checklist may be useful to help you prepare.

Your institution may offer courses on viva preparation and there may be opportunities to organise a practice viva. Take advantage of these opportunities: they can be extremely valuable experiences.

Things you may wish to take with you

your thesis – mildly annotated if you wish
a list of questions that you might be asked and your planned responses
any questions that you want to ask your examiners
additional notes which you have made during your revision
list of minor corrections that you have come across during your revision.

During the viva

Your study will have strengths and weaknesses: it is essential that you are prepared to discuss both. You could think of any weaknesses as an opportunity to demonstrate your skill at critical appraisal. Examiners will seek to find and discuss weaknesses in all theses. Do not interpret criticism as indication of a possible negative outcome.

Examiners have different personalities, styles and levels of experience. Sometimes a candidate may feel that a challenge is made in a confrontational way. Experienced, effective examiners will not be inappropriately confrontational, but some will. Do not take offence. A relaxed, thoughtful, and non-confrontational response from you will help re-balance the discussion. Having an independent chair can help maintain a constructive environment.

Useful tips for during your viva:

Ask for clarification of ambiguous questions or ask for the question to be repeated if necessary
Take time to think before answering
Be prepared to ask questions and enter into a dialogue with your examiners
Be prepared to discuss your research in context of other work done in your field
Be ready to admit if you don't know the answer to a question
Be prepared to express opinions of your own

You are not expected to have perfect recall of your thesis and everything that you have read and done. If you get flustered, or need to refer to notes your examiners will understand. They have been in your situation themselves!

After your viva

There are several possible outcomes of a thesis defence. Most commonly, your examiners will recommend to your institution that you are awarded your degree subject to minor corrections, although in some instances they might ask for more substantial work.

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PhD, 'passed with no corrections'

Hi guys, This is my first ever post here, but I've lurked on viva-related threads a few times and thought I'd ask your opinion on something. Yesterday, I passed my PhD viva with no corrections, obviously I'm delighted, especially given my terrible nerves and doubts beforehand. But I'm wondering, in a general way, if anyone puts 'no corrections' on their CV, or if it's just a nice thing one keeps to oneself (unless asked). I have a sense that it would look really brattish to mention the 'no corrections' thing, so I'm wondering if it would be a legitimate thing to mention. I know that when competing for jobs and postdoc positions, what matters are publications, evidence of pro-activeness (getting funding for things, giving papers, organising conferences etc), and references. So in light of that, would it be pointless to mention that I passed with no corrections, or is it worth putting down? What would / do you guys do? Thanks for any replies! :-)

I've not done it yet, but I think it would look a bit brattish. I'd save it for when people ask. I would be tempted to put down examiners if they are high profile though

It's a fantastic and rare achievement and so well done. However, it looks brattish when documented, in my opinion. Well done!

Congratulations. It's a great achievement to have completed your PhD and a nice relief for you to have no corrections. But no, I would never put that on a CV. If I was reviewing CVs I wouldn't think any less of someone with minor corrections, and thus wouldn't think any more of someone with no corrections.

As an aside, I don't mind anyone knowing I had minor corrections and if they ask I'll tell them but is this documented on the certificate? Is there anyway someone can find out?

Well done vegangirl for passing your PhD. That in itself is a great acheivement. There is much comfort to have the least corrective work which means you can just finalise your thesis. However, to attain a PhD with no corrections, minor or major revisions is not on the certificate and should not be a consideration on a CV. A PhD is not a graded award and therefore equal credit should be given to those who had no corrections or those who resubmittied post viva. The prestige is to have accomplished a PhD not necessarily the way it was examined.

Hi Congrats!!! I don't have the answer to your question, but do u mind if I ask, how did u make it/ steps that u took that enabled u to pass without any corrections? Would u mind to share the tips? Thanks

I disagree with everyone else. I've never heard of someone getting no corrections, so CONGRATULATIONS! I don't think it is brattish at all. If I had received the same I WOULD be putting it on my CV. (as it stands I got minors). It certainly is something to celebrate. Well done you!

I think it might be a bit odd to put it on your cv, I've never heard of anyone doing this (though I only know one person who passed with no corrections!). But I know it's a competitive world out there, so you could argue that anything that makes you stand out a bit from the crowd might be worth doing. It's a fantastic achievement either way, you should be very proud and happy :)

Congratulations! I think it'll depend on your field to be honest... For example, in my field, I have to add grades for everything from GCSEs! But in my brother's he doesn't. Employers are quite happy just to know he has a degree and this and masters in this and this etc. So I'd say just follow your past experience.

When you have passed your Phd with no corrections that is a significant achievement and yes of course you would put it on your CV because it might be the difference in getting the interview. If you had a 1st class honours degree or distinction you would put this on your CV for the same reasons. When you pass your PhD at the University I attended the school/department always email everyone staff/postgraduates who has passed and whether they have corrections. They also state PhD student who don't have corrections and that it is a significant achievement. So do put it on your CV..no one is ever going to ask you and if you don't put it on your CV then you might just miss out on the interview

Interesting question and I feel the answer is different depending on if you are in academia or industry. I do know someone who passed with no corrections and they do not even use the title Dr and the PhD is not referenced on their CV or LinkedIn profile (let alone say they passed with no corrections).

This question was posted 5 years ago guys so I doubt the OP has this dilemma anymore(!)

You never know!!! :D

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Types of PhD Viva Questions

Generally, examiners prepare a series of questions for you to answer at the PhD viva voce examination. These questions are primarily based on your thesis. However, the questions asked in PhD viva examinations can be broadly grouped under four basic headings:

General Questions
Research Context and Methods
Analysis and Findings
Discussions and Conclusion/Implications

Therefore, while preparing for your PhD viva and defending your thesis , you must consider the types of questions you’re likely to be asked. This helps in practicing your answers in advance and not being baffled during the viva. Practicing how you would answer questions based on these four basic categories will take you a long way in your preparations.

Commonly Asked PhD Viva Questions and How to Answer Them

While sticking to answering the most commonly asked questions might sound simple, it is equally important to be prepared for counter questions. Furthermore, it’s easy to go off on a tangent due to nervousness. This leads to opening up other lines of enquiry from the examiners in areas you hadn’t probably expected to be questioned about.

Ideally, you aren’t expected to dictate your thesis as it is. Examiners are interested in knowing your understanding of the research, its methods, analysis and findings, conclusion and implications, etc.

Despite the differences in every PhD viva, you must be prepared to answer these common questions logically. Below are some popular PhD viva questions to prepare:

1. Tell me about yourself.

Introduce yourself and talk about your areas of interest related to research. More importantly, focus on the areas you are extremely positive about. Briefly speak about your past achievements without overwhelming the examiners and sounding boastful. Keep the introduction professional.

2. What is the reason for selecting this research question?

The response to this question is often generalized by saying that you are interested in the topic. However, examiners want to hear the specifications of your interest in the topic. You must plan your answer stating the most interesting aspect of your research and why did you choose the research question over another topic from the same or allied domain. Furthermore, cite certain instances that helped you in selecting the research topic and the particular field for your project.

3. What is the key focus of your research?

Remember that the answer to this question is not about summarizing your research. It involves talking about the area of primary focus of research. Most importantly, in order to demonstrate the viability of your research, it is essential to identify some of the key questions it addresses.

4. Did the research process go as per your plan or were there any unexpected circumstances that you had to deal with?

The purpose of this question is not only to see whether you can work as per your structured plan, but also to understand your readiness with backup plans in case of unforeseen situations. An ideal way to answer this is by clearly stating if the project went as per your predefined plan. Furthermore, be honest in mentioning if you were assisted by others in dealing with it, as it may lead to a new set of questioning from the examiners.

5. After completion of your research, which part of the process did you enjoy the most and why?

Remember that the examiners know about a PhD student’s stressful journey . Therefore, do not elaborate on the hardships that you went through during your research, unless asked otherwise. Emphasize on the aspects of the research project that you enjoyed and looked forward to every time you stepped in your laboratory. Describe how you developed interest in newer approaches to conduct research.

6. As a researcher, what change has this research brought in you?

This question demands a strong, progressive, and positive response. Remember your first day in the research laboratory and compare it to today. Identify the differences in your traits as a researcher. Mention how following, reading, and analyzing other researchers’ works have brought a positive change in you. Furthermore, address how you overcame your shortcomings as a researcher and upskilled yourself.

7. Summarize your thesis.

Be well versed with the entire project. Start by explaining why you selected the topic of your thesis and close your explanation by providing an optimum solution to the problem. You must prepare for 3 types of answers for this question. Prepare a 1-minute, 3-5 minutes, and 10-minute summary and use the correct one based on your audience at the viva.

8. What developments have you witnessed in this field since you began your doctorate? How did these developments change your research context?

Familiarize yourself with the advances in your field throughout your PhD. Mention works of researchers you have referred to while working on your project. Additionally, elaborate on how other researchers’ work influenced your research and directed you to finding results.

9. What original contribution has your thesis made to this field of study?

Answer this question by keeping in mind what was known before in published literature and what you have added as part of being awarded your PhD. Firstly, you must present a major piece of new information during your research project. Secondly, elaborate on how your research expands the existing literature. Thirdly, mention how your work is different from other researchers’ works that you referred. Finally, discuss how you developed a new product or improved an existing one.

10. How well did the study design work?

While answering this question, you must focus on how your planned methods and methodologies were executed. Furthermore, mention how you tackled difficulties in study design and concluded your research.

11. Elaborate on your main findings and how do they relate to literature in your field?

While answering this question, elaborate on how you evaluated the key findings in your research. Mention the key factors involved and the reason for choosing a particular process of evaluation. Furthermore, explain how your findings are related with the literature review of your project. Mention its significant contributions in your field of research. In addition, discuss how your research findings connect with your hypothesis as well as the conclusion of your research.

12. What is the strength and weakness of your research?

While you may want to impress the examiner by emphasizing on the strengths of your research, being aware of the weaknesses and planning a directional move to overcome them is also equally important. Hence, mention the strengths first and elaborate on how they connect with the key findings. Additionally, underline the limitations and the factors that could be transformed into strengths in future research.

How nervous were you while preparing for your PhD viva voce? Did you follow any specific tips to ace your PhD viva voce ? How important is it to prepare for these common PhD viva questions beforehand? Let us know how you prepared for your PhD viva voce in the comments section below! You can also visit our Q&A forum for frequently asked questions related to different aspects of research writing and publishing answered by our team that comprises subject-matter experts, eminent researchers, and publication experts.

Really useful in helping me put a plan / script together for my forthcoming viva. Some interesting questions that I hadn’t thought about before reading this article – the proof of the pudding will be how well the viva goes of course, but at least I now have a head start! Many thanks

Thank you, this is super helpful. I have my viva voce in a month and I’ll be using these questions as a guide

Well framed questions

This article has been incredibly helpful in preparing a plan and script for my upcoming viva. It introduced me to several intriguing questions I hadn’t considered before. The real test will be how well the viva goes, but at least I now have a head start. Thank you.

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Passing Your Viva with No Corrections: Towards an Outstanding PhD | Lex Academic Blog

4 December 2022

The meaning we associate most immediately with ‘outstanding’ is perhaps that of ‘excellent’ or ‘first-rate’: an outstanding PhD is one that ranks high on some sort of classificatory scheme. But this meaning, I suspect, is derived from its more literal meaning, that of standing out from the crowd. Those PhDs that do this will indeed be the few that make it into the top tier of PhDs that are passed with ‘no corrections’ ( cum laude or summa cum laude in other systems such as in Germany or the Netherlands) – but this quantitative feature is only a result of their qualitative merit: a truly outstanding PhD is one that stands out because of its original insight. It speaks for itself that such insight is firmly supported by thorough and sound research. But thorough and sound research alone are not enough. An outstanding PhD is one that pushes boundaries, posits new challenges, and possibly even presents a view that turns things upside down.

Does this sound too daunting, too ambitious? I never set out to write a PhD with this particular goal in mind, but I’ve always had strong academic instincts and I’ve learned to trust them. I would never dream of telling anyone how to conduct their PhD research, but I was asked (for this blog) to outline how I ended up with ‘no corrections’ after my viva , and the best advice I can come up with is this: develop a nose for sniffing out a new point of view – one that will fascinate, stimulate, or otherwise make your reader sit up. But perhaps this now sounds too mundane? Isn’t the general criterion for being awarded a doctorate the requirement that your work needs to make an ‘original contribution to the scholarship’? And how useful is this advice of being original when it comes down to the practicalities of writing a thesis of 60,000–80,000 words? What follows is more a chronicle of my own journey, but hopefully it contains some tips that will work for others as well.

When facing that formidable blank page on which we’re supposed to make our new contribution to the field, most of us are very much aware of the freedom bestowed upon us. It’s easy, however, to underestimate the discipline that this freedom demands. Before anything else, I used to get down to doing the donkey work: getting to know the field inside out, spending hour upon hour, week upon week, reading through all material relevant to a particular topic. In my case (I work in ancient philosophy with a body of literature dating back over 2000 years), this sometimes took a couple of months. While it’s useful to be able to skim through texts, if you want to be aware of all nuances of a debate, nothing but very precise reading will do. While at it, making a map that sets out the lay of the land in detail is something that I found indispensable. In so doing, you usually begin to get a sense of where others have cut corners and which avenues remain unexplored. One shouldn’t be conceited and be too easily dismissive of very experienced scholars: read with charity and respect, take your predecessors seriously, and leave no stone unturned in following up references. On the other hand, I think it’s precisely this painstaking work that reveals the areas where rewarding progress can be made.

After all the detailed sifting through and mapping of the literature, I needed time to zoom out, to create thinking space, to mentally digest all the material taken in. Making an original contribution to an established and well-researched field of study is not always straightforward. Ideally, you don’t merely come up with incremental adjustments to pre-existing views. A valuable original contribution is one that is of sufficient depth that it puts a genuinely interesting alternative on the table. While it’s easy to say, ‘sit back, close your eyes, and think’, this is actually not so very easy to do. For a start, you might feel rather indulgent, folding your hands and withdrawing into thought. And how do you ensure that such thought is productive? While I don’t think that you can force innovative thought, I do think that you can create the right conditions for it: set time apart for reflection, find a quiet space to let your thoughts roam free and let your intellectual intuitions take over. Use your academic nose to sniff out that whiff of an idea, revelation, or inspiration. Anyone who’s had a PhD proposal accepted has convinced other academics of the potential of some exciting new idea. So trust yourself to develop and bring your own, original ideas into sharper focus.

Once I had found some new avenue or perspective that I thought promising, the real work began. Could I solve the puzzle that I now identified, or the difficulties that my particular point of view generated? While you normally have a hunch about the general direction in which the solution lies, don’t expect an immediate resolution of all obstacles that lie in your path. In my case, it often took several rounds of revision to get there – and even in the final version of my PhD not all questions had been answered. Having trained as a musician prior to undertaking a PhD in philosophy, I’ve found it helpful to compare the process of producing a final draft of a thesis chapter to accomplishing a memorable musical performance. In the end, one’s playing needn’t be perfect – but it does need to be gripping and to leave the audience with a sense of having experienced something special. And to achieve that, there will be several rounds of preparation before you’re concert ready (learning the notes, getting to grips with any technical challenges, developing the big emotive gestures, then putting it to rest for a while in order to approach it afresh the next time round). So, don’t insist on perfection straight away. Expect to refine and revise and leave these improvements to later drafts – when first getting your ideas on paper, simply get the main points across as clearly as possible. But at this point you might start to feel the pressure: how do you find the time for all these revisions?

One of the things that doing a PhD has taught me is to write fast . A first draft is just that, a first draft. You don’t need to write beautiful, sophisticated sentences; just get your ideas on paper swiftly and precisely. I found that settling into a particular writing routine helped me: first, I’d write out the entire chapter by hand on paper. This would, of course, not be a fully written up story; it was rather just the main steps in the argument in rough and ready sentences. Somehow, writing by hand seemed to come to me more easily: on screen I’d want fully fledged sentences consisting of at least subject, object, and predicate. But writing by hand, I found it much easier to allow myself to write less than fully articulated sentences that would merely convey the general gist of what I wished to say. Having done all the preparatory laborious mapping beforehand, the relevant points from the literature were ready to be plugged in where needed and the writing of the chapter by hand usually took only about one full day, resulting in eight to ten scribbled pages. Having achieved this first step would bring immense relief: the whole story was now out there, ink on paper. It might be rough and ready, but all the pieces of the puzzle had been connected up in writing (even if some loose ends could not be avoided). Then, feeling buoyant about having my ideas organised in some sort of coherent manner, I’d set myself a week to type up my handwritten version. Again, I didn’t insist on the perfect sentence or the perfect paragraph: all that could wait until a later stage. But as I wrote out my handwritten sheets, the work would bulk up automatically and before I knew it, I’d hit 10,000 words, ready to be discussed with my supervisor. I’d be able to discuss the debate in detail and present my own take on it in general outline and with at least all the steps of my argument laid out. This provided plenty of material for a fruitful discussion with my supervisor and an assessment of whether she thought that I was heading in the right direction or down a rabbit hole.

I was absolutely blessed with my supervisor: she was highly supportive of my explorations of new perspectives on age-old material, but she also didn’t shy away from pulling the reins tight when she thought I was heading for a dead end. More than once, I had to rewrite an entire chapter from an entirely new point of view – which meant facing that blank page again and writing it from scratch! As my supervisor used to say: ‘the wastepaper basket is your greatest friend’. That might sound dreadful – and I thought so too at first – but in the end it wasn’t. Having done the mapping of previous scholarship, this material remained at hand for a reshuffle and, having built up some routine in speedy writing, I found that the chapter could swiftly be rewritten by following the same procedure as before: writing by hand for a day, typing it up in a week. Of the seven chapters that I wrote for my thesis, two chapters were ditched entirely (hopefully to be revisited at some point in the near future), one was rewritten from scratch no less than four times, another twice, one received three rounds of extensive revisions, one had a single round of major revisions, and one (which ended up being the weakest part of the thesis) was revised only superficially.

One of the most important lessons all this rewriting taught me is that, while it might come in bursts, creative insight isn’t so very precious. There was no need to be overly attached to my initial ideas. If you create the right conditions (i.e. knowing the scholarship, allowing yourself to explore any hunches and research gaps that occur to you), ideas come regularly. All musicians know that ‘practice makes perfect’ – or rather, nearly perfect. Similarly, I’d say, regular practice works in relation to something seemingly so uncontrollable as creative insight.

I could not have written the PhD that I eventually did at the start of this journey. There’s no getting round the fact that, occasionally, the rewriting was tough, but the progress I could see in my work was also a great source of joy. The final polishing of each chapter took time and required meticulous precision in my articulation of ideas and referencing of work that I built upon. At this stage, the devil really is in the detail. If something is nagging you about a piece of the puzzle that doesn’t entirely fit, it is probably worth taking a closer look – and rewriting, yet again, that particular section. Even so, by this stage, the principal work has been done, and it can be intensely satisfying to see the overall narrative come together. For me personally, while the final months of my PhD were marked by great sadness as my supervisor unexpectedly passed away, it was strangely also a deeply fulfilling time as, in honour of her memory and encouraged by a wonderful second supervisor, the various parts finally fell into place.

So, in sum, for me the following strategy worked: putting in the hours to do detailed work on mapping existing scholarship, then creating some distance and taking the time to reflect, letting the creative juices flow. I’d sketch out my arguments without requiring perfection, writing fast, and writing and rewriting a lot. Practice helped: the more I wrote and the more I had to think over what I had written, the easier it became to rethink and rewrite material. Finally, once a chapter’s definitive take on a matter had been developed, I had to switch back into precision mode and be meticulous in the presentation of my thoughts. For what it’s worth, that was my recipe for a PhD that in the end was classified as outstanding.

But now some of you might be sceptical: didn’t I point to the nature of something ‘outstanding’ as being something that by definition is applicable to only a limited number? But just as I believe that every technically and musically gifted player can touch the listener with an individual performance full of expression, so I believe that every dedicated and creative doctoral candidate can write a thought-provoking and captivating PhD. To stand out from the crowd does not necessarily mean being a cut above the rest. It means contributing something that you have truly made your own and that draws in your audience.

Dr Hannah Laurens is a Postdoctoral Fellow of the British Society for the History of Philosophy (BSHP) and Lecturer at Pembroke College, University of Oxford. Her research covers a broad range of topics in the History of Philosophy, from ‘nous’ (the intellect) and nature in Aristotle to salvation and ‘acquiescentia’ (contentment) in Spinoza. In 2018 she was awarded the BSHP Graduate Essay Prize for her paper on Aristotle’s Posterior Analytics II.19 and from 2018 to 2021 she led a large-scale outreach project in the Netherlands on the radical Spinozist philosopher Adriaan Koerbagh (1633–1669). She received her PhD from the University of St Andrews.

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16th Emir Of Kano Sanusi II Bags PhD After Remote Thesis Defence

In the face of legal battle at home over the Kano Emirship throne, the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has been conferred with a Doctorate degree after successfully completing his Viva Voce.

Viva Voce, also known as an oral examination or thesis defence, is a crucial part of the PhD process in many academic institutions.

It is a formal assessment where a candidate presents and defends their research thesis in front of a panel of experts, usually comprising examiners and academics in the relevant field.

This was made known by the founder/Chief Executive Officer of RadioNow 95.3FM Lagos, Ms. Kadaria Ahmed, in a post on her Facebook page on Wednesday.

She said the examiners approved Sanusi II’s PhD thesis without any amendments or corrections.

Kadaria wrote, “Happy to report, our Khalifa, our King, HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II, is now also a Doctor having successfully done his Viva Voce.

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“His PhD was approved as submitted without any amendments or corrections.

“The examiners said congratulations Dr Sanusi!

“I am delighted to be able to join the examiners in congratulating Mai Martaba. Alhamdullilah.”

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I am having my PhD viva in 2 weeks, looking for tips.

I submitted my thesis in the field of mechanical engineering last month, and I am having my viva in 2-3 weeks. I am doing my PhD in the UK.

Can you please share general tips and also tips based on your experience that could be useful for me to clear my viva?

Thanks very much in advance.

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VIDEO: Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, bags PhD

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COMMENTS

Is it possible to do a PhD without doing the viva?
The examiners conducted the viva in such a way that academic standards were maintained, but without it needing to be a confrontational, negative, stressful exam. It was clear that the guidance that we had sent had been read, understood and followed by the examiners and that made all the difference.
PhD Viva Voces
There are six outcomes of a PhD viva: (1) pass without corrections (2) pass subject to minor corrections, (3) pass subject to major corrections, (4) downgrade to MPhil with no amendments, (5) downgrade to MPhil subject to amendments, (6) immediate fail. Almost all students who sit their viva pass it, with the most common outcome being ' (2 ...
PhD Failure Rate
The PhD failure rate in the UK is 19.5%, with 16.2% of students leaving their PhD programme early, and 3.3% of students failing their viva. 80.5% of all students who enrol onto a PhD programme successfully complete it and are awarded a doctorate. Introduction. One of the biggest concerns for doctoral students is the ongoing fear of failing ...
I had a brutal PhD viva followed by two years of corrections
PhD corrections are Kafkaesque — so much arbitrary and traumatising work without ever being able to imagine a human mind behind the process. ... If you've had a bad PhD viva and need some ...
Mastering Your PhD Viva: Tips for a Successful Defense and Beyond
The PhD viva, or defense, is a critical milestone in your doctoral journey. It is an opportunity to present and defend your research to a panel of experts in your field. While the viva can be a ...
PhD Viva Exam
The viva voce is the final assessment for a PhD. It is an oral examination where the student defends their research to two academic examiners. This involves answering questions about your work, typically related to the literature, methodology, your findings and the significance of your conclusions. In some countries (like the USA) the viva is ...
The Thesis Whisperer
Although the viva is the key milestone in your PhD journey, try to bear in mind that it may not be the final one. In the UK and similar systems, you may well need to make corrections, so be sure to preserve some energy. ... Doing your ammendments without losing heart (or your mind) Love the Thesis whisperer and want it to continue? Consider ...
What is a PhD Viva?
A PhD viva also referred to as a Viva Voce, Latin for 'living voice', is an oral examination which follows the submission of your doctoral thesis, where you will showcase your knowledge and defend your research in front of a panel comprised of academic experts. This examination is compulsory for the vast majority of doctoral students.
The oral examination (viva)
The viva (short for viva voce) is an oral examination which gives the opportunity for: you to defend your thesis and clarify any matters raised by your examiners. the examiners to probe your knowledge in the field. the examiners to assure themselves that the work presented is your own and to clarify matters of any collaboration.
5 tips for passing your PhD viva
5. Plan towards the viva exam. From the moment you know the date of your viva voce, work backwards and plan the steps you'll need to take before the day itself. Allow enough time to assess and review your work so that as the day approaches, you can focus on the practicalities.
Are you unofficially a PhD holder after passing viva voce for PhD?
IMO, you don't "pass" a PhD, you get acknowledged by other PhD holders that you are a Doctor of Philosophy. It's a subtle difference. If you were after something already known then you would be passing a Master's examination. But philosophy is about the known and the unknown.As such, other's can't examine you fully, they can only test your critical acumen and your basis of knowledge -- not ...
Five top tips to pass your PhD viva
1). Make your own learning space. "It's important on the lead up to the viva voce to have a space that's designated for your preparations. This could be at your university, in a coffee shop or at home. "For instance, I took over my dining room table for a good two months. I had all of my resources there - my books, my thesis and lots of post-it ...
What is the #1 milestone to a successful academic career? What is a PhD
What is a PhD viva voce and what to expect? In the most generic terms, viva voce (aka. viva) is an oral examination that takes place at the very end of your PhD programme. It's compulsory for essentially all PhD students. The main aim of this examination is to verify your knowledge and understanding of your field of knowledge, as well as evaluate the CONTRIBUTION and NOVELTY of your work.
5 Tips for Preparing for Your PhD Viva
5. Focus on Your Strengths. Try to view the viva as an opportunity to showcase the new knowledge you have added to your field of research. Focus on the positives that have come out of your work; all projects will have some areas of weakness but there's no need to highlight these to your examiners unless directly asked about them.
How to Excel in Your Doctoral Viva
How to excel in your doctoral viva offers an accessible guide to approaching and preparing for a PhD viva examination. The book explains what the viva is, how the process works, and what the purpose of the viva is. It guides the reader through the course of preparing for their viva examination, with chapters focusing on organisation to dealing with viva concerns.
How to Avoid Minor PhD Corrections
There's no shame in passing your PhD with corrections. On the contrary, in the UK at least, most students pass their viva voce - that is, the verbal defence of their thesis - with 'minor corrections'.You receive a list of corrections from your examiners, attend to them and resubmit your thesis for a last look-through, usually within three months.
Six top tips to pass your PhD viva
There are different outcomes for a PhD viva, which vary from one university to the next. However, it's likely to be some variation of: pass with no corrections; pass with minors; pass with majors; resubmit, or fail. Don't fixate on the outcome. The only one you DON'T want is a fail, but that's very rare.
Defending your doctoral thesis: the PhD viva
Once you have submitted your thesis you will be invited to defend your doctorate at a 'viva voce' (Latin for 'by live voice') or oral examination. The thesis defence can be a daunting prospect, but many people really enjoy this experience of discussing their PhD research with genuinely interested experts. It can also be a useful networking ...
PhD, 'passed with no corrections' on PostgraduateForum.com
However, to attain a PhD with no corrections, minor or major revisions is not on the certificate and should not be a consideration on a CV. A PhD is not a graded award and therefore equal credit should be given to those who had no corrections or those who resubmittied post viva. The prestige is to have accomplished a PhD not necessarily the way ...
Top 12 Potential PhD Viva Questions and How to Answer Them
Below are some popular PhD viva questions to prepare: 1. Tell me about yourself. Introduce yourself and talk about your areas of interest related to research. More importantly, focus on the areas you are extremely positive about. Briefly speak about your past achievements without overwhelming the examiners and sounding boastful.
Passing Your Viva with No Corrections: Towards an Outstanding PhD
But thorough and sound research alone are not enough. An outstanding PhD is one that pushes boundaries, posits new challenges, and possibly even presents a view that turns things upside down. ... their PhD research, but I was asked (for this blog) to outline how I ended up with 'no corrections' after my viva, and the best advice I can come ...
16th Emir Of Kano Sanusi II Bags PhD After Remote Thesis Defence
Viva Voce, also known as an oral examination or thesis defence, is a crucial part of the PhD process in many academic institutions. ... "His PhD was approved as submitted without any amendments ...
PDF A Guide for Viva Preparation
The viva voce, shortened to viva, is an oral examination where you are expected to 'defend' your thesis, and the quality of your research will be assessed. The viva will take place usually within 3 months of submitting your thesis; it is a required examination in order to achieve a postgraduate research degree.
I am having my PhD viva in 2 weeks, looking for tips. : r/PhD
My viva took 3 hours but I felt it went by much quicker. The main tips would be: Read your thesis very well, several times. Anything you wrote can be challenged, even if it comes from a reference. This is where your critical thinking ability is assessed. Know your subject and your project very well.
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Viva Voce, also known as an oral examination or thesis defence, is a crucial part of the PhD process in many academic institutions. ... The examiners approved his PhD thesis without any amendments ...