S. Worthen | Weblog

Here via a_d_medievalist who suggested you could use some moral support from another survivor. I went through my own dissertation defense in history at UofT about fourteen years back and it was so anticlimactic it wasn't funny. Also, the atmosphere sucked being in a small room up in the rafters of the old and rickety Grad Studies building.

Yes, it's normal for the chair of the defense to be from another department. I chaired a defense in Human Development at my own institution just last Friday. Chairs normally only ask "Oooo, that's shiny! Can I ask about it?" questions. So relax, there.

If you're scheduled for the defense, you're in pretty good shape. If you're not sure, ask your advisor for the following (these are standard questions they should be able to inform you regarding): how long do they want you to speak (varies from 15-40 minutes in various departments and disciplines)? Will the external examiner be present (that's standard at doctoral defenses BUT bad weather/December schedules can wreak havoc with that so doublecheck)?

You'll also need to sign several papers at the defense regarding the filing of your thesis at the NLC and making it available in the library collection. Don't get flustered -- you need to just figure out beforehand (again, in consultation with advisor) whether you're going to release your thesis to the public (standard practice) or if you're reserving that while you arrange publishing. You should be given a timeline/due date of final revisions by as well as to whom they are submitted for oversight review (maybe go straight to secretary if not to your advisor).

See if you can wrangle a drink at the Faculty Club gratis of your advisor at the end. It was a nice way to end my own defense with a glass of sherry and all that in the supremely civilized setting (then I met up with my friends and got plastered on cheap wine and beer at the GSU, but that's another story).