Trial lecture
The trial lectures usually takes place on a Thursday from 16.15 to 18.00 hours. At first the doctoral candidate delivers a lecture on a topic of his/her own choice (16.15-17.00), and then on a given topic (17.15-18.00). Should the department/basic unit wish so, the trial lectures can take place on the same day as the public defence. In these instances, the trial lectures takes place in the morning, and the public defence in the afternoon.
The administrator of the committee or the academic head of the department/basic unit briefly introduces the doctoral candidate.
Public defence
The public defence usually takes place on a Friday from 9.15 or from 13.15 hours, and shall normally not exceed a period of three and a half hours.
Course of the public defence (The times indicated in parentheses are for guidance only):
The procession enters the auditorium: The doctoral candidate walks first, followed by the first opponent, the second opponent, the third member of the committee and the person presiding at the public defence (For their placement, see below).
- The person presiding gives a brief introduction
- The doctoral candidate presents the thesis and gives an account of the purpose and results of the scientific investigation (approx. 20 min.)
- The first ordinary opponent presents his or her opposition (approx. 60 min.)
- The procession leaves the auditorium
- Interval (approx. 15-30 min.)
- The procession enters the auditorium
- The second ordinary opponent presents his or her opposition (approx. 60 min.)
- Any opponents ex. auditorio present their opposition (max. 10 min. each)
Recommended venues
The Faculty of Humanities has a regular booking for public defences in auditorium 2, Sophus Bugges hus every Friday.
Gamle festsal in Domus Adamecia is also frequently used for doctoral defences.
Other recommended venues are auditorium 3, Sophus Bugges hus, auditorium 2 and 3, Helga Engs hus, and auditorium 7/Trygve Haavelmos auditorium, Eilert Sundts hus.
If the department wants to use Gamle festsal or other auditoriums/venues, they must book the rooms themselves.
Social celebration
The departmet pays for lunch, before or after the public defence, for the doctoral candidate, the person presiding at the public defence, the committee and the supervisor, if there is a wish for this.
If the doctoral candidate so wishes, he or she may invite guests to a doctoral dinner. This has been a common custom in a number of communities in the Faculty, but on this point it is entirely up to the doctoral candidate. If the doctoral candidate belongs to a community in which it is felt appropriate to have a social celebration of this kind, it is the doctoral candidate who is responsible for the invitations.