About the doctoral examination
The trial lecture and public defence together constitute the doctoral examination. Both must be passed before your doctoral degree is approved, and before you can be awarded the diploma and formally be conferred the degree.
The trial lecture will usually take place the day before, or on the same day as, the defence.
You are welcome to invite family, friends and colleagues from your own department to both the trial lecture and the defence. You may wish to check with the department which individuals/institutions they have sent information to.
Information about the doctoral examination
You will receive information about the time and place of the defence and trial lecture in the scheduling letter from the Faculty when your thesis has been approved.
In this letter you will also receive:
- the date and time when you will be given the prescribed topic for the trial lecture
- deadlines for:
- delivering the thesis for printing
- submitting any errata list
- writing the text for the defence web page and submitting a press photo (jpg)
Trial lecture
Topic
You must give a trial lecture on a prescribed topic. You will be informed of the topic 10 working days before the lecture is to be held.
Language
The trial lecture must be held in English or Norwegian, and normally in the language in which the thesis is written.
Procedure
The person chairing the trial lecture (usually the Head of Department, committee administrator or chair of defence) will welcome the audience to the trial lecture and introduce you as the candidate.
The evaluation committee will be present to assess whether the trial lecture is passed.
Time frame
The trial lecture must last 45 minutes – no more, and not significantly less. You should aim to prepare a structure that uses the full time and practise your lecture.
Purpose of the trial lecture
The purpose of the trial lecture is for you to demonstrate your ability to communicate research-based knowledge, aimed at an audience of advanced students in the discipline (with at least one year of prior background).
In assessing the trial lecture, emphasis will be placed both on the academic content and on your ability to communicate.
Approval of the trial lecture
If you deliver a very poor trial lecture, you risk that it will not be approved. This is very rare.
If the trial lecture is not approved, a new trial lecture may be held within six months. The trial lecture must be passed before the defence can take place.
Public defence
What is a public defence?
The public defence is an open event at which you, as the candidate, publicly present and defend your completed doctoral thesis before two critical opponents from the expert evaluation committee.
The defence is normally chaired by a member of the department’s leadership or their deputy.
How does the defence proceed?
The order of entry at the start of the defence is: the candidate, the first to third opponents, and then the chair of the defence (master of ceremonies).
The audience stands during the entry procession, following a signal from the attendant or another person designated by the department in advance.
The candidate and committee take up their assigned positions at the front of the room, while the chair of the defence goes to the lectern/podium.
The detailed procedure thereafter varies somewhat, depending on whether you are a PhD or dr.philos. candidate:
- Procedures for defence and trial lecture for PhD candidates
- Procedures for defence and trial lecture for dr.philos candidates
Your role during the defence
Your defence during the disputas should be active, but not “offended” or “obstinate”. You should help to create and maintain a positive atmosphere during the defence.
In a brief closing statement, you thank the University for the opportunity to present yourself for the doctoral examination, and the committee for the work it has carried out.
Dress code
Smart everyday wear/suit.
Duration of the defence
The defence should normally not last more than three hours in total, including breaks.
Defence lunch
The department arranges and pays for a defence lunch for the candidate, the evaluation committee, the chair of defence and any supervisors. The department will inform you when and where your defence lunch will take place.
- If the trial lecture is held the day before the defence, the department will normally arrange a defence lunch immediately after the defence.
- If the trial lecture and defence are held on the same day, the department will normally arrange the lunch between the trial lecture and the defence, or after the defence has concluded.
If you do not wish to attend the lunch, you must inform the department no later than two weeks before the defence.
Defence dinner
You are free to decide how you wish to organise the event, whether you choose a large formal dinner, a buffet following the defence, or no defence dinner at all.
- The dinner is an official event, but may have a less formal final part.
- The meal should take place on the same day as the defence.
- You must yourself cover the costs of the dinner.
- The committee, supervisor(s), chair of defence and Head of Department are natural guests.
Some candidates choose to invite a large number of guests, and in such cases you may ask guests to pay a contribution, with the exception of the committee, supervisor(s), chair of defence and Head of Department.
Speeches
It is common for the chair of defence, the third member of the evaluation committee and the supervisor to give speeches. It is also traditional for the candidate to give a speech, thanking the University, the committee, the academic community, family, and so on.
The usual order of speeches is:
- The first speech after the welcome at table is usually given by the candidate.
- The next speech is given by the chair of defence.
- The next two speeches are usually given by the chair of the committee and the supervisor.
Seating arrangements
You have considerable freedom in arranging the seating. The candidate with companion, committee members, supervisor, chair of defence and Head of Department should be given central places at the table.