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What to Know Before You Travel on MSC Cruises
Planning a cruise can be fun and exciting, but it’s important to be prepared for what to expect. Here are five tips for a perfect trip on an MSC Cruise.
What to Pack for an MSC Cruise
When packing for a cruise, it is important to take into account the climate in the area you will be cruising to. Each climate has its own set of clothing needs. For example, hot weather travelers should pack lots of lightweight clothes, such as shorts and tank tops, while cold weather travelers should pack heavier clothes such as sweaters and coats. It is also important to pack appropriate sunblock and swimwear for each climate.
There are a few other items you should bring on your cruise trip, such as traveler’s checks, money for souvenirs, medications if needed, and a phone charger. You’ll also want to bring your passport. You might not need it if you don’t get off the ship, but it’s good to have on hand in case of an emergency.
The Best Time to Cruise
Cruising has become one of the most popular travel destinations because it offers a lot of flexibility. You can cruise during any season, and there are several types of cruises to choose from. Many people say the best time to cruise is generally during the warm months (April through September), when temperatures are usually mild. However, be prepared for hot weather and humidity in hot climates, and cold weather in climates like Alaska.
Not only do you have the option to cruise aboard a luxury ship, but you can also take a budget-friendly trip by choosing a popular cruise line. In addition, MSC offers destination cruises where you can explore new ports around the world.
The best time to cruise is based on many factors, including the season and the destination you are traveling to. However, selecting the right cruise dates is key to having a successful trip. You don’t want to travel during peak season or during a hurricane season, for example.
There are several reasons why MSC cruises are a good summer activity. For starters, temperatures on board a ship are usually cooler than they are on land, which can provide relief from the summer heat. Additionally, MSC may offer special deals and discounts for passengers who embark during the summertime.
Tips for a Stress-Free Cruise
Cruising can be a relaxing and fun experience, but there are a few things you can do to make it even more enjoyable. Here are four tips that will help you get through your cruise with minimal stress:
- Make a plan. Before you leave for your trip, organize your thoughts and prepare all the necessary materials. This will help you stay on track and avoid any last-minute surprises.
- Know the rules. Many cruise lines have specific rules about what is and isn’t allowed on board. Be familiar with these before you sail, so there are no surprises when you get on board.
- Let go. Just like at home, embrace the relaxed atmosphere of a cruise ship. Don’t worry about making all the decisions. Letting MSC staff take charge will allow you to fully relax and enjoy your trip.
What to Do If You Get Sick on a Cruise
If you get sick on a cruise, be sure to contact the cruise ship’s doctor as soon as possible. This is important not only for your health, but to ensure that the ship can provide the best care possible for you and the other passengers.
If you develop a fever or other signs of infection, be sure to take all the appropriate medications and treatment steps. Follow the instructions given by your doctor carefully to reduce any potential side effects. And remember to drink plenty of fluids and eat light, bland food to relieve your stomach pain.
If you develop a chest cold, cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, and try to stay in your cabin as much as possible. This will help reduce your chances of spreading the infection to others. And if you experience any type of allergic reaction while on the cruise ship, seek medical attention immediately.
Planning a cruise can be fun, but it’s important to do your research first. Make sure to pack the right things, know the rules and regulations, and enjoy your trip!
This text was primarily generated using GPT-3, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model, and has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability or accuracy. Ask Media Group takes full responsibility for and ownership of all GPT-3 generated content published across its various properties.
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Preparing for a Master's Defense
A guide for graduate students preparing for a master's defense in Arts, Sciences and Engineering.
Prepare for the Defense
Selecting a defense date, international students and work visas, registration categories for defense, thesis writing and guidelines, printing and binding your thesis for defense, registering your thesis, know the rituals.
- Use PowerPoint
Public Lecture
Dress Professionally
Items to Bring to the Defense
The Closed Examination
Address Questions with Confidence
Final Corrected Copies of the Thesis
Department/program requirements prior to termination of student status, publishing your final thesis.
- Binding Your Final Thesis
Before Defense
After completing the research required for your thesis, you should inform your graduate administrator that you have started the process to prepare for your defense. A master’s thesis defense committee must include your advisor, a second faculty member from your program, and a faculty member from outside of your department.
Please note: If the advisor is not in a student's program, the committee would consist of four members: the advisor, two faculty in the program, and one outside faculty member.
When you and your advisor begin thinking about defending, check the academic calendar for deadlines. Defenses can be held on any day the Arts, Sciences and Engineering Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (AS&E GEPA) is open for business (i.e., not weekends, evenings, or holidays, or the days between Christmas and New Year’s).
You must reserve a room for your oral presentation and for your closed exam. Check with your graduate administrator to determine who will schedule the room for your thesis defense .
Let your graduate administrator know as soon as all of the members of your committee have agreed to a specific date and time for the defense. Your graduate administrator will advise you of any program-specific requirements for the defense, as well as prepare your thesis defense paperwork. They will also help you determine who will schedule the room for your thesis defense and who will obtain the signatures for your paperwork.
You should provide your committee members at least one week to read and comment on your thesis before the thesis defense.
Participating Via Video Conferencing
While you and your advisor must both be physically present in the room for the defense, other committee members are allowed to participate in the defense remotely via Skype or other video conferencing technology. This must be approved by the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs before the dissertation is registered for defense.
We strongly recommend that international students meet with an International Services Office (ISO) representative. The ISO will provide information on visa options, documentation, and timelines for applying for a visa for employment in the United States.
In your final semester (the semester in which you defend), if you have completed all your credit requirements, you will register for one of the following registration categories:
899: Master’s Thesis —Non-credit bearing registration category for a master’s student who has completed all of the requirements for the degree except the thesis and is in residence as a full-time student.
895: Continuation of Enrollment —Non-credit bearing registration category for a master’s student who has completed all of the requirements for the degree except the thesis and is not in residence as a full-time student.
For more information about these categories, see the registration page .
The Preparing Your Thesis manual is a great resource to help you bring your dissertation up to the required standard of organization, appearance, and format for the University of Rochester. While this document is specifically for PhD Dissertations, the same formatting rules apply for master’s theses. Before preparing the defense copy of your thesis, check the contents of the manual carefully to help avoid mistakes that can be time-consuming and costly to correct.
Before beginning your thesis you should consult with your advisor for your department or program’s preferred style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago).
Including material produced by other authors in your thesis can serve a legitimate research purpose, but you want to avoid copyright infringement in the process. For detailed instructions on avoiding copyright infringement, please see ProQuest’s Copyright Guide .
You must provide copies of the thesis to your committee members. You should check with your committee members to see if they prefer printed or electronic copies (or both). Printed copies do not need to be printed on heavyweight, expensive paper unless there is the need to do so for figures and images.
Printing and binding a thesis can be expensive. You can use the Copy Center or FedEx Office to print and bind your thesis.
“Registering” simply means that you have presented a thesis document, which you intend to defend, to the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs. Your thesis must be approved as ready to defend by your advisor, as noted by the advisor signature on the Master’s Thesis Defense Appointment Form (this form can only be accessed by staff).
Your defense must be at least five full working days after you register. When registering, you must present a bound defense copy of your thesis to the Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA).
The copy of your thesis that you register will be returned to you usually within a few days before or after the defense, with possible corrections that must be addressed in the final thesis.
The Defense
Below you will find suggestions to help you get ready for the defense and information to give you a sense of what to expect.
The best way to know what happens and the best way for you to prepare for your defense is to regularly attend the defenses of your colleagues. You should also speak with your advisor to get a sense of his/her specific expectations of a defense.
Guidelines for Presentations
Use PowerPoint or Other Software to Create Slides
You should prepare a presentation of the research that comprises the thesis. Your slides should encapsulate the work and focus on its most salient contributions. In preparing, ask yourself these questions: “What do I want people to know about my thesis? What is the most important information that I can present and talk about?” Here are some basic tips:
- Use text large enough to be readable by the audience (especially text from figures)
- Ensure graphics and tables are clear
- Don’t clutter your slides—if necessary, have things come up on mouse clicks
- Use spell check and proofread your slides
- Practice your presentation with your peers
- Work on pronunciation, if required
- Time your presentation to ensure it will fit the allotted time while allowing time for questions
If your defense includes a public lecture, we recommended that you do a trial run of your presentation a day or two before your defense in the room that has been booked for your public lecture. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the space and the equipment and to address any problems that arise during the trial run.
Plan your public lecture to allow enough time for questions. Present enough information so that the audience understands what you did, why you did it, what the implications are, and what your suggestions are for future research.
The date/time/location of your defense and thesis topic are advertised to your program and beyond. Friends and family are welcome to attend the public lecture. Faculty and students in the audience are given the opportunity to ask questions.
Plan to dress professionally for the defense in the same way you would if presenting a paper at a conference or for a job interview. You will be standing for a long time on the day of your defense, which will be important to keep in mind when selecting shoes.
Essentials that you should bring include:
- Your presentation
- A laser pointer
- A copy of your thesis document
- A pen or pencil
- Something to record comments
- A bottle of water
You will be asked to leave the room while your committee reviews your program of study, grades, and decides whether the thesis is acceptable/not acceptable. The committee decides whether members will ask sequential questions or whether each member will be allotted a specific time period for questioning.
You will be called back into the examining room and questioning will begin. After all questions have been addressed, you will be asked to leave the room while your committee decides the outcome of the exam. You will be asked to return to the room to be informed of the outcome.
- Listen to the entire question no matter how long it takes the faculty member or student to ask it (take notes if necessary).
- Pause and think about the question before answering.
- Rephrase the question succinctly.
- Answer the question to the best of your ability. If you do not know the answer, remain calm and say so in a professional way.
- Remember that no one will know the ins and outs of the thesis and your research materials as well as you. You are the foremost expert in the thesis topic and YOU know the research involved. Be positive!
At the conclusion of your defense, your committee will either determine that you have passed or failed the exam. In the event that the outcome is a failure of the exam, you may request reexamination after four months have passed.
After the Defense
You can submit the final corrected copies of your thesis as soon as you address any remaining comments that were brought up during the defense or noted in the registration copy of your thesis, which will be returned to you usually within a few days before or after the defense.
You need to submit two unbound copies of your final thesis to the AS&E GEPA office, located in Lattimore 206.
Each department and program has its own process for students who are ending their student status. Be sure to check with your graduate administrator to determine if there is additional paperwork that you need to complete before your student status is terminated.
The University of Rochester requires all master’s thesis candidates to deposit their theses for publication with the University libraries. Two hard copies of the thesis (unbound) are required by the GEPA office to provide to the University libraries .
Binding Your Final Master’s Thesis
Your department may want a bound copy of your thesis. Please check with your graduate administrator to determine this and how the cost of binding is covered. You may also want a bound copy for yourself and others.
What is a Thesis Defense?
If you're researching a master's degree, you'll likely come across the phrase "thesis defense" among the list of requirements for earning an advanced degree. This formal-sounding requirement usually comes at the end of a graduate program. As a student seeking a master's degree, your thesis defines your educational experience at the university. Once you've completed all the necessary coursework and finished any internship or practicum experiences, you will be required to meet with a committee to defend your work. Details of a defense vary by college, but there are some general things to keep in mind as you embark on the graduate process.
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What is a Thesis?
In most schools, the thesis represents a student's collective understanding of his or her program and major. Students who major in English, for example, typically explore language, literary themes, a specific author's work or a similar topic when writing a thesis paper. Universities often require theses to consist of a prospectus, which outlines the intent of the paper, and a full-length paper treatment of a particular topic. In the natural sciences, theses might cover experiments or hypothetical situations in which a student researches certain elements of his or her field.
Theses projects demand full attention, and many schools require that students devote an entire semester to completing the research and resulting paper. Students work with a faculty committee or adviser on a close basis to make sure that the research stays on schedule. Depending on the level of degree, a thesis paper can be extremely complex.
Defending the Work
Once students submit their theses papers to the thesis committee, they will be assigned a date to defend their work. In this case, "defend" does not imply that a student will have to argue aggressively about his or her work. Rather, the thesis defense is designed so that faculty members can ask questions and make sure that students actually understand their field and focus area. Defending a thesis largely serves as a formality because the paper will already have been evaluated. During a defense, a student will be asked questions by members of the thesis committee. Questions are usually open-ended and require that the student think critically about his or her work. A defense might take only 20 minutes, or it might take an hour or more depending on the goal of the committee and the requirements of the program.
Preparation for Your Thesis Defense
Students have months to prepare for a defense . Schools want graduate candidates to be as prepared as possible when attending a defense, which means that neither the date nor faculty committee will be a surprise to the student. It's important to keep in mind that if you go into a defense with the right attitude and preparation, failing is nearly impossible. The committee wants to see how well you know your subject and your research. Nerves may get the better of you as you face unknown questions, but as with a job interview, practicing ahead of time will lead to a successful defense.
Facing a defense can be stressful, but think of it as an opportunity to share what you've learned. Remember that you aren't arguing points when you defend your work. Instead, a proper thesis defense gives you and your faculty advisers the chance to discuss your topic and research in greater detail.
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MSc Thesis Defense Guidelines
The thesis defense for a Master’s degree is a public presentation of the candidate’s thesis, followed by questioning from the examiners.
The candidate’s MSc Supervisory Committee has to determine if the thesis is ready for the defense. The external examiner must approve and pass the MSc written thesis before the student proceeds to the oral MSc thesis defense.
It is the candidate’s responsibility to arrange the date, time and location of the defense. Once this has been done, please inform the SRS office at least three weeks in advance.
The Master’s Thesis Examining Committee must include:
- A minimum of two people; the thesis supervisor or designate and a person who was not involved in advising the student in his or her research.
- The examining committee should include at least one member from another graduate program. (This means that one examining committee member should be external to the program but this individual does not have to be the external examiner. It could be a committee member.)
Procedures to be followed by the Chair (usually Supervisor) at the thesis defense:
- Announce that the meeting has been called for the public examination of the candidate’s Master’s thesis.
- Request the candidate to present a synopsis of the thesis. The candidate may speak from notes and use audio-visual equipment but must NOT read the synopsis. The presentation should be 20-30 minutes in length. It should not be interrupted by questions.
- Ask each member of the Examination Committee, in turn, to question the candidate. The Research Supervisor should be called upon last. The Chair should exercise discretion in managing the question period.
- Call for questions from the audience, if any.
- Call for further questioning by the Committee, and, as Chair, ask the candidate to address and/or clarify any points that may not have been adequately covered in previous questioning (if necessary).
- The candidate and those not on the Examination Committee leave the room and the Committee deliberates.
- Call for a discussion. The Examination Committee is asked to make a recommendation with respect to the performance of the candidate at the defense and of the thesis itself. Evaluation criteria: Oral examination: Discuss the candidate’s performance in presenting the synopsis, in responding to questions, and in defending the work.
Thesis: Attempt to reach a consensus on an appropriate category for the thesis based on the following:
Category 1 : minor revision that is typographical or editorial in nature. Requires approval by supervisor only
Category 2 : Substantive revision affecting the content of the thesis. Requires approval by the supervisor and supervisory committee.
Category 3 : The thesis is unsatisfactory in its current form. Major rewriting and rethinking are required to produce a satisfactory thesis. Requires approval by the supervisor, supervisory committee and external examiner.
The Chair should compose a brief written report indicating the vote and the recommendation of the Examination Committee, with comments on any other matters related to the examination. This report should be submitted to the SRS office with copies sent to the other members of the Examination Committee .
The Chair should call the candidate and in the presence of the Examination Committee inform the candidate if they passed or failed.
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How to prepare an excellent thesis defense
- What is a thesis defense?
If you're about to complete, or have ever completed a graduate degree, you have most likely come across the term "thesis defense". In many countries, to finish a graduate degree, you have to write a thesis. In general, a thesis is a large paper based on a topic relating to your field of study. Once you hand in your thesis, you will be assigned a date to defend your work.
Your thesis defense meeting usually consists of you and a committee, consisting of two or more professors working in your program. It may also include other people, like professionals from other colleges or those who are working in your field. During your thesis defense, you will be asked questions about your work. The main purpose of your thesis defense is for the committee to make sure that you actually understand your field and focus area.
The questions are usually open-ended and require the student to think critically about their work. Note that at the time of your thesis defense, your paper has already been evaluated. The questions asked are not designed so that you actually have to aggressively "defend" your work, often your thesis defense is more of a formality required so that you can get your degree.
- How long is a thesis defense?
How long your oral thesis defense is depends largely on the institution and requirements of your degree. It is best to consult your department or institution on this. In general, a thesis defense may take only 20 minutes, but it may also take two hours or more. This also depends on how much time is allocated to the presentation and questioning part. We will talk more about the different parts of a thesis defense below.
- What happens at a thesis defense?
First of all, be aware that a thesis defense varies from country to country. This is just a general overview, but a thesis defense can take many different formats in different countries. Some are closed, other are public defenses. Some take place with two, some with more examiners. The same goes for the length of your thesis defense, as mentioned above. So the most important first step for you is to clarify with your department what the structure of your thesis defense will look like. In general, this is what happens at a thesis defense:
Your presentation
You might have to give a presentation, often with Powerpoint, Google slides or Keynote slides. Make sure to prepare an appropriate amount of slides. A general rule is to use about 10 slides for a 20-minute presentation. But that also depends on your specific topic and the way you present. The good news is, there will be plenty of time ahead of your thesis defense to prepare your slides and practice your presentation alone and in front of friends or family.
You can prepare your slides by using information from your thesis' first chapter (the overview of your thesis) as a framework or outline. Substantive information in your thesis should correspond with your slides. Make sure your slides are of good quality - both as regards the integrity of the information, and the appearance of your slides. If you need more help with how to prepare your presentation slides, both the ASQ Higher Education Brief and James Hayton have good guidelines on the topic.
Questions from the committee
As mentioned earlier, the committee will ask questions about your work after you finished your presentation. The questions will most likely be about the core content of your thesis, like what you learned from the study you conducted, but also why you chose your topic or how it will contribute to the existing body of knowledge. You might also be asked to summarize certain findings. Read your full thesis in preparation of the questions, so you know what you have written about.
While you are reading in preparation, you can create a list of possible questions and try to answer them. You can foresee many of the questions you will get by simply spending some time rereading your thesis. In addition, this blog post from researchClue .com lists 25 common thesis/project defense questions and how you may approach to answer them.
- 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense
When you start your graduate degree, the end of it seems so far away. But then it ends up coming faster than you thought. You hand in your thesis, which was a lot of work, and as a last step before you officially receive your degree, you have to master your thesis defense. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense.
1. Anticipate questions and prepare for them
We've mentioned it before but you can really prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your thesis and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions. In addition, as you will know who will be on the committee, look at the academic expertise of the committee members. In what areas would they most likely be focused? If possible, sit at other thesis defenses with these committee members to get a feeling for how they ask and what they ask. As a graduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating test questions, so use this advantage to gather as much information as possible before your thesis defense meeting.
2. Dress for success
Your thesis defense is a formal event, often the entire department or university is invited to participate. It signals a critical rite of passage for graduate students and faculty who have supported them throughout a long and challenging process. While most universities don't have specific rules on how to dress for that event, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.
3. Delegate
It might help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your thesis defense well ahead of schedule. This trusted person could be responsible for preparing the room of the day of defense, setting up equipment for the presentation or preparing and distributing handouts.
4. Have a backup plan
Technology is unpredictable. Life is too. There are no guarantees that your Powerpoint presentation will work at all or look the way it is supposed to do on the big screen. We've all been there. Make sure to have a plan B for these situations. Handouts can help when technology fails, or an additional fresh shirt for spilled coffee can save the day.
5. What to do when you don't know the answer
One of the scariest aspects of the defense is the possibility of being asked a question you can't answer. While you can prepare for some questions, you can never know exactly what the committee will ask. There will always be gaps in your knowledge. But your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. You are not expected to know everything.
James Hayton writes on his blog that examiners will sometimes even ask questions they don't know the answer to, out of curiosity, or because they want to see how you think. While it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, but you would need to do [...] in order to find out". This shows that you have the ability to think as an academic.
6. Dealing with your nerves
You will be nervous. But the good news is - your examiners will expect you to be nervous. It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed.
Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down, take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life. Allow yourself to process the question, respond to it, and stop talking once you have responded. While a smile can often help dissolve a difficult situation, remember that nervous laughs can be irritating for your audience.
We all make mistakes and your thesis defense will most likely not be perfect. You are not expected to be perfect and the examiners already have plenty of experience with this and will guide you through it. Also remember that your thesis defense is often just a formality and the committee actually wants you to pass. If you are still nervous about your thesis defense, read this blog post by Dora Farkas at finishyourthesis.com . She debunks 5 common myths about thesis defenses and helps you see that your committee is not out to get you. 😉
- Frequently Asked Questions about preparing an excellent thesis defense
While most universities don't have specific rules on how to dress for that event, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.
It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed. Slow yourself down, and take a deep breath.
Your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. James Hayton writes on his blog that it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", but he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, you would need to do [...] in order to find out".
Your Powerpoint presentation can get stuck or not look the way it is supposed to do on the big screen. It can happen and your supervisors know it. In general, handouts can always save the day when technology fails.
Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense:
- Anticipate questions and prepare for them
- Dress for success
- Have a backup plan (in case technology fails you)
- Deal with your nerves
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Graduate College
Master’s thesis defense, committee composition heading link copy link, committee composition.
The Master’s thesis committee is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College on the recommendation of the student’s department or program. This committee consists of at least three persons, one of whom must be a tenured full member of the UIC graduate faculty. One member of the committee may be from outside the department, academic unit, or outside the University, in which case the member must demonstrate equivalent academic standards and his/her curriculum vitae must accompany the Committee Recommendation form.
A Committee Recommendation Form must be submitted to the Graduate College at least three (3) weeks prior to the thesis defense. The staff in the Graduate College reviews the Committee Recommendation form and, if the recommended committee meets Graduate College guidelines, approval is given by the Dean. The academic status of the student is checked to ensure that s/he is in good academic standing. A letter is then prepared by the Graduate College to each member of the committee asking him or her to serve on the committee. The letter is sent to the graduate program for distribution to each committee member.
After the committee is approved by the Graduate College Dean, the Examination Report form is sent to the graduate program support person. It should be filed in the student’s folder so it is available when the thesis defense is held and all committee members may sign. This form cannot be duplicated and changes cannot be made without prior approval of the Graduate College.
Changes to the student name as submitted, thesis title, or committee may be requested before the exam occurs using the Request Change of Student Name on Thesis, Thesis Title, or Committee Member(s) Form .
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Each member of the committee assigns a grade of “pass” or “fail”. A majority of the committee must approve the thesis, and a candidate cannot be passed if more than one vote of “fail” is reported. The results of the thesis defense must be submitted to the Graduate College immediately after its completion. The Examination Report must be signed by all members of the committee. If the vote is “pass”, that degree requirement is now satisfied and the student may take the next step toward graduation. If the vote is “fail”, the committee may recommend that the Dean permit a second defense. This second examination must be initiated by submission of a new Committee Recommendation form, even if there is no change in membership. A third defense will not be permitted.
A committee may recommend “pass – with specified conditions”. If this does occur, the conditions must be specified on the Examination Report Form along with the name of a committee member who will monitor the fulfillment of any such conditions. This named person must then report to the Graduate College in a memo when conditions have been satisfied.
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The Chair’s Mandate
Acting on behalf of the Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences, the Chair of the Defense Committee is responsible for ensuring the proper conduct of the defense. The Chair does not participate directly in questioning the candidate during the defense. The Chair’s responsibilities are:
- to guarantee that the candidate is given reasonable opportunity to defend the thesis;
- to ensure that it is the candidate alone, and not the supervisor or any other member of the Committee, who defends the thesis; and
- to protect the candidate from harassment.
MSc Thesis Defense Committee
The MSc Thesis Defense Committee’s responsibilities are:
- To examine the candidate on the substance and implications of the thesis;
- To assess whether the thesis meets the proper standards of scholarship; and upon completion of the oral defense, to vote on whether the thesis and its defense are acceptable.
Composition of the Committee
The MSc Defense Committee consists of those members, approved by the Graduate Coordinator, and will normally include:
- Member(s) of Thesis Committee
- External Reviewer
- Divisional Representative
Attendance at the MSc Defense
- In order for the defense to proceed, a quorum of four (members) must be present.
- In addition to appointed Members of the Committee, on the invitation of the Chair any Member of the Graduate Faculty may participate in the examination of the candidate, but have no vote.
- With the permission of the candidate, other observers (non-Graduate Faculty, qualified external guests and graduate students), may also participate in the examination.
- All non-Committee Members must leave the room once the candidate has completed the defense and before discussion about the defense begins.
Members of academic staff and graduate students are welcome to attend MSc Thesis Defenses.
Before the Defense
The candidate and observers are asked to leave the room while the procedures for the examination are reviewed.
- The Chair confirms that there is a quorum defense to proceed (see Attendance at the Defense above).
- The Chair confirms that each Member of the Committee has sufficient knowledge of the thesis to form a judgment as to its acceptability and hence that there will be no abstentions in voting on grounds of ignorance of the thesis’ contents.
- the defense covers both the thesis and the oral defense;
- except for minor corrections (e.g., typographical errors), all other modifications that subsequently may be requested must be clearly raised in the questioning of the candidate, with these being subsequently specified in writing; and
- the study must be an independent piece of scholarship/research. Where the study is part of a larger investigation, or where someone other than the candidate is a principal investigator or co-investigator of the study or co-author of any portion of the thesis, then the MSc Defense Committee must establish that the candidate’s personal contribution is sufficient to fulfill the requirements of the MSc degree.
- The Chair asks the External Examiner to summarize their assessment of the candidate’s thesis. Any of the other appointed examiners present may make an oral statement.
At the Defense
- The Chair admits the candidate who is invited to summarize the research and conclusions within twenty (20) minutes.
- The Chair then invites each Member of the Committee to ask questions of the candidate. If necessary, the Chair should intervene to preclude the examination from becoming an inquisition or unduly dominated by a Committee Member.
- The Chair may invite other Graduate Faculty present if they wish to question the candidate. All other observers may participate only with the candidate’s permission.
- The candidate is given the opportunity to make final remarks or address questions for clarification to the Members of the Committee.
- When there are no further questions, the Chair again asks the candidate and all non-committee members to leave the room.
Voting Procedure
- they should discuss the thesis and options before the vote is taken;
- the examination covers both the thesis and its oral defense; and
- the conclusion of their discussion will be followed by a vote to accept, or not to accept the thesis and its defense.
- The Chair reminds the Committee that more than one negative vote, and/or abstention, results in the thesis not being accepted and the defense is adjourned.
- As stands – the thesis is accepted in its present form.
- Minor corrections – involves typographical errors, errors in punctuation or problems in style. These alterations must be completed within one month (at least one week prior to the deadline for submitting a degree recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies).
- Minor modifications – more than changes in style and less than major changes in the thesis. A typical example of a minor modification is clarification sought concerning textual material or the qualification of research findings or conclusions. Minor modifications must be capable of completion within three months, preferably much sooner.
- Adjournment – entail substantial revisions in one or more of the conceptual rationale, design, documentation and conclusions of the research. A reconvened defense must be held, within a year, with no changes to the Defense Committee.
- Acceptance of thesis and oral defense. This vote is on whether the thesis and its defense are acceptable. More than one negative vote, and/or abstention, results in an adjournment of the defense.
- Level of acceptance of thesis. If the defense is accepted, then the Committee must also vote on whether the thesis is acceptable as stands, or requires corrections or modifications.
- The Chair completes the Chair’s Summary Form constituting an official result of the candidate’s defense.
- If the thesis and its defense are accepted, the Chair of the Defense Committee invites the supervisor to inform the candidate.
- If the thesis and/or defense are not accepted, the Chair of the Defense Committee, the supervisor should jointly advise the candidate.
Minor Corrections
Members of the Defense Committee will provide the candidate’s supervisor with a list of required corrections. When these have been made within the period specified, the supervisor will so inform the Graduate Office in a written note.
Minor Modifications
When minor modifications are required, the Chair appoints the supervisor, or a supervising Member, to oversee the modifications.
- The candidate’s supervisor will specify in writing the nature of the minor modifications required.
- The candidate must complete the minor modifications within three (3) months from the date of the defense.
- The appointed supervising Member must certify in writing, to the Graduate Office, that the required minor modifications have been completed.
Should the minor modifications not be satisfactorily completed within the permissible time frame, the Graduate Department must reconvene the defense within a year of the original defense.
Adjournment
- When major revisions are required, the Chair reminds the Committee that a reconvened examination must be held within one year. The Committee then decides on the approximate date, which should be as soon as circumstances permit.
- The Chair informs the Defense Committee that a written report must be prepared for the candidate, clearly setting out the reasons for adjournment and the Committee’s expectations for a reconvened defense. The drafting of this report shall be the responsibility of the candidate’s supervisor and should be made available to the candidate within one week.
- The candidate shall be advised in writing, by the Graduate Office, of the approximate date of the reconvened defense.
Reconvened Defense
At the reconvened defense, no new appointed Committee Members shall be added. It is the obligation of the original examiners to attend this defense.
The procedures set out in these guidelines for the conduct of the defense and voting are to be followed. The thesis, however, may only be accepted: (i) as stands; or (ii) subject to minor corrections. No further adjournment will be allowed. If unsuccessful, the candidate’s supervisor, on behalf of the Defense Committee, will draft a statement outlining the reasons for the outcome, and submit to the Graduate Office.
After the Defense
The Chair of the Defense Committee is responsible for seeing that the candidate’s file, including the Chair’s Summary form and the voting ballots, are immediately returned to the Graduate Office.
The Chair should also remind the candidate to report to the Graduate Office for follow up instructions concerning completion of degree requirements.
What is a Thesis Defense?
Completing a graduate degree in the United States often requires the creation of a thesis, and many schools also require that students go through a thesis defense. This gives you the chance to show that you know and fully understand your topic and all facts and ideas relating to your topic. Graduate schools often give students one year or more to write and work on their thesis paper or project. As you work on your thesis, you'll also want to give some thought to what happens when you defend it in front of others.
What is a Thesis?
The completion of a thesis is one of the last things that you will do in graduate school. Though some schools offer a non-thesis degree program, these programs often require that you spend even more time in school or in an internship or residency program. A thesis is generally a large paper that you write based on a topic relating to your field of study. Some schools let you create a thesis project in lieu of a paper. History majors might write papers on the historical ramifications of World War II, while an education major might complete a project on new teaching methods.
The Defense Process
Once you finish your thesis, you may attend a thesis defense meeting. This usually consists of you and two or more professors working in your program. It may also include professionals from other nearby colleges or those currently working in the field. They will look at your research and ask you a series of questions about your paper or project. You must fully answer those questions and demonstrate what you learned while completing your work. Most schools require that you finish defending your thesis before leaving with your degree.
Who is on the Panel?
The school can select anyone to appear on the panel, but colleges will usually not allow any professor who worked closely with you to take part in the defense. The advisor who approved your thesis topic and any professors who helped you cannot generally take part. If your topic covers multiple subjects, the university may ask professors from other departments to attend the session. For example, if you wrote a paper on how certain fashions appeared as the result of stock market crashes, professors working in the economics, history and fashion departments may work on the panel.
Types of Questions
According to James Hayton , a PhD holder, those on the defense panel will often ask you questions about the core content in your paper. If your paper focuses on alternative teaching methods, they might ask you how one method may impact scores on standardized tests. You can prepare yourself for those questions when you read through your thesis multiple times, create a list of possible questions and practice answering those questions. If you aren't sure how to respond to a specific question, think about how your research connects to the question and explain what you think is the right answer.
Your thesis is the culmination of your studies and should demonstrate some of the experience and skills you gained in that program. After writing your thesis, your college may require that you defend your work in front of a panel of experts and complete a thesis defense before graduating.
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A master's thesis defense committee must include your advisor, a second faculty member from your program, and a faculty member from outside of your
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How To Prepare For Your Master's Thesis Defense | Top 7 Tips For Master's Thesis Defense Welcome To My Channel Navigating AcademiaSubscribe
The thesis defense for a Master's degree is a public presentation of the candidate's thesis, followed by questioning from the examiners.
Masters Thesis Defense Guidelines. Candidates for master's degrees at Kent State University may be required or may choose to write and defend a thesis.
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MSc Coordinator. Preferably 6 weeks prior to the defence. Thesis submitted to external examiner (allow 2 weeks for review). Requires a pdf of the thesis.
You already wrote the thesis beforehand and that thesis will be read by your defense. Now you sit down, and orally tell them about your thesis. You tell them