thesis defense dress

PhD in Clothes

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What should I wear to my dissertation or thesis defense?

Around early April, this question is basically hanging in the air in our grad office (okay, maybe I put it there). I’ve watched so many grad students come and go, write frantically, and, for 15-30 minutes, pace the hallway while their committee decides if they have passed their defense. And during that time, I’ve seen a whole lot of defense outfits. So, what to wear? Now updated for 2022!

Are you here in 2024? Here’s this years thesis defense outfit ideas !

Here are my two biggest tips for defense outfits:

• This is a chance to be seen as a colleague with your professors, so dress like your professors . If your department wears suits, wear a suit. If you department is business casual, go business casual! Now, you might run into the problem here that some of your committee members just do not give any cares sartorially (if you live in an outdoorsy town, like I did, people could be in hiking shorts). In this case, I suggest dressing one level above whatever the department norm is. If everyone is in shorts, a full suit won’t be necessary, but a button up shirt and dress pants can be a nice touch.
• The defense is long and stressful: don’t wear clothes that will make it worse. If you have to stand and give a presentation, don’t pick shoes that hurt. If you will be seated, consider if certain items will make you have to sit very carefully (I’m a tall person so I have to watch it with pencil skirts). If you get sweaty when nervous, maybe don’t layer a wool sweater under your blazer. The best clothes are the clothes you don’t have to think about.

Ok, aside from that, let’s consider some ways I’ve seen people add their personal style to the defense outfit.

Get funky: The first school of thought here seems to be to go all out–somewhere between business formal and a festive party, there are the grad students in my department who have opted for the power suit.

Colorful suits: I had a friend defend her MA thesis in a seersucker suit, which was goals. And she passed. So, if you wear a power suit you will pass (#logicalfallacies). If you want a fun statement suit I find that ASOS has the best selection of affordable options, like this one . Or this Old Navy pink or seafoam green set !

Checkered suit: Nothing screams “I’m about to be an academic!” more than this. Here’s a checkered blazer you could wear again and again and a budget pick .

Keep it lowkey: The second choice, it seems, is to dress like it’s any other day. I get the psychology of this. It’s best to remain (or appear) calm. Showing up in a suit can feel overly conspicuous. In that case, may I suggest a smart statement piece, like fun shoes?

Silver loafers : The exclamation point at the end of any neutral outfit–would be fun with a black dress or pair of jeans.

Bright flats : These are fun in a super-saturated color and could add a modern look to any neutral outfit.

Be an outfit minimalist: The last school of thought can belong in any of these categories, and that’s the I-want-all-the-focus-on-my-ideas (and my ideas alone) group. I have been thinking a lot about how to dress for my defense, and I think this is where I’m at currently. But wanting all the focus on my dissertation ideas isn’t the same as not caring how I dress–I know, I know, “it shouldn’t matter how you look!” but it does. Even if the faculty in the room aren’t there to judge my outfit, I need my outfit to look good and feel definitively unfussy, so I can do my job. So with that, here are my current picks for looking like a “casual boss” during my defense. Not quite business. Not quite jeans. Just me, ready to graduate.

Jumpsuit : This one is on its way to me right now after a friend suggested that I try a power jumpsuit. Instagram try-on forthcoming.

Sheath Dress : A plain, well-fitting dress is always a good idea. I like the ruffles (and great reviews) on this one.

Shirtdress : This dress has real dress-up dress-down potential for teaching AND defending!

Which would you pick? Do you have a go-to power outfit combo I should try? Please share! And if you want more dressing in academia posts, here are my winter conference outfits , my month of professor outfits , and my top work clothing suggestions. Oh, and here’s what I actually ended up wearing to my dissertation defense.

This post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author.

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8 thoughts on “what should i wear to my dissertation or thesis defense”.

I vote for the trench dress! It looks so smart!

Isn’t it cool? It’s been on my list for months so this may be a sign…

Like Liked by 1 person

It’s such a nerve wracking experience, I think I’d choose something that would make me feel secure and comfortable while still looking professional enough. For me, I’d probably want to wear something with sleeves, something understated.. so I’d choose the utility sheath dress.

Understated is a good strategy, I think! I know. I’m nervous, but also don’t know how to feel. I’ve been told I’ll be fine. But it’s easier to believe that when it’s over!

Good luck! And congrats on almost being done!!

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hello am gc on this year can i get a unique clothes for defense

Absolutely! Go for it!

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How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

What is a thesis defense?

How long is a thesis defense, what happens at a thesis defense, your presentation, questions from the committee, 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense, 1. anticipate questions and prepare for them, 2. dress for success, 3. ask for help, as needed, 4. have a backup plan, 5. prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer, 6. de-stress before, during, and after, frequently asked questions about preparing an excellent thesis defense, related articles.

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 .

A thesis is a large paper, or multi-chapter work, 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 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. By 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.

• Check with your department about requirements and timing.
• Re-read your thesis.
• Anticipate questions and prepare for them.
• Create a back-up plan to deal with technology hiccups.
• Plan de-stressing activities both before, and after, your 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 about this. In general, a thesis defense may take only 20 minutes, but it may also take two hours or more. The length also depends on how much time is allocated to the presentation and questioning part.

Tip: Check with your department or institution as soon as possible to determine the approved length for 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. Some are closed, others are public defenses. Some take place with two committee members, some with more examiners.

The same goes for the length of your thesis defense, as mentioned above. 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, your thesis defense will include:

• your presentation of around 20-30 minutes
• questions from the committee
• questions from the audience (if the defense is public and the department allows it)

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 that 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.

Tip: Practice delivering your thesis presentation in front of family, friends, or colleagues.

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 in terms of the integrity of the information and the appearance. 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.

The committee will ask questions about your work after you finish your presentation. The questions will most likely be about the core content of your thesis, such as what you learned from the study you conducted. They may also ask you to summarize certain findings and to discuss how your work will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Tip: Read your entire thesis in preparation of the questions, so you have a refreshed perspective on your work.

While you are preparing, 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.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense:

You can absolutely 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, since 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 feel 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.

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.

It might help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your 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
• preparing and distributing handouts

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 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, and an additional clean shirt can save the day if you have a spill.

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.

You will be nervous. But your examiners will expect you 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. Dora Farkas at finishyourthesis.com notes that it’s a myth that thesis committees are out to get you.

Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down and take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life.

• Try meditational breathing right before your defense.
• Get plenty of exercise and sleep in the weeks prior to your defense.
• Have your clothes or other items you need ready to go the night before.
• During your defense, allow yourself to process each question before answering.
• Go to dinner with friends and family, or to a fun activity like mini-golf, after your defense.

Allow yourself to process each 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 not be perfect. However, careful preparation, mindfulness, and confidence can help you feel less stressful both before, and during, your defense.

Finally, consider planning something fun that you can look forward to after your defense.

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.

• Dress for success.
• Ask for help setting up.
• Have a backup plan (in case technology fails you).
• Deal with your nerves.

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What to Wear to a Successful PhD Thesis Defense? A Skirt’s Worth of Academic Rejection Letters

in Creativity , Education , Fashion , Life , Science | November 8th, 2019 Leave a Comment

Some peo­ple are par­a­lyzed by rejec­tion.

Oth­ers, like Michi­gan State University’s  Earth and Envi­ron­men­tal Sci­ences  PhD can­di­date,  Caitlin Kir­by , sport rejec­tion like a man­tle of hon­or… or more accu­rate­ly, a pleat­ed skirt falling to just below mid-thigh.

“Suc­cess­ful­ly defend­ed my PhD dis­ser­ta­tion today!” Kir­by wrote in a Tweet that has since gar­nered over 25,000 likes. “In the spir­it of acknowl­edg­ing & nor­mal­iz­ing fail­ure in the process, I defend­ed in a skirt made of rejec­tion let­ters from the course of my PhD.”

The cus­tom gar­ment, which Kir­by teamed with a dark blaz­er and red waist­band, was orga­nized in two tiers, with a tulle ruf­fle peep­ing out beneath.

MSU’s Career Ser­vices Network’s Direc­tor of Employ­er Rela­tions, Karin Han­son, told the  Lans­ing State Jour­nal   that rejec­tion comes as a shock to many high achiev­ing MSU stu­dents.

Kirby’s deci­sion to upcy­cle 17 dis­ap­point­ing let­ters received over the course of her aca­d­e­m­ic career was par­tial­ly inspired by a Parks and Recre­ation episode in which the skirt of  Leslie Knope’s wed­ding dress is a wear­able col­lage of news­pa­per arti­cles  about the char­ac­ter, drawn from ear­li­er episodes

More to the point, Kirby’s skirt is part of an ongo­ing cam­paign to acknowl­edge rejec­tion as a nec­es­sary, if painful, part of aca­d­e­m­ic growth.

The whole process of revis­it­ing those old let­ters and mak­ing that skirt sort of remind­ed me that you have to apply to a lot of things to suc­ceed. It seems coun­ter­in­tu­itive to wear your rejec­tions to your last test in your Ph.D, but we talked about our rejec­tions every week and I want­ed them to be a part of it.

And, as she lat­er  not­ed in a tweet :

Accep­tances and rejec­tions are often based on the tra­di­tion­al val­ues of acad­e­mia, which excludes POC by not valu­ing the approach­es, research ques­tions, and expe­ri­ences that POC tend to bring to their work.

Kirby’s let­ters were culled from a vari­ety of sources—scholarship appli­ca­tions, sub­mis­sions to aca­d­e­m­ic jour­nals, and pro­pos­als for con­fer­ence pre­sen­ta­tions.   Unfor­tu­nate­ly  and  We regret to inform you  are recur­rent motifs. About 8 let­ters were left on the cut­ting room floor.

But she is pre­pared to low­er her hem­line, when she starts apply­ing for jobs, fol­low­ing a stint at the Research Insti­tute for Urban and Region­al Devel­op­ment in Dort­mund, Ger­many, the result of a  suc­cess­ful Ful­bright appli­ca­tion .

Fol­low Kirby’s exam­ple and turn your tem­po­rary set­backs into a pow­er skirt, using the tuto­r­i­al above.

via  Boing Boing 

Relat­ed Con­tent:

Read Rejec­tion Let­ters Sent to Three Famous Artists: Sylvia Plath, Kurt Von­negut & Andy Warhol

T.S. Eliot, as Faber & Faber Edi­tor, Rejects George Orwell’s “Trot­skyite” Nov­el Ani­mal Farm (1944)

Gertrude Stein Gets a Snarky Rejec­tion Let­ter from Pub­lish­er (1912)

Ayun Hal­l­i­day  is an author, illus­tra­tor, the­ater mak­er and Chief Pri­ma­tol­o­gist of  the East Vil­lage Inky  zine.  Join her in NYC on Mon­day, Decem­ber 9 when her month­ly book-based vari­ety show,  Necro­mancers of the Pub­lic Domain,  res­ur­rects Dennison’s Christ­mas Book (1921). Fol­low her  @AyunHalliday .

by Ayun Halliday | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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Thesis Defense

This is a comprehensive guide, written specifically for SMD graduate students. The guide covers everything from before the defense, to the defense itself, to after the defense, providing information about the process, outlining requirements and offering useful tips. Please refer to the Timeline for PhD Defense

Before Defense

Get permission to start writing.

After completing all course, seminar, TA, publication and research requirements for your program of study, there are many things that must be done before a thesis defense can occur. Most importantly, you must meet with your advisory committee at least 6 months before you intend to defend your thesis. Your advisor and committee need to agree to your intentions to conclude experiments and data collection and begin writing. Once you get the go-ahead to start writing your thesis, you will need to decide on a date by which the defense should occur. You will also need to inform your program director and graduate program coordinator that you have started the process to defend.

Chair for Your Defense

A Chair is appointed for each PhD oral defense exam to monitor and promote fairness and rigor in the conduct of the defense. The Chair’s status as a nonmember of the advisor’s and student’s working group, program, or department enables distance from previously established judgments on the candidate’s work.

At least 4 months prior to your defense, your program director (with input from you and your advisor) will identify 3 individuals to serve as Chair for your defense. These individuals must be current full-time tenure-track faculty members at assistant professor rank or higher from outside the department offering the degree program or not a core member of the interdisciplinary degree program faculty.  

The suggested faculty are submitted to the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs via a Request for PhD Defense Chairperson Form along with an abstract of your work and your Program of Study form ( Biomedical or Health Sciences ), which your graduate program coordinators will prepare for you. The Senior Associate Dean reviews and selects the chair from the list of nominees.  Notice of the appointment is provided via email to the Chair, the student, the advisor, the program director and the graduate program coordinator. You must include the appointed Chair in planning for specific dates and times for your defense.

Selecting a Defense Date

If all goes as planned and you have made sufficient progress in your writing, schedule the actual defense date at least three months in advance to ensure that your advisor, all committee members and your appointed Chair are able to be present at your defense and that rooms are available on the date and time selected.

The academic calendar includes important dates for defense for each semester of the academic year. When you begin thinking about defending, check the academic calendar for deadlines and blackout dates (periods of time when defenses are not permitted). This will make identifying possible dates for defense a lot easier for you, your committee members and your Chair.

When all members of your committee and your Chair agree to a specific date and time for defense, inform your graduate program coordinator of the scheduled defense date as soon as you possibly can but no later than 8 weeks prior to your defense date. They will advise you of any program-specific requirements for the defense as well as prepare your Program Statement on Completion of PhD Requirements . This form requires your program director’s signature. Check with your graduate program coordinator to determine if you or they will obtain the signature for your form. Once approved and signed, this form along with others will be scanned and submitted via an online thesis registration system along with a pdf of your thesis and an Exit Interview Form and your CV/Resume.

International Students and Work Visas

It is strongly recommend that international students meet with an International Services Office rep as soon as permission to start writing is granted.  The ISO will provide information on visa options, documentation and timelines for applying for a visa for employment in the US.

Registration Categories for Defense

In your final semester (the semester in which you defend), you will register for a placeholder registration category rather than PhD Research. The categories are:

“Dissertation” non-credit bearing registration category that indicates the PhD student has completed all of the requirements for the degree except the dissertation and is in residence as a full-time student.  

• You must be in residence full-time and planning for a defense in the upcoming semester.  If a defense does not occur, the Registrar will change your registration for the semester to reflect credit hours. 
• You are eligible for student health insurance, loan deferments, and University housing, but not eligible for financial aid in the form of student loans.  

"Continuation of Enrollment” non-credit bearing registration category that indicates the PhD student has completed all of the requirements for the degree except the dissertation and is not in residence as a full-time student. When registered for Continuation of Enrollment, your time status is less than half time.

• Appropriate for the student who has left the University prior to completion for a job or personal reasons but has a defense planned during the upcoming semester.  
• Requires permission of the advisor, the program director, and the Dean.
• You are not eligible for student health insurance, loan deferments, University housing, or financial aid in the form of student loans. 

Thesis Writing and Guidelines

The preparation of doctoral theses–a manual for graduate students.

The University of Rochester offers this manual to graduate students and it is meant to help you to bring your thesis up to the required standard of organization, appearance, and format for the University of Rochester. Before preparing the defense copy of your thesis, check the contents of the manual systematically. In so doing, you may avoid mistakes that can be time-consuming and costly to correct.  The manual does not deal with the art of scholarship. There are numerous guidebooks and style manuals available for dissertation writers. However, before beginning the writing of your dissertation, you should consult with your department regarding preferred styles.

Thesis Writing Timeline | Make an appointment with our Life Sciences Writing Specialist for help writing your thesis.

Including material produced by other authors in your dissertation or thesis can serve a legitimate research purpose, but you want to avoid copyright infringement in the process. Republishing someone else's work, even in abbreviated form, requires permission from the author or copyright owner. You must receive permission from the author(s) and include it with your submission before it can be published in your dissertation.

For detailed guidance on avoiding copyright infringement, please see ProQuest’s Copyright Guide.

SMD Guidelines for the Content of a PhD Thesis

The School of Medicine and Dentistry offers this manual to graduate students in the basic sciences , Epidemiology , Health Services Research and Policy , and Statistics programs.  These guides focus on how a thesis should be structured for writing and for the content that comprises a well-written thesis. They are meant to be a supplement to the general guidelines of the University of Rochester for preparation of a thesis (The Preparation of Doctoral Theses:  A Manual for Graduate Students).

Statistics students should consult their program director for thesis requirements specific to the discipline. In the event you need assistance in writing your thesis, a Life Sciences Writing Specialist is available to work with you.

Rooms for Your Defense

Two rooms must be reserved: the first for your oral presentation and the second for your closed exam. Most often, the oral presentation is held in an auditorium and the closed exam is held in a departmental conference room. Check with your graduate program coordinator to determine if you or she will schedule rooms for your thesis defense.

Registering Your Thesis for the Final Oral Exam

You, your graduate program coordinator, or both of you together, will create your record in the University of Rochester Graduate Studies PhD Completion website . This record will include your degree information, past degrees, important contact information, and attachments including the defense version of your thesis in pdf format, and other relevant documents. The version of your thesis submitted to your online record is considered the registration copy. “Registering” simply means that you have presented a thesis, which you intend to defend, to the Dean of your School and to the University Dean that governs all doctoral candidates.

When the PhD Completion record is finalized (submitted) by your graduate program coordinator, your advisor and committee members will receive emails with links to access your record and to approve your thesis to progress to defense. Well before the online record is submitted, you must provide copies of the thesis identical to the registration copy to all members of your committee, as well as to your appointed Chair. Please consult with them for their preferred format. Some will accept a pdf and others will request a hard copy. Each of these individuals must have possession of your thesis for a minimum of two weeks before they are asked to sign off on the readiness of the work for defense. There may be deadlines for registering your thesis specific to your graduate program. Consult with your graduate program coordinator to ascertain those deadlines and follow them carefully. Please plan the completion of your degree by following your program’s deadlines in tandem with the academic calendar.

After all committee members have given approval, your program director, and the Registrar, will approve the thesis for registration using the same online system. Then, requests for review and approval will go to the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs and then to the office of the University Dean of Graduate Studies. When all of these officials have approved your committee and thesis for defense, it is considered registered. You will be able to track these approvals in your online record and will receive a confirmation email when approvals are complete.

Comments indicating required corrections to your thesis may be made by your advisor, committee members and the Deans along the way of the approval process. This annotated copy of the thesis, along with the original version, will be stored in the PhD Completion website for you to reference at the conclusion of your defense. You are not permitted to distribute updated versions prior to the defense, but be sure to incorporate any corrections in the final copy after the defense before uploading it to ProQuest®.

After the defense, if the committee required major revisions to be approved by one or more of its members, it is your responsibility to provide the corrected final version for their approval. They will be asked to submit written confirmation of that approval to University Graduate Studies. Failure to do so could delay conferral of your degree.

After the defense, you will receive additional instructions by email for completion of all PhD degree requirements.

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The Defense

It is important to walk into the defense knowing that your Committee really WANTS you to pass. Even if criticism is harsh, it is meant to be constructive. After all, the defense is not solely an opportunity for the Committee to compliment and congratulate you for the work you have done. It is also meant to challenge you and force you to consider tough questions.

Below you will find suggestions to help you get ready for the defense and information to give you a sense of what to expect:

Know the Rituals

What happens at a thesis defense? 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—those internal and external to your field of expertise. You should be doing this throughout your graduate program, not just several weeks prior to your own defense.

Talk to people from your lab and in your department who already defended to find out what their defense was like. They know well what occurs in the closed exam and will likely want to share their experiences with you. You should also speak with your advisor to get a sense of his/her specific expectations of a defense. Don’t be afraid to ask!

Guidelines for Presentations

Use powerpoint.

PowerPoint is a professional approach to presenting the research that comprises the thesis. Your slides should encapsulate the study and focus on its most salient findings. 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?” Keep in mind the rules of chartsmanship and create a goal-oriented presentation that navigates attendees through a logical, point-by-point sequence of information that builds to the conclusion in a clear and focused direction.

• Use text large enough to be readable (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 also proof-read
• Practice presentation with your lab and peers
• Work on pronunciation, if required
• Time presentation to ensure it is long enough but will also allow time for questions

Public Lecture

It is recommended that you do a trial run of your presentation a day or two before your defense in the auditorium or 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 a 50 minute talk with 10 minutes 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 published on the school’s website to invite the larger community to attend. Departmental/program announcements are sent by your Graduate program coordinator to invite faculty and students. Friends and family are welcome to attend the public lecture. Faculty and students in the audience are given the opportunity to ask questions when committee members conclude their questions.

Friendly Advice: Just before your talk, chat with friends and mingle with the crowd. This may reduce your anxiety and nervousness.

Prior to the defense, plan to provide friends and family with a map and directions to visitor parking lots at the Medical Center or Saunders Building as well as the name, room number and directions to the auditorium or room booked for your defense. You may also want to ask another student or postdoc to assist your friends and family on the day of your defense to get to your public lecture and to gather somewhere while you are engaged in the closed exam.

Dress Professionally

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. Suits, ties, dresses, and skirts are the norm. You will be standing for a long time on the day of your defense. You might want to keep this in mind when selecting the shoes you’ll wear for your defense.

Items to Bring to the Defense

Your presentation, a laser pointer, a copy of your thesis, a pen or pencil, a note pad and a bottle of water are essentials that you should bring to the public lecture. Other things you feel you need (e.g. Kleenex tissues, a lucky charm, etc.) are acceptable to bring with you as well.

The Closed Examination

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.

The person to start the questioning is designated. 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. Your Committee decides the outcome of the exam. You will be asked to return to the room to be informed of the outcome by the Chair of your exam committee.

Address Questions with Confidence

• 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 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 really do know the science involved. Be positive!
• Passed – successfully performed in the final oral examination and thesis was acceptable
• Passed pending revisions to the thesis - successfully performed in the final oral examination and thesis will be acceptable with revisions which are approved by the advisor and sometimes by all members of the committee
• Did not pass – often based upon performance in the final oral examination

After the Defense

You will receive annotated copies of your thesis from the members of your examination committee. The Chair will give you a packet of paperwork that includes:

• Survey of the Earned Doctorate
• Instructions for submission of the final thesis to ProQuest Dissertation Publishing
• University of Rochester publishing agreement

The survey and UR publishing agreement are expected to be submitted to the University Dean by the date the final copy of the thesis is submitted to ProQuest. Students have 60 calendar days after the defense to complete all final requirements (revisions and upload to ProQuest) except when defenses are scheduled late in the semester and are subject to a deadline date that is shorter than 60 calendar days. Review the School’s academic calendar to be aware of deadline dates.

Exit Interview with the Dean

After your defense, and most likely after the final thesis is submitted to ProQuest, you will meet with the Dean for an exit interview. The meeting is intended as an opportunity for you to share your graduate school experiences with the Dean. This is a confidential meeting at which you may express your comments and discuss your concerns openly and honestly.

Department/Program Requirements prior to Termination of Student Status

Each program has its own process for students who are ending their student status. Be sure to check with your Graduate program coordinator to determine if there is additional paperwork that you’ll need to complete before your student status is terminated.

Publishing Your Final Thesis

The University of Rochester requires all doctoral candidates to deposit their theses for publication with ProQuest Dissertation Publishing and with the University libraries. Hard copies of the thesis are not required by the Dean’s Office or the Miner Library. Miner Library receives an electronic copy of the thesis from ProQuest but students must give the University their permission in writing to obtain it.

SMD graduate students are given 60 calendar days following the defense to submit the final copy of the thesis to ProQuest (except when a semester deadline does not allow 60 days for revisions).

• For questions regarding publishing through ProQuest, contact Author Relations at [email protected] or +1 (800) 521-0600 ext. 77020.
• For questions regarding University publishing, contact Jennifer McCarthy at 585​-​275​-​4603 , or jennifer_mccarthy​@​urmc.rochester.edu in the Miner Library.

Binding Your Final Thesis

Your department may want a bound copy of your thesis. Please check with your Graduate program coordinator to determine this and how the cost of binding is covered. You may also want a bound copy for yourself and others. Printed and bound color copies are available for purchase through ProQuest.

Date of Degree Completion

Degree requirements are met on the day your final thesis is submitted online to ProQuest.

Date of Degree Conferral

Conferral is the act of officially awarding a degree. The University of Rochester Board of Trustees confers degrees 5 times each year (August, October, December, February/March and May). Your conferral date will be determined by the date in which all degree requirements are completed and your final thesis is submitted to ProQuest. 

PhD students can reference their specific conferral dates  here .

Commencement

The graduation ceremony for all University of Rochester doctoral candidates is held in May of each year. Only the students that have completed degree requirements including the submission of the final thesis to ProQuest are eligible to participate in the ceremony. Diplomas are distributed at Commencement or mailed to those that do not attend.

Information on the Commencement Ceremony and graduation regalia can be viewed on the University Website or SMD GEPA website .

Proof of Completion

Many employers want “proof” of the degree earned. The Registrar can provide you with a letter indicating the date degree requirements were satisfied and the date the Board of Trustees will confer/conferred the degree. This is your best option for proof of degree immediately following graduate school.

You may also supply employers with your official transcript, which will be notated to include the date of degree conferral after conferral occurs. Your diploma can also be used as proof of the degree if you wish to copy it for an employer.

Some employers work with agencies that search for, screen and hire employees. They often submit forms to the academic institution that request enrollment information as well as degree verification. The Registrar will provide this information to an agency if your signature is provided with the forms indicating approval of the release of information.

Student Loans

If your student loans have been in deferment, you’ll need to notify your loan servicer of a completion date. Some loan servicers accept the completion date via your phone call while other servicers require that you submit a final loan deferment request form or letter from your Registrar before the repayment process can begin. Once a completion date is reported, your loan servicer will provide you with the information needed to start repayment or to continue deferred status, when applicable.

URMC Email Address

Student URMC email addresses will remain active for a short time after completion of the degree if the email address is hosted by the Miner Library. You can determine this by contacting the Miner Library email support or University IT . If you remain at the URMC after your defense, your email address will be transferred to a non-student server by the hiring department.

Non-URMC Email Address

You will be asked for a non-URMC email address when you submit your Exit Interview form. Correspondence from the Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs Office will be directed to your non-URMC email address after your student status terminates. You will provide us with this email address on the Exit Interview Form.

Mailing Address

We ask that you provide a forwarding address so that we may mail Commencement and other correspondence to you. If you move again, please remember to update us. We want to keep in touch with you as you move ahead in your career. You will provide us with this address on the Exit Interview Form. 

To ensure you receive end-of-year tax-related documentation, please update your mailing address in HRMS . Questions about updating your address in HRMS may be addressed to [email protected] .

Stay in Touch

Please provide us with your whereabouts so we can keep in touch, cheer you on your way up the career ladder, and provide you with useful, up-to-date information about professional development and about the School. Back to Top

University Wide Resources

Graduate Studies Bulletin

Dissertation Manual

Graduate Student Regulations and Policies  

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Dress code for Thesis Discussion [duplicate]

Is there something like a "standard dress code" for a Ph.D thesis discussion? And, if there is - how important is it? Obviously, one should not (I think) dress too casually , but I do not know what is deemed appropriate.

I don't know how much this varies around the world; if it helps, I am from Europe.

• "Europe" is a big place; at some European universities you'd be expected to dress like this . –  Nate Eldredge Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 17:45
• I assume a "discussion" means a defense (hence, why I marked it as a duplicate). If not, please edit to clarify. –  ff524 Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 18:04
• @ff524 it does, thank you! i tried looking around before asking, but couldn't find anything of the sort. i see i just choose the wrong wording for my search. –  essay Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 18:26

2 Answers 2

In my experience, different professors can have very different feelings about this. If you have any doubt, best to ask your primary adviser.

I think it varies across cultures. Being a stereotypical italian, I think it is important to dress smartly and with style. Most importantly, however you dress, you should do it for yourself, rather than for the committee.

Clearly, if you go with a t-shirt and jeans, there might be those who think that you are not taking it seriously. But it depends on who these people are. Are they those who go to world-leading conferences and give a talk wearing shorts and a regular shirt? If so, you might be in trouble if you wear a suit!

The way you dress might be important for the first 5 minutes, afterwards it will depend on the work you have done.

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To wear or not to wear – that is the question!

The conversation on academic fashion started with a post where I wondered what to wear while presenting a keynote lecture . People sent me a lot of links and photos, which inspired me to start a new side project: a Pinterest Board on academic fashion. Recently, PhD student of fashion blogs, Rose Findlay wrote a follow up to post with extra tips on dressing.

Over the weeks between the first and second post, two other people took the time to write posts reflecting on their own academic dressing practices. I thought I would publish these pieces together as I think both of them highlight how complex this issue of ‘dressing the part’ is…

The first reflection is from Kate Mansfield who describes herself as: “a knitter, maker of things, and yoga practitioner who also happens to be a PhD student researching chronic widespread pain in general practice at Keele University. Kate writes:

Sometimes, the question is laden with a whole bundle of other ‘stuff’. The other ‘stuff’ is a nasty tangle of how the outfit makes me feel about myself and what it makes other people feel about me. Or, to tangle further, what I think it makes others think about me and then how that makes me feel about myself… eep . Let’s not even stray into what making your own clothes does for the what-to-wear-today debate. I knit, I sew, I can often look somewhat ‘handmade’. This varies in its success.

I few months ago, when I saw the PhD comics academic dress code . I paused, looked down and inwardly groaned to note I was, most definitely, clad in my worksuit. Damn it, I hadn’t even bothered to put a bra on . It’s ok, I mainly work from home. The cats don’t care how I look. But, do I? Does it make a difference to me? Short answer. Yes. Longer answer, well it’s a touch more complicated.

On those rare days when the words are there, when I wake in the morning with a chapter almost fully formed in my head, those days where it feels like a race to get to the keyboard to get the words out of brain and on to page. On those wonderful, wished for, blissful days, it really doesn’t matter what I wear. It kinda feels like who I am drops away and all that matters is the work.

Unfortunately those days don’t happen often. They’re usually inspired by a deadline and really, quite honestly, I rather have a whole bundle of normal days. Normal days where I dress in clothes that make me smile, rather than crazed days, where I don’t wash, pull on the first clothes that come out of the dirty washing basket and lose myself in the work. I’d rather be me, be a bit less productive, get in the shower and wear something nice.

At the other end there are the days where it’s tough. Where even sitting down at my desk feels impossible. The days when it feels like the PhD is winning. Those are the days I find myself in a fancy outfit, wearing makeup and a pair of red patent leather Mary-Janes that tie up with bows. It’s likely that it’s partially procrastination. It can take time to put that sort of outfit together.

There’s something else though. I’ve already said I work from home. Most days it’s just me and the cats. I live in a tiny village largely inhabited by the elderly, it sometimes feels like living in a retirement village. I don’t often wear make-up when I go out. I love flat shoes. But, occasionally I find myself sat at my desk, at home, looking like I should be going to a wedding.

It’s about feeling like I can do a PhD. It’s fighting the gremlins. I am professional and hardworking and if I look like I can do it, then I can. It’s ‘fake it till you make it’.

So what about office days and conference presentations? Am I dressing to influence what people think of me or what I think of myself? Of course first impressions matter. When I started clinical work as a med student we were told to imagine what an average old lady would expect a doctor to wear and dress accordingly. In a professional world where individual human interactions are fundamental, those first emotional perceptions set the tone.

But, should it matter how we dress in academia? In a world of anonymous peer review, we try very hard to look past who the author is. Our work should stand alone, separate to how we dress. It should. But it doesn’t. We are humans, no matter how objective our profession teaches us to be, we are emotional creatures, we are at risk of making judgements about the quality of another academic’s work based on how they look.

If the work is good enough, hopefully we’ll overlook an unfavourable first impression, but maybe we won’t. So, just incase, I dress nicely, so I feel good about myself, so that I walk in feeling like a research professional rather than a student and so that I don’t crush that first impression. All that said, I’m still perplexed by the suits people wear to sit in front of computers in offices where they only communicate in virtual space.

Maybe they need to feel the part like I do.

Maybe they’re faking it too.

The irony is I’m going through all this wardrobe angst for one day where for a few hours I get to wear a floppy velvet hat with a silly tassel and I do all my best thinking in the shower…

The second reflection on fashion is from ‘Vintage Murmur’, who describes herself as “a tentative blogger and reluctant tweeter”. She is doing her PhD on close-kin marriages in Ancient Egypt. Vintage Murmur writes:

In my old life I knew where I stood. All the dressing cues were in place: the power-suit, dressing-up and dressing-down, the comfy no one will see me trousers, and the who cares if I’m not trendy shoes.

And then I was catapulted back into university – same place, new century. I’m obviously not a student but I am a student. My age is the first big cue to set me apart. But how to ease into this life? How to find an acceptable middle ground that goes some way to sharing the student experience?  So what to wear at uni?

Here’s how I figure it out:

• Ripped jeans – no
• Faded jeans – only if 75% still identifiably blue
• Hair – no bright reds, oranges, purples or other sunset/sunrise colours
• Roots – fine if touched up, avoids grey roots bird’s eye view in lecture theatre
• Full head of silver grey hair – fine, brings out character in style of old silver fox
• Lashings of eyeliner – great if you look like Joanna Lumley or Sophia Loren
• Nose studs – only if worn in ears
• Black leggings – only if concealed
• Pixie boots – no
• 5’’ wedges – no
• 3’’ wedges – OK, stops hem of jeans from fraying and prevents slipping into ripped jeans camp
• Trainers – yes, nice and comfy for walking between buildings
• Trendy trainers – probably not
• Casual coordinated – OK for teaching, maybe with some chunky jewellery?
• Corporate clothes – forget it
• Uncoordinated roomy clothes – great for home, who’s watching anyway?

I don’t want to be mutton dressed as lamb, but I don’t want to be mumsy. It’s OK by me – what you see is what you get. But when it comes to clothes, there’s a choice. Even if I had 100mls of botox and a chin full of fillers, I’d still look vintage.

So what about you? Do you feel like there’s a connection between how you dress and how or what you write? Do you have trouble working out how to ‘be a student again’? We’d love to hear about it in the comments – and please keep sending in links for the Pinterest board!

Related posts

What not to wear: the academic edition

What not to wear: the academic edition (part two)

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The Thesis Whisperer is written by Professor Inger Mewburn, director of researcher development at The Australian National University . New posts on the first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe by email below. Visit the About page to find out more about me, my podcasts and books. I'm on most social media platforms as @thesiswhisperer. The best places to talk to me are LinkedIn , Mastodon and Threads.

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Preparing For A Dissertation Defence: What To Wear

The defence of your dissertation is the final hoop to jump. Once you have finished your research, it's time to buy coursework online and complete writing. Then, the defense of the research paper is the remaining job. There are students who get nervous while defending their dissertations. But in most cases, if the committee approves you to defend your dissertation, then they will approve your work too.

What to wear?

The important question that you have in your mind before going to an event is what to wear. Each occasion demands different dress codes. The outfit you wear while you go to a party can’t be wear at a church. Likewise the dress you choose for an outing can’t be used when you go to attend a funeral. A student who wishes to prepare a research paper will never be disappointed if he selects this topic, as there are plenty of sources for the research and enough resources too.

Tips for surviving dissertation defence

Each project is different, committee is different therefore each defence should be different. Still, there are some things every student can work on, to produce a good defence.

• Always remember the fact that, your committee wants you to succeed in your defending. They may ask hard questions, but they will never ask unanswerable questions.
• When you defend your research paper, remember the fact that you are the one who selected this topic, you are the one who surveyed about the topic and finally you are the one who wrote it. Literally, you have been living with this project for a long time. Remind yourself, that there is nothing that you are not aware of in this project.
• When the committee asks you a question and you are not sure about the answer, don’t be nervous and wander into a topic that you are not prepared. If you don’t know the answer, wait for the next question.
• When you summarize your project, never make it complicated. Keep it simple. Just explain what you did.
• You can engage the questions from the committee by answering them something which stands closer to the question.
• Always remember that there is no shaming in admitting you don’t know how to answer the question.
• You will be an expert in the area of your thesis, but you may not know everything. If the committee asks something outside your thesis area, admit that you are not familiar with whatever new topic has come up.
• Never be tensed when your presentation approaches. Worrying won’t do good. Always stand cool and confident.

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Thesis Defense: 10 Tips That Are Proven to Work

The thesis defense is a significant event in a graduate student’s journey towards getting a higher degree. Many students find this occasion daunting. But this need not be an unpleasant experience as there are ways to get rid of that uneasy feeling on that momentous day.

What preparations do you need to make your thesis defense a success? This article describes 10 tips that will give you the confidence that you need and prepare for the thesis defense adequately.

Table of Contents

Know the members of the panel in the thesis defense.

If possible, know the members of your panel, their habits, and personalities. It would be great if another graduate student had experience with those panel members to tell you how to respond to their questions.

Anticipate the questions

Example questions, dress in dark colors.

Color is an essential factor of impact. You will appear intelligent and credible if you wear black or similar color. It would help if you looked authoritative as someone who is thoroughly familiar with the topic during the thesis defense.

Get plenty of rest before your presentation

It would help if you looked confident and energetic during the thesis defense. Get enough sleep before the day of the presentation to sustain your energy while facing the panel of examiners.

Highlight the important findings of your study

Use a few (3-5) bulleted short phrases in each slide during the thesis defense. Emphasize the point using a figure, statistics, or graphics that complement the idea [Additional tip: Show updated (with the last three to five years) statistics].

Talk at moderate speed

Directly answer the question then expound a little.

Don’t beat around the bush. Go straight to the answer. Be honest if the question is not within the scope of your study. State its limitations. There will always be vague areas, but present the contribution of your research. Refer to the scope and delimitations and recommendations of your study. Ask for clarification if the question is not clear. Make sure that you address the issue of the panel.

Be thoroughly familiar with the literature that you have cited

Make sure that you are thoroughly familiar with the literature that you have cited during the thesis defense. Remember the highlights or findings of those studies as well as the limitations.

Be grateful

Always remember the one-to-one correspondence.

Ensure that for every objective that you mentioned, you have ready answers or pieces of evidence to show that you fulfilled those objectives. There should be a one-to-one correspondence in the Objectives –> Method –> Results and Discussion (includes corresponding tables or figures for each objective with explanations) –> Conclusion sections. You may prepare a matrix for each objective with the following columns for method, results and discussion, and conclusion/s.

©2020 August 9 P. A. Regoniel

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5 graduate school tips to read faster, 10 qualities of a successful graduate student, master content analysis: an all-in-one guide, about the author, patrick regoniel.

Dr. Regoniel, a hobbyist writer, served as consultant to various environmental research and development projects covering issues and concerns on climate change, coral reef resources and management, economic valuation of environmental and natural resources, mining, and waste management and pollution. He has extensive experience on applied statistics, systems modelling and analysis, an avid practitioner of LaTeX, and a multidisciplinary web developer. He leverages pioneering AI-powered content creation tools to produce unique and comprehensive articles in this website.

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what to wear to my master/s thesis defense ?

Hi, I am ending my studies at Liège University this year and so, will be having my master’s thesis defense.

my friends from belgium are telling me that I should wear a suit/formal clothing while I (not belgian) think we should wear something more business casual (was thinking jeans, a shirt and a blazer). what do you guys think ?

thank you :))