- The emphasis of the defense will be on your thesis/dissertation and closely related subjects that require you to demonstrate an understanding of how your work fits into the broader context of environmental conservation.
- The Chair will review the ground rules of the defense and introduce you and the committee members.
- You will summarize your research in a seminar presentation. You will be expected to do this in 30-45 minutes.
- The Chair will invite questions from the audience; the presentation and Q&A session are not expected to exceed 60 minutes in total. After questions, there will be a break, and the candidate and committee members will reconvene to begin the formal examination. All other interested persons (faculty, students, public) are free to attend the examination but may not participate (i.e., they may not ask questions).
- You will be asked questions by each member of the committee (including Consultants) with each questioner given 20-40 minutes depending on the number of committee members and the time available. An examiner may yield the floor, with permission of the Chair, if another examiner wants to pursue a line of questioning toward a logical conclusion or to resolve any ambiguities. Note, non-committee members may be present during the examination, but they are not allowed to ask you questions. They may participate in the ensuing discussion if and only if the Chair deems it appropriate and solicits their participation.
- After the examiners are through, you and all other students and noninvited guests will be asked to leave.
- Nonvoting faculty and guests may address comments to the Committee. Nonvoting faculty and guests, excepting the moderator and Consultants, will then be asked to leave before the voting.
- Voting: All voting will be by secret, written ballot for PASS or FAIL. Only officially-appointed examiners vote. After a brief discussion, a first ballot will be taken. If the votes are unanimously PASS, no further discussion is necessary, and you will have passed the defense. If there are FAIL votes, there will be further discussion regarding the extent and seriousness of your weakness. There will then be a final vote. The vote must be unanimously PASS for you to pass the defense.
- You will be informed verbally of the result as soon as it is reached. Note, you may pass the defense, but still be required to make changes in the thesis/dissertation before it is signed in its final form.