THE ORAL EXAMINATION
The oral exam lasts about one hour. You should bring a copy of your thesis with you to the exam. The exam consists of a short (+ 5 minute) presentation of the conclusions reached in your research. (in this presentation you will be limited to the use of your voice and a piece of chalk). Your Committee Members, Supervisor, the Department Chairman, and the Coordinator will question you about your research and your awareness of its broader scientific implications. The quiz is intended to ascertain your understanding of your field of research rather than to identify typing and other petty errors in the thesis. At the end of the quiz, three annotated copies of the thesis will be returned to you in order to help you submit a final, improved copy. The Oral Examination will take place in the period from about April 18 to May 1. There will be two exams a day, at 10:00AM and 1:30PM. The date and time of exams is arranged by you with the mutual consent of all the examiners. The date and time should be set as early as possible in April. Failure to do so may not allow sufficient time to schedule the exam at a time compatible with the commitments of the six people who have to attend. In other words if you let this slide and don't give the Coordinator enough time to schedule your exam along with everyone else's, you may find yourself stuck with a disagreeable date.
Chronicle of Higher Education