In Year 4, students will prepare their doctoral thesis and defence, as per the rules and regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Please review:

• Faculty of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs guidelines, as set out in the Doctoral Thesis.
• FGS E-Thesis format requirements can be found here.  

Defence

Graduate thesis defences will normally be open defences. The arrangements for a thesis defence will commence once all members of the supervisory committee have signed off, indicating their approval that the student and the thesis are ready for defence. The examination committee of a doctoral defence will minimally comprise the supervisory committee, an internal/external examiner (from outside the graduate program but within Brock University), and an external examiner. The approval of the external examiner is the responsibility of the Dean of Graduate Studies or designate.

External examiners produce a report identifying whether or not the thesis is ready for defence. This report is then shared with the examination committee and the graduate student prior to the defence. The Dean of Graduate Studies or designate will chair doctoral defences. Following a thesis defence, students should typically be given two to four weeks to complete minor revisions, which are to be approved by the graduate supervisor, or four to twelve weeks to complete major revisions, which are to be approved by the graduate supervisor and the chair of the defence.

For additional details please consult:

• Program Handbook
• Faculty Handbook Section 3B: 9.4 Thesis Defences.