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The Thesis Defense
The Steps to Get Ready for the Big Day
The steps to prepare a ‘viva voce’ or Thesis defense (an oral examination to defend a PhD thesis, examined by a selected jury and open to the public)
Step 1 : WritingThe Thesis
To assist the student in the writing stage and producing the thesis, the French Ministry of Education and Research offers a Guide for writing and submitting a thesisfor doctoral students. The PhD student will find advices on how to structure rationally your work and how to present it, as well as useful information for understanding the new system of submission and dissemination of set up theses.
We strongly recommend having some training on how to use the layout style under Microsoft Word (or equivalent) and how to manage bibliographic references using Endnote. This training is available through the doctoral schools or via the library at Montpellier SupAgro and will make the task of writing your thesis easier and enable you to present your work as well as possible.
Once the date of the defense is set up, the student must reserve the room/class where the defense will take place. Also provide an adjoining room for the jury’s deliberations. You can make a reservation by contacting M. Thierry Ledain on +33 (0) 99 61 26 20 or via e-mail to ledain@supagro.inra.fr.
Step 2: Defend The Thesis
Submit your Thesis file at the Ph.D. Office, 4 stages must be followed carefully:
6 weeks minimum prior your defense: The reporter’s proposition signed by the Head of the Doctoral School and the jury members.
3 weeks minimum prior your defense: The Authorization to defend your thesis and the writing thesis certificate of submission made through ADUM, both signed by the Director of the Doctoral School, and contact details of every member of the jury.
The day of the defense:collect the PhD Thesis register
3 months minimum after your defense: bring the final writing thesis certificate of submission made through ADUM.
Find here the detailed calendar of every stage prior & after your Thesis defense.
Reminder on the jury’s composition
Article 18 : … two HDR reporters, with no link with the doctorate school and the institution
Article 19: ... The thesis committee is appointed by the head Director of the institution after consulting the director of the doctorate school and the Thesis supervisor.
The number of jury members is between 3 and 8. It comprises at least half French or half foreign, with no link with the doctorate school and the institution and chosen by the candidate for their scientific competences, subject to the dispositions of the international joint thesis.
When multiple institutions are allowed to jointly award the Ph.D., the board is appointed by the heads of the institutions involved in the conditions fixed by the agreement between them.
Half the jury should at least be composed of professors or similar within the dispositions related to the appointment of members of the French Council of Universities or Professors with equivalent rank that are not depending on the French Ministry for Higher Education.
Jury members elect among themselves a president. And if necessary, chose a defense reporter. The president must be a professor or similar or with equivalent rank considering the preceding article. The Thesis supervisor, if he/she is involve in the jury, cannot be chosen nor as Thesis defense reporter or as President of the jury.
The Doctor Europaeus, European Ph.D. Label: an extra thesis qualification
- The European Ph.D. Label is an additional qualification to a PhD delivered by EU academic institutions.
- This label was set up by the Confederation of EU Rector’s Conference and President of EU Universities.
Acknowledge Requirements for the European Ph.D. Label:
- The PhD thesis defense authorization is permitted if at least two professors from two higher education institutions of two European countries, other than the country where the PhD thesis viva will take place.
- At least one member of the jury should come from a EU higher education institution, other than the one where the PhD thesis will be defended.
- Part of the defense must take place in one of the official EU languages, other than the one(s) of the country where the PhD thesis will be defended;
- The President will indicate that a part of the defense was presented in an EU language other than French and will specify the chosen language.
- The PhD thesis must have been prepared, for at least one trimester, in another European country.
Useful Information before applying for the European Ph.D. Label:
When you will submit the proposed reporters and jury for your thesis defense, bring as well the European Ph.D. Label form to the Ph.D. Office with the authorization of your Thesis Supervisor and the Head of your Doctoral School. Match the profile of your reporters and jury members according to the acknowledge requirements set out above. Join to your application a certificate signed by your Thesis Supervisor stating that your PhD Thesis was partly prepared for at least a trimester in another European.
Last update : 16/04/2012
