A week ago I sat the viva for my PhD. I passed! I’m now a Doctor.
I’m only just starting to find it sinking in. I spent a day or so convinced I was going to get an e-mail from the examiners saying they had changed their mind, then a few days thinking I wouldn’t be able to do the corrections in time. Of course these thoughts probably have more to do with being dragged out drinking by well meaning friends for several days in a row, and then coming down with a cold, which I’m finally recovering from.
A few days ago I got a copy of the corrections that they examiners want. Maybe I should stop for a moment end explain the exam procedure. After I submitted my thesis a copy got sent to both my examiners, who then had to read it (for which I apologize to them). They then came to Imperial for my viva. It lasted four hours, and the spent the time asking me lots of detailed questions about my thesis, which bits they agreed with, some bits were badly written and they couldn’t follow in the format it was in.
They have a number of options they have to choose from. Firstly they had the option of a straight pass, Secondly they could pass me with minor corrections, in which case I have 3 months to do the corrections they ask for. Then they could have specified 18 months of corrections, which I think would have counted as a fail, as I would have had to redo the submission process. There are some worse options available to them, like down-grade the degree from PhD to DPhil, but those are too horrible to consider.
After four hours they asked me to leave the room while they conferred between them what they thought. I spent a few minutes very restlessly. Then they called be back in and told me they were recommending pass with minor corrections. I remember thinking it was strange they use the word “recommending” but I guess that’s because there is a PhD committee who technically do the passing based on the examiners recommendation, or maybe it was just a phrase. Anyway they then outlined the changes they want.
So now I’m off to the bank to get the name on my credit cards changed :-)
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