Defense

Please clarify the format (on-site/digital/hybrid) with your examiners and the chairperson before registering. For on-site examinations the safety regulations/hygiene and conduct rules must be strictly observed

Registration for the oral defense may not take place before:

• the dissertation has received a positive evaluation, and
• the completed record of examinations has been submitted.

You will be informed by email (to your u:account) about the evaluation of your dissertation.

The Directorate of Study programme (SPL 41) sets up the examination board for the defense. As a rule, all assessors and supervisors are appointed as examiners. The student may submit deviating proposals in advance in written form and including an explanatory statement to the SSC.  The University of Vienna supports the participation of external examiners. It reimburses travel expenses of examiners up to the available budget determined for this purpose. Due to organisational or financial reasons the examination board may be limited to the minimum requirement of 3 persons, or individual examiners (especially from overseas) may participate via video call.
The Directorate of Study Programme coordinates the date of the defense with the student and all examiners.

The date of the defense must be registered at the SSC at least 14 days in advance. For this purpose please use

• the form registration for doctoral thesis defence.
• the supplementary sheet

and send both to <ssc.historische-kulturwissenschaften@univie.ac.at>

The Directorate of Study programme (SPL 41) chairs the defense.

The defense may last up to two hours and includes:

• a presentation of the thesis by the candidate, including a response to the assessors’ evaluations, lasting approximately 25-30 minutes
• comments and questions by members of the examination board
• eventually comments and questions by the audience
• consultation of the examination board
• announcement of the result