Oral Exams

Preparing For and Passing Candidacy, Qualifying, and Graduate Defenses

Oral Exams: Preparing For and Passing Candidacy, Qualifying, and Graduate Defenses provides guidance on how to prepare for oral comprehensive and viva voce exams.

Topics discussed include the supervisory committee, preparing the seminar, arranging content, mental preparation, question framing, and the types of questions to expect.

At its core, the book prepares students to be the best they can be by offering insights into how to interpret and appropriately respond to explicit and implied oral comps questions.

This book benefits faculty by helping them prepare new questions, also providing tips on how to mentor their students in preparation for exams.

The training included can be used to prepare for intensive qualifying or certification exams, job interviews, and presentations.

• Describes in detail the general format of oral comprehensive exams, viva voce examinations and defenses, what to expect, and what the requirements are that students need to fulfill to pass.
• Includes appendices with numerous practice questions sourced from a range of disciplines and countries for individual or group learning
• Useful for Early Career academics that are supervising, supporting, and examining PhD students