"The final examination for the Doctoral degree is oral and open to members of both the University community and the public. During the dissertation presentation and general questioning all persons may be present. However, at the end of the public hearing there will be a closed questioning portion of the examination where all persons except the Candidate, Doctoral Supervisory Committee, and invited faculty must be excused. It is conducted by the Supervisory Committee after the Candidate‘s studies have been completed and the dissertation accepted by the reading committee. The committee also determines tits character and length the character and duration of the examination. The examination may be devoted to the special field of dissertation or to the candidate‘s general knowledge or it may be designed to test judgment and critical powers. The final oral examination over the dissertation may be waived only with the unanimous consent of the supervisory committee. The Committee reports the results of the final examination or the reason for its waiver to the Office of Graduate Studies." (Bulletin)
The final oral examination for the Ph.D. will not be scheduled unless the Chair of the Supervisory Committee and at least two other members of the Committee are available for the examination. Exceptions may be made only by permission of the Dean for Graduate Studies. In any event, the Supervisor of the dissertation must have seen and approved the completed dissertation before the examination will be scheduled.
"In the event that members of an Oral Examining Committee are not unanimous regarding passing a candidate, the student is to be approved for the degree if only one examiner dissents. However, in each case, the dissenting member of the committee will be expected to file a letter of explanation in the Office of Graduate Studies."
"If a student fails to pass the final oral or written examination for an advanced degree, his/her committee must file a report on the failure in the Office of Graduate Studies and indicate what the student must do before taking another examination. Another examination may not be held during the same semester or the same Summer Session in which the student failed." (Bulletin, p. 15)