Failed thesis defense ➡️ What to do next?

Is it possible to fail to defend a thesis?

Any scientific work, including a bachelor’s thesis, must be defended. This is an indicator of the student’s independence, knowledge of the topic, and ability to argue their point of view. As a rule, students prepare for the defense, but even banal excitement can get in the way of the defense. There are other reasons as well – let’s take a closer look at them.

Failure to write on time

It usually takes a lot of time to write a diploma. This can play a bad joke on the student: some people think that they will have time to write a paper in just a week. However, it is almost impossible to do so, so the student may not be allowed to defend. Even if the work is ready, there is a chance that you will not receive feedback and reviews in time.

If you do not have time to write the paper, do the following:

– Talk to your supervisor. Every teacher is willing to meet a student’s needs. Especially if you had objective reasons (illness, difficult life circumstances), the supervisor can help you find a solution or advise you on how to proceed.
– Check the internal rules on the possibility of transferring the defense at your university. Find out if there is a possibility of extending the deadline for valid reasons. If the university allows postponement, you should write an application to the dean or head of the department, explaining the reason for the delay and asking for additional time.
– If a postponement is not possible, you will have to wait for the next year. In a critical situation, you can take a leave of absence.

To avoid an unpleasant situation, don’t ignore writing your thesis for the entire time. Make a plan with deadlines and stick to it.

I received negative feedback from my supervisor
To be admitted to the defense, a student’s thesis must be read by a supervisor. He or she evaluates the research and gives a grade. However, in some cases, the feedback may be negative. The same situation can happen because of a reviewer who also reads the thesis and gives his or her assessment.

If you receive a negative review, do the following:

– Read the review and the feedback from your supervisor or reviewer carefully. Highlight the main comments: whether they relate to the content, formatting, methodology, or overall quality of the work.
– Discuss the situation with your supervisor. He or she can help you figure out what points need to be improved and whether it is possible to correct them before the defense. Sometimes minor adjustments can significantly improve the grade.
– Check if your university allows you to postpone the defense date to finalize your diploma.
– If you think the review is biased, you can ask the head of the department to appoint another reviewer.
– In case of serious problems, you may be offered to finalize your research paper or to rework and defend it the following year. It is important to clarify the deadlines and requirements for resubmission.

A negative review is not the end of the story. The main thing is to assess the situation correctly and act according to the capabilities of your educational institution and the circumstances.

Failure to come to defense

Sometimes it happens that a student fails to appear for the defense of a thesis. Most often, this happens for objective reasons: illness, difficult family circumstances, or others. In this case, immediately contact your supervisor, department head, or dean. The sooner you explain the situation, the more likely you are to find a solution. However, be prepared to provide relevant documents (e.g., a medical certificate) that can confirm your absence for valid reasons.
If the reason is valid, the university administration usually meets the student’s needs and schedules the diploma defense at another time. If you cannot defend your degree this year, find out if you can take a leave of absence or come back for the defense next year without being expelled.
If you missed your defense without explanation, you may not be allowed to defend again this year or even be expelled. In this case, you need to contact the administration to find out what to do next.
Missing a defense is a serious matter, but not always hopeless. The main thing is to seek help in time.

Failed to defend the work before the committee

It also often happens that a student has handed in his or her work on time and appeared for the defense, but was unable to defend a master’s thesis or other work. This can happen for several reasons:
– Anxiety. You should prepare for the defense very carefully. You should not only study the report, but also be prepared to answer the questions of the committee. Therefore, it is worth rehearsing the report not alone, but in front of relatives or friends. Also, learn how to deal with anxiety in advance.
– Someone else wrote your thesis. If you have ordered a paper, study it in detail and understand what is written, otherwise you risk not defending your diploma.
– An inexpressive speech. A poorly prepared report and confusion in answering the commission’s questions can negate even a very well-done study.

If the committee is dissatisfied with your answer, it is at their discretion to decide your fate. There are two options:

1. the commission gives a specific deadline for correcting the diploma, and the student can try to defend the work again;
2. the commission gives a new topic, but the defense of the thesis is postponed to the next year.

Be sure to pay attention to all the comments made by the committee regarding the defense of your diploma.

In order to defend your diploma in the best possible way, you also need:

– competent speech
– a good presentation;
– a neat and businesslike appearance;
– confidence in your words during your diploma defense.

In addition, the work must be done in accordance with the established standards.

If you fail to defend your diploma, don’t be upset – there is always a way out. Don’t be afraid to ask your supervisor or other teachers for help. Remember that hard work will always be successful, so go for your goal with confidence.