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[a_gothic_beauty]

This is kind of a stupid question, but I am just curious. If you do not pass your Master's or Doctoral defense, can you try again? Or is it a one shot thing?

Comments

[rockstarbob]

I think it varies from program to program.

[ex_friedrich47]

You can try again. Failure reflects badly on your advisor. In my case, it was the dissertation that was weak the first time around.

[melebeth]

In my book, a good adviser shouldn't let you defend until they think you're ready (i.e. going to pass.) Mind you, sometimes things happen that are out of their control (psychotic outside readers, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed), but as a general rule your department shouldn't schedule the defense until you're pretty much ready. But as to your specific question... it defends (oops. I mean depends) on the department.

[rdparrish]

This is how it works in my department, too. Your advisor won't let you defend until your committee agrees that you are as ready as you're ever going to be. This seems to me like the best method - since your committee both knows your work and has control over scheduling, to schedule you before they know you are ready seems more like a hazing ritual than a serious intellectual process.