Viva, examination and assessment

In part two of this series based on a UKCGE interview with Dr Gillian Houston, former chair and vice-chair of UKCGE, Gill discusses the viva within its contextual bounds – analysing the different modes of examination that other countries enact, how the viva fits into different degree forms, attributes examiners look for while carrying out the viva, and how PGRs can better prepare themselves of the modern day viva. 

This resource is a continuation of part one of the discussion with Gill, focused on understanding the process, positives, and challenges of the viva. This dialogue comes as a discussion of Gill and Ingrid Lunt’s recent article publication titled, The final examination of the UK PhD: fit for purpose?

In this series, Dr Gillian Houston, former chair of UKCGE, discusses her recent publication The final examination of the UK PhD: fit for purpose?, written with Ingrid Lunt and published in July 2024. Gill is currently an independent researcher, having completed her own PhD in 2018 focused on the processes, attributes, and outcomes of the PhD examination in the UK. Gill is a long-standing member of the UK Council for Graduate Education’s governing body, latterly as chair and vice-chair, completing her term of office in July 2021. Her research work focuses on the topic of doctoral education and assessment.

In part one of this interview-based series, Gill discusses the processes of the viva, discussing the challenges and positives of the final PhD examination.

A study of the doctoral examination policies of 127 UK Higher Education Institutions

A resource from the UKCGE concerning the impact of Covid-19 on doctoral research and any consequential impact on the final examination.

The UK Council for Graduate Education issued this guidance to assist institutions who, in the light of Covid–‐19, were rapidly adapting to making online vivas available to larger numbers of candidates who by necessity could not attend a face to face assessment with examiners. 

International higher education is a rapidly changing environment and is affecting many aspects of doctoral education, especially training structures (UKCGE, 2015) and thesis models (Jump, 2015, Council of Graduate Schools, 2016). Given the role played by assessment in assuring quality and the current good reputation of UK doctorates (Clarke and Lunt, 2014), it was timely for the Council to focus on making some cross-country comparisons of doctoral assessment as a first step in documenting consistent and divergent practice, in parallel evaluating the strengths and challenges of current assessment processes, in the UK and internationally.

This report on the Professional Doctorate (PD) in the UK was commissioned by the UKCGE to inform debate on the design, validation, audit and relevance of PDs to the needs and aspirations of the doctoral candidate, the requirements of Universities, the industrial and professional employers and society at large.

This report is based on a survey conducted in March 2010 aimed at establishing an overview of current trends in practice among UK institutions with respect to addressing issues of confidentiality as they pertain to PhD theses in the UK

The purpose of this 2010 report is to give an informed update on the position in the UK of the professional doctorate.