Disciplinary Expectations

Regulations and general viva expectations are helpful to steer viva prep. They can also impact how you think and feel about your viva.

Take a little extra time to check and be sure whether there are any particular expectations within your discipline:

• Are you more likely to have a different examiner setup?
• Might you be more or less likely to have an independent chairperson?
• Is it typical for people from your department or discipline to give a presentation at the start of the viva?
• Are vivas in your field more likely to be quite long – or quite short?
• And are there any general questions that seem common?

Ask around. Explore the expectations, if there are any, that seem particularly prevalent in your area. A little extra knowledge can only help you as you prepare for your viva.

PS: Need to know more of what to expect at your viva? Follow my Eventbrite page to get notified of upcoming independent viva help webinars!