Resources for virtual final oral defenses

Scheduling final oral defenses

Note: The requirement for limiting the number of remote participants in defenses has been suspended since March 2020, to allow defenses to be held virtually during the pandemic. Virtual final oral defenses will be allowed to be held until the Fall 2022 graduation defense deadline of September 19, 2022.  

The regular attendance requirements at final oral defenses will be reinstated for defenses held after September 19, 2022 - these requirements are outlined in the Faculty of Graduate Studies Guidelines on attendance at major paper, thesis, and dissertation defenses".

Students are advised to contact their department for guidelines regarding scheduling their final oral defense. 

Resources for remote participation at defenses (until September 19, 2022): 

The requirement for limiting the number of remote participants in defenses has been suspended until September 19, 2022, to allow defenses to be held virtually during the pandemic. The Associate Deans, Graduate Studies in the Faculties and/or Graduate Coordinators have discretion to approve remote participation by multiple parties, as necessary, to achieve public health objectives. It must be verified that all participants have access to appropriate equipment/software.

At their discretion departments may allow audience at remotely held defenses provided they have measures to minimize distractions (e.g. restrict audience to the presentation portion only, no video, mute all microphones, ensure defense chair moderates audience participation, etc.). All students, faculty and staff have access to Microsoft Teams through Office 365; other remote conferencing software can be used as well (e.g., Zoom).  

Post-defense procedures