On 15 December I passed my PhD viva in Comparative Literature and Dutch Cultural Studies at UCL.
A viva in the U.K. is different from a PhD defence in the Netherlands, as it isn’t public and there are no ceremonial aspects. It is a traditional oral exam behind closed doors with two examiners - one from your own uni; one from another (the external).
As I had finished writing up my PhD in August this year, I had enough time to reflect on my work and to prepare. It is surprising how critical you become of your own work after a few months. However, the viva went well…
Delivery took about 2 hours, but I am now a Doctor in Comparative Literature.
You can read more about my research on postcolonial literature and the authors Jean Rhys and Hella S. Haasse here. I received scholarships from the Dutch Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, VSBfonds and the Hendrik Muller Fonds for the project.
A viva in the U.K. is different from a PhD defence in the Netherlands, as it isn’t public and there are no ceremonial aspects. It is a traditional oral exam behind closed doors with two examiners - one from your own uni; one from another (the external).
As I had finished writing up my PhD in August this year, I had enough time to reflect on my work and to prepare. It is surprising how critical you become of your own work after a few months. However, the viva went well…
Delivery took about 2 hours, but I am now a Doctor in Comparative Literature.
You can read more about my research on postcolonial literature and the authors Jean Rhys and Hella S. Haasse here. I received scholarships from the Dutch Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, VSBfonds and the Hendrik Muller Fonds for the project.
As the exam wasn’t public and there are, therefore, no pictures, here’s a happy photo of my feet up.
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