Center for International Health (CIHLMU)
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  2. Center for International Health (CIHLMU)
  3. Education
  4. Study Programs
  5. Ph.D. Program Medical Research - International Health
  6. Thesis evaluation and Oral Defense

Thesis evaluation and Oral Defense

Evaluation of the submitted Thesis:

The submitted thesis is assessed by a total of four reviewers, who make up the Examination Committee:

  • the habilitated LMU supervisor
  • the direct LMU supervisor
  • a third independent reviewer (selected by the MMRS)
  • a fourth independent reviewer (selected by the MMRS)


The local supervisor will not be part of the Examination Committee.


Once the application for admission to the doctoral examination has been submitted with all required documents, the MMRS forwards the dissertation to the first two reviewers for submission of their expert opinions. Upon submission of these two reviews, the dissertation and reviews are then forwarded to the other two members of the Examination Committee, who also evaluate and comment on the dissertation. The whole evaluation process can usually take up to 6 months. The thesis is accepted if all reviewers grade the dissertation as "sufficient" (4.0) or better. The thesis may be returned to the Ph.D. candidate once for revision. The revised thesis must be submitted to the MMRS for re-evaluation within one year.

Oral defense:

Upon acceptance of the thesis, the Ph.D. candidate is admitted to his/her oral defense.

We offer two Defense Periods during the year- one in May and the second one in November. The Ph.D. program coordination arranges the time and place of the defense with the examination committee during the official Defense Period. The candidate and all members of the examination committee will receive a written invitation to the defense at least two weeks before the disputation.

During the defense:

  • the candidate will have 45 minutes (maximum) to present the results of his/her thesis during a public talk, followed by
  • an oral examination for 30 - 60 minutes conducted by the Examination Committee.

Communication of the grade to the candidate takes place without the public.


A record of proceedings of the oral defense is written and submitted to the Ph.D. program coordination by the chair of the examination committee after the defense.