I watched Emir Sanusi Lamido get emotional as he got his PhD. Let me try and explain what happened, based on my own experience.
You see getting a PROPER PhD from a reputable school is, to my mind, the hardest thing you can do academically. It squeezes out every ounce of brain power, patience and physical endurance that you can muster.
I often say that your thesis is only accepted when you have shown yourself capable of being able to answer every “stupid” question that can be thrown at you. In truth, the questions you’ve shown yourself to be able to answer are not stupid. You show that you can answer questions thrown at you from every conceivable school of thought and every possible interpretation and every possible ideological bias.
Having your thesis approved without correction is actually not unusual. The examiners usually have 3 options:
1. Approve the thesis with no corrections
2. Approve the thesis with corrections (make minor corrections and resubmit)
3. Reject the thesis. If your thesis is rejected, some schools will award you an MPhil instead of a PhD.
If you have a good supervisor, your thesis would normally be approved without correction. They would have checked EVERYTHING, including spellings, referencing and even formatting before allowing you to submit it for publication evaluation.
Even after being approved by your supervisor, you will still have doubts as a candidate. You will still ask your supervisor “What if…?” In my case, my supervisor said “I said your thesis is a Cum Laude. Anyone that says otherwise should google my name first!” Steeeez!😀
At the defence, Professors from other schools, sometimes even faculties and disciplines tear through your thesis. Every question starts with “Dear Candidate…” you could hear something like: “You said on page 212 that … However, we know from theory and empirical evidence that it doesn’t happen that way. Why did you say that?” One of the objectives is to ensure that you are the one that actually wrote the thesis.
Although my thesis was on Governance, one Professors even found a way to relate his question to the film ‘The Matrix’ (I am not a fan of science function).🙈 They make it clear that they belong to an exclusive club that they DON’T want you to join.
When you have answered every “stupid” question, they retire to another room for like 20-30 minutes to discuss among themselves. During that time, you are not allowed to move from where you are standing or talk to anyone (not even your family). When the time has passed, they file in in a procession.
If your thesis has passed, they start praising your work. They then give your supervisor the authority to award you the degree. He then addresses you as “Dear Candidate/ Dear Joe…” And then tells you that, for the first time, he will address you with the appellation “Doctor.”
Then all the pain, effort and sacrifice over so many years washes over you. Together with all the praises from these highly intelligent people, you look at your wife and children and remember all that they had had to sacrifice for you to indulge this your selfish desire to get a PhD. You see tears in their own eyes.
It is extremely difficult not to get emotional. That is what happened. 😊
Culled from X
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