Defence and assessment

An oral defence is an integral part of the thesis assessment. The purpose of the oral defence is partly to make sure that the student participating in the exam is in fact the one(s), who have written the thesis and partly to elaborate on and to discuss in a broader context the areas which the assessors find interesting. 

The oral defence must take place no later than 6 weeks after the submission deadline. The grade is given in immediate continuation of the oral defence.

In addition to the supervisor, an external examiner will be present either in person or online. At the defence, the student will start off with a presentation of one or more key issues of the thesis. Subsequently, a discussion of the thesis and the presentation of key issues will take place, directed by questions from the supervisor and possibly the external examiner. At the defence, 15 minutes are allocated to the student presentation and 40 minutes to the examiners. At a group exam, 30 minutes are allocated to the student presentation and 75 minutes to the examiners. 

You will receice an email from Department of Economics and Business Economics with information about time and place of the oral defence. 

Group thesis:

The oral examination will be held as a group exam. However, students may choose to take the exam on an individual basis. Requests for individual exams must be sent to Department of Economics and Business Economics (studadm@econ.au.dk), when the thesis is submitted.

In connection with both an individual exam and a group exam, an individual assessment must be made of the students' performance, and separate grades must be awarded.

Exam time:

Individual exam: 55 minutes

Group exam: 1 hour and 50 minutes 

The assessment of the Master’s thesis consists of an overall evaluation (i.e., a complete assessment) of the written master's thesis and the oral defence.

To learn more about defence and assessment, please go to the course description, the examination order (in Danish) or in the relevant academic regulation.