I am now writing up my phd thesis in biology, and instead of planning to a postdoc after that, in October I'm gonna do a MSc in applied mathematics first, hoping to do mathematical biology in future. I find it's quite tough for me to submit my thesis and do my viva between now and the end of September. I was wondering if I can just submit it in September and do my viva after I finish the MSc course. Does the submission of thesis mean that I am "finished" in this university and I can get a move onto the next stage without restrictions of the current university?

Thanks
Michael

Hi there, I think you can submit and then start your masters course in another uni ok, pretty much the same as starting a job in another place before you do your viva. However you may not be able to defer your viva until after your MSc. Can you not just do the viva during your masters when you get a date from your examiners?

Thanks for your suggestion. That will be a solution. Since the course is quite intensive and I also need time to catch up on some basic mathematics, so it may be better for me to leave the viva after the course. Is there a rule that you have to do your viva like some weeks or months later after you submit your thesis?

Thanks

The obvious thing for you to do is go and look at the specific university regulations to see if there is a set amount of time between submitting thesis and viva - we are all at differeent universities (and in some cases under different regulations depending on when you started) - I know my university has absolute deadlines for submission and confirment (which includes viva and any resubmission).

I would check the conditions of your uni. Many will have a deadline about such things (mine did). I think it would be highly unlikely you could defer it for quite so long but you will need to ask your registry.

Definitely check the rules of your uni. My uni expects vivas to take place within 6 weeks of submission, and they must take place within 3 months. Your university may have similar rules about time scales.

Also having been through a viva I would not recommend putting off the viva for a very long time. It will make it that much harder for you to be familiar with your work. Yes you can reread the thesis, but you will have lost a lot of familiarity. And that could put you at a disadvantage.

Thanks a lot for your replies, guys. It seems that I'd better not to put it off for that long. I'll try my best then.