The oral exam (also oral test or viva voce) is a practice in many schools and disciplines, where an examiner poses questions to the student in spoken form. The student has to answer the question in such a way as to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the subject in order to pass the exam. The oral exam also helps reduce the risk of granting a degree to a candidate who has had his or her thesis or dissertation ghostwritten by an expert.
Many science programs require students pursuing a bachelor's degree to finish the program by taking an oral exam or a combination of oral and written exams in order to show how well a student has comprehended the material studied in the program. Usually study guides or a syllabus are made available so that the students may prepare for the exam by reviewing practice questions and topics likely to be on the exam.
Some medical schools use oral exams for 2nd and 3rd year students, not just to test knowledge, but the ability to respond on the spot. Students are required to take an oral exam prior to being awarded a PhD. Some universities allow the option of either taking written and oral exams, or completing a project or thesis, but occasionally all three are required for graduation. Oral exams are distinct from a defense of a thesis in that the questions in the latter are more narrow and specific to the topic of the thesis.
Graduate students are sometimes allowed to choose their examiners for oral exams.
Sometimes the oral exam is offered in schools as an alternative to a written exam for students with a learning disability, like dysgraphia, developmental coordination disorder, or non-verbal learning disorder. Often the parents of the students have to request that the oral exam be given to their child in lieu of the written exam.
A Private Pilot Oral Exam is also required as part of the FAA and CAA practical test for prospective pilots. An oral exam is also carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in the UK for the purpose of issuing certificate of competencies for Merchant Navy deck and engine officers.
The viva voce is a component of music diploma examinations administered by the ABRSM, Trinity College of Music and London College of Music. Candidates are posed a series of questions by the examiner about their chosen pieces, the composer and musical era. Depending on exam board, candidates may also be required to do a short write-up on their pieces.
See also
- Comprehensive examination
- Final examination
- Educational assessment
Sources
- wiseGEEK: What Is an Oral Exam?
- Standardized Oral Examinations. Measurement Research Associates, Inc.