Conferrment of the PhD by the Chancellor Essentially, the conferrment of a PhD went like this: Professor Bell Burnell, Dean of the Faculty of Science, "presented" a candidate by announcing his or her name. The candidate walked up to the Chancellor, Lord Tugendhat, who placed a mortarboard on the candidate's head and recited a formula conferring the degree. Another Officer of the University then places a hood over the recipient's head. The recipient then crosses the stage to collect his/her degree certificate from his/her Head of Department.