Ph.D. Requirements - Oral Qualifying Exam

The student, or faculty giving the second exam, will write a syllabus (or approve a previously written syllabus) for each topic on the exam. A copy of the two individual topic syllabi, along with the membership of the examining committee, must be filed for approval with the program director well in advance of the scheduled date of the exam. The members of the examining committee should normally be chosen from faculty who work in areas related to the proposed topics; a prospective dissertation advisor should be on this committee. It is expected that the student will do some reading independent of course work for this examination.

Ideally, the two topics should have some relationship to each other and to a proposed area of dissertation research, but not be so closely related as to be essentially one topic. However, we recognize that a student who decides late on an area of specialization may present two unrelated topics. The examiners may continue as an advisory committee for the student's dissertation. They are also likely to be on the student's dissertation defense committee if they are available.

It will continue to be possible for the student to change advisors if so desired, even after this exam is taken. In this case, the program director might consider also appointing a new advisory committee.

A student who fails this exam may attempt it a second time within a one year period, potentially with a different proposed dissertation advisor and committee. Students who fail a second time, or whose delay in retaking the exam is excessive (as determined by the program director) will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Four members! The Graduate School has been enforcing the rule that committees for this exam must have at least four members. To avoid difficulties, students should assemble committees in agreement with that regulation.