07.03.06 Candidacy & Qualifying Exam – PhD
No student is considered a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree until he or she has:
- Met the language requirements,
- Passed the qualifying examination, and
- Demonstrated to the advisors and the Graduate Research Committee that he or she has a broad and competent command of the chosen major and minor fields and is fully prepared to undertake the writing of a dissertation.
The oral qualifying examination may be preceded by one or more written or oral examinations; it must be passed at least six months before the final examination may be taken. For example, a student who wishes to have their degree conferred at May commencement must pass their qualifying examination not later than October 1 of the previous fall. A committee consisting of at least four members of the graduate faculty will conduct the qualifying examination.
If a student fails the qualifying examination, she or he may not retake it until five calendar months have elapsed. The exam may only be taken a third time with the permission of the Graduate Research Committee.
