Background

The oral qualifying examination is meant to determine whether the student is ready to enter the research phase of graduate studies. Students usually take the qualifying exam during the spring semester of their second year, or sometime after that. It consists of a 50-minute lecture by the student on a topic selected jointly by the student and the thesis advisor. The topic usually involves the student's research, especially some part of the student's research that seems to be going somewhere. The examination committee consists of four faculty members approved by the Graduate Division, three from the Statistics Department and one from outside the Department. The student is responsible for selecting the committee and the date and time of the exam. The student's thesis advisor cannot chair the committee.

Paperwork and committee selection

The student must complete an application for the qualifying exam at least three weeks prior to the exam. The student must provide a copy of the application to the Student Affairs Officer and to the Graduate Degrees Office. If the student is in a Designated Emphasis (DE) program then there may be some additional paperwork.

Note that the paperwork must be turned in 3 weeks in advance of your qualifying exam date. The time requirement may be greater if you are also petitioning to be admitted to a Designated Emphasis.

See the Student Affairs Officer for details.

A student will usually select a committee by considering:

• Which professors do I like?
• Which professors like me?
• Which professors does my advisor like?
• Which professors are knowledgeable about my field?

Note that finding a time when 5 busy people (including yourself) can meet is difficult sometimes.

Preparation

The student is responsible for reserving a room and a projector. Although the exam is supposed to be 50 minutes, it might last as long as 2 hours if the committee has a lot of questions. This is something to consider when scheduling the exam and reserving facilities. The student should prepare 50 minutes worth of material and possibly some extra material to help with questions. A student will usually practice the presentation in front of his or her thesis advisor, friends, colleagues, stuffed animals, etc.

On the day of the exam

Arrive early to set up the projector. Some students bring food to the exam (e.g. cake) to feed the committee. Some committees prefer that your presentation stay within 50 minutes, including questions. If so, you will probably have to drop some slides. After the exam, the committee will tell you to leave the room and wait outside. The committee with then make their decision.

After the exam

If the student passes the exam, he or she can then officially advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. by completing the appropriate form and providing copies to the Student Affairs Officer and to the Graduate Degrees Office. If the student fails the exam, which in the Statistics Department is very rare, the committee may vote to allow a second attempt. Regulations of the Graduate Division permit at most two attempts to pass the oral qualifying exam.

-- GregHather - 20 Jan 2007