Qualifying Exam
The QE should be taken by the end of Winter Quarter of the third year. Students typically take it over the summer or in the Fall (7th quarters). Students must take the qualifying exam and advance to candidacy by the 9th quarter to remain eligible for GSRs, TAs. To prepare you for the qualifying exam, a student coordinator who has advanced to candidacy will lead review sessions and practice sessions to prepare second-year students for the qualifying exam (QE). This person also acts a resource to answer or find answers for any questions or concerns that pre-QE students (i.e. first and second year students) may have about the qualify exam. For more information on the QE please see this form here.
QE Committee: Each student, in consultation with the major professor and guiding committee, nominates two to four faculty to serve in each of the four examination areas and as chair of the examination committee. These choices are submitted in the student’s Fifth Quarter Advising Report. After receipt of all reports, the IGG Advising Committee will meet in the Spring Quarter and recommend appointment of the examination committees such that each committee is capable of examining the student’s specific research area as well as the breadth of genetics covered in the core courses. The major professor is specifically excluded from membership.
Service on Qualifying Exam Committees will be distributed equitably among IGG faculty. The student has the opportunity to request a change in the composition of the committee in consultation with the major professor and/or guiding committee; such requests stating the reason for the suggested changes must be submitted in writing to the Master Advisor within two weeks of the student receiving notification of the nominated committee.
These nominations are submitted to Graduate Studies for formal appointment in accordance with Graduate Council policy. The QE Committee conducts the exam and submits results to Graduate Studies.
Qualifying Exam Forms:
QE Committee Member Remote Participation Request
Reconstitution of Committee Membership Request
External Committee Membership Application
Qualifying Examination Requirements
- General Information: All students will complete all course requirements before taking their Qualifying Examination. Passing this exam makes the student eligible for advancement to candidacy. The qualifying exam should be taken by the end of the 8th quarter after admission to the Ph.D. program. The primary purpose of the Qualifying Examination (QE) is to validate that the student is academically qualified to conceptualize a research topic, undertake scholarly research and successfully produce the dissertation required for a doctoral degree. The QE must evaluate the student’s command of the field, ensuring that the student has both breadth and depth of knowledge, and must not focus solely on the proposed dissertation research. In addition, the QE provides an opportunity for the committee to provide important guidance to the student regarding his or her chosen research topic. The Qualifying Examination will consist of written and oral examinations.
- Written Portion of the Exam – Dissertation Prospectus: Presentation and defense of a written research proposal covering the proposed dissertation research. This will be submitted to committee members not less than two weeks prior to the date of the examination. The proposal should reflect the goal of dissertation projects to provide a substantial and original contribution to the field of genetics. The format should be that of a Federal grant proposal and should be no more than five pages long.
- Oral Portion of the Exam: The oral portion of the qualifying exam will be 2-3 hours in length and is intended to demonstrate the student's critical thinking ability, powers of imagination and synthesis, and broad knowledge of the field of study, covering the breadth of genetics as reflected by the subject matter of the core courses. The committee will evaluate the student's general qualifications for a respected position as an educator or leader as well as the student's preparation in a special area of study based upon relevant portions of the student's previous academic record, performance on specific parts of the examination, and the student's potential for scholarly research as indicated during the examination.
- Outcome of the Exam: The committee will reach a decision on the student’s performance immediately after the oral exam. The committee, having reached a unanimous decision, shall inform the student of its decision to:
- “Pass” (no conditions may be appended to this decision),
- “Not Pass” (the Chair’s report should specify whether the student is required to retake all or part of the examination, list any additional requirements, and state the exact timeline for completion of requirements to achieve a “Pass”), or
- “Fail”. If a unanimous decision takes the form of “Not Pass” or “Fail”, the Chair of the QE committee must include in its report a specific statement, agreed to by all members of the committee, explaining its decision and must inform the student of its decision. Having received a “Not Pass” the student may attempt the QE one additional time; the QE report must list the specific conditions and timing for the second exam. After a second examination, a vote of “Not Pass” is unacceptable; only “Pass” or “Fail” is recognized. Only one retake of the qualifying examination is allowed. Should the student receive a “Fail” on the first or second attempt at the exam, the student will be recommended for disqualification from the program to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
If you need a room for your Qualifying Exam, please checkout these resources for rooms: