Qualifying Exams

Qualifying Exams

Enoch Baldwin's Step-by-Step Guide to the Qualifying Exam 2024 - 2025

  • The Qualifying Exam and candidacy applications are completed as e-forms in GradSphere. No PDFs required!
  • Qualifying Exam Contract
    • This form is specific to BMCDB, and it is only completed in the academic year when a student takes the qualifying exam. The contract is due to the Graduate Program Coordinator by the end of fall quarter.
  • Degree Requirement Student Checklist
    • This informal checklist was developed by the Graduate Program Coordinator for students to complete before advancing to candidacy.
    • Any guidance given to a student by their academic advisor supersedes this form. 

BMCDB students must pass an oral qualifying examination before advancing to candidacy for the Ph.D. To be eligible for the exam, the student must have completed all BMCDB course requirements, must have removed any deficiencies on the transcript, and must have at least a B average in all work undertaken while in graduate standing. The student must be registered during the quarter in which the qualifying exam is taken.

Committee Selection

Qualifying examination committees will consist of five Academic Senate tenure-track faculty, three (including the Chair) selected by the student and two selected by the Student Affairs Committee that the student is allowed to veto. If the student is enrolled in a Designated Emphasis (DE), one committee member must be affiliated with that DE. A maximum of one non-member of BMCDB is allowed. Direct collaborators with the student's PI are not allowed to serve (e.g., if the student's work is being funded by a grant on which the prospective committee member is a PI, it's now allowed), nor are partners or romantic spouses of the student's PI.

If a faculty member is on sabbatical, they are under no obligation to serve on QE committees, but can elect to do so.

Scheduling the examination

All Ph.D. students are expected to take their QE in spring quarter of their second year, unless a prior waiver is approved by the BMCDB Student Affairs Committee. Summer QEs are permitted, but generally not advised due to lack of faculty availability.

Students are not required to have existing data to present the QE; therefore, the exam cannot be delayed due to insufficient data.

Examination format

The qualifying examination will consist of a dissertation research proposal that covers general background and an examination in the core subject area(s) identified by the core course instructors recommendations to the Student Affairs Committee. Students will be expected to submit a written dissertation proposal to their committee at least one week prior to the oral examination (see below).

The qualifying examination begins with a ten-minute uninterrupted talk by the student, which will be administered on a chalk/white board only. Chairs are allowed at their discretion to decide whether the student can pre-prepare the board with figures. The rest of the exam consists of a question-and-answer, with the committee probing the student's methods, rationales, and plans for next steps. The exam should last no longer than 3 hours.

Results

There are three possible outcomes of the examinations - pass, retake, and fail.

Students who pass are allowed to proceed with the candidacy application, described below.

Students who fail are automatically recommended for disqualification; if desired, students who fail can attempt to proceed with a MS degree, but there is no possibility of continuing the Ph.D.

Students who are required to retake all or part of the examination will receive a letter from their QE committee within 72 hours, detailing with specific deadlines what needs to be completed. Some students are asked to retake the oral exam; others are essentially being asked to "revise and resubmit" their proposals on the basis of concerns raised during the exam.  If requested, the second examination is to be scheduled at the earliest possible date and will be administered by the same committee. Students can only retake the QE once; those who take it a second time can only pass or fail.