Overview
Admissions
Application
Support
Teaching Minor
FAQ
Past Graduates
GSO
The PhD Dollar
Grad Guide
Graduate Courses
Departmental Retreat
Update form

MCDB Program
Overview
Timeline
Mentors
Requirements
 - Courses
   - Syllabus
   - Graduate Ethics
 - Rotations
 - Teaching
   - TA Policy
 - Exams
   - Comp FAQ

EE Program
Overview
Mentors
Requirements
 - Courses
   - Graduate Ethics
 - Teaching
 - Exams
   - Comp FAQ
 - OTS
 - OTS Courses

MD/PhD Program
Overview

Awards
Crawford
McManus
Pisum

PhD preliminary examination

Although students are not subject to a formal examination at the end of their first year, students are evaluated based on four primary criteria:

• Maintenance of a 3.0 QPA
• Overall performance in the core course and in the seminar course
• Ability to identify a mentor with whom they will perform their dissertation research

The Comprehensive Examination

The oral comprehensive exam consists of two parts. The first part is a 1-hour long defense of an NSF style grant proposal. This proposal is written by the student and is the student’s Ph.D. research proposal. The second part of the oral exam follows directly after the proposal defense . The second part covers preselected topic areas and examines students for both depth and breadth in the areas of ecology and evolution. The preselected topics are agreed upon by the student’s advisor and thesis committee and discussed with the student prior to the exam. The complete comprehensive exam is required for Ph.D. students. A research proposal defense only is required for Masters students.

The exam should be taken at approximately the time of completion of formal course requirements, usually the end of the second academic year. The student is strongly encouraged to take the exam as early as possible in the degree program but must take the exam no later than the end of the third year. An outside thesis committee members need not be present for the oral exam but are encouraged to attend and participate.

The details for curious EE graduate students
The student’s advisory committee, comprises the examination committee for the comprehensive exam. All members of the committee, including the advisor and extra–departmental member (if present) vote in determining the outcome of the examination. If there is more than one dissenting vote the student fails the exam. Immediately following the exam, the committee informs the student of its evaluation, which is limited to the options of pass or fail. If the student fails the exam, a new exam must be scheduled within the next 4 months. The exam may only be taken twice.

Thesis Defense

After a student's dissertation research has been completed, a decision made in conjunction with the thesis advisor and dissertation committe, the student defends the dissertation in an open, public forum. After the public presentation, the student defends the thesis in a private meeting with her/his committee. A joyous celebration follows successful defense of the thesis.

 
This Site is maintained by the Bioscience Webmaster; this page was last modified 20 February 2008