Qualifying Exam

The Qualifying Examination is taken before the midpoint of the student's third year, before the candidate's dissertation is begun or very soon thereafter, and may not be delayed without express permission of the student's graduate advisor.

Its purpose is to determine whether or not the candidate is properly prepared to carry out independent research leading to the completion of a doctoral dissertation. It is not to be regarded merely as a test of the student's knowledge of a particular field of interest, though such knowledge must be demonstrated. The student must also demonstrate that he or she

  1. Understands how to pose a scientific question
  2. Is able to develop a systematic approach to its solution
  3. Can interpret the results of that approach concisely and rigorously
  4. Is able to frame that interpretation both within the context of the system in question and of other related biological systems
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