It is strongly recommended that students planning for their exams meet with the Graduate Program Coordinator at least 4 months prior to the exam date. Students should reserve a room for their oral exam with the Graduate Program Coordinator as soon as a date is set.
The qualifying exam focuses on testing the student’s knowledge in their broad field of study, identifying any major gaps in academic preparation, and ultimately evaluating whether the student is academically and intellectually poised to complete the PhD program. The exam consists of written and oral components and should be taken in the student’s third or fourth semester.
Each committee must designate a chair who is charged with organizing exam procedures and moderating the oral exam.
The student and the advisor should be clear about when the student meets with the other committee members throughout the process: For instance, does the student meet with committee members together or individually after the prospectus is drafted but before the exams?
Basic Steps:
- Appoint a Dissertation Committee and establish timetable for exam
- Write a thesis proposal
- Take the written exam
- Take the oral exam
Typical Calendar:
- Deliver thesis proposal to Committee by the fifth semester (typically Fall of year 3 but the process may start earlier for students who are ready)
- Two months after thesis proposal submission, take the written exam (3 days, 8 hours per day)
- Less than one month later take the Oral Exam (2-3 hours).
THESIS PROPOSAL
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WRITTEN EXAM
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ORAL EXAM
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Potential Outcomes
Several outcomes may arise from these exams, at the completion of the Oral portion. These include:
- Unconditional pass, advancement to PhD candidacy.
- Conditional Pass, student can advance provided certain requirements are met (e.g., coursework). At the option of the committee, the Conditional Pass may include a second partial or complete Exam, not more than 1 semester following the first exam.
- Fail but retake one or both exams. This must occur within 1 semester of the exam. It may be complemented by recommendations of remedial work, such as coursework or significant alterations to the Thesis Proposal. Each exam may be taken only twice.
- Fail and transfer to MA program to complete terminal MA degree. Such an MA must be normally be completed in the semester in which the exam is taken.
- Fail and terminate study in the program without receipt of any degree.
DISSERTATION PROSPECTUS
After students have completed the qualifying exams and all course work (typically early in year four, but at least six months before the defense) they must write a Prospectus of the proposed dissertation research. The Prospectus is an expanded and updated version of the Thesis Proposal previously prepared in advance of the qualifying exam that reflects a more mature understanding of the research that will comprise the Dissertation. It should be a single-spaced, typically 6 pages long. Bibliography, figures and tables should be included on separate pages and do not count in 6-page total.
Students must schedule a committee meeting to discuss and defend the Prospectus with the Dissertation Committee. This meeting offers a chance for committee members to offer meaningful guidance and feedback on the developing research well in advance of the Dissertation Defense. With the approval of the full Committee, the Director of Graduate Studies will sign off on the Prospectus form and submit it to GRS. The Prospectus must filed with the Graduate School at least six months before you intend to defend. E&E urges students to submit prospectuses within six months of passing the qualifying exams.
- Click to see a sample of the Prospectus Approval Form [pdf].
- Download the blank form [pdf].
- Email the prospectus and completed forms to the Graduate Program Coordinator only.
- Click to see a sample prospectus title page [pdf].
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE
Students assemble their dissertation committee with input from their advisor. The dissertation committee oversees and provides feedback on the student’s research, participates in qualifying exams, approves the Dissertation Prospectus, conducts the Final Oral Exam (Dissertation Defense) and signs off on the completed dissertation. Students are encouraged to schedule annual meetings with the full committee to discuss research progress. For the purposes of the qualifying exam, the committee must be made up of at least three BU faculty members. At least two of these members must be Earth and 环境 faculty. The chair of the committee must be a faculty member in Earth & 环境 who is not th
Each committee also must designate a chair who is charged with organizing exam procedures and moderating the oral exam.
The student and the advisor should be clear about when the student meets with the other committee members throughout the process: For instance, does the student meet with committee members together or individually after the prospectus is drafted but before the exams?