Preliminary Exams

Preliminary qualifying examinations differ to some extent between departments. Most include a written research proposal on a particular topic plus an oral examination by a committee of faculty members. The examination will center on the research topic, but will also extend to cover the general knowledge expected in the field. Some Departments ask students to write the research proposal on their thesis project, while others involve a research proposal on a different topic.

Prelim Exam Rules

• The preliminary examination must be completed before the end of your third year. Most departments, however, encourage students to take the exam earlier.
• The Graduate School must be informed of the committee composition at least two months prior to the exam (through the Director of Graduate Studies for your PhD-granting Department/Program). For most Departments, the committee that administers the prelim exam is the same as your thesis committee, and you only need to notify the Graduate School once.
• Some Departments do not use the thesis committee to administer the prelim exam. In these cases, the prelim exam committee roster must be submitted to the Graduate School at least two months prior to the prelim exam. After the exam has been passed, you then need to inform both the Graduate School and the CMB Program of the composition of your thesis committee.