Qualifying Exams (PhD)


WRITTEN PORTION OF THE QUALIFYING EXAM


The UF-mandated written portion of qualifying exams for PhD students entering with a MS degree should be taken during the student's third semester. For PhD students entering with a BS degree, the PhD written qualifying exam should be conducted in the fifth semester.  These written exams will be organized and administered by the student’s supervisory committee. In this way, the exam will be relevant to the research topic and background of each student.  The exam should be open book in format, and answers based on the modern literature and key papers in the discipline area.  Each committee member (usually 5) will be expected to contribute one question and evaluate the answer to that question, and one of the committee (other than the chair) should coordinate the exam.  The student will be given one week to complete the written answers.  Length of answer for each question is limited to 3 typed single-spaced pages (including figures), with an additional page for references.  The exam coordinator will gather the evaluations of the written answers and inform the student of the results as soon as possible.

Questions? For additional details on the qualifying exam, see the FAQ.  If your question isn't answered, check with the grad coordinator.

ORAL PORTION OF THE QUALIFYING EXAM


The second part of the Ph.D. qualifying exams will consist of an oral exam focused on the presentation and justification of the student’s prospectus/dissertation topic. It will also be a follow-up to the written exam.  The oral  portion of the qualifying exams for PhD candidates should be conducted by the supervisory committee in the fourth semester  for students entering with a MS degree and the 6th semester for students entering with a BS degree.  The maximum duration of the oral portion of the exam will be three hours.  Each committee member will have at least 1/2 hour to question the student.  Involvement of non-committee faculty members in the oral part of the exam will be limited to the time available after each committee member has utilized his/her allotted time.  Evaluations of the student’s performance by non-committee faculty members will be taken into consideration by the supervisory committee.  Only members of the supervisory committee will be eligible to vote on whether or not the student passes or fails the qualifying exam.  Students will be allowed only two opportunities to pass the qualifying exam.  A retake of this exam must be scheduled no sooner than one semester after the first attempt. 

Admission to Candidacy: Following the successful completion of the qualifying exam, the student is ready for formal admission to candidacy.  This form, obtained from the Program Assistant, can be signed at the Oral Exam. Once the student has been accepted by the college as an “official” Ph.D. Candidate, they register for GLY 7980 (Doctoral Research), as opposed to GLY 7979. By UF rules, the final dissertation defense can occur a minimum of two semesters after the oral qualifying exam.  The departmental expectation for normal progress is that this exam should be completed by the end of the 4th semester by students with a previous M.S. degree in a related field or by the end of the 6th semester for students entering with a B.S. degree.


Be sure to bring the Candidacy form to your Oral Exam so that the committee can sign! Contact the program assistant in the geology office for this form.