IX. Oral Qualifying Exams

Oral Qualifying Examination: an oral exam where students present their research progress and outline a path to successful completion of their dissertation work.

• Committee Composition- the qualifying examination committee shall consist of at least four examiners, one of whom is not a member of the student’s department. The department shall submit (Committee Nomination of Ph.D. Qualifying Examination memo, which can be found on the Graduate Division website) to the Graduate Division at least one month before the proposed examination a list of four qualified person who are willing to serve on the examination committee, and who meet the following conditions.
  • Committee chair (typically the faculty advisor) who must be tenured
  • The outside member must be either a tenured faculty member from a different discipline on the University of California, Santa Cruz, campus, a tenured faculty member of the same or a different discipline from another academic institution involved in research and graduate education, or a qualified person outside of academia with significant research experience.
  • Two additional members, typically but not necessarily faculty members from the Physics Department
• This rubric covers the five program learning outcomes relevant for the oral qualifying exam and aids the examination committee in evaluation of the student’s qualification as well as providing supplemental feedback to the student
• The examination results should be written as soon as possible after the exam, ideally within a week of the exam, but at most within a month. The committee sends its report to the Graduate Division (Report on Qualifying Examination, which can be found on the Graduate Division website).
• If the student passes the qualifying examination, the department forwards the examination report and the required fee for advancement to candidacy.
• If the student fails the examination, the student will be so informed, and a second (and final) examination will be arranged, unless the department successfully petitions the Graduate Council to waive the right to re-examination. Only under extraordinary circumstances will a committee's membership be altered between a failed examination and the second attempt.
• If the report of a qualifying examination committee or a dissertation committee is not unanimous, the Graduate Division shall, before certifying that the examination is passed, make such investigation of the case as he or she deems necessary and present his or her findings to the Graduate Council for its final disposition of the case.