Students must identify a research advisor and an exam committee of at least three other faculty from the area to oversee the Qualifier. Students may select committee members from other schools in COC, just so the faculty is qualified. Remember, the committee's judgement (Pass/No-Pass) is binding.
Results
The exam committee is responsible for determining if a student has passed the Qualifier. The results of the Qualifier will be communicated to the school graduate coordinators by the respective area advisor. The student should fill out the CS 9000 Qualifier Form after passing the Exam.
Each student is allowed two opportunities to pass both the area knowledge and creativity components of the examination. The two components are treated independently, so a student need not pass both at the same time. Students who are not able to pass the Qualifier after two attempts will be encouraged to seek a Master's degree, and they will not be able to continue in the doctoral program.
After successfully completing the Qualifier, student focuses on research leading toward a dissertation. Students should register for doctoral dissertation hours (CS 9000) after passing the Qualifier rather than pre-dissertation hours (CS 8999) or Special Problems hours (CS 8903).
The topic of the student's research is formalized through both a written dissertation proposal and an oral presentation.
Create a Research Portfolio
In consultation with your advisor and the committee, assemble a research portfolio before the oral exam. The nature of the portfolio is decided by the committee. The portfolio shall be handed over to the exam committee at least one week prior to the oral exam.
Schedule the Oral Exam
Schedule an oral exam in consultation with the committee. The oral exam should preferably be held before the end of the semester. The oral exam date and the names of the exam committee members should be communicated to the PhD Academic Program Manager (Theresa Nash) in your school.
Written Exam The written exam is always scheduled the Friday before spring break.
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