The qualifying examination tests primarily your research proposal and your research competence. You should begin the examination with an oral dissertation proposal (no longer than 1/2 hour of prepared material). This proposal will give rise to questions from the examining committee. While the examination centers around your dissertation topic, it also assesses the depth and breadth of your knowledge, and your aptitude in approaching and solving fundamental research problems. The examination is scheduled for 3 hours and normally occurs within two years of the preliminary examination.
When you are ready to take the qualifying examination you should submit a letter to the Graduate Advisor outlining a timetable for meeting the PhD milestones. The letter should include your preliminary examination date (and if necessary, how certain conditions imposed by the preliminary examination committee after a previous failed attempt were satisfied), course work completed and to be completed, an abstract of your research topic, and expected completion of the teaching requirement. This letter must be approved by your Faculty Advisor.
After the Graduate Advisor approves your request letter, you must pick up PhD Form I from the Graduate Coordinator. Submit PhD Form I at least four weeks in advance of your scheduled exam date. PhD Form I is used to propose a Qualifying Examination Committee. You should complete Form I in consultation with your Faculty Advisor. The committee must have five (5) members who are tenure-track UC faculty and voting members of the Academic Senate. Three members of this committee must be UCI MAE faculty. One member must be a UC faculty member from outside the MAE Department. Your Faculty Advisor serves as technical chair of the committee. After the committee is assembled, PhD Form I should be submitted for approval to the Department Chair.
After approval of your Qualifying Examination Committee you must take the qualifying examination. All members of the Qualifying Examination Committee must be present at the exam. At least 2 weeks prior to the examination, you should provide the committee members with a preparation package containing a proposed table of contents for the dissertation, a program plan, an outline of work completed, an outline of work remaining, a bibliography, and any other pertinent information. Inform the Graduate Coordinator of the time and place of the examination, so that your file and PhD Form I will be available for the exam.
After passing your qualifying examination, the Qualifying Examination Committee will give you the signed PhD Form I. PhD Form I describes the results of your qualifying examination, and lists members of your Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee consists of 3 members of your qualifying examination committee, and is normally organized immediately following your qualifying examination. Your Faculty Advisor is chair of your Dissertation Committee. You must submit Form I (along with a $50 candidacy fee) to the Office of Graduate Studies to be advanced to candidacy in the PhD program.
If you do not pass your qualifying examination, you must fulfill the conditions imposed by the qualifying examination committee before reapplying to take the exam.