Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination evaluates the student’s ability to develop a hypothesis-based research proposal that addresses a specific question in modern biochemistry. The proposal must be presented in written and oral forms. To distinguish the student’s abilities from those of the dissertation advisor, the student may not prepare a proposal related to his or her dissertation research or to research being carried out by other members of the student’s laboratory. The examination tests the student’s ability to defend work described in the proposal and to demonstrate an understanding of the underlying concepts, experimental approaches and designs, and their limitations. Advancement to Ph.D. candidacy depends on successful completion of the oral proposal examination. The qualifying examination process takes place during the late spring of the first year in the Program after course work is completed.