The oral exam aims to examine the student’s grasp of the topic presented as well as of related topics, and mastery of the basic principles and methods of the discipline. For PhD students, this is also to test the student’s readiness for dissertation research in the chosen field of specialization.

Process

Student must submit an Abstract of his/her oral presentation by email to the IC Director (the DDRE must be cc’d in the email). Note that you will only be allowed to take the oral exam if you have already passed your written exams.

Schedule

For 1st sem AY 2025-2026, the deadline for Abstract submission is on October 17. Oral exams will be scheduled in November.

Guidelines

	Comprehensive	Candidacy
Intended for	MS Non-Thesis Option	PhD
Minimum Requirements	Passed Preliminary exam	Passed Qualifying exam
Additional Requirements	Submission of an abstract on the research topic (include a list of references)	Submission of an abstract on the research proposal
Mode	Oral presentation of chosen research topic followed by Q&A	Oral presentation of research proposal followed by Q&A
Purpose	To examine the student’s grasp of the topic presented as well as of related topics, and mastery of the basic principles and methods of the discipline	To examine the student’s grasp of the chosen field of specialization, mastery of the basic principles and methods of the discipline, and readiness for dissertation research in the chosen field of specialization
Passing Requirements	Must demonstrate understanding of research articles and the ability to consolidate and communicate the information   3 out of 4 panel members must give a PASS	Must demonstrate the ability to formulate a research problem, and to propose experiments to investigate the problem   3 out of 4 panel members must give a PASS
Time Limit	4 hours maximum	4 hours maximum
Examiners	A panel of 4 senior faculty chosen by the IC GradCom after evaluating the abstract	A panel of 4 senior faculty chosen by the IC GradCom after evaluating the abstract   The dissertation adviser must not be part of the panel.
Repeat Policy	Students who fail the oral exam will be allowed to retake within 1 year after the 1st exam. Failing the 2nd exam disqualifies the student from the MS program.	Students who fail the oral exam will be allowed to retake within 1 year after the 1st exam. Failing the 2nd exam disqualifies the student from the PhD program.   Pick-up may still be given if the student demonstrates the passing requirements for MS Non-thesis, even if they fail the PhD requirement.
Other Exam Parameters	Must include at least 5 references from the last five years	The topic must not be the student’s dissertation topic. The dissertation adviser must not be involved, except to certify that the topic is different from the thesis during panel selection.   Assume unlimited budget and availability of all chemicals and instruments.
Schedule	To be negotiated with panel members For 1st sem: November For 2nd sem: May	To be negotiated with panel members For 1st sem: November For 2nd sem: May