Regardless of the discipline, one of the key elements of a doctorate is the ability to undertake original research and make contributions to the field. In principle, a doctor should be able to plunge into a field, study the relevant background and literature, identify the landmark contributions, limitations and open problems of the field, and be able to resolve them. The goal of any PhD education is to train you to do this.
In this training, the qualifying exam tests the first part, namely that you are capable of undertaking serious concentrated research in your chosen area. It is designed to evaluate your ability to review literature, clearly and dispassionately analyze findings and claims of authors, assimilate and make connections with previously known results, identify open questions, and suggest directions for future research. You are not required to do original research yourself for this exam. The exam must be taken no later than one semester after the completion of the breadth requirements, but may be taken earlier if you and your advisor feel it is appropriate. If you have any questions about the exam, the expectations, and the procedure followed, please discuss them with your advisor and/or members of the department graduate committee.
You will be examined in two areas that you select in consultation with your advisor. The list of candidate areas is based upon current interests and expertise of the faculty, and therefore subject to evolution. The areas closely track the 600 level graduate courses offered by the Department. Questions about potential new areas, or continuation of existing areas will be resolved by the Department's Graduate Committee. The list of topic areas as of Spring 2004 is:
At the beginning of each semester, all PhD students receive a notice asking for their intention to take the qualifying exam (and the areas). Based on all the responses, the graduate committee makes up, for each area, an exam committee consisting of two faculty experts in the area (one of them is the exam area chair) and an outside member. In addition, a schedule for the exam is also prepared and typically ensures that each area exam is administered (for all the students being examined in that area) in a single time block of a few weeks, and that you don't have to take two exams in the same block.
The precise dates will be fixed by the exam committee chair. Typically, the fall semester exams start in mid September and are completely finished by Thanksgiving. In the spring semester, one exam is usually finished before spring break, and the second one is done after the break.
For each area, the committee will typically assign you a couple of papers, and a set of take-home questions. At the committee's discretion, the papers and/or the questions may be tailored to your individual background and interests. You will be asked to prepare a written report, based on the papers and the questions. The questions may sometimes be specific, in order to help you write your report. However, the report should not simply answer the specific questions. It should be a true critique of the paper: what the authors accomplished, how important their contribution was, what open questions are still unresolved, how one would go about solving them, etc.
You will also take an oral examination on this material. The presentation and defense by the student can be expected to take up most of the examination, but students should expect some general questions in the area, not directly related to the take-home questions.
Duration: The entire process for each area, from handing you the papers and questions to the oral presentation will take a few weeks. After the oral part of the exam, the exam committee makes a recommendation to the faculty. The final decision is made by the entire faculty based on this recommendation, and after a period (of about one week) of comment and discussion.
Decision: The decision will be conveyed to you in writing (email) by the exam chair, and will include detailed feedback on your performance, and (in the case of failure) guidance about what you need to do in the next attempt. At the end of the semester, you will get a letter from the department head informing you of your results in the entire exam.