Your Qualifying Exams (QEs) are a series of tasks related to your research which you must complete, and pass, during your first two years in the program. While some programs use subject-based tests for the QEs, ours is entirely based on each student's individual research project. While there are exceptions made for extenuating circumstances, each student will complete the following 3 QEs at the listed time.
Qualifying Exam 1 (After finals in Spring of your first year) The first QE is a 40-minute (30 min talk + 10 min questions) literature review over your field of research. We schedule for all first years to perform these together, typically blocking off 2-3 days with back-to-back talks. During this presentation, you're expected to summarize the research that has been done in your field leading up to your project, as well as any pertinent background information, which will lead up to the hole which your project will fill. These talks are open to the entire department, and your grading is based on evaluation forms each audience-member will fill out. If you fail, you'll be allowed the opportunity for a makeup presentation within one month of the original presentation.
Qualifying Exam 2 (Fall of your second year) Your second QE includes both a written and oral component, both of which are delivered directly to your dissertation committee (composed of your research advisor + 3 other PIs who you feel can best help you in your project). You're expected to write a 2500-word formal research proposal laying out the project you plan to use for your dissertation. You must also schedule a meeting with your committee where you will present the same proposal and accept questions regarding the project. After the meeting has concluded, your committee will kick you out of the room while they decide if you passed or failed, and once they agree you'll be invited back in to discuss. If you fail, you'll be allowed to try again by the following January.
As QE2 tends to be the most challenging, here are a few resources to help you out:
Qualifying Exam 3 (Spring of your second year) Your third QE is another presentation given directly to your committee, in which you will update them on the progress you've made toward your project goals. In a 30-minute presentation, you'll describe the experiments you've performed and the results obtained, as well as what you are planning to do in the future. The purpose of this QE is for your committee to see that you are successfully designing, conducting, and interpreting experiments, and that you've shown a good work ethic in your time so far. This is the only QE where, if you fail, you will not be allowed a redo. You won't be able to continue with a PhD, but you can still obtain an MS degree for the work you accomplished in these 2 years.