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How the PhD Program Works

Program Overview

Completing your doctorate at Wharton requires 5 years of full-time study. The first 2 years in the program prepare you for admission to candidacy by taking courses, qualifying exams, and starting research projects. In the last few years, you are primarily conducting research full-time including writing and defending your doctoral dissertation.

Admission to candidacy.

You begin by taking courses required for your program of study. All programs requires a preliminary exam, which may be either oral or written.

Some programs may have further requirements, such as an additional exam or research paper. If you enter with a master’s degree or other transfer credit, you may satisfy the formal course requirements more quickly.

Beginning the Wharton PhD Curriculum How the first two years of the Wharton program helped students discover their interests, learn the tools of the profession, and fuel their passion for teaching.

The Doctoral Dissertation

Upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, you are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies.

Your doctoral dissertation should contain original research that meets standards for published scholarship in your field. You are expected to be an expert in the topic you choose to research.

You are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, but you can start thinking about and working on research of relevance at any time.

The dissertation process culminates with a “defense,” in which you defend the proposal orally before your dissertation committee.

While working on your dissertation, you interact extensively with Wharton faculty. Together with interested faculty, you create your own research community that includes your dissertation advisor and dissertation committee.

Policies and Procedures

Get more detailed explanation of course requirements, academic standards, the Teacher Development Program, time limits, and dissertation procedures and requirements.

Sample Program Sequence

Years 1 & 2.

Coursework Examination Research Papers Research Activities Field-Specific Requirements

Directed Reading & Research Admission to Candidacy Formulation of Research Topic

Years 4 & 5

Continued Research Oral Examination Dissertation

Hear From Our Doctoral Community

How wharton makes it easy to be successful, uniting great minds, wharton’s stat bridge ma program takes flight, faculty expertise in housing economics attracted this phd student to wharton.

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Participants gather for a group photo at the ODU Graduate Program in International Studies’ Annual Graduate Research Conference. College of Arts and Letters

Student Guide: The Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

Introduction.

The comprehensive examination is a critical part of the GPIS PhD program. You should not view it simply as a bureaucratic hurdle to pass over on your way to the dissertation. Instead, before embarking on narrowly focused dissertation work, the comprehensive examination establishes that you have the broad familiarity and expertise with the field that is the mark of a doctoral education. It is the checkpoint that confirms that you are ready to pass from being a student to a scholar. The process of preparing for the comprehensive exam should help you organize and reflect on the variety of things you have learned over the past few years. While to this point, each of your seminars has been a distinct learning experience, you now can think about how your interdisciplinary work in international studies fits together. Preparation for the comprehensive exam should help you become better able to integrate and utilize the knowledge you have gained in your graduate study. It is also critically important for embarking on the dissertation. The best dissertations are effectively connected to the central questions and literature of the field. Unless you have developed an integrated overview of the field you will not have the necessary foundation for dissertation work.

The Comprehensive Character of the PhD Examination

It is important to note that the comprehensive PhD examination is not simply a test of your cumulative knowledge of seminar materials. It is, rather, a test of your preparation to work as an independent scholar at the highest level. By now you should be functioning like a scholar, and not just like a student. You should be aware of the major journals in your field and should be paying attention to them. You should know what the most important books, articles, and debates are regardless of whether they were used in your classes. It may have been a few years since you took IR theory, but it is unlikely that the scholars who work in that area have stopped pushing the field forward to wait for you to get through the comprehensive exams.

The Written Comprehensive Examination Process

The written comprehensive exams are usually scheduled for a Friday and Monday the weekend before the start of the new semester. You will do your major field on one day and your minor field on the other. We will try to schedule your major field for Friday and your minor field for Monday, but the order will be determined by the scheduling needs of the full set of students taking the written comprehensives on a given day. You will have eight hours to complete each part of the exam. The exam is closed book and no notes or other aids of any kind are allowed. For each of your fields you will be given five questions from which you will choose two to answer.

The Written Exam Grading

The exam will be graded by the appointed Doctoral Candidacy Examination Committee. The committee will usually, but not always, include the Committee Chair, and directors of the relevant tracks. It will usually take about two weeks to get the written exams graded.

Passing the Written Comprehensive Exam

Different examiners may read the exams in different ways, and it is the student's responsibility to write answers that are generally accessible and appealing across the variety of GPIS faculty. Most readers will be looking for a clear and direct answer to the question, evidence of familiarity and facility with the important literature, and an ability to integrate theory and empirical cases.

To pass the comprehensive exam, students must not receive more than one failing evaluation from a committee member.

Failing the Written Comprehensive Exam

Our goal and expectations are that every student will pass the comprehensive examination. The exam is not designed to be a barrier. It is meant to be a straightforward assessment of the student's command of their declared fields and their preparation to move on to the challenges of writing the dissertation. Nonetheless, and precisely because the exam is conceptualized as an assessment of this preparedness to move on, it plays a very important role in your doctoral education. Students who do not demonstrate an effective grasp of the relevant literature and empirics or who do not effectively and explicitly answer the questions as asked will not pass.

Students who do not pass the written portion of the exam on the first attempt will have to retake the exam in a subsequent semester. Failure on the second attempt will prevent the student from going on to write a dissertation. At the discretion of the examination committee, the failing student may be awarded the MA degree if the performance and coursework so merit, and if they do not already have a GPIS MA.

The Oral Comprehensive Examination process

Doctoral candidates are expected to be able to communicate effectively and knowledgeably both in writing and orally. Thus, the comprehensive examinations have both a written and an oral component.

The oral portion of the comprehensive examination will take place about three weeks after the written. Three to five faculty members will administer the examination. The examiners will usually, but not necessarily, include the Director or Associate Director of GPIS and the track coordinators from the student's major and minor fields. The examination will last about one hour. Each examiner will have a chance to ask questions, but the format will often shift between relatively structured questioning and a more free-flowing discussion.

The discussion will center on the student's answers for the written exam (students may use their written exam). The scope of the exam is not, however, limited to that material. The examiners will be looking to fill in any perceived gaps in the written work, and to assess the student's facility more generally with the literature and empirical material.

Passing the Oral Comprehensive Exam

Passing the oral comprehensive exam is a matter of convincing the committee members that you have an appropriate mastery of the central material of the field and are prepared to go on to focused and independent work on a dissertation. To pass, you must not receive more than one negative vote from a member of the examining committee.

Failing the Oral Comprehensive Exam

Students who do not pass the oral exam will be asked to return in one month for a second oral exam. Students who do not pass on the second attempt will not be allowed to continue for the PhD.

Tips for Preparing for the PhD Comprehensive Exam

The most important preparation for the PhD comprehensive examination is the GPIS coursework you have completed. Reviewing the notes and materials from your seminars and trying to organize it around some integrative themes is essential preparation. The following pages offer some further suggestions for effective preparation for the comprehensive examination, and for ensuring a strong examination performance.

1. Take appropriate classes

In consultation with your adviser and other faculty, be sure to select a variety of classes that will give you the broad background you need for the comprehensive exam. It is particularly important that you choose classes that will help you gain both a breadth of field knowledge, and a depth of knowledge in a few critical areas. The seminar papers you write should particularly help you develop depth in a few critical areas.

2. Keep effective class notes and reading notes

You should be thinking about preparation for the comprehensive exams from the beginning of your program. Keeping your seminar and reading notes in an organized manner will allow for more effective comprehensive exam review. You will particularly want to be careful about the material in the core classes.

You may find it useful to develop reading notes at different levels of depth. There may be a set of books and articles for which you will have 2-3 page summaries. There may be a second, larger, group for which you have paragraph length descriptions. Finally you should have a third very large group for which you have a sentence for each reading that gives you the central thrust of the argument.

3. Work on exam preparation in groups

Working with others can help you share the labor of summarizing and reviewing material. You can work with others on identifying the critical literature and on developing answers to hypothetical test questions.

4. Pay particular attention to the broad literature of international relations theory that will help you in answering a wide variety of questions

Many of the questions across the different tracks will benefit from an effective understanding of the broad currents and debates of international relations theory. One of the things a graduate education should help you do is to apply general theory to a variety of specific situations. Displaying that ability on the comprehensive exam is a good idea.

5. Identify some historical periods and important episodes and issues around which you will develop a particular expertise

Alas, no one can know everything about everything. You will see in this collection of sample questions that it is relatively rare for a question to demand knowledge of a particular event or historical period. Nonetheless, you will also see that you are often called upon to identify a critical historical period or event. You will be expected to evince in-depth knowledge of some issues or areas. Effective in-depth knowledge of a few critical issue areas or historical episodes can help you generate appropriate material for a wide variety of questions.

6. Identify some important literature with which you will be particularly familiar

You need to have a good feel for a very broad range of literature. For a lot of books and articles, remembering the author and the central thrust of their argument and evidence will serve you adequately for the comprehensives. But, just as it is essential that you have a greater depth of knowledge about a few historical episodes are critical issues, you will want to have a set of books and articles that you know extremely well. You should have an identified set of readings that you are confident you can apply to a reasonable range of questions and that you know very well and can talk about with some depth and sophistication.

7. Practice for the exam

Using the material in this booklet, you should write some practice exams. At the beginning you may want to take several hours and write an answer with open book resources. By the end you should be practicing with closed notes and a two-hour clock to simulate exam conditions. Such practice will not only help you think about how you will engage in the actual task of taking the exam, but will give you collection of sample answers that may be easily adapted to the real test questions. Just be careful that you don't mistakenly provide the answer to a similar old question and miss the slightly changed terms or requirements that are likely to show up in the real test.

The process of preparing practice exams is another area where working in groups can be extremely helpful. Having a study group can give you a larger stock of practice answers and will allow you to get feedback and to discuss the appropriate sources and arguments for a given question.

Tips for Writing an Effective Comprehensive Exam

1. Make sure you answer the questions explicitly and clearly.

The most common comprehensive exam mistake is to not explicitly and clearly answer the question. Read the question very carefully and make sure that you offer an explicit answer to the question. Do not rely on the readers to draw out implicit answers.

2. Make appropriate reference to the literature and relevant scholarly debates.

You will not, of course, be expected to provide detailed citations. But, you should demonstrate familiarity and facility with a range of the literature. You should be able to appropriately reference the scholars whose arguments are relevant to a particular issue. You may occasionally include the name of a book or article and the date of its publication.

3. Make appropriate use of theory and of empirical and historical knowledge.

If appropriately done, it is particularly effective to use theory to inform answers on history questions and history to inform answers on theory questions.

4. Write full answers that are structured with an introduction and conclusion.

As in all writing, structure and organization are important to effective communication. Just because it is a time-limited exam is no excuse for jumbled, incoherent writing. Take the time to think through and outline your argument and its structure before you write. As in all writing, signposting, headings, and clear explicit language can help communicate your ideas. Provide a clear introduction and conclusion that can help you summarize your central point and will reassure the readers that you have, in fact, explicitly answered the question.

5. Make an argument

As a scholar prepared to embark on independent thesis work, it is important that you demonstrate an ability to effectively articulate your own views. The comprehensive exam is not just about knowing the literature. It is also about demonstrating that you can think about international issues critically and come to your own conclusions. Avoid wishy-washy answers that simply describe some of the ideas extant in the field and then conclude that they are all correct. Take a stand and defend it with appropriate theoretical, analytical, and empirical material.

6. Make choices

You will notice that most of the questions are a lot bigger than can be fully answered in the two-hours you will have on average during the written exam. You have to make choices on how you will answer so that you can display your breadth and depth of knowledge while satisfying the committee that you have effectively addressed the question. It usually helps if you can be explicit about how you are managing the question ("While there are, of course, idiosyncratic elements in the complex relationship of each President to his national security team, I will focus in this short essay on the difficult relationship between Jimmy Carter, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Cyrus Vance because it effectively illuminates the problems every foreign policy team must face"). It is rarely a good strategy to try to present a broad and superficial survey of too many things ("In this essay I will discuss the relationship of each Post-WWII American president with his respective Secretaries of State and Defense").

7. Don't make big mistakes

This, of course, is common sense, but I can't overemphasize how difficult it is to certify someone as ready to move onto writing a dissertation who fundamentally misunderstands some essential literature, or who demonstrates a wanton disregard for historical accuracy.

Tips for the Oral Examination

1. Attitude matters

Attitude is important in the oral examination, just as it will be for the remainder of your career as a scholar. As a doctoral candidate, you should be able to present your views with confidence, but without becoming defensive. The examiners are likely to push against your views and expect to see you defend them effectively, but not irrationally.

The best way to figure out the right attitude is to attend the presentations of others at research workshops, dissertation defenses, and conferences. Start paying attention to the style as well as the substance. Take note of how other scholars deal with difficult questions and criticisms. What works and what doesn't work? What makes them sound defensive? What makes them sound arrogant? What makes them sound indecisive?

2. Being nervous is inevitable

It is likely that you will be nervous. How you perform when nervous is not irrelevant to your career as a scholar. You need to demonstrate that despite being nervous you can engage in appropriate scholarly discussion.

3. We probably know more than you, but knowing everything isn't required

It is likely that all together, the three to five professors conducting the examination know some things that you don't. With some pushing, they will probably be able to find out what some of those things are. We don't expect you to know everything. We do expect you to communicate effective knowledge of a broad range of subjects, and explicit and deep knowledge of a few selected areas.

4. Practice

The best way to practice for the oral exam is to speak up and engage in discussion in your seminars, in research workshops, and at conferences. If you aren't prepared to express and defend your views in the seminar setting, it is unlikely that you will be prepared to do so in the oral exam.

5. Work with other students

Again, preparing for the comprehensive examinations with other students will help you both with the substance and with the process. Scholarly discussions of exam questions with other students will give you the chance to practice articulating and defending your views with appropriate references to the literature and empirical facts.

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS

This examination will be conducted in a BAL Computer lab. In an emergency, you must inform the proctor immediately.

You may take short breaks (5-10 minutes) as needed
You are not permitted to leave the building under any circumstance
Food and beverages should be consumed during the exam
Save your work often on the flash drive provided
If any problems occur, notify the proctor immediately
The examination is closed book and no notes or other aids including cell phone are allowed
You will be given a blue book, pen, and pencil for writing notes
Once the exam begins the computer browsers will be locked down
You must sign and return the honor pledge provided

The ODU Honor Pledge will be strictly enforced, and you will be asked to sign off on this pledge on the date of the exam:

I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a member of the academic community it is my responsibility to turn in all suspected violations of the Honor Code. I will report to a hearing if summoned.

~Honor Pledge

On the day of the exam arrive 5-10 minutes early to log into the computer and be ready to start promptly at 8:30 a.m. when the exam questions are distributed.

You will receive the exam questions, a flash drive, a blue book for notes and the honor pledge to sign and return to the proctor. Use the flash drive to save your work and give to the proctor at the end of the exam.

The examination consists of two parts.

Part 1 - questions will be on your MAJOR concentration

Part 2 - questions will be on your MINOR concentration

On both days you must answer TWO out of five questions. The questions are written broadly, but your essays must remain explicitly responsive to what is asked; simply referencing texts is not sufficient. Time is ample and running out of time is not an option. Ending early is also not advised. The examination will conclude at 4:30 p.m. and all answers must be saved on the flash drive and turned in.

Guidelines to Answering Questions

(These are the instructions that come with the exam)

There will be five questions. You must answer two.
The exam lasts a total of eight hours. Allocate your time accordingly and make sure that each question has a concluding section.
answer the questions as they are raised and not as you wish they had been raised b. illustrate your answer with appropriate empirical examples c. cite relevant sources d. make proper references to important interpretative debates, when appropriate
how effectively you address each of the questions b. how well you know and manage your facts c. how soundly you handle and cite the literature d. how well you have developed and organized your argument e. the quality of your writing
errors of fact b. misattribution of arguments in text and/or citation c. spurious citation of literature d. presentation of answer in bullet point format e. failure to develop coherent argument

Past Field Questions

American foreign policy.

According to Henry Kissinger, "It is an illusion to believe that leaders gain in profundity while they gain experience.... The connections that leaders have formed before reaching high office are the intellectual capital they will consume" during their time in office. Explain and discuss this assessment, which Kissinger made after he had served as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, with explicit references to two high level foreign policy practitioners during the two decades that followed the US intervention in World War II (1941-1961).
"Our security, our vitality, and our ability to lead," recently observed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, "must be based on a marriage of principle and pragmatism, not rigid ideology, on facts and evidence, not conviction or prejudice." Explain and discuss in the context of two high level foreign policy practitioners during the immediate postwar decade (1945-1965).
Identify TWO crises, events, or issues that best characterize the latter part of the Cold War and its immediate aftermath (from January 1981 to January 2001). Do NOT describe any of these crises, events or issues at length but single out the features and patterns that best explain why these are so closely identified, in your judgment, with this initial post-Cold War period.
Describe and discuss the evolution of U.S. policies toward any country (except the USSR/Russia) or region of your choice during a 6-year period of your choice, extended from January 1981 to January 2001. To introduce your answer, explain your choice of the period you wish to discuss. To conclude, explain the relevance of that region or country to current U.S. interests and policies.
Whatever might be said about the events of September 11, 2001 and the wars that followed, their consequences have been epochal - meaning, system changing. After a quick review of these events, examine the conditions of what has been called a new "post-American world." What do you think of this emerging world: first, from the narrow perspective of U.S. interests, capabilities and purpose; but also, next, from the broader perspective of power and order during the coming decade? 2. "The United States," it has been noted, "never experienced what other nations experienced in achieving a position of world power. It moved within a very brief period from a position of isolation to one of global leadership, it has never been a mere nation among other nations." Explain and discuss the influence of the nation's distinctive past on the US role in the world in the twentieth century.

TRANSNATIONALISM AND INTERDEPENDENCE

Great speculation exists on the extent to which the United States is in decline. Drawing on the central concepts and knowledge of the track, and on your broader study in the program, to what extent do you believe America is in decline? What factors could hasten or reverse this decline at the global level, insofar as you see it in play?
To what extent, if any, is the world safer in the post-Cold War era? In what measure have transnational threats (terrorism, migration, energy interdependence, etc) replaced the threats inherent in the Cold War?
Drawing on your coursework in this program, and especially on your courses in this track, to what extent do you think that the effects of anarchy can be tempered or lessened in world politics?
Realists tend to assume that world politics is cyclical; and that the basic elements of world politics do not change much over time (such as power, balance of power politics, the centrality of states, and conflict). To what extent do you agree with this key realist assumption?
To what extent, if at all, does interdependence decrease inter-state conflict in world politics?

INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY

From World War II to the present, states have constructed regimes to manage some-but not all-aspects of the international economy. A once-strong regime to manage trade has weakened since the 1990s. Likewise, with the abandonment of dollar-gold convertibility in 1973, a robust regime to manage monetary relations collapsed. Conversely, states originally left finance unregulated but in 1988 created and progressively have strengthened rules to manage international banking. And in production, the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment collapsed in 1998 without ever securing necessary multilateral support. What explains these variations in institutions, both across issue areas and over the course of the last 65 years?
The integration of gendered analyses of globalization has led to a substantive body of literature within the field of international studies. Imagine that an international studies department hires you to design and teach a graduate seminar on gender and globalization. What theoretical and empirical movements within the field would your seminar emphasize? How would you elucidate the central connections between gender and globalization? In your essay response, please explain how your choice of authors, themes and content provides an innovative approach to teaching graduate students about the complex interconnections between gender and global restructuring.
After the May 2010 parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom, one observer wrote: The outcome in Britain underscores a problem roiling so many democracies. The economic change brought about by globalization and technological advances is not creating the happy, unified world of progress its promoters keep promising. Instead, it is splitting regions within nations that are fully part of the global market from those left behind. Does globalization foster or undermine democracy? Your answer should address at least one of the following dimensions of democracy: political behavior, democratic institutions, responsiveness, equality, and legitimacy. Please illustrate your argument using one democratic state of your choice.
Numerous scholars argue that historical experiences condition a nation-state's contemporary political economy. That is, a state's past policies for economic development may profoundly affect its contemporary prospects for industrialization, the reduction of poverty, and the development of political institutions. To what degree are development and democratization path-dependent processes? Can states in the contemporary political economy escape the tyranny of their history? If so, how? If not, why not?
Developing states face different economic, political and social challenges than do the wealthiest and most powerful states. Can international political economy offer us a coherent set of theoretical tools to explain such diverse problems in the global economy? Or must it rely upon ad-hoc, degenerative hypothesizing to accommodate such empirical challenges? To illustrate your theoretical argument, please compare at least one developing and one developed state.

CONFLICT AND COOPERATION

For a region of your choice identify two instances of cooperation between states that advanced/improved the regional security environment. Explain your selections in detail. Choose your examples from the last decade.
The spread of nuclear weapons is often cited as a major challenge to the international community. How might this threat best be countered? Your answer should critically review state policies and institutional responses.
In an increasingly global security environment it is far from obvious how security should be organized. Reflecting on what you have learned, how would you conceptualize a 21st century security order? Why would you conceptualize it this way?
To what extent does the transatlantic security community exist? Is it strong and if so, why? Is it weak and if so, why? What factors/developments are likely to determine its future?
For a region of your choice, discuss two events or developments over the past decade that have significantly affected regional expectations about conflict and cooperation. In your answer, make sure to demonstrate familiarity with the scholarly literature and debates at the policy levels.
Virtually absent from national policy agendas since the end of the Cold War, arms control is back. From a scholarly perspective and against the background of Cold War arms control, how do you evaluate the return of arms control, the emerging arms control agenda, and arms control's contribution to international peace and stability?
How useful are policies of deterrence in a global security environment?
From your understanding of the scholarly literature, single out two contributors whose work(s) you think have been critical in advancing the field of Security Studies. Carefully explain your choices.
Critical theorists have issued a number of challenges to traditional understandings of peace and security. Identify three such challenges and discuss. Ultimately, do these challenges represent anomalies, in the Kuhnian sense, or are they the products of normal science?

COMPARATIVE AND REGIONAL STUDIES

Both Rational-Choice and Political-Culture theories are prominent approaches in the field of comparative sociopolitical studies. What are the similarities and differences between these two approaches in terms of their intellectual geneses, theoretical assumptions, and major arguments (or hypotheses)? Discuss the major strengths and weaknesses of each approach.
New Institutionalism is believed to have succeeded the so-called "Old" Institutionalism in comparative sociopolitical studies. Explain the intellectual genesis, theoretical assumptions and major arguments (or hypotheses) of the New Institutionalism. In what respects is the New Institutionalism similar to and different from the Old Institutionalism? Do you think that the New Institutionalism has helped advance comparative sociopolitical studies? Why or why not?
Some analysts of comparative studies have advocated Statism, emphasizing the profound role of the state in shaping socioeconomic and sociopolitical developments in various countries. Explain theoretical assumptions and major arguments (or hypotheses) of Statism. Do you agree with Statism's arguments for the importance of the state (vs. society)? Why or why not?
Social movement and revolution
Democratization
Social capital
To study socioeconomic development in different regions or countries, scholars have developed two distinct approaches: Modernization Theory and Dependency Theory. Briefly explain these two approaches in terms of their fundamental assumptions and theoretical arguments. Which theory do you prefer when studying socioeconomic development in developing countries? Use evidence from any region(s) or country (countries) with which you are familiar to support your reference.

INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL STUDIES

Explain the social construction of culture(s) and its significance to current political economic realities.
Cite a case study of a post-colonial critique of nationalism. Explain the role of the imperial power and how that is legitimized or not.
How is the concept of "nation" constructed in Modernity? How is this construction relevant to issues in international studies? Cite case studies where appropriate.
Explain how cultural studies theories are important to the study and practice of international relations.
Explain the importance of the media in the construction or reflection of the identity of immigrant, multicultural or diaspora communities.
Graduate Program in International Studies (GPIS)
7045 Batten Arts & Letters
Norfolk, VA 23529

Program Director

Regina Karp

NORFOLK, VA 23529
[email protected]

NATO Accreditation

NATO, a military alliance of 31 North American and European countries, accredited the ODU GPIS degree program as a "Selected Program" for alliance members' education and training. Currently, no other civilian academic institutions have been awarded the "Selected Program" designation by NATO.

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Section 9: PhD Candidacy Examination: Overview, Committee, and Process

9.1 candidacy overview.

Qualifying conditions and the candidacy examination, written and oral portions, must be passed prior to the student's admission to candidacy for the PhD degree (i.e., the part of the program dealing mainly with research and dissertation progress). The purpose of the Candidacy Examination is to assess the student’s knowledge base and thinking ability to make a determination of their suitability to continue towards independent research and a doctoral degree. The sequence and timing of the examination is at the discretion of the student's research advisor after all courses on the approved program of study have been taken. Exceptions typically can be made for required credit hours for seminar.

With advisor approval, requests to take the exam concurrent with a final course can be made to the BMEGSC. Students who pass candidacy should have no more classes to take, and are expected to register for no more than 3 credits per term unless approved by the student’s GRA or GTA supervisor or funding source.

A student must be registered for at least 3 credit hours in each term in which any part of the candidacy examination is taken. A unanimous vote of the committee members is required for the student to pass the exam. The student is admitted to candidacy at the end of the term in which the Candidacy Examination is passed. The examination can be taken only twice and the second time, only on recommendation of the Candidacy Examination Committee. For complete details, see the GSH.

9.2 Composition of the Candidacy Examination Committee

The candidacy examination committee will consist of at least 4 graduate faculty members, including at least one core BME departmental faculty member, and will be chaired by the research advisor, who must have level-P graduate faculty status in BME. The composition of the committee must be approved by the BMEGSC when the completed PhD program of study is submitted. Faculty signatures imply both approval of the program and membership on the student’s candidacy committee. The approved program and committee must be on file with the Graduate Studies Office before the end of the second Autumn semester (or the student’s third term of enrollment). Approval of the candidacy committee must be requested in the cover letter attached to the proposed program of study. Students should be sure to work closely with their candidacy committee to ensure satisfactory and efficient progress and preparation toward the dissertation topic.

9.3 Identifying Candidacy Committee Members

The student and research advisor are responsible for identifying faculty in areas related to the student’s program of study and research. The additional committee members must have M or P graduate faculty status. Questions about graduate faculty status may be directed to the Graduate Studies Coordinator. The student is responsible for carefully screening and asking faculty to serve on their committee and for obtaining their approvals to serve via the program of study.

Q: Can external non-voting members serve on the candidacy examination committee?

With BMEGSC permission, a petition can be made to the Graduate School to include additional members. In some cases, it may work well to add unofficial non-voting members to the dissertation committee instead. Clinical faculty and external researchers commonly serve on dissertation committees. See GSH for petition details.

9.4 Qualifying Conditions for Candidacy: Courses, Fundamental GPA, and Proposal

The purpose of qualifying conditions is to determine if a student’s academic record is strong enough to indicate a good chance of success towards a doctoral degree. Prior to taking the Candidacy Examination a student must:

Satisfactorily complete the approved program of study. (The BMEGSC will consider requests for students to take the exam prior to completing their entire course of study in unusual circumstances.)
Students achieving an average GPA between 3.00 and 3.35 on the four BME fundamental courses may petition the BMEGSC for permission to take a 5 th required BME fundamental course – selected with the help of their advisor – and have their average recomputed after dropping the lowest grade.
Students achieving less than a 3.00 in the four required BME fundamental courses (or less than 3.35 after the recomputation above) will be allowed to continue towards an MS degree but will not be allowed to sit for their candidacy examination.
The student will prepare a research proposal in their chosen domain(s) which will include a clearly stated goal: either an original (i.e., distinct from the advisor’s current research) Hypothesis, or a Technology Development objective; Specific Aims; a review and analysis of the relevant literature; a series of proposed experiments; and a discussion of the data to be collected and the means by which it will be analyzed.

Adherence to a standard grant format (e.g., NIH R-21 or NSF format) as selected by the Candidacy Examination committee is suggested. The candidate will provide the proposal to his/her research advisor at least three full weeks prior to the oral portion of the candidacy exam. The advisor or student is responsible for distributing the proposal to the candidacy examination committee, who will evaluate the quality of the proposal and determine if the student has satisfactorily completed this condition.

9.5 Written Candidacy Examination

The written portion of the exam will consist of one question from each of the candidacy committee members, sent to the research advisor. The student’s research advisor is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the exam, and must make sure the student has no less than one full week to complete all parts of the written exam, not including holidays. Each candidacy examination committee member will provide one question to the advisor that may be directly based on the research proposal (i.e. typical review-type question) or may be based on the research area described by the candidate. Questions also may be based on coursework and/or ask for a critical review of the literature in a certain area. Each question may include multiple parts. The student is required to submit all written responses to both the committee member and the research advisor in the time period set by the advisor.

The entire written exam may be taken over an extended period of time, not to exceed one month. It is not uncommon for written exams to be completed over the course of 7 to 10 days. The oral portion should take place no later than one month past the date of the last written exam, but no sooner than one week after the date of the last written exam. The advisor is responsible for communicating with the committee about BME procedures and policies. This is especially important when the committee is composed of faculty outside of BME who will require guidance on what to expect.

9.6 Oral Candidacy Examination

The student may give a brief presentation of their pre-candidacy/qualifying research proposal before the oral examination begins. This typically lasts between 15-20 minutes. Immediately following, the committee will examine the student on the proposal and his/her understanding of the engineering and life science disciplines underlying the proposed research. The GSH states that the oral examination should last no more than two hours, with at least one hour devoted to questioning of the student and that questioning of the student should occupy the entire period of the examination. In BME, oral exams tend to run closer to two full hours, with additional time allotted for the pre-examination presentation. Students should be prepared for oral questions that examine (but are not limited to):

general knowledge and reasoning skills in the area of biomedical engineering (especially in the domains of their coursework and in the area of their undergraduate background), and topics raised in the written portion of the candidacy exam
the fitness of the student to formulate and address a research problem including knowledge of background materials, current literature, experimental design, methods, alternative techniques, statistical analysis, likely outcomes, etc.

See Section 7.3 – 7.7 of the GSH for complete candidacy policies.

9.7 Candidacy Results

At the conclusion of the oral portion, the committee determines pass or fail of the entire Candidacy Examination, based on both the written and oral performance. Attendance at the oral portion of the exam is limited to the student and the members of the Examination Committee. Successful completion of the Candidacy Examination requires a unanimously affirmative decision of the Committee. If the examination is not passed, a supplemental examination may be taken with the permission of the Candidacy Committee and in accordance with Graduate School policies. See Section 7.6 of the GSH for more information.

9.8 Candidacy Processes

It is the student's responsibility, with the approval of the advisor, to contact all examiners on the candidacy committee and schedule the candidacy examination. When the date and time for the oral examination are arranged, students may schedule a room for a 2-hour block of time in BME or elsewhere on campus if it is more convenient for the committee. (Under normal circumstances, a teleconferenced exam would require a petition; due to COVID 19, all exams are currently required to be teleconferenced via Zoom so no petitions are needed unless for external members.)

An Application for Candidacy form should be submitted by the student (approved by the advisor) to the Graduate School via gradforms.osu.edu when starting the written examination, but must be submitted at least two full weeks before the date of the oral examination. The location (or indication of teleconference via Zoom) and 2-hour time block must be listed on the form.

Once the oral examination is complete, the candidacy committee will complete the Candidacy Examination Report via gradforms.osu.edu. Links will be sent to their osu.edu email addresses for this purpose. Candidacy status established in one doctoral program or at another institution is not transferable to another doctoral program.

Q: Are there deadlines for candidacy like there are for defenses?

With two-week notice, you may take the candidacy exam up until the day before the start of the next semester (i.e., the published end-of-semester deadline) and candidacy exams may span one to the next semester. You will be considered a post-candidate the semester immediately following passage of the oral exam.

Q: How long after passing candidacy should I defend my dissertation?

It is up to your advisor and dissertation committee; however, it must be no longer than 5 years after passing the candidacy exam. If the dissertation is not completed in that time, candidacy will be cancelled and a supplementary candidacy exam will be required.

Q: I am a new student with transfer credits. Can I take candidacy right away?

No, you will need to complete the BME program of study which will allow you to use up to 30 transfer credits but will require you to take at least some required “fundamental” BME courses here, as a qualifying condition. In order to graduate with a PhD you will need 80 credit hours total, or 50 post-master’s hours, at least 24 of which must be taken here. Many of the 24 credits may be taken post-candidacy as research.

Q: My research advisor is new, from a home unit outside of BME. Who can they contact for guidance on running their first BME candidacy exam?

Advisors with questions about coordinating the written and oral exams are welcome to contact the Graduate Studies Chair, Jun Liu at [email protected]; a BME colleague; or the student’s core faculty advisor.

9.9 Post-Candidacy and Continuous Enrollment

All students who successfully complete the doctoral candidacy examination will be required to be enrolled in every term of their candidacy (summer excluded) until graduation. Students must be enrolled for at least 3 credits per semester. More than 3 credits may be taken, only with written permission of the research supervisor and funding source . It ultimately will be the responsibility of each student to ensure that they are meeting the enrollment provisions of the continuous enrollment policy. For more information, review the GSH. Before registering for the next term, students should complete the BME assessment post-candidacy survey and remind their Candidacy Committee members to do the same. (Contact the graduate studies coordinator for the survey at [email protected] .)

9.10 Obtaining the Master’s Degree as a Result of Passing Candidacy

Students who pass candidacy may earn an MS credential en route to completing the doctoral degree by completing an Application to Graduate with an MS on gradforms.osu.edu in any semester after candidacy has been passed. There it is indicated that the student is continuing on for a PhD and is earning the Master’s as a result of passing the candidacy examination, and will be approved by the student’s advisor and BMEGSC Chair.

WORK BACKWARDS TO PLAN CANDIDACY: Sample timeline using random dates

The qualifying proposal and examinations may take the better part of a semester, but the actual examinations should aim to take place in no less than one month, no more than two. Here is one sample of a common examination timeline, as agreed upon by student and advisor:

If the Oral Examination is planned for Nov 27:

At least one full week and no more than one full month before the Oral Exam: Last Written Exam question completed by student no later than Nov 20
At least 2 full weeks before the Oral Exam: Candidacy Application submitted to Grad School by student via gradforms.osu.edu no later than Nov 13 or preferably sooner to allow time for faculty signatures. On the application, students may list a time range for writtens (e.g., Nov 13 thru Nov 20) and must include the date/time/location of the Oral Exam. (May indicate Zoom, as circumstances dictate).
In no less than one full week and no more than one full month: Written Exam questions distributed by Advisor between Nov 13 and date TBD by advisor: Collected no sooner than Nov 20, excluding holidays

A sample timeline might look like this: Oral Exam – Nov 27 Written 4 due – Nov 20 Written 3 due – Nov 18 Written 2 due – Nov 16 Written 1 due – Nov 14 Start Written 1 – Nov 13

Send completed proposal to the advisor/committee no later than Nov 6
Achieve a 3.35 in 4 approved fundamental courses before the semester in which the exam begins.

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How to prepare a strong phd application.

Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School outline a few tips to help you navigate the PhD application process.

It’s no secret the application process can be intimidating. Where do you start? What exactly are schools looking for on your application? What materials do you need to submit? Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School have outlined a few tips to help you navigate the process.

Don’t Delay the Process

A successful PhD applicant starts thinking about their application months or even years before the deadlines. For Alejandro Lopez Lira , a third year student in Finance, the application process began a year before he actually submitted the paperwork. He said, “I spoke to my advisors way before, like one year before, about my letters of recommendation, where to apply, everything involved in the process.”

Each program has different requirements, which can make for a tedious process. Karren Knowlton , a third year in Management, said, “I took a little while to draft a personal statement. I had my mom, who teaches creative writing, and a few other people that I trust just read over it. Then you have to tweak it for different schools because they want slightly different things.”

Taking time to prepare your application is critical. Starting the process sooner rather than later gives you several advantages:

It allows your letter of recommendation writers enough time in advance to thoughtfully prepare a letter that speaks to who you are as a PhD candidate.
It gives you more time to review your materials, fix any errors, and proofread, proofread, proofread.
Finally, it means a lot less stress when the deadline starts rapidly approaching. By planning ahead, you’ll have a much smoother process applying.

Get Letters of Recommendation

Prof. Matthew Bidwell , who previously served as the doctoral coordinator for the Management program , said a common mistake he sees are letters of recommendations from employers. Although he said it is impressive to see work experience, having an employer write a letter is not the best choice.

“We don’t pay very much attention to those because rightly or wrongly, we worry that they’re not looking for the kinds of things that we’re looking for,” he said. “If you have one, it’s not a disaster, but when you see people with two or three — most of their recommendations coming from their work — that kind of heightens our concern. You’re committing to a fairly specialized career, do you really know what that career entails?”

Instead, he suggests getting to know an academic who will be able to write a recommendation attesting to your ability to manage doctoral-level research and work.

Include Research/Work Experience in Your Field

Each program has a unique set of criteria to evaluate applicants, but several doctoral coordinators agree that some research and work experience in your field of interest will strengthen your application overall.

Prof. Fernando Ferreira , doctoral coordinator for the Business Economics and Public Policy and Real Estate programs, thinks work experience can be useful in demonstrating an applicant’s abilities. He said, “Any work experience after undergraduate school is important. If that experience is more related to research it’s even better, but work experience in general is always good.”

Prof. Guy David , doctoral coordinator for the Health Care Management & Economics program , thinks that work experience benefits applicants in terms of giving them a broader view of business. “Work experience creates retrospection about how the world works, how organizations make decisions, and how people function in various situations,” he said.

However, he warns that spending too much time away from an academic setting can have its drawbacks too. “It may lead people to start their PhD later when they are not in the habit of immersing themselves in rigorous studies and have a shorter horizons to develop a name for themselves,” he said.

Although having both research and work experience can strengthen your application, you will not be denied entry because you are lacking either.

Prof. Bidwell said, “I think research experience does give us some confidence that people have some idea about what it is that we do. In terms of work experience, I think we don’t have a strong view. We quite like work experience, but we also take people straight out of undergrad.”

Prepare for the Standardized Tests

Most PhD programs require students to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Having high test scores is a key part of an application as it tests skills learned over the course of many years in school. Quantitative skills are especially important when applying to doctoral programs in business areas. Much like any other standardized test, the GRE requires preparation.

Karren, who took the GRE twice to ensure her scores were high enough, offered advice to those who may be struggling. “I would absolutely recommend practicing the writing beforehand. Look up examples and have your outline structured,” she said. “So much of it is just getting the right structure and how you formulate your arguments so knowing what they’re looking for is key.”

Test prep can be time-consuming, but like anything else, practice makes perfect. There are multiple text books and online sites to help you prepare for the exam. Karren aimed to improve her math scores the second time she took the GRE and recommended this site to help strengthen math skills.

Taking advantage of resources to help you study can limit the number of times you need to take the GRE while ensuring you score high enough to remain in the applicant pool.

Watch a Webinar with Former Wharton Vice Dean Catherine Schrand

Posted: August 4, 2017

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12 March 2024

Bring PhD assessment into the twenty-first century

You have full access to this article via your institution.

A woman holding a cup and saucer stands in front of posters presenting medical research

Innovation in PhD education has not reached how doctoral degrees are assessed. Credit: Dan Dunkley/Science Photo Library

Research and teaching in today’s universities are unrecognizable compared with what they were in the early nineteenth century, when Germany and later France gave the world the modern research doctorate. And yet significant aspects of the process of acquiring and assessing a doctorate have remained remarkably constant. A minimum of three years of independent study mentored by a single individual culminates in the production of the doctoral thesis — often a magisterial, book-length piece of work that is assessed in an oral examination by a few senior academic researchers. In an age in which there is much research-informed innovation in teaching and learning, the assessment of the doctoral thesis represents a curious throwback that is seemingly impervious to meaningful reform.

But reform is needed. Some doctoral candidates perceive the current assessment system to lack transparency, and examiners report concerns of falling standards ( G. Houston A Study of the PhD Examination: Process, Attributes and Outcomes . PhD thesis, Oxford Univ.; 2018 ). Making the qualification more structured would help — and, equally importantly, would bring the assessment of PhD education in line with education across the board. PhD candidates with experience of modern assessment methods will become better researchers, wherever they work. Indeed, most will not be working in universities: the majority of PhD holders find employment outside academia.

Collection: Career resources for PhD students

It’s not that PhD training is completely stuck in the nineteenth century. Today’s doctoral candidates can choose from a range of pathways. Professional doctorates, often used in engineering, are jointly supervised by an employer and an academic, and are aimed at solving industry-based problems. Another innovation is PhD by publication, in which, instead of a final thesis on one or more research questions, the criterion for an award is a minimum number of papers published or accepted for publication. In some countries, doctoral students are increasingly being trained in cohorts, with the aim of providing a less isolating experience than that offered by the conventional supervisor–student relationship. PhD candidates are also encouraged to acquire transferable skills — for example, in data analysis, public engagement, project management or business, economics and finance. The value of such training would be even greater if these skills were to be formally assessed alongside a dissertation rather than seen as optional.

And yet, most PhDs are still assessed after the production of a final dissertation, according to a format that, at its core, has not changed for at least half a century, as speakers and delegates noted at an event in London last month on PhD assessment, organized by the Society for Research in Higher Educatio n. Innovations in assessment that are common at other levels of education are struggling to find their way into the conventional doctoral programme.

Take the concept of learning objectives. Intended to aid consistency, fairness and transparency, learning objectives are a summary of what a student is expected to know and how they will be assessed, and are given at the start of a course of study. Part of the ambition is also to help tutors to keep track of their students’ learning and take remedial action before it is too late.

PhD training is no longer fit for purpose — it needs reform now

Formative assessment is another practice that has yet to find its way into PhD assessment consistently. Here, a tutor evaluates a student’s progress at the mid-point of a course and gives feedback or guidance on what students need to do to improve ahead of their final, or summative, assessment. It is not that these methods are absent from modern PhDs; a conscientious supervisor will not leave candidates to sink or swim until the last day. But at many institutions, such approaches are not required of PhD supervisors.

Part of the difficulty is that PhD training is carried out in research departments by people who do not need to have teaching qualifications or awareness of innovations based on education research. Supervisors shouldn’t just be experts in their field, they should also know how best to convey that subject knowledge — along with knowledge of research methods — to their students.

It is probably not possible for universities to require all doctoral supervisors to have teaching qualifications. But there are smaller changes that can be made. At a minimum, doctoral supervisors should take the time to engage with the research that exists in the field of PhD education, and how it can apply to their interactions with students.

There can be no one-size-fits-all solution to improving how a PhD is assessed, because different subjects often have bespoke needs and practices ( P. Denicolo Qual. Assur. Educ. 11 , 84–91; 2003 ). But supervisors and representatives of individual subject communities must continue to discuss what is most appropriate for their disciplines.

All things considered, there is benefit to adopting a more structured approach to PhD assessment. It is high time that PhD education caught up with changes that are now mainstream at most other levels of education. That must start with a closer partnership between education researchers, PhD supervisors and organizers of doctoral-training programmes in universities. This partnership will benefit everyone — PhD supervisors and doctoral students coming into the research workforce, whether in universities or elsewhere.

Education and training in research has entered many secondary schools, along with undergraduate teaching, which is a good thing. In the spirit of mutual learning, research doctoral supervisors, too, will benefit by going back to school.

Nature 627 , 244 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00718-0

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Frequently asked questions about the PhD examination process

How long will it take to examine my thesis.

The examination of a PhD thesis is a serious and time-consuming process involving a large number of steps, documents and participants. There are, therefore, many possible sources and causes of delay. The staff of Student Administration – Research will do their very best to facilitate a smooth and timely process for you, however you should bear in mind that delays are common and so it is important to be realistic about how long it will take before a result is available.
The usual time between submission and receiving the initial outcome, based on historical data, is approximately 4 months.
This period does not include the time needed for doing amendments and submitting your final hard-bound thesis.
The assessment of a PhD thesis is a large and serious undertaking and it usually requires a substantial period of uninterrupted time. The time of the year at which the thesis is submitted can also be a significant factor.
Student Administration – Research will remind examiners about two weeks before their reports are due. A reminder will also be sent if an examiner's report has not been submitted within the timeframe suggested. This usually results in a renegotiated deadline for the report. If the response is unsatisfactory, senior management will attempt to expedite matters.
Once all the examiners' reports have been received, the oral will be held (see Oral Examination ). The Convener of Examiners is responsible for reaching a final consensus recommendation regarding the results in consultation with the examiners at the conclusion of the oral examination. Candidates will usually be informed of the result at this point but if no consensus has been reached, this will be conveyed to the candidate, together with a likely timeframe for a decision.

May I contact Student Administration – Research during the examination period?

For any queries about the progress of your doctoral examination, please contact Student Administration – Research. Should there be any unusual delays, you will certainly be informed.
It is essential that you keep Student Administration – Research informed of your current postal and email addresses during the examination process.

Student Administration – Research Email [email protected]

Do I need to be on campus for an oral examination or to make corrections to my thesis, if required?

The answer is preferably yes as it will greatly facilitate the completion of your examination process. If it is unavoidable for you to move away from the campus, you should discuss the implications with your supervisor, HOD and the Convener of Examiners before making a decision.
At the discretion of the Convener of Examiners, it may be possible to arrange an oral examination by video or audio conference.

Do I have to enrol and pay fees if I have amendments/revisions to make?

Usually not since fees are waived during the examination period. However, there are expected time frames in which amendments/revisions are to be completed. After this time, you will be required to (re-)enrol and pay fees. For general amendments resulting from the two “accept” results, this is a period three months (full-time study); for a “revise and resubmit” result, this is extended to 6 months (full-time study) or 12 months (part-time study).

Do I have to be on campus when I am receiving a Postgraduate Publishing Bursary?

The Postgraduate Publishing Bursary Regulations (which are printed on the reverse side of the application form) state the student must prepare the publication(s) “with the direct involvement of their supervisor”. As long as this criterion is met, students may be off-campus or overseas during the tenure of the bursary; however, payment will only be made into a nominated New Zealand bank account in the name of the student.

Postgraduate Publishing Bursary Regulations (PDF)

May I take up employment during the examination process?

The University does not have any regulations that prohibit you from taking up employment, including post-doctoral positions, during the examination process. It is your, and your prospective employer's, decision whether you wish to do this. If you are contemplating employment, it is recommended that you carefully consider the implications of that employment should you be required to make amendments/revisions or attend an oral examination.

Why do I have to make amendments/revisions?

It is important that thesis candidates understand that, as a result of the examination of their thesis, revisions may be required. Sometimes these are relatively straightforward and will not take very long to complete. However, examiners may decide that more substantial work has to be undertaken.
The examination of a thesis is similar to the critical scrutiny that academic work receives when it is submitted for publication in a scholarly journal or by scholarly publishers. When you submit your work for publication, you will have two to three critical readers of your work. It would be unusual for work to be accepted without revision. Often the revisions required can be very substantial before your article or chapter will be accepted for publication. In that case you have a choice: either you do the revisions to the satisfaction of the reviewers and editor, or you do not get your work published. The examination of theses is similar to the processes involved in peer review for scientific journals.
Candidates should be aware that when they submit their thesis for examination it is read and critically evaluated by three examiners. There is no guarantee of the outcome of any examination process. A thesis may pass; it may fail; it may require revision. When you submit your thesis, you and your supervisor may believe that it is ready to be examined. However, submitting the thesis for examination does not mean that you have “completed” your thesis. It means that you have reached the point where you believe that your work is ready to be scrutinised by people knowledgeable in your field of study.
If you are required to undertake revisions, please remember that this is part of the process of being a thesis candidate. The revisions will make your thesis a better thesis. This means that you will achieve a higher quality of work than you initially submitted. That is good for both the completed thesis on the library shelf and for your own training as a researcher.
When you submit your revised thesis for checking by the Convener and/or internal examiner, please ensure you include a cover letter that details how the examiners' concerns have been addressed. Also, contact your Convener to determine in which format they want the revised thesis to be submitted.

If I submit now, can I graduate at the next graduation ceremony?

Probably not! The nature of the PhD examination process unfortunately means that it is simply not possible to guarantee any particular graduation date.
If amendments are required, then this will also affect when you are able to graduate. It is important to be realistic about that. A thesis will not be passed unless, in the view of the examiners, it reaches the standard required for a PhD degree.

PhD Completion Process

Congratulations!

As a PhD student, you have spent spend significant time at the University of Rochester taking courses, completing research in your field, completing milestones and are now ready to complete your degree.

The final requirement in earning a PhD degree is the completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation. Understanding the steps and associated deadlines in the dissertation submission and degree conferral process is necessary to establish a successful plan. For complete descriptions of the process, please review the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students .

The page below is organized by before, during and post-oral defense. Please read the page in it’s entirety and email questions you have to [email protected]

Doctoral Qualifying Exam / Admission to Candidacy

All PhD programs must administer a qualifying examination as part of the PhD program requirements. The qualifying examination may be either written or oral or both, at the discretion of the department/program, and must be passed at least six months before the final examination may be taken.

The associate dean of a school certifies that a student has passed the qualifying examinations and is recommended for candidacy.

For more details, please review page 12 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students .

Planning for the Final Oral Exam / Dissertation Defense

At least six months before you plan to defend your dissertation, you should contact the graduate coordinator of your program for details regarding the submitting the defense. During the months leading up to the anticipated defense, your graduate coordinator will walk you through the process and explain any department specific nuances.

Pay careful attention to the five PhD degree cycle deadlines. In each degree cycle, there is a deadline for the last day to complete your degree requirements. There are no exceptions to the deadlines. If a deadline is missed, your name cannot be approved by the Council on Graduate Education and presented to the Board of Trustees until the following degree date.

The oral exam/defense/dissertation is approved at multiple levels of the University. Starting with the program, oral exam/defense/dissertation committee, school graduate deans and the University Dean of Graduate Education. You will receive emails a few days before your defense confirming that the approvals for the defense have all been received.

PhD academic calendar

PhD students can reference their specific academic calendar in the drop-downs below.

To enable review by the Graduate Education Offices in the Schools and University Graduate Education, online dissertation committee and program director approvals must be completed the following number of working days before the defense:

SMD and SON: At least 10 working days before the defense
AS&E, Warner and Simon: At least 15 working days before the defense
ESM: At least 20 working days before the defense

A minimum of five working days must elapse between the approval of the candidate’s School Dean to advance the record to University Graduate Education and the day of the defense. This time has been included in the schools’ lead times listed above.

Defenses may be held during regular business hours on any University working day with the exceptions listed below. See calendar below for additional non-working days.

Monday, May 27: The University is closed in observance of Memorial Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Wednesday, June 19: The University is closed in observance of Juneteenth. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Thursday, July 4: The University is closed in observance of Independence Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Friday, August 23, 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for an August 2024 degree conferral.

Monday, August 26: Fall semester begins.

Saturday, August 31: August 2024 PhD date.

Wednesday, August 28, 4 p.m.: Last day for students who have completed defenses to submit final corrected dissertation for October 2024 degree to the ProQuest website without having to register for Fall 2024. AFTER THIS DATE, SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS FOR DEGREE COMPLETION REQUIRES REGISTRATION FOR THE FALL SEMESTER.

Monday, September 2: The University is closed in observance of Labor Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day

Thursday, September 26, 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for an October 2024 degree. NOTE: Students must be registered for the Fall 2024 Semester if submitting documents after August 28.

Friday, October 4: October 2024 PhD conferral date.

Monday, September 2: The University is closed in observance of Labor Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29: The University is closed in observance of Thanksgiving. These three days cannot be counted as working days.

Monday, December 16 at 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for a December degree. NOTE: Students must be registered for the Fall 2024 Semester if submitting final documents after August 28.

Friday, December 13: Last day for dissertation defense registration approval by University Dean of Graduate Education for defenses scheduled January 2, 2025.

Thursday, December 19 through Friday, December 31: Due to recess and holidays, no dissertation registrations will be completed in the University Graduate Education office. No PhD defenses may be held during this time period.

December 31: December 2024 PhD conferral date.

The March 2025 PhD conferral date will be updated in late spring 2024.

Friday, April 26 , 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for a May 2024 degree.

Friday, May 17: University Doctoral Commencement

Additional Information about Planning for your Defense

Writing your dissertation.

The dissertation process webpage offers several writing resources to help you get started, meet your goals, and complete your thesis/dissertation on time.

You also will want to take full advantage of internal reviews of the dissertation before uploading the thesis for defense registration, in order to minimize the number of errors in the registration version.

Final Oral Examination Committee

Page 11 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students (“Redbook”) goes into detail about the make-up of the committee.

PhD Committee Matrix

Approval Process for Non-Standard Committee Membership

Approval must be obtained in writing, based on a petition that includes a rationale for the request and a CV of the proposed nonstandard member.

Contact your Graduate Coordinator to start the petition process.

Page 12 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students (“Redbook”) goes into detail.

Scheduling your Defense

Contact the graduate coordinator of your program for details regarding the scheduling the defense.

Click here to Download a checklist of information needed to schedule defense

Rubric for Oral Defense

Click here to download the Oral Defense Rubric.

After the final oral exam / defense

Submitting your final dissertation.

Approximately, 24 hours after oral exam, an email is sent that details out the next steps. Including uploading the final abstract and dissertation to ProQuest®, submitting a UR Research authorization form, and completing two required surveys.

UR Research Form

The libraries at University of Rochester, electronically store and publish the dissertations based on a students embargo restrictions.

You can access our database of dissertations on the UR Research page hosted by the library.

Survey Completion

There are two required survey’s for completion of the PhD Process. The University of Rochester PhD Survey and the national Survey of Earned Doctorates. The links to completing these surveys will be included in the completion memo sent post-defense.

We use a service called ProQuest to administer the electronic final thesis/dissertation (ETD) submission. ProQuest provides services that enable strategic acquisition, management and discovery of information collections. Once you have made any necessary revisions and the thesis/dissertation is final, you are ready to begin the submission process.

PhD Completion Confirmation

Once you have completed the steps above, you will receive an email the confirms that all of the requirements have been completed and will include a PhD Completion memo.

We offer both an electronic diploma and a paper copy diploma to students after their graduation date. Information on ordering replacement diplomas is located on the registrar’s webpage .

Commencement

The University holds one doctoral commencement ceremony each year in May. Eligibility to walk in the May ceremony includes students that graduated between August of the previous year through August of the current year. As an example, the May 2023 ceremony is for students who graduated August 2022, October 2022, December 2022, February 2023, May 2023 and August 2023. Doctoral students are only eligible to walk once.

You will receive information about the ceremony that your are eligible to walk in during the Spring semester.

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Thesis and examination
You are currently on: Doctoral examination process

Doctoral examination process

A step-by-step outline of the examination process for PhD and named doctorate candidates.

The examination process can be a time of great stress. This page aims to relieve that stress by giving you, as a doctoral candidate, an idea of what to expect.

Examination process overview

A successful examination usually follows the following basic steps:

Intention to submit notification
Initial thesis submission
Thesis examination
Oral examination
Outcome and final submission

The Doctor or Fine Arts examination process is a little different: the oral examination takes place before the thesis examination and at the same time as the performance or exhibition. Find out more by reading the regulations at Doctor of Fine Art Examination Procedures .

Timeline and updates

The examination process runs from initial submission to final submission. The process generally takes up to 6 months, though it may be longer in some cases. Your examination will be managed by a dedicated Examinations team at the School of Graduate Studies.

Candidates on Wahapū will receive regular automatic updates at key stages of the process, and will be able to log into the system at any time to check the progress of the examination.

Important documents

It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the following important documents (or the appropriate documentation for your programme of study/Statute) before the examination process begins:

Doctoral Examination Procedures
Doctoral Thesis Examination - Pre-Examination Procedures
Doctoral Oral Examination Process
Doctoral Thesis Examination - Post-Examination Procedures
PhD Statute / Regulations for Named Doctorates

Stage one: Intention to submit

Preparations for your examination begin when you notify the School of Graduate that you are preparing to submit your thesis via an Intention to Submit. This nudges your supervisors to begin the process of appointing your examiners. It must be done at least three months in advance of your proposed submission date to ensure that your examiners are in place before you submit your thesis.

If your examiners are not in place, there will be a delay to your examination process.

Find out more at Intention to submit doctoral thesis .

Stage two: Initial thesis submission

Once your thesis is fully up-to-date and you have prepared the required forms and/or additional material, you can make your initial submission online via Wahapū (or in person if completing the process manually).

Your enrolment at the University ends when you make your initial submission, but you will continue to have access to the library and the University's IT services.

International candidates who plan to stay in New Zealand after they have submitted their thesis are eligible to apply for a Post Study Work Visa. Learn more at Post Study Work Visas for international doctoral candidates.

Stage three: Thesis examination

Once the School of Graduate Studies has accepted your thesis it will be made available to your examiners if they are in place. If they are not in place, the examiner nomination and approval process may cause a delay to your examination.

The timeline for returning the examiner reports is 6 weeks, but it is common for thesis examinations to take longer than this. All examiners are followed up regularly until the reports are submitted.

Stage four: Thesis examination recommendation

You will be informed via email once your thesis examination recommendation has been confirmed.

Possible recommendations are:

Proceed to oral (with or without revisions)
Minor corrections or resubmission of the Portfolio of Clinical Research (DClinPsy only)

Revise and resubmit

Award another degree, stage five: oral examination.

When the School of Graduate Studies approves a ‘Proceed to oral’ recommendation, the Examinations team will begin organising your oral exam. You will be asked to provide your oral examination preferences, such as dates and invitees. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the examiner reports via your Wahapū Examination record.

Once your exam has been organised, you will receive an email notification with all the details.

For more information about the oral examination, please see the Doctoral Oral Examination Procedures .

Stage six: Outcome advised

The School of Graduate Studies will advise you of the official outcome of your oral examination by email once it is approved. Any prior indication of the outcome is not official until approved by the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate).

The possible outcomes are:

Stage seven: Final submission

You can make your final submission only once you have been directed to do so by the School of Graduate Studies.

Final submission occurs after you have:

Completed your oral examination; and
Received an email from the School of Graduate Studies informing you of the result of your degree and directing you to make your final submission; and
Satisfactorily completed any required corrections or revisions to your thesis (if relevant)

Read more about the requirements for your final thesis submission on AskAuckland, here: Final thesis submission.

Other outcomes

A Revisions outcome means that your thesis will meet the required standard once the specified minor changes have been made. A list of revisions required may be provided by a member of the examination committee (usually the AH Nominee). You will not be re enrolled but will be given a time limit in which you are required to complete the revisions.

A Revise and resubmit outcome means that your work is not yet at the required standard for your degree, but that the Examiners and/or Examination Committee believe that you will reach the required standard with a little more time. You will meet with members of your Examination Committee to discuss the required revisions and will be provided with a report to guide you.

You will be re-enrolled in your programme for the requisite number of months and will be liable for all fees for this period.

When you come to resubmit your thesis, you must create a new examination record in Wahapū. The process starts at the Initial thesis submission stage.

This outcome means that your work does not meet the standard required for your programme, but instead makes you eligible for an alternative award.

You will be offered the opportunity to graduate and be awarded the specified degree. This will be organised within your faculty or LSRI.

This outcome means that your work does not meet the standard required for an award. You will not be offered the opportunity to graduate and will be awarded no degree.

PhD Exam Process

Written preliminary exam (wpe), + description and policies for the wpe.

Description of Exam Subjects

The written preliminary examination is the first step for students wishing to pursue their doctorate in AEM. Five exam subjects are offered and original problems are written by AEM faculty each year. The questions are be open-ended and require creative application of the subject matter. The exam subjects are:

The WPE in Computational Fluid Mechanics covers topics presented in AEM 4253/5253 (Computational Fluid Mechanics). The exam has an emphasis on introductory concepts in finite difference and finite volume methods as applied to various ordinary and partial differential model equations in fluid mechanics. Fundamentals of spatial discretization and numerical integration; character of equations; finite difference approximations; convergence, consistency, and stability; methods for the solution of parabolic, elliptic and hyperbolic equations; numerical linear algebra; solution of nonlinear equations; solution of systems of equations.
The WPE in Continuum Mechanics aims to evaluate a student’s potential for success in conducting original research and draws from concepts presented in AEM 5501 (Continuum Mechanics). This includes topics such as the kinematics of motion, forces and stresses, thermodynamics, balance laws or constitutive equations. A typical question poses a particular physical problem relevant to science and engineering in which students must demonstrate knowledge of one or more of these concepts and the ability to synthesize ideas and techniques in ways not explicitly demonstrated in their course work.
The WPE in Controls aims to evaluate a student’s potential for success in conducting original research and draws from concepts presented in AEM 5321 (Modern Feedback Control) related to the modeling, analysis, and design of finite-dimensional linear systems in continuous and discrete time. This includes (but is not limited to) input-output and state-space modeling; linearization of nonlinear systems; fundamental solution matrices and state transition matrices; controllability, observability, and related analyses; Lyapunov and input-output stability; realization theory; state feedback; pole placement; observer design; observer-based control; linear quadratic regulation; and Lyapunov and Riccati equations.
The WPE in Dynamics covers topics in the course AEM 5401 (Intermediate Dynamics). In particular, the following topics are of importance: Kinematics and kinetics of particles in non-inertial frames; Analytical mechanics including Lagrange’s equations with holonomic and non-holonomic constraints; Rigid body dynamics in three dimensions including Euler angles, inertia matrix, equations of motion.
The WPE in Fluid Mechanics is based mainly on application of fundamental equations and concepts considered in introductory fluids courses such as AEM 8201 and 8202 (Fluid Mechanics I & II). Problems may require application of fundamental conservation equations in integral or differential forms (e.g. mass, momentum, and energy), fluid kinematics concepts including mapping of pathlines, streaklines, streamlines, deformation, rotation, and volumetric expansion, understanding of vorticity transport, vortex dynamics, basic concepts of potential flow, viscous flow, and laminar vs. turbulent flow. Exam problems may include multiple parts where some require direct application of equations while others ask for physical interpretations and estimates based on scaling of relevant parameters.

Policies for the WPE

In determining whether a student has passed or failed the WPE, faculty will consider the student's overall performance in the AEM graduate program including the WPE subject exam results, but also other information such as performance in course work, progress toward degree, etc.
The WPE cannot be taken after the second year of study.
Students are given two attempts to pass, provided they take the exam for the first time during their first year. Students who take the exam for the first time their second year of study are only given one opportunity to pass.
Students must pass two of the five WPE subjects exams and should pre-register for the specific subjects in which they will participate.
Students must select at least one of the following subjects: Fluid Mechanics, Continuum Mechanics, or Dynamics.
The WPE is held during spring semester each year on a Friday evening and Saturday morning, typically the first weekend in April. Students complete one subject exam per day.
Exams are 3 hours long.
Students are allowed a calculator and one notebook containing their notes on the subject for each session. The notes can be typed and contained in a 3-ring binder.
Practice exams are provided for students' preparation. However, solved problems from previous exams cannot be included in the notebook during the exam

Students are encouraged to discuss their preparation and preparedness for taking the WPE with their faculty advisor and/or the AEM DGS. Students may also consult and register with the Disability Resource Center ( https://disability.umn.edu ) to arrange for appropriate accommodations if needed.

AEM Written Preliminary Exam Registration Form

+ Sample Written Preliminary Exam

Fluid Mechanics

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Solid & Continuum

Preliminary Oral Exam

Submit your exam committee.

Please submit your Examining Committee at least one month prior to the exam. For more information see Exam Committee Selection .

Schedule Your Exam

Schedule your final exam through GSSP's digital form at least one week in advance of your intended exam date.

Conducting the Examination

Immediately before the preliminary oral examination, the committee chair stipulates the objectives of the examination and, in consultation with other members of the examining committee, determines how the examination is to be conducted. Immediately after the examination, the candidate is excused from the room and a written secret ballot is taken before discussing the examination. Following the discussion, a second and final vote is taken. Note: If the exam result is PASS WITH RESERVATIONS, the committee is permitted one week to return the Preliminary Oral Examination Form along with a copy of the letter or email outlining the steps the student must take to remove the reservations.

The outcome of the examination, with all committee members present and voting, is recorded in one of three ways: pass, pass with reservations, or fail. The voting proportions necessary for these decisions are as follows: if the committee consists of four members, a favorable verdict for passing consists of either a unanimous vote or a vote of 3-1; if the committee consists of five members, a favorable verdict for passing consists of either a unanimous vote or a vote of 4-1; if the committee consists of six members, a unanimous vote or a vote of 5-1 or 4-2 is needed; and if there are seven members, a unanimous vote or a vote of 6-1 or 5-2 is needed. Candidates who do not earn committee votes in these proportions fail the examination. If, in order to achieve the minimum number of votes to reach a verdict of pass, any vote of pass with reservations is included, then the outcome is recorded as a pass with reservations. A vote to pass the student with reservations still constitutes a passing vote.

Pass with Reservations

If the student passes the examination with reservations, the student is informed immediately, but the committee is permitted one week in which to convey its reservations to the student in writing, informing the student of the steps that must be taken to remove them, as well as a deadline by which the committee expects the reservations to be removed. A copy of this letter must be sent to the GSSP along with the Preliminary Oral Examination Form. When the student has satisfied the committee's reservations, a second letter or email informing the student and GSSP that the reservations have been removed and that the student may proceed toward the degree is also required. The committee chair should write both letters. The final oral examination may not be scheduled until GSSP has received a copy of the letter indicating that the reservations have been removed.

If the committee members disagree as to whether the reservations have been satisfactorily removed, the committee chair asks for another vote, the results of which are subject to the same voting proportions as the initial vote.

A student who is unable to satisfy the committee's reservations may be terminated from doctoral candidacy and from the graduate program.

Failure of the Preliminary Oral Exam

Students who fail the examination may be excluded from candidacy for the degree (i.e. dismissed from the doctoral program). The student may retake the examination, provided that all committee members, or all committee members save one must approve the re-take. The original preliminary oral examining committee conducts the reexamination.

Recess of a Preliminary Exam

If the preliminary oral examining committee recesses without having determined whether a student has passed the examination, the chair of the committee must send a letter to the Dean of the Graduate School explaining the reasons for the recess and noting the date on which the examining committee will reconvene. If the recess will be longer than one week, the examination report form must be returned to GSSP, 160 Williamson Hall. The student must schedule the Preliminary Oral Examination at least one week before the rescheduled exam. A new examination report form will be mailed to the chair of the committee before the date on which the committee will reconvene. The reconvened committee must comprise of the same members as the original preliminary oral examining committee.

Final Oral Exam (Defense)

Please submit your Examining Committee at least one month prior to the exam. For more information see Exam Committee Selection .

Schedule your final exam through GSSP's digital form at least one week in advance of your intended exam date.

Examination Protocol

Step One - The Public Seminar: The final examination begins with a seminar to which the scholarly community is invited and which includes a presentation of the dissertation by the candidate.

Step Two - The Closed Examination: A closed meeting between the candidate and the appointed examining committee immediately follows the public seminar. The examination is limited to the candidate's dissertation subject and relevant areas. The entire examination (i.e., public seminar and closed examination) is not to exceed three hours.

Step Three - The Vote: At the end of the closed examination the candidate is excused from the room. A written, secret ballot is taken before discussion of the examination begins. Following the committee's discussion, a second and final vote is taken on whether the student passed the examination.

Examination Outcome

To be recommended for the award of the doctoral degree, candidates must receive a vote with no more than one member of the total examining committee dissenting.

Supporting Examination Results (Recommended by Committees)

If the committee recommends revisions to the dissertation, the student's adviser is responsible for ensuring that the student includes the appropriate modifications and required revisions in the final dissertation.

Special Circumstance

Retakes and "Pass with reservations"

According to the rules defined by the graduate faculty, the student either passes or fails the final doctoral examination. Retakes are not permitted, and (unlike the preliminary oral examination) there is no provision for a "pass with reservations." The faculty examining committee has both the authority and the responsibility to fail a student whose dissertation or performance in the oral defense does not meet the standards for award of the doctoral degree.

Recessing the examination

Occasionally there are instances in which the final examination does not proceed well, but in which the faculty feel that the student has an acceptable dissertation that she or he is capable of adequately defending. While such instances should be rare, it is in both the student's and the faculty's interest to follow clearly defined procedures (see below) for recessing and reconvening the final oral examination.

Note: Suggestions for minor revisions in the dissertation are common and do not require that the faculty or the student follow the procedures outlined below. Such minor revisions need only be made in the text of the dissertation before the final copy is submitted.

Circumstances that might prompt a recess of the final oral examination would fall into two broad categories involving 1) primarily non-substantive matters or 2) cases in which the faculty have a serious concern about either the dissertation itself or the student's ability to defend it, but in which they believe that the situation can be remedied if the student is given additional time to revise the dissertation or prepare for the examination.

1) Primarily non-substantive matters: Cases in this category include, but are not limited to, those in which the student's nervousness prevents him or her from adequately defending the dissertation. In such circumstances, the examining committee may decide informally to recess for up to one week. The committee and the student should select a date and time for reconvening that is agreeable to all parties. No written notice need be given to the student, although the faculty should give him or her advice and assurance, as they deem important.

2) More serious concerns: When the faculty has serious concerns about the dissertation or the student's ability to defend it, but feels the student has the potential to improve the dissertation or his/her examination performance, the faculty should stop the examination, inform the student of their intent to recess, and discuss with the student the deficiencies that prompted the recess.

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Oxford Thesis Collection
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A study of the PhD examination: process, attributes and outcomes

The idiographic nature of the PhD examination raises challenges for assessment in higher education. While the examination follows different processes internationally, the submission and evaluation of a thesis or dissertation that demonstrates originality is common to all. In many countries, this is complemented by a viva (oral examination), which in the UK is held in private. The confidentiality of the viva contributes to examiners’ judgements being considered highly individual, especially...

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Examination process

Information on the thesis examination procedure.

The examination of your PhD thesis is administrated by the College of Science and Engineering College Office. Once you have submitted your thesis for examination (and the College Office has received the officially nominated examiners) your thesis will be sent out to the examiners for examination. Currently all PGR students should submit their thesis electronically until further notice. For further information on the 'Electronic Submission' process click here . The examination process is then as follows:

Preliminary report - 2-3 months

On receipt of your thesis, the examiners will complete a preliminary examination and return a report to the College Office. This usually takes between 6-8 weeks but it depends on the examiner's other engagements. Once your examiners have received your thesis, the oral examination can be organised by your supervisor and internal examiner. It is strongly advised that the viva is not organised beforehand in case there is a delay in receiving the examination paperwork. This gives the examiners suitable time to effectively examine the thesis.

Oral examination (viva voce)

The Oral Examination , or viva voce, is usually held no later than 3 months after the examiners officially receive your thesis for examination (depending on their availability). The oral examination is a key part of the examination process. The internal examiner, or the non-examining chair if one has been appointed, is responsible for ensuring that the details of the oral examination, including the date and place, the names of all those participating or attending is provided in advance to all those who are to be present (i.e. the candidate, all examiners and any observer). With your approval, your supervisor may observe the oral examination.

The oral examination may be used to establish your general knowledge of the field of your research, to establish the extent of any collaboration, to ascertain that you can work independently and lead the work of others, and to confirm that the work is your own.

The examiners may tell you what their views are at the end of or after the oral examination but their views are a recommendation to the College Office Board of Examiners which will be made final at the next Board of Examiners meeting. The College of Science and Engineering Postgraduate Board of Examiners has the power to modify or, exceptionally, to overturn the examiners' recommendation. You may begin any corrections given to you as soon as you are given them.

Board of examiners

Remote Viva

When one or more of the viva panel (student, internal and external examiners) are unable to attend the viva in person, for whatever the reason, a remote viva should be requested. When this decsion is made a member of the panel should inform IGS as soon as possible so all the appropriate approvals can be made. The following form should be completed and approved by all members, including the non-examining chair, if one has been appointed.

The student and each of the examiners must signify in writing their agreement to conduct the examination in this way, either by signing the form or confirming approval by email. The College has responsibility for approving and overseeing this process. The remote viva form should be submitted to the College PGR team for approval to [email protected] at least one week before the oral examination.

The members of the panel should also be sent the following information link: https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/videolinked_phd_oral.pdf

Additional advice on remote vivas and preparing for these can be found in the below document. This guidance was provided by the Institute for Academic Development (IAD).

Board of examiners - first time

When the College Office receives the examiners' report following the oral examination, the examination reports (Part I and Part II) will be sent to the next Board of Examiners. These meetings are held once a month, usually on the last Friday of each month. You can check the dates via the link below. The members of the Board will look at the reports and finalise the recommendations from your examiners. You will then be officially notified of the approved recommendation by letter - the time given to you to complete the corrections begins from the date on the letter. A copy of the Part II report (along with a list of corrections if the examiners provide it) will be enclosed in the letter. The College Office will use the mailing address that is listed on your EUCLID record listed as 'contact/ term-time address'. If this address is not correct then it is your responsibility to update this information. You can do so via the Student Personal Details channel on MyEd. Please see the following link for instructions on how to do this:

Change Student Record Details

The Board of Examiners Meeting Schedule can be found within the College Academic Affairs SharePoint

College Academic Affairs SharePoint

Recommendations following oral examination:

The recommendations following oral examination are outlined in Reg 23 (PhD) and Reg 24 (MPhil) of the assessment regulations:

Postgraduate Research Assessment Regulations

Corrections to your thesis

Required corrections to your thesis can be suggested to take between 3 and 24 months. It is usual to have at least minor corrections to make to your thesis. However, it is possible that you may not have any corrections to make. If this is the case, you will be able to be awarded after the first Board of Examiners meeting (following submission of your Final Submission Documentation).

When you have completed the required corrections to your thesis, you must send a copy (either electronic or paper - depending on the preference of your examiner(s)) of your corrected thesis to your internal examiner for approval. Your external examiner may also wish to see the corrected thesis. They will then read your thesis again and, if they are satisfied that you have completed the corrections, complete the Certification of Corrections form. The form will have been sent to your examiners with the other examination paperwork. The Certification of Corrections form should be returned to the College Office as soon as possible so that your examination paperwork can be sent to the Board of Examiners for final approval.

Once the examiners have told you the corrections have been to their satisfaction, you can prepare the Final Submission Documentation. This can then be submitted to the College Office. The sooner you submit this documentation, the quicker you will receive your award letter after approval at the Board of Examiners meeting. Please do not prepare this paperwork until your corrections have been approved by your examiners, they may ask you to make further corrections.

Please note that additional fees will be incurred when you are required to complete corrections.

Minor and major corrections 2021-2022 - Fees

Resubmission for re-examination Sometimes a student is recommended to resubmit their thesis for re-examination rather than make corrections. You are likely to be given between 12 - 24 months to resubmit your thesis. Academic Registry will be notified by the College Office of your new Resubmission deadline which will appear in your MyEd Portal. This deadline is as strict as your initial submission deadline; late submissions will not be examined. In very exceptional occasions it may be possible to request an extension to your Resubmission deadline. You will be required to pay Continuation Fees for the additional study period and a Resubmission Fee to resubmit your thesis; the Resubmission Fee is currently £380 for session 2016-17. Please read the Thesis Resubmission for Re-Examination.

Final Submission documentation

Thesis resubmission for re-examination

Continuation fees

Resubmission fee

Board of examiners - second time

When the College Office receives the Certification of Corrections form from your examiner(s) they will send all of your examination paperwork to the next Board of Examiners meeting for approval. If and when the Board approve the paperwork, you will be allowed to be awarded - providing you have submitted your Final Submission Documentation.

Once the College Office has received all the necessary examination paperwork from your examiners and it has been approved by the Board, and you have submitted your Final Submission Documentation you will be sent your award letter. Again, please ensure the College Office have the correct mailing address for you. The College Office is only allowed to give you one letter, if you require copies of your award letter it is your responsibility to photocopy the letter. Please also read: Final Submission and Graduation

Correspondence address

Useful links.

Postgraduate Assessment Regulations for Research Degrees

Code of Practice for Supervisors and Research Students

PhD Viva Voces – A Complete Guide
Doing a PhD
A PhD viva involves defending your thesis in an oral examination with at least two examiners.
The aim of a PhD viva is to confirm that the work is your own , that you have a deep understanding of your project and, overall, that you are a competent researcher .
There are no standard durations, but they usually range from one to three hours, with most lasting approximately two hours .
There are six outcomes of a PhD viva: (1) pass without corrections (2) pass subject to minor corrections, (3) pass subject to major corrections, (4) downgrade to MPhil with no amendments, (5) downgrade to MPhil subject to amendments, (6) immediate fail.
Almost all students who sit their viva pass it, with the most common outcome being ‘(2) – pass subject to minor corrections’.

What Is a PhD Viva?

A viva voce , more commonly referred to as ‘viva’, is an oral examination conducted at the end of your PhD and is essentially the final hurdle on the path to a doctorate. It is the period in which a student’s knowledge and work are evaluated by independent examiners.

In order to assess the student and their work around their research question, a viva sets out to determine:

you understand the ideas and theories that you have put forward,
you can answer questions about elements of your work that the examiners have questions about,
you understand the broader research in your field and how your work contributes to this,
you are aware of the limitations of your work and understand how it can be developed further,
your work makes an original contribution, is your own and has not been plagiarised.

Note: A viva is a compulsory procedure for all PhD students, with the only exception being when a PhD is obtained through publication as opposed to the conventional route of study.

Who Will Attend a Viva?

In the UK, at least two examiners must take part in all vivas. Although you could have more than two examiners, most will not in an attempt to facilitate a smoother questioning process.

One of the two examiners will be internal, i.e. from your university, and the other will be external, i.e. from another university. Regardless, both will be knowledgeable in your research field and have read your thesis beforehand.

In addition to your two examiners, two other people may be present. The first is a chairperson. This is an individual who will be responsible for monitoring the interview and for ensuring proper conduct is followed at all times. The need for an external chairperson will vary between universities, as one of the examiners can also take on this role. The second is your supervisor, whose attendance is decided upon by you in agreement with your examiners. If your supervisor attends, they are prohibited from asking questions or from influencing the outcome of the viva.

To avoid any misunderstandings, we have summarised the above in a table:

Note: In some countries, such as in the United States, a viva is known as a ‘PhD defense’ and is performed publicly in front of a panel or board of examiners and an open audience. In these situations, the student presents their work in the form of a lecture and then faces questions from the examiners and audience which almost acts as a critical appraisal.

How Long Does a Viva Last?

Since all universities have different guidelines , and since all PhDs are unique, there are no standard durations. Typically, however, the duration ranges from one to three hours, with most lasting approximately two hours.

Your examiners will also influence the duration of your viva as some will favour a lengthy discussion, while others may not. Usually, your university will consult your examiners in advance and notify you of the likely duration closer to the day of your viva.

What Happens During a Viva?

Regardless of the subject area, all PhD vivas follow the same examination process format as below.

Introductions

You will introduce yourselves to each other, with the internal examiner normally introducing the external examiner. If an external chairperson is present, they too are introduced; otherwise, this role will be assumed by one of the examiners.

Procedure Explained

After the introductions, the appointed chair will explain the viva process. Although it should already be known to everyone, it will be repeated to ensure the viva remains on track during the forthcoming discussion.

Warm-Up Questions

The examiners will then begin the questioning process. This usually starts with a few simple opening questions, such as asking you to summarise your PhD thesis and what motivated you to carry out the research project.

In-Depth Questions

The viva questions will then naturally increase in difficulty as the examiners go further into the details of your thesis. These may include questions such as “What was the most critical decision you made when determining your research methodology ?”, “Do your findings agree with the current published work?” and “How do your findings impact existing theories or literature? ”. In addition to asking open-ended questions, they will also ask specific questions about the methodology, results and analysis on which your thesis is based.

Closing the Viva

Once the examiners are satisfied that they have thoroughly evaluated your knowledge and thesis, they will invite you to ask any questions you may have, and then bring the oral examination to a close.

What Happens After the Viva?

Once your viva has officially ended, your examiners will ask you to leave the room so that they can discuss your performance. Once a mutual agreement has been reached, which can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, you will be invited back inside and informed of your outcome.

PhD Viva Outcomes

There are six possible outcomes to a viva:

Immediate award of degree: A rare recommendation – congratulations, you are one of the few people who completely satisfied your examiners the first time around. You do not have to do anything further at this point.
Minor amendments required: The most common recommendation – you obtain a pass on the condition that you make a number of minor amendments to your thesis, such as clarifying certain points and correcting grammatical errors. The time you have to make these changes depends on the number of them, but is usually one to six months.
Major amendments required: A somewhat uncommon recommendation – you are requested to make major amendments to your thesis, ranging from further research to collecting more data or rewriting entire sections. Again, the time you have to complete this will depend on the number of changes required, but will usually be six months to one year. You will be awarded your degree once your amended thesis has been reviewed and accepted.
Immediate award of MPhil: An uncommon recommendation – your examiners believe your thesis does not meet the standard for a doctoral degree but meets the standard for an MPhil (Master of Philosophy), a lower Master’s degree.
Amendments required for MPhil: A rare recommendation – your examiners believe your thesis does not meet the standard for a doctoral degree, but with several amendments will meet the standard for an MPhil.
Immediate fail: A very rare recommendation – you are given an immediate fail without the ability to resubmit and without entitlement to an MPhil.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

What Is the Pass Rate for Vivas?

Based on an analysis of 26,076 PhD students who took their viva exam between 2006 and 2017, the PhD viva pass rate in the UK is 96%; of those who passed, about 80% were required to make minor amendments to their thesis. The reason for this high pass rate is that supervisors will only put their students forward for a viva once they confidently believe they are ready for it. As a result, most candidates who sit a viva are already well-versed in their PhD topic before they even start preparing for the exam.

How Do I Arrange a Viva?

Your viva will be arranged either by the examiners or by the chairperson. The viva will be arranged at least one to two months after you have submitted your thesis and will arrange a viva date and venue that is suitable for all participants.

Can I Choose My Examiners?

At most universities, you and your supervisor will choose the internal and external examiners yourselves. This is because the examiners must have extensive knowledge of the thesis topic in order to be able to examine you and, as the author of the thesis in question, who else could better determine who they might be than you and your supervisor. The internal examiner is usually quite easy to find given they will be from your institution, but the external examiner may end up being your second or third preference depending on availability.

Can I Take Notes Into a Viva?

A viva is about testing your competence, not your memory. As such, you are allowed to take notes and other supporting material in with you. However, keep in mind that your examiners will not be overly impressed if you constantly have to refer to your notes to answer each question. Because of this, many students prefer to take an annotated copy of their thesis, with important points already highlighted and key chapters marked with post-it notes.

In addition to an annotated copy of a thesis, some students also take:

a list of questions they would like to ask the examiners,
notes that were created during their preparation,
a list of minor corrections they have already identified from their viva prep work.

How Do I Prepare for a PhD Viva?

There are several ways to prepare for a PhD viva, one of the most effective being a mock viva voce examination . This allows you to familiarise yourself with the type of viva questions you will be asked and identify any weak areas you need to improve. They also give you the opportunity to practise without the pressure, giving you more time to think about your answers which will help to make sure that you know your thesis inside out. However, a mock viva exam is just one of many methods available to you – some of the other viva preparation methods can be found on our “ How to Prepare for a PhD Viva ” page.

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3. Thesis examination
Information and services
Higher Degree by Research

If you have submitted your thesis for examination via UQ eSpace please read this document for information on how your examination will progress.

You can track the progress of your examination via the HDR Thesis examination request in my.UQ.

Receiving examiner reports
Oral examinations (viva voce)
Examination outcomes
After the examination process
Thesis completion

1. Receiving examiner reports

Once your thesis is submitted, the Dean of the Graduate School will invite two examiners from the list of examiners nominated by your Principal Advisor.

Each examiner is asked to provide a written report with feedback about your thesis. Examiners are requested to return their written reports within:

four weeks for an MPhil, or
five weeks for a PhD.

You will receive your examination reports only when both examiners have completed and returned their reports and the Dean has determined the outcome. Following the receipt of these reports you will then either:

proceed to an oral examination, or
receive your examination outcome.

Role of Chair of Examiners

Once your thesis has been submitted for examination, your school will appoint a Chair of Examiners who will ensure any changes requested by examiners are implemented.

The Chair of Examiners is an academic staff member at UQ who is familiar with your research discipline and will advise the Graduate School on the outcomes of your thesis examination.

Further details regarding the Chair of Examiners can be found in the Higher Degree by Research Examination Policy .

Late Examiner Reports

The Graduate School sends regular reminders to examiners to ensure reports are returned in good time. We email before the report is due and follow up twice over two weeks if a report is overdue.

If the report is not received after this time, the Dean of the Graduate School may choose to replace an examiner. The Dean of the Graduate School may contact the examiner directly prior to making the decision to appoint a third examiner.

For more information see the Higher Degree by Research Examination (with Oral Examination) Procedure and Higher Degree by Research Examination (without Oral Examination) Procedure . A timeline of the entire examination process is also available:

Examination process timeline (PDF, 383.2 KB)
1. Thesis preparation
2. Thesis submission
4. Award of degree
Thesis submission date and scholarship extension

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PhD Admission in India 2024: Dates, Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Admission Process, Top Colleges

Updated On: May 10, 2024 12:36 pm IST | UGC NET

Looking for PhD admission in India 2024? If yes, then you might be thinking about what are the PhD eligibility criteria, required entrance exams, top colleges, career scope, etc. Scroll through to find PhD admission process in India.

PhD Admission 2024: Latest Updates

Application deadline for phd admission 2024 in top colleges, eligibility criteria for phd admission 2024, admission process for phd admission 2024, entrance exams required for phd admission 2024, top entrance exams schedule for phd admission 2024, phd admission 2024: how to apply, top universities in india for phd admission 2024, preparation tips for phd admission, job prospects after phd in india.

PhD admission in India 2024 is carried out based on a national-level Research Entrance Test or University-level Entrance Exam followed by a personal interview round in which applicants must present their research proposal. As a part of the PhD eligibility criteria, candidates must also sit for entrance exams such as the UGC, CSIR NET, IIT JAM, etc. PhD admissions are available for research programmes in a variety of fields, including mass communication, management, science, law, humanities, engineering, commerce, and pharmacy.

The Doctor of Philosophy, or PhD course is an advanced research degree that lasts three years if pursued full-time and six years if pursued part-time. It is necessary for applicants seeking PhD admission in India 2024 to present their findings, submit progress reports, and participate in an open defence viva voce for their thesis. UGC NET entrance test is administered by the National Test Agency (NTA) for participation in the PhD admission process in India at prominent central universities such as JNU, DU, etc. Aspirants must have scored at least 50% to 55% of aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA in their postgraduate degree to be eligible for admission at the top PhD colleges in India 2024 .

All PhD admissions for the academic year 2024 have been completed. Here is a list of important dates and events that occurred for your convenience. Here are the latest updates on PhD admission 2024:

By July 29, 2024, register for the PhD programme at ICFAI Jaipur (On-going).
The revised entrance exam date for the RGUHS PhD programme is scheduled for May 04, 2024 (Over).
VIT Vellore PhD admission is now accepting applications through April 28, 2024, based on VITREE (Over).

The table below includes the top PhD colleges and their application dates for PhD admission 2024:

Students who intend to pursue PhD in India must meet the necessary PhD admission eligibility criteria required by their respective colleges. Listed below are the detailed PhD qualifications required for pursuing a PhD from India:

Masters degree holders are eligible for PhD admission 2024 into the doctoral programme. Although, for some subjects, having a Master in Philosophy (MPhil) is one of the criteria for PhD admission eligibility. It must be noted by the candidates that in some Indian universities, for a Master's programme, a specific percentage (or equivalent CGPA) is required to satisfy a PhD course eligibility requirement.
For admission into some reputable universities, a candidate must qualify for the all-India examination, like the National Eligibility Test for Lectureship (NET) conducted by NTA. Final-year students appearing in the qualifying degree examination can also apply although they must submit the attested copies of their qualifying degree certificates
Admission is offered based on interview. Also, the interview may be supplemented with a written exam if needed.
Candidates should have a valid Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering or GATE 2024 score to satisfy a PhD admission eligibility criteria in the field of engineering and technology. Also, candidates should have completed their degree in MTech course / Masters in Engineering (ME) in any engineering branch to satisfy the PhD course eligibility in engineering.

The need for a PhD degree in India has increased in recent times because of the increasing career prospects and the growing requirement for higher specialisation. Applicants who want a PhD admission 2024 must consider the following points concerning the admission procedure as the admission is done based on merit and/or entrance exams.

Admission into colleges/ universities in India is available for candidates in full-time and part-time programmes in various disciplines of engineering, arts, management, commerce, science, humanities, finance, law, medicine and IT.
Candidates can choose to pursue their PhD either full-time or part-time. The minimum duration of PhD is two years wherein the course follows the semester system including theory and practical versions on the specialisation of a respective course.
For PhD admission 2024, a Master's degree is required in India. Some universities in India offer seats to students having a minimum of 55% aggregate marks or equivalent.
In some cases, doing an MPhil is a part of their PhD admission criteria to pursue courses offered by some universities.
Admissions to a PhD programme is done through an entrance test at the university level or national level.

The admission procedure for both processes is described below.

PhD Admission 2024: Selection Criteria

Candidates interested in pursuing a doctorate should consider the subsequent factors during the PhD admission process in India.

The applicants who are selected will be contacted to participate in a personal interview round as part of the final selection process.
Depending on the applicant's MTech project and certain academic areas, the interview process will take place.
Students chosen for PhD admission are determined by their performance on entrance exams or merit.
Applicants must pass certain academic requirements before beginning a PhD.
Based on personal interview results, PhD admission in India 2024 will be awarded. If needed, a written exam could be added to the interview.

The entrance exams for PhD courses conducted in India may vary university-wise. PhD admission in India is based on enrollment to several universities. Universities accept the results of either a national-level or a university-level entrance examination. The following section summarises the PhD admission 2024 entrance exam schedule. Mentioned below is the list of the top entrance exams for PhD in India:

As discussed, PhD admission 2024 is primarily based on entrance exams. Applicants can select from several PhD specialisations, including mathematics, engineering, education, and engineering. The table below shows the exam schedules for India's most competitive PhD entrance exams.

Prospective applicants can take part in the PhD admission process in India with a bachelor's as well as a master's degree. However, they must be conscious that to be eligible to register for a PhD study at any of the Indian schools, they need to meet a certain percentage requirement (or comparable CGPA). PhD admission is granted based on the interview. If required, in addition to the in-person interview, a written exam may be administered at a respective university's discretion. The following is a discussion of how students can apply for admission to their preferred PhD course.

On the official portal of their preferred college or university, applicants should review all the details on all PhD courses before selecting their specific research topic.
Those who wish to apply for PhD admission in India 2024 should keep an eye out for notifications about admission to their desired course on the university's official website (preferable) and in the local newspaper.
The individual needs to cross-check if they match PhD eligibility criteria. Next, they should fully complete the application and submit it by the dates specified on the official portal. Additionally, aspirants need to be mindful that they need to register by the formulated deadline along with all necessary documents and fees.
A few Indian universities stipulate that applications must be submitted with a research proposal; the application itself is reviewed afterwards.
Most colleges shortlist candidates after the examination, and those only then appear for the entrance exam. There is one more testing phase included to reduce the number of applicants for PhD admission in India.
The individuals selected for the PhD programme are subsequently paired with research mentors.

Typically, PhD admissions in India are carried out in the spring and fall semesters. Usually, the Spring Cycle starts in January and ends in June with admissions. PhD admissions for the Autumn Session open in July and end in December. Thus, to stay informed about the admission cycle, aspirants need to keep a close eye on the important dates, and deadlines and monitor the respective official portal routinely. The following is a discussion of the top government and private universities that offer PhD admission in India 2024.

List of Government Institutions Offering PhD Admission 2024

PhD admission in India 2024 is now being offered by numerous Central and State Universities for the July Session. The majority of institutions use the Research Entrance Test or UGC NET/JRF results for admittance. Applicants may directly take part in an interview and showcase their research proposal if they have authentic UGC NET/JRF results. Also, a lot of universities only admit PhD hopefuls who have completed their JRF. Consequently, aspirants need to focus especially on these requirements. The following table highlights a list of the top government institutions offering PhD admission in India 2024:

List of Private Institutions Offering PhD Admission 2024

Numerous private colleges provide PhD programmes in a range of subjects and provide candidates with respectable stipends. In addition to offering PhD admission to students who have passed any fellowship entry exams, the majority of these institutions also administer their own Research Entrance Tests. The following table highlights a list of the top private institutions offering PhD admission in India 2024:

Here are some preparation tips for PhD entrance exams which students can use for reference:

Students should gather past year PhD entrance exam question papers from reliable sources and study accordingly.
They must refer to the PhD entrance exam syllabus as per their specialisation.
The entrance exam format varies depending on the conducting body; therefore, the aspirants must be informed of the structure to plan accordingly.
They must cover all exam subjects at least one month before the exam.
To relieve exam stress, the students must take advantage of the various mock tests available.
Keeping up with current events is vital because they are essential for grades.
Visiting the exam centre a day before the exam to avoid last-minute confusion about where the exam centre location is advised.
Before the exam, students must get a good night's sleep.

In today’s world, there is immense scope for candidates after they have completed their PhD. Gone are those days when the scope of PhD was limited to academia. After completing a PhD, one should track their potential and apply to jobs based on exact skills and expertise. Following are a few career options that candidates can choose after pursuing a PhD:

Lecturer & Professor
Author & Writer
Editor & Critic
Human Services/ Social Worker
Independent Consultant
Philosophical Journalist
Industrial R&D Lab professionals
Senior Research Scientist

PhD is considered one of the most valued degrees not just in India but abroad as well. When it comes to your career graph, it can be a good qualification for the aspirants. Many colleges or universities offer this course for aspiring students, however, one should satisfy their respective PhD admission eligibility. With this, candidates will have in-depth knowledge and develop mastery over the subjects they have chosen for specialisation, which will be extremely useful for them in their careers.

Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more such updates and information. Aspirants can also check out our QnA Zone to get their queries resolved by our experts. We wish good luck to all the candidates seeking PhD admission 2024 in India!

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In most cases, a two-year Master's OR MPhil degree in the relevant field from any accredited Indian or foreign university is the minimal requirement for admission to a PhD programme. She or he must have earned a master's degree or a grade equivalent with at least 55%.

The university-level PhD entrance exam or the national research entrance test is used in deciding admissions. The next step is a face-to-face interview where applicants submit their research project. A lot of India's top universities are currently accepting applications for PhDs.

Yes, students can finish their PhD in two years. While a small percentage of exceptionally talented candidates can finish their PhDs in under 12 months, most applicants finish theirs in two years. The rarity and impressiveness of this cannot be overstated, but it is always possible. The secret to completing a PhD promptly is to have a solid academic background before you begin.

Yes. It is every so often possible to forego your master's programme and enrol directly in doctoral courses. You can choose to forego your PG degree by enrolling in a research programme after earning your bachelor's degree.

The list of the top 10 easiest PhDs to obtain includes a PhD in Humanities, a PhD in Education, a PhD in Theology, a PhD in Business Administration, a PhD in Psychology, a PhD in Literature, a PhD in Criminal Justice, a PhD in Public Policy, a PhD in History, and a PhD in Sociology.

A PhD is the highest educational qualification that can be obtained. A PhD candidate can expect to earn PhD salary between INR 6 and INR 12 lakhs per year.

Whether a PhD is required after a master's degree depends on a candidate’s interests in a particular specialisation. To be eligible to enrol in a PhD programme, candidates must hold a master's degree in good standing. A PhD course can be pursued by students in any field.

A PhD programme allows you to specialise in a variety of fields. Chemistry Clinical Psychology Education Physics Electronics and Communications Engineering Educational Leadership and Administration are some of the popular doctorate level courses.

A doctorate or PhD degree typically takes three years to complete. Candidates accepted into the programme have a maximum of 5 to 6 years to complete their research. However, the duration of the PhD programmes varies by institute.

Yes, students can get a direct PhD admission in India after completing the UG degree in any discipline or subject of their preference. As per the University Grants Commission (UGC), candidates can apply for a PhD provided they have a four-year bachelor’s degree along with a 75% aggregate mark or its equivalent grade.

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How to tackle the PhD dissertation

Finding time to write can be a challenge for graduate students who often juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. Mabel Ho provides some tips to make the process less daunting

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Writing helps you share your work with the wider community. Your scholarship is important and you are making a valuable contribution to the field. While it might be intimidating to face a blank screen, remember, your first draft is not your final draft! The difficult part is getting something on the page to begin with.

As the adage goes, a good dissertation is a done dissertation, and the goal is for you to find balance in your writing and establish the steps you can take to make the process smoother. Here are some practical strategies for tackling the PhD dissertation.

Write daily

This is a time to have honest conversations with yourself about your writing and work habits. Do you tackle the most challenging work in the morning? Or do you usually start with emails? Knowing your work routine will help you set parameters for the writing process, which includes various elements, from brainstorming ideas to setting outlines and editing. Once you are aware of your energy and focus levels, you’ll be ready to dedicate those times to writing.

While it might be tempting to block a substantial chunk of time to write and assume anything shorter is not useful, that is not the case. Writing daily, whether it’s a paragraph or several pages, keeps you in conversation with your writing practice. If you schedule two hours to write, remember to take a break during that time and reset. You can try:

The Pomodoro Technique: a time management technique that breaks down your work into intervals
Taking breaks: go outside for a walk or have a snack so you can come back to your writing rejuvenated
Focus apps: it is easy to get distracted by devices and lose direction. Here are some app suggestions: Focus Bear (no free version); Forest (free version available); Cold Turkey website blocker (free version available) and Serene (no free version).

This is a valuable opportunity to hone your time management and task prioritisation skills. Find out what works for you and put systems in place to support your practice.

Resources on academic writing for higher education professionals
Stretch your work further by ‘triple writing’
What is your academic writing temperament?

Create a community

While writing can be an isolating endeavour, there are ways to start forming a community (in-person or virtual) to help you set goals and stay accountable. There might be someone in your cohort who is also at the writing stage with whom you can set up a weekly check-in. Alternatively, explore your university’s resources and centres because there may be units and departments on campus that offer helpful opportunities, such as a writing week or retreat. Taking advantage of these opportunities helps combat isolation, foster accountability and grow networks. They can even lead to collaborations further down the line.

Check in with your advisers and mentors. Reach out to your networks to find out about other people’s writing processes and additional resources.
Don’t be afraid to share your work. Writing requires constant revisions and edits and finding people who you trust with feedback will help you grow as a writer. Plus, you can also read their work and help them with their editing process.
Your community does not have to be just about writing! If you enjoy going on hikes or trying new coffee shops, make that part of your weekly habit. Sharing your work in different environments will help clarify your thoughts and ideas.

Address the why

The PhD dissertation writing process is often lengthy and it is sometimes easy to forget why you started. In these moments, it can be helpful to think back to what got you excited about your research and scholarship in the first place. Remember it is not just the work but also the people who propelled you forward. One idea is to start writing your “acknowledgements” section. Here are questions to get you started:

Do you want to dedicate your work to someone?
What ideas sparked your interest in this journey?
Who cheered you on?

This practice can help build momentum, as well as serve as a good reminder to carve out time to spend with your community.

You got this!

Writing is a process. Give yourself grace, as you might not feel motivated all the time. Be consistent in your approach and reward yourself along the way. There is no single strategy when it comes to writing or maintaining motivation, so experiment and find out what works for you.

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Comprehensive Exam Process

What are comprehensive exams?

The comprehensive exams consist of six components, only three of which are traditional exams. Students must successfully complete these six “comps” components before they can progress to their Dissertation Prospectus. Students plan comps with a “comps committee” consisting of three Communication faculty members, who will evaluate the student's comps work. Students typically constitute this committee beginning in the second half of their second year.

The three comps components that are not traditional exams are:

A research paper in a “ready for journal submission” state
A reflection paper in which the student provides a statement about the communication discipline and how they position themselves in this field
A comprehensive syllabus for a 400-level seminar in the student’s area of expertise, accompanied by a brief reflection paper

A student should begin developing these three components during coursework and must have them completed by the time they take their three traditional exams. The three traditional exams are a combination of closed-book and take-home exams that are completed during a multiday exam period that is scheduled at least three months before the exam date.

What is the purpose of the comprehensive exams?

The purpose of the exams is to demonstrate written and oral mastery of secondary research, reflect upon the student’s view of the discipline, prepare students for a career as professionals in the field, and qualify the student to move on to conduct his/her dissertation research.

When should I start preparing and planning for comprehensive exams?

In consultation with their advisor, students can begin developing the comps research paper, comps reflection paper, and comps syllabus during their first two years of coursework. Students typically constitute a comps committee and begin to plan in earnest for their comps during the spring semester of their second year, but an advanced student might begin earlier.

What is the procedure for fulfilling the comprehensive exams requirement?

At least three months before the proposed dates for the traditional exams, the student constitutes a Comprehensive Exam Committee ("comps committee"). The committee consists of at least three members of the Communication faculty (additional examiners from outside the department are optional). The committee and student meet to discuss the examination structure, timeline, and other issues relating to this process. The content of the examination is not restricted to coursework from the student's Plan-of-Study; students may be required to prepare in areas not covered in their coursework, as determined by student and committee. Faculty members serving on the committee work with the student to develop study questions, reading lists, or other means for delimiting examination subject areas. At least three months in advance of the examination dates, the student must complete an “Approved Examination Schedule.” This must be signed by the student, the advisor, and the Graduate Program Director and submitted to the Graduate Secretary, who will schedule an examination room. The exam question answers and other comps components (research paper, reflection paper, syllabus) must be submitted by the end of the scheduled two-week exam period. Upon submission of the written examinations, all members of the Comprehensive Exam Committee will evaluate all exam materials. They will provide evaluation of the materials to the student’s advisor to let them know if the student is ready to defend the comprehensive exam orally. In cases where answers are “Unsatisfactory,” the student will have one opportunity for rewriting within the regular semester following the submission of the written materials.

Once the student has satisfactorily completed the written examination, the Comprehensive Exam Committee, chaired by the advisor, will conduct an oral examination. All written and oral portions of the examination must receive the unanimous approval of the Comprehensive Exam Committee. It is the responsibility of the student’s advisor to report in writing the results of the examination to the Graduate Program. Please note that a similar copy of procedures appears in the department's Graduate Handbook .

Guidelines for the Comps Research Paper

Publishable Research Paper: For this element of the comprehensive exam, you need to submit a "ready-for-submission" research paper. This paper can be a result of a seminar or prior work, which you, with your comps committee members' help, continue to work on in order to make it ready for submission to a double-blind refereed journal. As a scholarly article, your article may have the following elements, depending on outlet, and perhaps others as suggested by your comprehensive exam committee:

Introduction
Theoretical framework
Literature review
Research question/ design/ methodological section
Analysis or findings
Conclusions
References

The paper should be between 8,000–10,000 words, as this is the current word-number size for many publications in our field. Longer or shorter papers should have a clear explanation for their length (unless they follow the journal's specifications). On top of the paper, you'll also need to submit these accompanying materials:

Explanation of the reasoning for the specific journal to which the paper will be submitted. This decision can be based on either the field of the publication, relevant literature with which you engage, or other criteria—aim at the top tier journal in your area as first choice. Design your paper to abide by the specific journal's demands for publications (length, citation style, requirements, etc.)—see "author guide" or similar section in the specific journal.
A "letter to the editor" that will accompany the article itself. Such letters are important elements of the submission process, and writing the right letter to the right journal editor greatly enhances the chances of publication. The letter should be addressed to the specific editor (if the journal has more than one editor) you have in mind for the publication, explaining why your article is best fitted to this journal and why this journal best fits the article.

Criteria for assessment: Each comprehensive exam committee has the flexibility to communicate their own criteria for assessing the paper. The Graduate Studies committee makes the following suggestions:

Originality and significance of the article and its arguments together with its clarity, coherence, and organization. A passing paper should receive "submit without changes or "minor revision" for a passing comps paper at the oral defense from all three members.
Appropriateness of the article for the selected journal and the reasoning for it
Clear argumentation of the letter to the editor and other elements requested

The paper and its accompanying materials should be handed in to the Graduate Secretary no later than the last scheduled comprehensive exam.

Guidelines for Comps Reflection Paper

A reflection paper on communication as a field/discipline and the student's place/scholarly interest in relation to the field/discipline. This paper provides a basis for the research statement of the candidate during their job search. Although the field of communication is made up of many diverse areas, we are one professional discipline, and this paper should tell a coherent story of the student's position in this discipline, regardless of subfield and interdisciplinary influences. The paper should be based on the student’s coursework, including required theory, methods, pro-sem, and survey courses, among others, as well as other scholarly and personal experiences. For this paper, you will need to consider your exposure to and reading about the various metaphors for, approaches to, and subfields of Communication. You might consider the following:

Where did the idea of "communication" come from and how has it changed and/or remained constant over time and space?
How do various subfields with which you are familiar contribute (or not) to each other and what might we learn from these literatures?
What is interdisciplinary about the discipline/field and what might a view from “outside” contribute to your subfields?

Format: 3,000-word essay. Material should be easily transferable to a cover letter for a job, job talk, personal statement, etc. References should include general theorists on the idea of communication as well as those more specific to the student's orientation. Criteria for assessment: Each comprehensive exam committee has the flexibility to communicate their own criteria for assessing the paper. The Graduate Studies committee makes the following suggestions:

Student has responded to one or more of the questions above in a comprehensive fashion.
Student has reflected on the relationship of their subfield to the overall field/discipline of communication.

Guidelines for the Comps Syllabus

A syllabus of the student's design, including different elements such as: objectives, skills, assignments, and week-to-week readings. This part of the exam reflects on the pro-seminar, the student's teaching career, and the courses they took. It is a syllabus for a seminar (upper-level undergraduate) course in the student's area of expertise, where they demonstrate their approach to teaching and imparting the knowledge they feel is important for undergraduate students. The syllabus is also a means for the student (in the examination and on the job market) to communicate teaching philosophies, technologies, innovations, and effective teaching. For these reasons, a one-page pedagogical statement explaining the rationale for the course topic and design should accompany the syllabus. Students should design a course syllabus for advanced undergraduates in their specialty area. The syllabus should allow the committee and future employers to position them in the field as a potential teacher of courses in, e.g., media and cultural studies, digital media and technology studies, language and interaction studies, etc. The syllabus may be included in their teaching portfolio as part of job applications and may be referred to in interviews regarding teaching. Optional (by Comps Committee) criteria for assessment: Syllabus includes: Introduction to course, to your teaching philosophy as related to course content, learning objectives, outcomes. Grading weights and policies. Inclusiveness statement. Assignments and assessment thereof clearly described. Course schedule easy to understand, assignment due dates indicated.

Guidelines for the Three "Traditional" Comps Exams

Preparation: At least three months before the proposed dates for the traditional exams, the student constitutes a Comprehensive Exam Committee. The committee consists of at least three members of the Communication faculty (additional examiners from outside the department are optional). At least three months in advance of the examination dates, the committee and student meet to discuss the examination structure, timeline, and other issues relating to this process. Faculty members serving on the committee work with the student to jointly develop study questions, reading lists, or other means for delimiting examination subject areas.

Format: At least one of the three exams will be a closed-book, three-hour exam (four hours for students for whom English is not their first language). The allocation of the remaining two exams between closed book and take-home exams will be determined by individual committees. All take-home portions of the exam must be completed within 48 hours of the student receiving the question. The three examination questions (all in the student’s subject area) will be distributed as follows: one question in theories, one question in methods, and one question in a specialty area defined by the committee and student. Specialty areas are defined as those areas in which a student wishes to focus her/his scholarship, e.g., ethnography of communication about nature, critical discourse analysis and race, cultural production and sustainability, gaming and media effects, performance ethnography and higher education. Theories and methods are generally comprised of theories and tools broadly as well as those that a student will most rely on for a research career in his/her specialty, e.g., social construction theories, and ethnographic research methods. The two open responses should observe the following guidelines:

Maximum of 15 pages.
There should be a developed, integrated arc or line of argument using, and responding to, literature in the area, rather than just summarizing relevant research.
The answers should clearly address the question posed and respond in an organized manner (e.g., utilizing subsections with headings).
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J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 – Apply Now

J&k bank graduate apprentice recruitment 2024 – notification summary.

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has announced the Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 under the Apprentices Act, 1961. This recruitment drive aims to engage 276 apprentices across various districts and cities, including Srinagar, Jammu, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. The apprenticeship period is for one year, offering a stipend of ₹ 10,500 per month, including a government contribution of ₹ 1,500 through DBT. Online registration starts on 14th May 2024 and closes on 28th May 2024 .

To be eligible, candidates must have a graduation degree from a recognized university and should be proficient in the local language of the respective region. The age limit is 20 to 28 years , with relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD categories as per government guidelines. The selection process involves an online written test covering General Awareness, English Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability.

Important Links and Details for J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

Eligibility criteria for j&k bank graduate apprentice recruitment 2024.

To apply for the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 , candidates must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the official notification. Candidates must possess a graduation degree from a recognized university by the last date of registration. Additionally, proficiency in the local language of the respective region is mandatory, with preference given to domiciles of the region.

The age limit is set between 20 to 28 years as of 1st January 2024 . However, age relaxation is applicable for SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD candidates as per government guidelines. Candidates should not have undergone any apprenticeship training previously or have more than one year of job experience after their educational qualification.

Application Process for J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

The application process for the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 is entirely online. Candidates must register on the apprenticeship portal ( https://apprenticeshipindia.gov.in ) and create their profile. After successful registration, candidates need to search for “Jammu and Kashmir Bank” and apply for the apprenticeship opportunity.

Following the apprenticeship portal registration, candidates must register for the online examination on the J&K Bank official website. The application fee is Rs. 700 for General category and Rs. 500 for reserved categories , payable online. Ensure all required documents, such as photographs, signatures, and educational certificates, are scanned and uploaded correctly . Double-check all details before submitting the application to avoid any errors.

Exam Pattern and Syllabus for J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

The exam pattern for the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 involves an online written test comprising objective-type questions. The test is divided into two sections: General Awareness & English Comprehension, and Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning Ability . Each section consists of 50 questions, with a total duration of 60 minutes.

Candidates must prepare thoroughly for the online test. The syllabus includes topics like current affairs, general knowledge, basic mathematics, logical reasoning, and English grammar and comprehension . Practicing previous years’ question papers and taking mock tests can significantly enhance your preparation. Understanding the exam pattern and familiarizing yourself with the type of questions asked will help you manage your time effectively during the examination.

Preparation Tips for J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

Preparing for the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 requires a strategic approach. Here are some tips to help you succeed:

Understand the Syllabus : Familiarize yourself with the syllabus and focus on key areas. Allocate more time to subjects you find challenging.
Create a Study Plan : Develop a study schedule that covers all topics systematically. Dedicate specific hours each day to study and stick to the plan.
Practice Regularly : Solve previous years’ question papers and take mock tests to get a feel of the exam pattern and improve your speed and accuracy.
Stay Updated : Keep yourself updated with current affairs, especially related to banking and finance. Read newspapers, magazines, and online portals regularly.
Revise Thoroughly : Regular revision is crucial to retain what you have studied. Make short notes for quick revision before the exam.

Post-Examination Process for J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

After the online examination, candidates will be shortlisted based on their performance . The merit list will be prepared district/region-wise and category-wise. Shortlisted candidates will undergo document verification to ensure they meet all eligibility criteria. It is important to have all required documents, such as educational certificates, identity proof, and caste certificates, ready for verification.

Following document verification, selected candidates will receive a digital contract through the apprenticeship portal. Candidates must accept the offer within the stipulated time . The apprenticeship training will commence from the start date mentioned in the contract. After completing the training, candidates will undergo an assessment test, and successful candidates will receive an Apprenticeship Certificate jointly signed by J&K Bank and the BFSI Sector Skill Council of India.

Important Dates and Deadlines for J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

Keeping track of important dates and deadlines is crucial for a successful application. Here are the key dates for the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 :

Date of Notification : 9th May 2024
Starting Date of Application : 14th May 2024
Last Date of Application : 28th May 2024
Online Examination Date : To be communicated separately

Ensure you complete the application process within the given timeline. Regularly check the official website for updates and notifications regarding the examination and selection process.

Tips for Cracking J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

Cracking the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 requires dedication and smart preparation. Here are some tips to help you succeed:

Understand the Exam Pattern : Familiarize yourself with the exam pattern and types of questions asked. Practice regularly to improve your speed and accuracy.
Focus on Weak Areas : Identify your weak areas and allocate more time to improve them. Use study materials and resources to strengthen your understanding.
Take Mock Tests : Regularly take mock tests to assess your preparation level. Analyze your performance and work on areas that need improvement.
Stay Updated : Keep yourself updated with current affairs and banking-related news. Read newspapers, magazines, and online portals daily.
Revise Regularly : Make sure to revise regularly. Create concise notes for quick revision sessions before the exam. This helps retain information better and reduces last-minute stress.
Stay Healthy : Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep. Physical well-being significantly impacts mental performance.

How to Stay Updated and Prepare for J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024

Staying updated and well-prepared is essential for success in the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 . Here are some strategies to ensure you stay on top of your preparation:

Regularly Visit the Official Website : Frequently check the J&K Bank official website for updates, notifications, and important announcements. Bookmark the site and set reminders to visit it regularly.
Subscribe to Job Alerts : Join job alert services, WhatsApp, and Telegram channels dedicated to J&K Bank updates. This ensures you receive timely notifications about application deadlines, exam dates, and other important information.
Use Official Study Materials : Refer to the study materials and resources recommended by J&K Bank. Authentic and relevant study materials can significantly enhance your preparation.
Join Study Groups : Participate in study groups or online forums where you can discuss topics, share resources, and stay motivated. Interaction with peers can provide new insights and better understanding.
Attend Coaching Classes : If needed, consider joining coaching classes for structured preparation and expert guidance. This can help you cover the syllabus more effectively and clear any doubts.

By following these strategies, candidates can ensure thorough preparation and stay updated throughout the recruitment process, enhancing their chances of securing a position through the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024 .

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BSSC CGL Notification 2024, 5380 Graduate Level Vacancies Announced

BSSC is going to release BSSC CGL Notification 2024 and a total of 5,380 Vacancies for Graduate Level posts have been announced. Get complete information about the upcoming BSSC CGL 2024 Exam here.

Table of Contents

The much-anticipated recruitment examination cycle of Bihar state of India, that is BSSC CGL 2024 Examination, will commence soon. For this year, the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) will be selecting eligible candidates through pre-defined selection criteria, for a huge vacancy of 5,380 Graduate-level posts.

Interested candidates must note that the official BSSC CGL Notification 2024 is expected to be released around July/August 2024 and online applications will be submitted on the BSSC CGL official website @bssc.bihar.gov.in. For more insights into the BSSC CGL Vacancy, you can read this article.

BSSC CGL 4 Notification 2024

Now, that the BSSC CGL 4 Vacancy is out, you can expect the detailed BSSC CGL Notification 2024 which includes all the information related to the recruitment process such as application dates, application fee, exam mode, selection process, exam pattern, and so on. This vacancy is more than the last year so it is a great opportunity for all the graduate candidates in the state of Bihar. We will update the notification details here after it gets released on the official website @bssc.bihar.gov.in.

Note: If candidates want they can check the BSSC CGL Notification PDF for the previous year to get an idea of the notification. This year’s notification link will be made available once it is released officially.

BSSC CGL 2024- Highlights

Candidates will be selected for a bumper vacancy of 5,380 under the Combined Level Examination 2024. So, if you have been waiting for any such announcement before starting your preparation, then you must begin now because BSSC can release the official BSSC CGL Recruitment 2024 Notification anytime announcing the application dates and other details. Check the BSSC CGL Vacancy 2024 highlights below.

BSSC CGL Exam Date 2024

On 10th May 2024, the vacancy details for the upcoming BSSC CGL Examination 2024 came to light and you can expect the notification to be released anytime announcing this year’s recruitment cycle. Soon after the notification is out, the online application process will begin and will continue for a month. After the process is over, the exam date will be notified for both the Prelims and Mains Exam and subsequent stages. We will update all the important dates here.

BSSC CGL Vacancy 2024

The total number of vacancies is 5380 and divided into different levels of posts. You can check the level-wise vacancy distribution and for more details, refer to the image attached below.

BSSC CGL Notification 2024, 5380 Graduate Level Vacancies Announced_3.1

BSSC CGL 4 2024 Apply Online

The Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) will organize and supervise the online application process to be conducted for receiving applications from suitable candidates. The instructions and do’s & don’ts will be shared by the Commission on its official website and the notification PDF. It is advisable that before applying for any of the 5,380 Graduate Level post, you go through these instructions to avoid any mistakes. As of now, the application dates are not known yet but it will be updated here soon and the direct link will be provided here.

BSSC CGL 4 Recruitment 2024 Apply Online- Link Inactive

BSSC CGL Application Fee

The application fee is a mandatory part of the online application form, without it the form will not be considered complete. If you belong to the Unreserved category such as General, OBC, and EWS then you will have to pay Rs. 540/- as an application fee.

How to Apply for BSSC CGL 4 Notification 2024?

Note that the applications for the recruitment will be submitted on the official website of BSSC @bssc.bihar.gov.in. The online application process is easy and you can apply it through your laptop, computer, tablet, etc. So, follow these steps and apply for BSSC CGL 2024 recruitment:

Open your browser (can be any) and then go to the official website of BSSC at www.bssc.bihar.gov.in.
Now, you can search through the official website and look for the BSSC CGL Notification and Registration Link.
After finding the link, click on it and proceed with filling in the details such as Name, Qualification, Email ID, Phone Number, etc. Also, upload documents, if required.
After successful registration, a unique User ID and Password will be sent to you on your registered number.
Now, proceed with the online application form. Enter all the essential details and upload documents.
Pay the application fee and then submit the form.

BSSC CGL Eligibility Criteria

BSSC has set some minimum parameters of eligibility based on the Educational Qualifications and Age Limit a candidate must fulfill before applying for BSSC CGL Vacancy 2024. Check the Eligibility Criteria here.

BSSC CGL Educational Qualification

Candidates must hold a Graduation Degree in any stream from a recognized university or institution. Also, note that the degree should be in the prescribed subject that is required for the post.

BSSC CGL Age Limit

To apply for the CGL examination, you need to be in the pre-defined age slab. The minimum age limit is 21 to 37 years for the UR category and age relaxations are provided to the reserved category candidates as per their category. You can check the category-wise age relaxation below.

BSSC CGL 4 Selection Process 2024

The selection of candidates for BSSC CGL Vacancy 2024 is done based on marks obtained by the candidates in the written exam. The BSSC written exam is divided into 02 parts i.e. Prelims and Mains exam. The BSSC Prelims exam is qualifying in nature. Candidates who qualify for the prelims exam are eligible to appear for the mains exam and the final selection is based on marks obtained by candidates in the BSSC CGL Mains Exam.

Prelims- Qualifying

BSSC CGL Exam Pattern

BSSC CGL written exam is conducted in 2 Phases i.e. Prelims and Mains exam. Candidates have to clear both exams to get selected. Check the detailed exam pattern for BSSC CGL Prelims Exam 2024 below.

BSSC CGL Prelims Exam Pattern

The BSSC CGL Prelims Exam covers 3 sections such as General Studies, General Science and Mathematics, English Language/Logical Reasoning/Mental Ability and each section carries 50 qustions.
It consists of a total of 150 objective-type questions.
Each question in the exam carries 4 marks.
Candidates have a total time duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete the exam.
There is a negative marking of 1 mark for every incorrect answer in the prelims exam.

BSSC CGL Mains Exam Pattern

There are two papers in the Mains Exam in which Paper 1 is of 100 marks and Paper 2 is 600 Marks. The duration of both the papers is 2 hours and 15 mins.

Each question carries 4 mark and the minimum qualifying marks of Paper 1 is 30% out of the total.

BSSC CGL Syllabus

The BSSC CGL 4 Syllabus consists of covered under Hindi Language, English Language, General Science, General Studies, Reasoning, and Mental Ability. To prepare well for Prelims and Mains, you need to thoroughly go through each topic and also check out the previous year papers. This will help you understand the types of questions asked in the exam. Follow these tips to make most out of the syllabus for BSSC CGL 2024 Examination:

Syllabus is the most essential part of preparation, so make sure you go through it thoroughly.
Download the BSSC CGL 2024 Syllabus and keep it with your study material.
Orally go through the syllabus and understand your weak and strong suits.
Always refer to the syllabus before staring any new topic, as this will help in you sticking to the syllabus and avoid overwork.

BSSC CGL 2024 Salary

The BSSC CGL Salary varies as per the post and it lies between the range of Rs. 42,000 to Rs. 73,000/- (Approximate Figure). The monthly salary includes allowances and perks as sanctioned by the Government of Bihar. The latest salary details will be released along with the official notification and we will share the information here.

Is the BSSC CGL Vacancy 2024 announced?

Yes, the BSSC CGL Vacancy 2024 has been announced by the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) and this year a total of 5,380 vacancies for various posts have been announced.

What is BSSC CGL 2024 Exam?

The BSSC CGL Examination is conducted to select eligible candidates for Graduate Level posts in various departments of Bihar state government. Every year, thousands of candidates apply for this job.

What is the selection process for the BSSC CGL 2024 recruitment?

Candidates will have to go through Prelims, Mains and Document Verification stages in order to get selected for the post.

When will BSSC release the BSSC CGL Notification 2024?

The BSSC CGL Notification 2024 is expected to be released soon.

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PhD Exam Process PhD Exam Process. Written Preliminary Exam (WPE) Expand all + Description and Policies for the WPE. Description of Exam Subjects. The written preliminary examination is the first step for students wishing to pursue their doctorate in AEM. Five exam subjects are offered and original problems are written by AEM faculty each year. ...
A study of the PhD examination: process, attributes and outcomes
The idiographic nature of the PhD examination raises challenges for assessment in higher education. While the examination follows different processes internationally, the submission and evaluation of a thesis or dissertation that demonstrates originality is common to all. In many countries, this is
Examination process
The oral examination is a key part of the examination process. The internal examiner, or the non-examining chair if one has been appointed, is responsible for ensuring that the details of the oral examination, including the date and place, the names of all those participating or attending is provided in advance to all those who are to be ...
PhD Viva Voces
Regardless of the subject area, all PhD vivas follow the same examination process format as below. Introductions. ... Based on an analysis of 26,076 PhD students who took their viva exam between 2006 and 2017, the PhD viva pass rate in the UK is 96%; of those who passed, about 80% were required to make minor amendments to their thesis. The ...
Master's & doctoral research examination process
Step 2: Submit for examination. The Master's and Doctoral Research Examination Coordination Section will inform students of the process. You will only be provided with the link after the panel of examiners has been appointed by the college. As soon as you receive the link, you have to request access.
Examining the Doctorate: Institutional policy and the PhD examination
In this article the authors attempt to shed some light on the PhD examination process, a process that is arguably far less transparent than those at other levels of British higher education. More specifically, the authors focus upon institutional policy from a sample of 20 British universities and attempt to document policy and interrogate the ...
PDF Thesis Examination Procedure
Thesis examination is a core assessment required in all higher degree research (HDR) programs. This procedure outlines the processes for preparation, submission and examination of the thesis component of all HDR programs. It also includes the roles and responsibilities of higher degree research (HDR) candidates, supervisors, Postgraduate ...
PDF Process for Students Pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy Saint Louis
committee, consisting of five members of the Graduate Faculty, to conduct and evaluate the oral examination, and includes the date and time of the examination. This form is signed by the Dean, Associate Dean, or Center Director to indicate approval of the committee. The major field department should also include in this notice any graduate
3. Thesis examination
The Dean of the Graduate School may contact the examiner directly prior to making the decision to appoint a third examiner. For more information see the Higher Degree by Research Examination (with Oral Examination) Procedure and Higher Degree by Research Examination (without Oral Examination) Procedure. A timeline of the entire examination ...
PhD Admission in India 2024: Dates, Eligibility, Entrance Exams
UGC NET entrance test is administered by the National Test Agency (NTA) for participation in the PhD admission process in India at prominent central universities such as JNU, DU, etc. Aspirants must have scored at least 50% to 55% of aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA in their postgraduate degree to be eligible for admission at the top PhD ...
A study of the PhD examination: process, attributes and outcomes
The idiographic nature of the PhD examination raises challenges for assessment in higher education. While the examination follows different processes internationally, the submission and evaluation of a thesis or dissertation that demonstrates originality is common to all. In many countries, this is complemented by a viva (oral examination), which in the UK is held in private. The ...
How to tackle the PhD dissertation
The PhD dissertation writing process is often lengthy and it is sometimes easy to forget why you started. In these moments, it can be helpful to think back to what got you excited about your research and scholarship in the first place. Remember it is not just the work but also the people who propelled you forward.
Comprehensive Exam Process : Communication : UMass Amherst
Preparation: At least three months before the proposed dates for the traditional exams, the student constitutes a Comprehensive Exam Committee. The committee consists of at least three members of the Communication faculty (additional examiners from outside the department are optional). At least three months in advance of the examination dates ...
J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024
Here are the key dates for the J&K Bank Graduate Apprentice Recruitment 2024: Date of Notification: 9th May 2024. Starting Date of Application: 14th May 2024. Last Date of Application: 28th May 2024. Online Examination Date: To be communicated separately. Ensure you complete the application process within the given timeline.
BSSC CGL Vacancy 2024 Announced for 5380 Graduate Level
The Bihar Staff Selection Commission announced 5380 vacancies for graduate-level posts in Bihar. Check the BSSC CGL Level Vacancy 2024 details at www.bssc.bihar.gov.in or in the article below. The Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) has declared the CGL Vacancy 2024 for Various posts and services in Bihar State Government Departments.