PhD Qualifying Exam
A PhD Qualifying Exam (QE) consists of the following components:
- A thesis committee to be formed within 6 - 12 months from the start of the PhD candidature. A thesis committee consists of the supervisor and 2 other committee members.
- Students must satisfy the following conditions before being allowed to sit for the QE:
(i) Taken and passed a minimum of five courses, with a minimum Cumulative Average Point of 3.50; and
(ii) Where applicable, obtain satisfactory grades (at least grade C) in the graduate English course at the intermediate level.
- Students will be formally informed of the PhD QE dates as soon as they are fixed.
- Students to send their reading lists to their thesis committee for approval 7 months before the CE.
- Students to send their research proposal (normally 30 to 50 pages) to their thesis committee 2 weeks before the oral defence. The proposal must be submitted in both hard-copy and soft-copy to each of the thesis committee member. A hard copy is to be given to the General Office for record purpose.
- The Division of Research and Graduate Studies will inform student of his/her result of the QE.
- If a student fails any of the two CEs, he/she cannot proceed to take his/her Oral Defence. The student must re-take the two CEs within 6 months to do his/her Oral Defence; if the student passes both of the CEs, and fails the Oral Defence, he/she must re-take the Oral Defence within 6 months.
A student who fails any of the CE or Oral Defence of the PhD thesis proposal is deemed to have failed the QE.
Procedures
- Comprehensive Examination (CE) A - 3-hour closed book written examination, double-spaced typed in 12 font size, and 2,000 - 2,500 words.
- Comprehensive Examination (CE) B - 24-hour take-home examination, double-spaced typed in 12 font size, and 3,000 - 4,000 words.
- Oral Defence of PhD Thesis Proposal
PhD candidates are required to take and pass their PhD QE within 24 months from the start of their PhD candidature. Students are recommended to take their QE by their third semester, so that there is sufficient time to re-take the QE if the first attempt is unsuccessful.