Each student must pass a qualifying examination, which is designed and administered per departmental requirements with the written and oral components varying by department. After completion of all courses in the degree plan, and in preparation for the qualifying examination, the student may register for 6940. With approval of the advisor and dean, students may enroll in 6940 prior to passing the qualifying exams in order to expedite their progress. The student must have been recommended by the Chairperson of the student's appropriate departmental committee and have been certified as eligible by the CoB Office of Graduate Programs and Research. The form (FORM G) should be filed via the major area Ph.D. Coordinator.
Written Qualifying Examination
Each student is required to pass a written qualifying examination within one long semester after completion of course work over the concentration areas. The written qualifying examination will normally consist of at least two four-hour examinations.
- The written qualifying examination will be scheduled and administered by the appropriate departmental committee, within the guidelines established by the CoB Doctoral Program Committee and academic departments. Questions for the written qualifying examination will normally be solicited from all members of the appropriate departmental committee.
- The Ph.D. Coordinator will confer with the appropriate departmental committee to determine if the student passed the written qualifying examination. The Coordinator will notify the student of the result of the written qualifying examination. If the student does not pass the written qualifying examination, he/she will have failed the qualifying examination and will be notified by letter.
- The results of the written qualifying examination will be reported to the Graduate Dean via the CoB Office of Graduate Programs and Research by the Ph.D. Coordinator no later than one month from the date of the examination, FORM H for the major written qualifying examination. Departments may require examinations prior to the qualifying exam to evaluate a student’s knowledge and progress during the first two years of coursework. FORM I may be used to document the student’s progress.
- If for some reason, the student has not completed all requirements for the Ph.D. within three years from the time he/she passes the written qualifying examination, the candidate will be required to retake and pass the qualifying examination. Students may petition the College of Business Doctoral Program Committee for a waiver.
Oral Qualifying Examination
Per departmental policy, oral qualifying examinations are to be administered within 90 days after successful completion of major written qualifying examination. Departments have the option of determining the form and requirement for an oral examination.
- The Chairperson of the student's appropriate departmental committee will report the results of the oral qualifying examination to the Ph.D. Coordinator of the student's major area. The Coordinator will then notify the CoB Office of Graduate Programs and Research, who will notify the student by letter of the overall results of the qualifying examination. If the student does not pass the examination, he/she will be advised to contact his/her appropriate departmental committee Chairperson or Ph.D. Coordinator.
- The results of an oral qualifying examination will be reported to the Graduate Dean via the CoB Office of Graduate Programs and Research by the Ph.D. Coordinator no later than one month from the date of the qualifying examination (FORM J).
Examination Results
A grade of either PASS or FAIL of the qualifying examination will be reported to the Graduate School. Per departmental policy, a student may receive a PASS CONDITIONALLY with deficiency requirements. All deficiency requirements must be resolved no later than within one semester following the examination, in which case a PASS is submitted to the Graduate School; otherwise, the PASS CONDITIONALLY will automatically be changed to a FAIL.
- If a student fails the oral and/or written qualifying examination(s) on the first attempt, the Ph.D. Coordinator will inform the student of the reasons for the failure. The student's appropriate departmental committee will then meet with the student to formulate and document a program of study designed to prepare the student to re-take the failed examination(s). FORM D and supporting documentation will be filed with the CoB Office of Graduate Programs and Research. Upon satisfactory completion of his/her remedial program of study, the student's appropriate departmental committee will certify to the Ph.D. Coordinator that the student is ready to re-take the failed examination(s). The examination(s) must be re-taken within twelve months. FORM J also must be filed in the student's master file, with the major area Ph.D. Coordinator, and/or the major professor.
- In the event that the student fails the oral and/or written qualifying examination(s) a second time or fails to re-take the exam(s) within twelve months, the Ph.D. Coordinator, after notifying the student's appropriate departmental committee and the Chairperson of the Department, will recommend to the CoB Office of Graduate Programs and Research and to the Dean of the Graduate School of the University that the student be withdrawn from the Doctoral Program in Business. (Use FORM C & FORM D for documentation).
Candidacy
- The student is admitted to candidacy when all course work other than any remaining pre-dissertation research (6940) and dissertation research has been completed and the qualifying examinations have been passed.
- Doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment subsequent to passing the qualifying examination for admission to candidacy. The student must complete any remaining hours of 6940 subsequent to passing the qualifying examinations.
- When the student is admitted to candidacy, the appropriate departmental committee is dissolved and a Dissertation Committee is formed. In the event that a committee is not formed, the appropriate departmental committee will serve as the default committee and the Ph.D. Coordinator will serve as chair. The Dissertation Committee consists of a major professor, who assumes primary responsibility for the dissertation, serves as chairperson of the Dissertation Committee, and is selected from the Graduate Faculty of the student's concentration area. This chairperson must hold a Full Graduate Faculty Membership. Two or more members are selected in consonance with the dissertation requirements. They must hold either a Full Graduate Faculty Membership or an Associate Graduate Faculty Membership. At least one member must be from outside the student’s concentration area. Faculty may be added if they possess special expertise needed by the committee. While the student may recommend to the department the composition of the committee, the selection will be made by the department in accordance with established departmental procedures (e.g. which may include a departmental requirement of an outside college member). The major area Ph.D. Coordinator submits the recommendations to the CoB Director of Graduate Programs and Research. The Director verifies appropriate qualifications and notifies the Dean of the Graduate School, of the formation of the candidate’s Dissertation Committee (FORM K).
