University Policies | Geology Dept. Policies and Degree Requirments
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The final exam, administered after completion of the dissertation, determines whether or not the dissertation and the student's defense of the research are of acceptable quality to permit granting of the Ph.D. This is the "Final Oral Examination" required by the Graduate College. It is aimed at the following questions:
Scheduling: The student should schedule the exam well in advance. Barb Elmore will arrange the day and time. The members of the Final Exam committee must be given copies of the the dissertation no later than ten days before the scheduled Final Exam. The exam should be taken after the Dissertation Colloquium has been completed.
The Committee. The committee is normally the same as the Preliminary Exam committee, but if this group cannot be reconvened, the GSC and the advisor will establish a new committee. The committee must include four voting members, three must be graduate faculty members in the department, and two must be tenured faculty. The committee should include faculty from more than one area of specialization. The Chair must be graduate faculty. Committees should not have more than five members.
Nature of the exam: As the committee members will have heard the dissertation colloquium, the final exam does not contain a formal oral presentation. The exam consists of oral questioning by the committee about the content of the dissertation. The student should come prepared with illustrations (overheads and/or slides) to aid in discussing issues. The exam generally lasts 2 hours, after which the student is excused temporarily while the committee deliberates on the outcome of the exam.
Outcome of the exam. The committee decides among the following options, and the decision must be unanimous. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached, the committee chair is obliged to confer with the Dean of the Graduate College.
Pass. Each committee member must indicate that the thesis has been read and approved.
Fail (with second chance). The student is given one more opportunity, within six months, to take the exam. The Graduate College is informed of the failure and the committee chair will indicate that the student should be given a second examination. If the second exam results in a failure, the student must leave the department without a Ph.D. degree.
Fail (final). The department notifies the Graduate College immediately and the student may not continue in the Ph.D. program.
Decision Deferred. If substantial changes are required in the dissertation, this option is used. The examining committee must recommend changes and improvements, and the student must retake the exam within six months.
Ph.D. Requirements | Preliminary Exam | Qualifying Exam
University Policies | Geology Dept. Policies and Degree Requirements
Faculty | Courses | Dept. Home