[comp.edu] Survey of Ph.D qualifying examinations

rks@cs.Princeton.EDU (Ramesh Sitaraman) (08/15/90)

I would like to know the following about the Ph.D qualifying/general exam
in your school (esp. CS depts, else please indicate department).

1. REQUIRED READING:
   Is the material required for the exam clearly specified ?
   For example, a reading list or a list of courses. Is this
   list voluminous and encyclopaedic or does it cover only 
   fundamentals of each field?

2. EXAMINATION PROCESS:
   Can the students view the corrected exam papers ? Is there an
   appeal process by which the answer sheets can be asked to be  
   reevaluated ? Does the faculty provide solution sets with which
   to compare your answers? Does the faculty employ an "objective"
   pass-fail criterion that is revelaed to the examtakers ?


Please e-mail any replies to rks@cs.princeton.edu . I will summarise
on the net if ned be. Thanks a lot for your effort.


			Ramesh Sitaraman
   
--
ARPA:  rks@cs.princeton.edu  | When you make the two one, inside
SPRINT:(609) 683 1979 (Home) | like outside, and outside like inside
       (609) 258 1794 (Off)  | .....then thou shall enter the Kingdom 
                             | of God.   -Christ, Gospel of Thomas 37.20-35

rks@cs.Princeton.EDU (Ramesh Sitaraman) (08/16/90)

(I have added question 0 which makes the questionnaire more complete.
 Please do  consider replying to this if you can find the time. 
 Also , thanks to all those who have replied already.  - Ramesh) 
   

I would like to know the following about the Ph.D qualifying/general exam
in your school (esp. CS depts, else please indicate department).

0. GENERAL PROCEDURE:
   What kind of requirements do you have before you are a Ph.D
   candidate ? For example, a written exam, a research seminar,
   orals etc. Are they different for different specialisations 
   within the dept ? How many times can you take the exam ? Do you have
   a choice on the topics you are tested ?
  
1. REQUIRED READING:
   Is the material required for the exam clearly specified ?
   For example, a reading list or a list of courses. Is this
   list voluminous and encyclopaedic or does it cover only 
   fundamentals of each field?

2. EXAMINATION PROCESS:
   Can the students view the corrected exam papers ? Is there an
   appeal process by which the answer sheets can be asked to be  
   reevaluated ? Does the faculty provide solution sets with which
   to compare your answers? Does the faculty employ an "objective"
   pass-fail criterion that is revelaed to the examtakers ?

Please e-mail any replies to rks@cs.princeton.edu . I will summarise
on the net if ned be. Thanks a lot for your effort.


			Ramesh Sitaraman










--
ARPA:  rks@cs.princeton.edu  | When you make the two one, inside
SPRINT:(609) 683 1979 (Home) | like outside, and outside like inside
       (609) 258 1794 (Off)  | .....then thou shall enter the Kingdom 
                             | of God.   -Christ, Gospel of Thomas 37.20-35