This policy applies to all PhD students in the Biological Sciences Division (BSD). Programs may implement additional requirements as specified in their individual program handbooks.
PhD students must successfully complete a comprehensive exam, where applicable, and qualifying examinations to advance to candidacy. Students should consult their program’s student handbook for details on these assessments.
1. Comprehensive Exams
Programs that require a comprehensive exam administer the exam no later than the end of Summer quarter of a student’s first year. Students in these programs must pass the exam to continue in good standing. Possible outcomes are:
- Pass: The student continues in their program.
- Conditional Pass: Students must satisfy all stipulations by the deadline set by the program. Failure to do so will result in academic probation and one final opportunity to comply before administrative withdrawal from the PhD program.
- Fail: The student is placed on academic probation and must retake the exam by a deadline the program sets, which may not exceed 10 weeks (excluding academic breaks) from the date the student is notified of the result.
2. Qualifying Exams
The qualifying exam is administered prior to the end of the twelfth quarter of enrollment. Each graduate program establishes its own exam format and content, and students must pass the exam to advance to candidacy. Possible outcomes include:
- Pass: Student advances to candidacy.
- Conditional Pass: Student must fulfill remediation requirements set by the examination committee.
- Fail: Student is placed on academic probation and granted one retake opportunity within no later than 10 weeks (excluding academic breaks) after the student is notified of the exam result.
3. Consequences of Failure
Students who do not pass either the comprehensive or qualifying exam on their second attempt will be administratively withdrawn from the PhD program. The Academic Probation Policy provides additional details about probationary status.