BMOL PhD Student Handbook Preliminary Examination

Preliminary Examination

The preliminary examination is a series of written examinations that measures achievement by the student of an acceptable breadth and depth of knowledge in biomolecular sciences.  Questions are developed by the program core teaching faculty, with the focus on material presented in the core BMOL 601-603 sequence as well as PHYS 504 Molecular and Cellular Biophysics and BMOL 511 Advanced Cell Biology.  The preliminary examination is offered annually, following the end of the spring semester (typically during the second week of the summer).  A student should plan to take the preliminary examination prior to their fifth semester of study once they have attained regular status and soon after completing the core courses.  The written preliminary exam consists of a series of questions covering topics from the core curriculum (BMOL 601, BMOL 602, BMOL 603) as well as PHYS 504 Molecular and Cellular Biophysics and BMOL 511 Advanced Cell Biology.  The questions are typically “blended” or interdisciplinary-type questions designed to span the material presented in these courses.  These questions will be collectively written by program core teaching faculty.  The exam consists of a series of questions in which students must pass a pre-determined number of questions (e.g., 6 out of 9).   The preliminary exam is graded as either pass or fail. The Program Director notifies the student of the results of the examination in writing.   Once passed, a grade of P is recorded for BMOL 687 Doctoral Preliminary Examination.  A preliminary exam that is failed on the first attempt can be repeated once, but only if a second attempt is requested in writing by the student within five working days after the student has received notification of their failure, and if the request is approved by the Program.  If the second attempt is disapproved, then the Program Director notifies the Dean of the Graduate College that the student should be administratively withdrawn from the program.  If the student fails the second attempt, then a grade of (F) is assigned to the BMOL 687 credit and the student is recommended for dismissal from the program by the Graduate College.  A third attempt to pass the exam is not permitted by the Graduate College. A student who is administratively withdrawn from the program may apply for admission to another graduate program offered by the university.

Master’s en route to Ph.D.

Students interested in earning a M.S. degree while pursuing their doctorate, need to see the Program office after they have passed their doctoral preliminary exam (BMOL 687) and before they enroll for their doctoral Comprehensive exam (BMOL 691).