Overview
The purpose of the preliminary examination is to determine whether you are prepared to complete an original, intellectual, and scientific investigation which will culminate in a doctoral dissertation. The preliminary examination consists of a written and oral exam. Admission to candidacy for a doctoral degree requires all students to pass a preliminary examination and submit a research proposal.
Prerequisites
- You must be registered with Texas A&M University to be eligible to take the preliminary examination.
- You must have a graduate GPR of 3.0 or higher and a degree plan GPR of 3.0 or higher.
- Your degree plan must be approved by the Office of Graduate Studies no later than ninety days prior to the preliminary exam.
- You must be within 6 credit hours of completing all formal (graded) course work on degree plan (i.e., all course work except 681, 684, 690, and 691).
- The Preliminary Exam Checklist must be received by the Office of Graduate Studies ten days prior to the date of the first written examination.
Guidelines
- The exact format of these exams is determined by the chair of the advisory committee and approved by the remaining members of the committee.
- You are responsible for printing out and carrying the Checklist & Report of Preliminary Exam form to the oral exam itself. These completed forms must be returned to the Graduate Program Office.
- You must complete all degree requirements within a four year period following the preliminary exam or the exam is voided and must be repeated.
- You must complete the preliminary exam by the end of your fifth semester (excluding summer) of study. For most students, this is the first semester of the third year of study.
- If the preliminary exam is not expected to be completed by the end of the fifth long semester, the chairperson of the advisory committee must certify to the Graduate Program Office that you are making adequate progress toward his/her degree and set a proposed preliminary exam date. A hold will be placed on your registration until a date is confirmed.
- Passing the written cumulative exams (5 of 15) may, at the discretion of the advisory committee, completely or partially satisfy the written exam requirement.
- Providing all written requirements are judged satisfactory the oral examination may proceed.
- The chair is responsible for making all written examinations available to the committee at or before the oral examination.
- If the student fails the preliminary exam, it may be retaken in the next regular semester of study. A second attempt is given at the discretion of the Advisory committee is not guaranteed.