Candidacy exam

What is the purpose of the candidacy exam?

The candidacy exam serves to verify that the student has mastered the basic body of knowledge that is expected of Ph.D. candidates. The formal purpose for the exam is to determine whether the student has earned admission to candidacy, and can hence begin a period of research aimed toward a Ph.D. thesis. In Genetics, the candidacy provides the Program Committee with a gauge of capabilities of the student. It also can point out deficiencies that can be corrected by course work or independent study. Finally, the candidacy serves as one mechanism for evaluating the student's communication skills.

When does a student take the candidacy exam?

The University regulation is that a student cannot take the candidacy exam before completion of 18 credits after the Baccalaureate. The University also requires that the exam be taken within three semesters after admission to the program (excluding summers). Hence, a student admitted in the Fall of one calendar year must take the exam by the Summer or Fall of the next calendar year. In practice, the candidacy usually is administered after the first year of course work is completed.

Who administers the candidacy exam?

The Program Committee, which supervises the first year of study, administers the candidacy examination. The Committee may choose one or more of its members, as well as other Genetics Faculty, to constitute the actual Examining Committee.

Format of the candidacy exam

The student should be prepared to answer questions related to those aspects of genetics encountered in the first year curriculum. As additional preparation, the student may be directed to review independently one or more specific areas of genetics not covered in their course work. Candidacy examinations will have a written and an oral component.

The written component will have ten (10) questions, eight (8) prepared by members of the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Genetics Executive Committee and the remainder from members of the Genetics faculty. The exam will be closed book and will take place on two (2) consecutive days. The answers will be evaluated in terms of the student’s breadth and depth of knowledge and on competence in English. The questions will be graded on a 1 – 10 scale. Students must achieve 70% to pass.

The oral component of the exam will follow within one week of the written exam. For students who have not identified a thesis committee, the examining committee will be selected from the program (executive) committee. For students who have identified a thesis committee, that committee will administer the oral examination. The examination gives the committee a chance to determine whether or not incorrect responses on the written component indicate serious deficiencies. Generally, if the student is found deficient, questions may focus on basic genetics. If the student is obviously doing very well, the questions may extend to current problems in genetics, or with details of projects the student may pursue further.

Who approves the candidacy exam results?

When the committee agrees that the student has passed the candidacy examination, the Hershey Program Chair informs the Chair of the Genetics Program who completes the proper forms and sends the form to the Associate Dean. The committee chair will also provide a written statement attesting to the student's English competency or recommendations for additional studies.

What happens if a student fails the candidacy exam?

A student who fails the Candidacy Examination may be given the opportunity to retake it at a future date. If so, then the student may proceed with laboratory rotations and advisor choice, and even with selection of a Doctoral Committee. However, the Doctoral Committee is not official until the Candidacy Examination is completed successfully. A student who has failed the examination one or more times may be required to withdraw from the Ph.D. program.