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Qualifying Exam 

We hope your research is going well and that you are excited at the prospect of presenting your preliminary findings and proposed thesis project to your Doctoral Committee to Advance to Candidacy for the Ph.D. This is the last oral exam you will take before you defend your thesis.

QualExam-Timeline

  1. Contact chem-gradadvising@ucsd.edu with your proposed Committee no later than the end of week 6 of Spring Quarter Year 3. The Doctoral Committee must be approved by SDSU and UCSD Graduate Divisions at least two weeks prior to the Oral Qualifying Exam.
  2. Submit your research summary to your committee 2 weeks prior to your exam.
  3. Pass the Oral Qualifying Exam by the end of Spring quarter Year 3.
  4. The advancement paperwork will be routed to the Doctoral Committee for their signatures. It will automatically update and route to the Graduate Division and the Registrar's Office for final processing.
  5. Pay the advancement fee ($50) via your TritonLink account or by going to the UCSD Cashier's office.

Your records will only show you as Advanced once you are advanced for a full quarter. For example, to be considered an Advanced student in Fall 2026, you must complete the steps above by the first day of classes of Fall 2026.

ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY DEADLINE: Friday of Finals Week of Spring Quarter Year 3
To remain in good academic standing in the JDP program, you must complete all of the steps listed above by the end of Spring Quarter Year 3. Extensions require prior approval by the Thesis Advisor and the Graduate Affairs Committee, submit a petition to begin this process. Students who do not advance by the deadline will have a hold placed on their fall quarter registration.

Doctoral Committee

One of the purposes of a Doctoral Committee is to provide students with mentorship and guidance beyond that provided by the Thesis Advisor. UCSD policies on who serves on the committee were developed, in part, to provide some consistency across departments. Exceptions to their policies require both the Graduate Affairs and Dean's approval. The Department policy of having Departmental Exam Committee members continue to serve on the Doctoral Committee is to provide students with Faculty who, over time, are familiar with the student, their research, and the history of the exams. If a student has found other Faculty with particular interests pertinent to the research, it is quite permissible to expand the committee to beyond the minimal five members. A Doctoral Committee must be approved by the Department, and SDSU and UCSD Graduate Division at least two weeks prior to the examination. To ensure that the Department meets this deadline, students should inform chem-gradadvising@ucsd.edu of their committee a minimum of four weeks prior to the examination date.

Below are guidelines for selecting a committee; please contact chem-gradadvising@ucsd.edu if you have questions.

  • Member 1: Doctoral Committee Chair = Your Thesis Advisor
  • Member 2: Chair of Departmental Exam Committee, Inside Research Division/Track
  • Member 3: 2nd Member of Departmental Exam Committee, Inside Research Division/Track
  • Member 4: 3rd Member of Departmental Exam Committee, Outside Research Division
  • Member 5: Tenured or Emeritus, UCSD or SDSU Faculty with primary appointment in a different department than the Doctoral Committee Chair's primary department

The Doctoral Committee must be approved by the Graduate Division two weeks prior to the Qualifying Exam. A minimum five‐faculty committee is required. Other members may be appointed at the student's discretion. Of the five‐member committee:

  • At least 1 member must be tenured or emeritus and have a primary appointment in a different department than the chair's primary department.
  • At least 2 members must be from UCSD (Chemistry & Biochemistry).
  • At least 2 members of the Departmental Exam Committee continue to serve on the Doctoral Committee.
  • Proposed members from other UC campuses, other universities, or industry are exceptions and must be requested in writing.
  • If the research Advisor is an affiliate, a ladder‐rank faculty member must act as Co‐chair.
  • There may not be more than one affiliate professor.
  • The student and Advisor choose the remaining member(s).
Subsequent changes to a committee require approval. Please contact chem-gradadvising@ucsd.edu for information.

Hybrid Exam

All Qualifying exams are required to be conducted in-person at UCSD. If a committee member will need to participate remotely, submit a hybrid exam petition.

Zoom Instructions (For approved hybrid exams)

The Committee Chair will need to setup the Zoom meeting and invite any committee members approved to be remote. Before setting up the Zoom meeting, please take a moment to carefully review these Zoom meeting safeguards to keep your remote exam safe and secure: https://blink.ucsd.edu/technology/file-sharing/zoom/safeguards.html.

Oral Qualifying Exam

The University requires a Qualifying Examination for Advancement to Candidacy for the PhD. The purpose of the examination is for students to gain approval of their proposed thesis research project from their Doctoral Committee. The exam must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. Students should confirm the date and time of the examination with ALL of their committee members, and then contact chem-gradadvising@ucsd.edu. Student Affairs ensures that the necessary paperwork is filed, the room is scheduled, and notices are sent. Students submit a summary to their Doctoral Committee and to chem-gradadvising@ucsd.edu at least two weeks before the Qualifying Examination. The summary should include a comprehensive description of the proposed thesis research (including key references), its significance, and the progress that has already been made.

During the examination, students first give a 30‐minute presentation. The presentation is followed by a question‐answer period when the committee examines students for indications of the knowledge, insight, motivation, and demonstrated productivity required to produce an acceptable thesis in the normal time. The student may or may not be asked to leave the room for a time prior to hearing the committee's evaluation. Students may Pass, Provisionally Pass, or Fail the exam. The committee will inform the student of the results, and will explain any recommendations or requirements. These will also be shared in writing to the student and chem-gradadvising@ucsd.edu.

Finishing up paperwork and Fee payment

Once a student has fully passed the Oral Qualifying Examination, the committee will e-sign the “Advancement to Candidacy” form. 

The signature routing order will be: SDSU JDP Coordinator > Doctoral Committee > SDSU/UCSD Co-Directors >  Student > SDSU Graduate Affairs > UCSD Graduate Division > Final copy sent to everyone. Because signatures are required from both campuses, be certain to allow reasonable time to obtain all the required signatures by the end of the of the quarter.

As last step, the student pays the $50 Advancement to Candidacy fee through either their TritonLink account or by going to the UCSD Cashier's office. The fee will be posted 1-2 months after the end of the quarter.

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