Prelim & Qualifying Exams

Preliminary Examination

The Preliminary Examination is intended to provide evidence that the student is making satisfactory progress toward the PhD and may be taken any time after successful completion of the Qualifying Examination. Prior to scheduling the Preliminary Examination, the student must select a Thesis Committee in consultation with his/her advisor. The Thesis Committee shall consist of three or more members of the graduate faculty, in addition to the Thesis Advisor who will serve as Chair of the Thesis Committee, and its composition must satisfy the requirements of the Graduate College. At least one member of the Thesis Committee must be from outside the Department and the majority of the Committee should be from the College of Engineering. The Preliminary Examination will consist of a written Thesis Proposal and an oral presentation before the Thesis Committee. Passage of the Preliminary Examination will be determined based upon the vote of the Thesis Committee. A student who fails the Preliminary Examination must wait a minimum of six months before retaking the examination.

Qualifying Examination

A qualifying examination is required of all students in the SEE and IE PhD programs. This examination serves as a screening device for selecting qualified doctoral candidates. In addition, the examination permits early identification of deficiencies of otherwise qualified candidates so that remedial action can be taken. Admission to PhD candidacy is based on the faculty's evaluation of the student's research potential, scholastic competence as evidenced by grades, and satisfactory performance on the PhD Qualifying examination.

The Qualifying Examination is normally taken in the third or fourth semester after entering into Stage I (MS standing) of the PhD program but not later than the fifth semester and before receiving the MS degree. Students admitted to PhD studies with an MS degree from another department or institution must take the Qualifying Examination no later than in the third semester. The examination will be offered once a semester during the fall and spring terms.

Registering for the Qualifying Exam

Students seeking PhD candidacy must register their intention to take the qualifying exam with the Department during the first two weeks of the semester in which they plan to take the exam. To be permitted to take the exam all students must satisfy the following minimum requirements:

1. An MS or PhD Thesis Advisor Agreement on file with the IESE Department office.
2. 12 SH of 500-level course work in IESE programs other than thesis credit (GE 599).
3. A grade point average of at least 3.25 on all graduate course work completed and also on all 500-level course work completed.

The Qualifying Exam will consist of two parts, on two separate days: a written examination, testing core competency in industrial engineering or systems and entrepreneurial engineering (Part A) and an oral examination testing specialized knowledge in a field of research jointly selected by the candidate and the Qualifying examination committee as described (Part B) in the Graduate Manual.

Results of the Qualifying Examination

The decision to pass or fail a student will be made by the graduate faculty of the Department following the Qualifying Exam and will be made on the basis of the score in the written Qualifying Exam, grades in formal courses, and the recommendation of the Thesis Advisor. A student who fails the Qualifying Exam may repeat the examination in the subsequent semester. A student who fails the examination twice will not be allowed to continue in the PhD program.