Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology involves a written Qualifying Examination and a Proposition Examination.

(1) Qualifying Exam

At the end of the first year (June) all students take a written Qualifying Examination covering the core program. This exam tests the student's ability to integrate the basic concepts and information learned in core courses and apply them to current problems in biochemistry and molecular biology.

Students who do not pass the Qualifying Exam in June will be reviewed by the Executive Committee and in most cases will be subject to dismissal.

(2) Proposition Examination

After passing the written Qualifying Examination, each student is required to prepare and defend a Proposition. Normally the written exam will be taken in June and the Proposition examination will be taken April at the end of the first full year in the Program. A Proposition is an assertion concerning some current question in biochemistry and molecular biology. The student proposes an original mechanism or theory which could serve to explain a biological phenomenon in molecular terms. In connection with the Proposition, the student also devises hypothetical experiments designed to test the proposal. The Proposition may be in any area of biochemistry and molecular biology which interests the student, and can be on a topic closely related to the student's Ph.D. thesis.

One member of the Program faculty is designated Proposition Coordinator, and students who are ready to begin work on a Proposition should consult this person for further details concerning procedures to be followed and for informal advice about the suitability of possible Proposition topics. Note: A student's research supervisor will not be involved in the administration or grading of the Proposition exam.
The Proposition is submitted to the Proposition Exam Coordinator, and, if it is found to be acceptable in subject matter and scope, an Oral Examination Committee is established. The student then presents to this Committee a detailed write-up of the background and logic of the Proposition and the experiments Proposed to test it. Finally, an oral Proposition Examination is held in which these matters are explored in depth, along with other areas related to the subject matter of the Proposition.
The student must submit the Proposition in sufficient time so that the oral exam can be scheduled not more than five six months after successful completion of the Qualifying Exam, although up to nine months are permitted to complete the examination (i.e. June to April). Students who fail to pass the Proposition Exam may, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, be allowed to remain in the Program by passing another examination on the same Proposition or by submitting a new Proposition. The Proposition examination must be passed by the end of the first year (April) in this program for a student to remain enrolled.