Guidelines and Procedures for the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Purpose
The Qualifying exam (Q-Exam) assesses the student’s readiness and potential for pursuing Ph.D. study, including command of the fundamentals required to perform independent research in their field. This aids the student’s committee chair and the concentration members in developing the student’s Ph.D. program of study.
Schedule
Qualifying Examination (Q-Exam) schedules vary by concentration. Generally, qualifying examinations will be held twice a year: once during the Fall semester, and once at the end of the Spring semester. Refer to the concentration Q-exam descriptions for additional information.
Rules
- Ph.D. students must take the qualifying examination by the end of their third semester.
- Qualifying examination committees are composed of a minimum of three (3) faculty from within the student’s chosen concentration, one of whom should be the student’s major advisor and will serve as the Qualifying Exam Committee Chair.
- Students are required to meet the following course requirements:
- If taken in the second semester, a minimum of nine (9) graded course credits (in progress or complete)
- If taken in the third semester, a minimum of twelve (12) graded course credits (in progress or complete)
- Course credits are not restricted to concentration specific course requirements, but they should be graded graduate level courses (at or above the 5XXX level).
- Per the Qualifying Exam Committee Chair’s request, for the purpose of the Q-exam, an exception may be made for up to a total of two (2) 3XXX or 4XXX level courses to count towards the Q-exam course credit requirement.
- Potential Qualifying Examination outcomes are Pass or Fail. A conditional pass is not permitted.
- Students who pass the Qualifying Exam may continue in their academic program, subject to maintenance of good academic standing.
- Students who fail a Q Exam may be determined to no longer be in good academic standing, special committee members may resign (if applicable), future funding may be withdrawn, or students may be dismissed from the Ph.D. program (see Code of Legislation F.1.d.3).
- The result must be reported to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) within three (3) days of the Q exam date (Q-exam results form) along with all coursework (via unofficial transcript).
- The Qualifying Examination must be passed before the Admission to Candidacy Examination can be taken.
- Some concentrations permit Ph.D. students who have completed their M.S. degree at Cornell to have their Master’s Thesis Defense (M-Exam) count toward fulfilling the qualifying examination requirement.
- Requests to have the M-exam count toward the Q-exam requirement are submitted by the Committee Chair at the M-Exam.
- M.S. degrees earned outside of Cornell cannot count toward fulfilling the Q-exam requirement.
- In the case that a student completes the M.S. degree at Cornell and subsequently decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree the student and committee chair may submit a petition to the DGS to have the M-Exam count toward the Q-Exam requirement.
- Students who fail the Q-exam may submit a request to the concentration lead to be allowed to take the examination a second time.
- A meeting with the student and the field’s director of graduate studies (DGS) is required to take place.
- If a student’s request to retake the Q-Exam is approved, the student must take the Qualifying Examination no later than three months after the initial examination.
- The Qualifying Examination cannot be taken more than twice.
- Two failed Q-exams results in withdrawal from the PhD program.
Examination Selection and Scheduling
A student will be advised on the importance of the qualifying exam as well as when they are expected to take the qualifying examination at the start of their academic program. The exam format, content, and structure are set by and conducted by the faculty in the major concentration (not the special committee).
Qualifying Examination Committees
Qualifying examination committees are set by the Qualifying Exam Committee Chair or concentration and are composed of at least three (3) faculty from within the Concentration area.
The responsibilities of each Qualifying Examination Committee Chair are:
- to schedule the examination;
- to discuss the format for the examination with the student;
- to notify the student of the examination time, and to provide them with whatever information or instructions are needed for the conduct of the examination;
- to notify all concentration members of the time and place of the examination;
- to report the results of the examinations to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and Graduate Field Assistant (GFA).
- The concentration may have the student complete the scheduling of the exam, notify concentration members of date and time of exam, and report results of the exam.
Based on all the information available, the Qualifying Examination Committee decides by vote whether the student passes the examination; a majority is required. In case of failure, the committee notifies the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS).
Format
A thorough understanding of related undergraduate and graduate courses taken during the first year is necessary but not sufficient to pass the examination. The Qualifying Examination format varies by concentration. Refer to the concentration description for additional information.
Notification
Qualifying Examination Committee Chairs will inform the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and the Graduate Field Assistant (GFA) of exam results by the Q-exam results form.
Petition
A student may request to retake the exam if they fail their Qualifying exam by submitting a request to the concentration lead. The request should be submitted no later than seven (7) days after sitting for the Q-exam. The request should provide a rationale indicating why a retake of the exam should be approved as well as a timeline and action plan outlining steps they will take to prepare for the exam. Students are only able to retake the Qualifying Exam once.
Appeal
In exceptional circumstance a faculty member can dispute the exam committee’s decision to fail a student. The faculty must do so within seven (7) day of the examination by stating their case in writing to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). The appeal will be considered by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) who may consult the Qualifying Examination Committee that examined the student.
Concentration Information
For the concentration specific Qualifying Examination format and schedule refer to:
- Complex Systems Engineering (CSE)
- Environmental Processes (EP)
- Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology (EFMH)
- Environmental and Water Resources Systems Engineering (EWRS)
- Structural Engineering (STE)
- Transportation Systems Engineering (TRANS)
Guidelines and Procedures for the Ph.D. Admission to Candidacy Examination in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Purpose
The purpose of the Admission to Candidacy Exam (A-exam) is to assess the student’s critical thinking skills as well as fitness and potential for undertaking doctoral dissertation research. Sufficient data or other research outputs regarding the student’s proposed dissertation project should be generated to provide a robust discussion.
Schedule
The A-exam must be taken after successful completion of the Qualifying Exam (Q-Exam). The A-Exam can be taken after two (2) enrolled semesters (summer terms do not count) and must be completed before the start of the seventh (7th) semester. The responsibilities of each Committee Chair are:
- to notify the student of their expected examination date.
- to communicate the importance of the exam and establish expectations.
- and to discuss the examination format with the student.
The exam schedule must be submitted to the Graduate School a minimum of ten (10) days in advance of the exam. The A-exam must be announced and is open to the Cornell community. The announcement must be sent to the Cornell community by the Graduate Field Assistant (GFA) at least a week prior to the exam.
Rules
- The A-exam must be taken after successful completion of the Qualifying Exam (Q-Exam).
- The admissions to candidacy examination committee is composed of the student’s special committee.
- The determination of pass or fail rests exclusively with the members of the special committee.
- Under emergency situations a special committee member may appoint a proxy to represent them at the exam. Consult the Graduate Field Assistant (GFA) for more information.
- The student must submit the exam schedule to the Graduate School a minimum of ten (10) days in advance of the exam.
- The schedule and results forms must be signed by all current Special Committee Members and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS).
- The exam must be announced to the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) community by the Graduate Field Assistant (GFA) at least a week prior to the exam.
- The A-exam is open to the Cornell Community.
- The title, abstract, a headshot, and names of ad hoc members (if applicable) are needed for the announcement.
- Exams administered without having submitted the exam schedule to the Graduate School and/or announced to the CEE community may invalidate the results of the exam and require the exam be re-taken.
- Potential A-Exam outcomes are Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail.
- The student must submit the results of the examination (an online form) to the Graduate School within three (3) business days following the exam.
- Some concentrations award a non-thesis M.S. degree to students who have passed the A exam. Please check with your committee prior to taking your exam.
- The A-exam can count as the annual full committee meeting required for the Student Progress Review (SPR).
- The A-Exam cannot be taken more than twice.
- Under extraordinary circumstances students can submit a general petition with the Graduate School for a one semester extension for scheduling the A-Exam. Students must provide a compelling detailed explanation for the need for the extension as well as a timeline outlining how the additional time will be spent preparing for the exam.
Format
Students must have generated sufficient data or other research outputs prior to the exam to provide robust discussion regarding their proposed dissertation project. Students should be assessed on their ability to answer questions on their dissertation project – how it fits into the larger context of the field as well as their hypotheses, methods, and efforts at ensuring rigor and reproducibility. The role of the faculty is to assess whether the student possesses fundamental knowledge of their proposed discipline and has the creativity and critical thinking skills needed to complete a Ph.D. project.
- The A-exam is open to the Cornell Community.
- At the discretion of the field and with the agreement of all members of the special committee, exams may be held in person and/ or online.
- In-person exams may be held either on the Ithaca campus or at a Cornell satellite location (Geneva, Cornell Tech, or Weill Cornell- NYC campus) so long as the exam schedule is announced to faculty at the Ithaca campus as well as in the satellite location, and an opportunity is provided for the Cornell community to participate in the exam.
- When the exam is held online, provisions must be made to allow members of the community to participate.
- The technology should be high quality electronic audio and video conferencing.
- Students should review the concentration description to ensure they adhere to all requirements prior to the exam (such as potential paper submissions, etc).
- Students will provide a public presentation on their proposed dissertation project.
- Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions.
- After the public presentation and Q&A the audience is excused.
- The student and special committee will conduct a closed-door meeting after the formal presentation to discuss the dissertation project in detail.
- As the A-exam substitutes an annual meeting required for the SPR students should provide a summary of courses completed, pending coursework, and outstanding requirements.
- The student should anticipate they will be interrupted frequently by the special committee with clarifying questions.
- Students are briefly excused from the meeting room to permit the special committee to discuss the student’s progress, the presentation, and decide on an outcome.
Refer to the concentration description for additional information.
Exam Outcomes
The determination of pass or fail rests exclusively with the members of the special committee. For a student to pass the exam, all members of the examining committee must approve.
- Potential A- Exam outcomes are pass, conditional pass, or fail.
- Students who pass the A-Exam may continue in their academic program, subject to maintenance of good academic standing.
- If a student receives a conditional pass, it indicates there are areas for improvement that must be addressed. Students continue in their academic plan but must meet the conditions set by their special committee within the timeline stipulated in the documentation but no later than three (3) months from the exam date.
- the conditions must be provided to the student and the Graduate School in writing.
- failure to meet the conditions stipulated by the special committee results in withdrawal from the program.
- If a student fails the A-exam, the following may apply:
- If a student fails the A-exam but performs at the level of a passed final exam for the master’s degree (M-Exam) a non-thesis Masters’ Degree may be awarded and the student is withdrawn from the Ph.D. program (see Code of Legislation III.A.1.b).
- If a student fails the A-exam and the special committee approves a re-examination, a student may continue in the program and must re-take the exam. The exam may not be taken until at least three (3) months have elapsed since the failed exam.
- If a student fails the A-exam and the special committee cannot agree on whether to permit a re-examination, the student may not continue in the program unless they submit a petition to the Graduate School General Committee and are approved. See Petition section for specific information related to the Petition.
- Students who fail the A-Exam may be determined to no longer be in good academic standing, special committee members may resign, or future funding may be withdrawn.
- If the student is not approved to retake the exam or fails the re-take, the student may be dismissed from the program.
Notification
The exam schedule must be submitted to the Graduate School a minimum of ten (10) days in advance of the exam. The schedule and results forms must be signed by all current Special Committee Members and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). The exam must be announced to the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) community at least a week prior to the exam.
Petition
If a student fails the A-exam and the special committee cannot agree whether to allow for a re-examination, the student may not continue in the program unless they petition to the Graduate School General Committee and are approved. The following scenarios permit students to petition the Graduate School General Committee:
- If the minor members of the special committee, but not the chair, oppose re-examination,
- If the chair, but not all the minor members of the special committee, fails the student and opposes re-examination,
- If a special committee unanimously fails a student and refuses to allow reexamination.
Graduate faculty at an exam may inform the Graduate School Dean by email if they disagree with the decision of the examining committee and wish to request a review of the case by the Graduate School General Committee. See the Graduate School Code of Legislation for specific information on how to petition the General Committee.
Concentration Information
For the concentration specific Admission to Candidacy (A-Exam) format and additional information refer to:
- Complex Systems Engineering (CSE)
- Environmental Processes (EP)
- Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology (EFMH)
- Environmental and Water Resources Systems Engineering (EWRS)
- Structural Engineering (STR)
- Transportation Systems Engineering (TRANS)