This is the final form of Memo 3805 for the 2002-03 academic year and replaces the memo 3805temp issued in September. Please note the updated lists of advanced subjects.
The first component of the General Examination for the doctorate is the Technical Qualifying Examination (TQE). The purpose of this examination is to assure that students in the doctoral program have the technical background that will enable them to carry out their research effectively. The examination is not intended to rank order students or to eliminate them from the program. This memorandum describes the procedures and schedule that need to be followed in the academic year 2002-2003 by new students in the doctoral program.
A student completes the TQE by demonstrating competence in four technical topic areas, each of which is associated with a specific subject offered by the Department. Basic topic areas are associated with undergraduate subjects; advanced topic areas are associated with graduate subjects. Competence in basic topic areas is demonstrated by performance on a written examination given at the end of the spring term. Competence in an advanced topic area is demonstrated by performance in the corresponding graduate subject.
Each student, in consultation with the Graduate Counselor, chooses the four topic areas that will constitute the TQE, subject to a set of constraints which depend on the student's research area. The constraints on selection of topic areas are explicitly listed at the end of this memorandum together with the list of approved topic areas. Students with an unusual educational background may petition for the substitution of an equivalent advanced subject for one of the approved advanced subjects. Please note that some graduate subjects are not offered every year and your plan should take this into account.
Each new graduate student must submit a plan for completing the TQE, using one of the forms that is included with this memorandum. New students who expect to leave after completing an S.M. degree should also use this form to state their intentions. The form must be submitted to the Graduate Office before Registration Day of the spring term.
Changes in the plan after Registration day of the spring term require the approval of the Committee on Graduate Students. The Committee does not normally approve changes involving subjects in which a grade has already been received.
Each written examination is two hours in length and all written examinations are taken in a single afternoon on Wednesday, May 28, 2003. Arrangements to take the examinations at another time will be made only in unusual situations. Examinations are graded as Satisfactory, Marginal or Unsatisfactory. Examples of previous examination questions are available in the Graduate Office.
Earning the grade of A+, A or A- in an advanced subject is regarded as satisfactory performance in that topic area. The grade of B+, B or B- is usually interpreted as marginal performance and a grade of C+ or lower is unsatisfactory. When the student has completed the four topic areas that were specified in the student's plan, the TQE Committee will determine if the overall performance is satisfactory. Satisfactory performance in all four areas or satisfactory performance in three areas and marginal performance in the fourth area constitutes overall satisfactory performance.
If the overall performance is judged to be unsatisfactory, the student will need to supply further evidence of competence in those topic areas where performance was marginal or unsatisfactory. This evidence normally takes the form of an oral examination in the following term. Students whose only deficiency was unsatisfactory performance in a single written examination may petition to substitute performance in a related advanced subject for the oral examination. Students who have not satisfactorily completed the TQE by the end of the second year may continue in the doctoral program only with the explicit approval of the Committee on Graduate Students.
The normal schedule for completing the TQE is summarized below:
Constraints on selection of topic areas:
It is expected that a student will complete the plan as submitted at the end of IAP. No changes are allowed in the choice of basic topic areas after Feb. 4, 2003 and no changes are allowed in the choice of advanced topic areas after Add Date of the spring term.
Area II (see detailed list of topic areas on TQE form):
The topic areas are arranged in three groups: Systems, Theory, and Artificial Intelligence. Each group contains two advanced topic areas. Students in Area II must choose one topic area from each group; the fourth topic area may be in any group. There are no basic topic areas in Area II; students will normally take four graduate subjects to complete the TQE. Students with unusual preparation may petition to take the final examination in an appropriate basic subject in order to qualify.
Some advanced subjects are listed as alternatives and a student may choose only one from the list. For example, 6.854, 6.852, 6.856 and 6.875 are alternative ways to satisfy the advanced topic area of algorithms and a student may choose only one of these.
Areas 1, 111, IV, V, VII (please retrieve from EECS the detailed list of topic areas):
Each student must choose two basic topic areas and will be expected to take two written examinations in May, 2003. Each student must also choose two advanced topic areas and take the corresponding advanced graduate subjects. Some advanced topic areas are listed as alternatives and a student may choose only one, i.e. a student may not choose both 6.262 and 6.432 or both 6.631 and 6.633.