Objectives and Scope
The objectives of the qualifying exam are to assess whether a student has the necessary background and skills to successfully pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering and to provide an opportunity for the student to obtain guidance and feedback on their short-term research objectives and direction. The exam is composed of an oral component to take place within eight to sixteenth months of the student’s start date, and a written component due two weeks prior to the oral exam. The exam will be centered on the development of the student’s initial research efforts and, as such, the scope will be focused on recent, preliminary results or mastery of one or more techniques relevant to the student’s research project. Both deliverables of the exam must contain the following:
- Brief introduction of the broad motivation and objectives of the research task described during the exam, including a short summary of critical literature relevant to the field.
- Description of the research hypothesis and approach(es) taken to evaluate the hypothesis.
- Summary of recent results or recent research efforts by the student.
- Description of the research plan and direction for the next six months to a year. Examples of research efforts include, but are not limited to, experiments, modeling, simulations, technique development, data interpretation, and mastery of a research-related technique. Students may seek assistance from their advisor and their peers, although their oral and written exam deliverables must be their own work and abide by all standards for academic integrity at Penn State.