QUALIFIER AND CANDIDACY ISSUES
1. What is a qualifier exam?
Qualifier exams include two subjects, Analysis and Linear Algebra. The qualifier exam on Analysis is based on MAA5228 (Analysis I), and the qualifier exam on Linear Algebra is based on MAS 5145 (Advanced Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory).
Students in the graduate program can take the qualifier examination. Students have at most two attempts for each subject with one free trial just after admission to the program.
Students are encouraged to take the examination of each subject just after completing the corresponding core courses, and they are expected to have passed the examination by the end of the second year.
Grade scales for the qualifier exam are PhD pass, Master pass and Fail. Students to continue in the PhD program must pass the examinations at the PhD Pass level. Students with non-thesis option in the Master program must earn the Master Pass or the PhD pass in the examinations.
The qualifier exam will be administered twice a year, one in the fall semester and the other in the spring semester. The examination on two subjects will be on the second and third weekend of the fall and spring semester, or on the date determined by the graduate program director.
Students to take the examination in the spring/fall semester should submit your request to the Graduate Program Assistant of the department during the first two weeks of November/May.
Withdrawing the request is permitted. Students should send the withdrawal petition at least two weeks before the examination date. No showing will be counted as one attempt with grade Fail.
2. What is a candidacy exam?
Candidacy examination consists of a written examination based on the materials from two of the selected two-semester sequence courses beyond the core courses. Students may use restricted electives listed in the Math PhD program @ graduate catalog as their sequence courses.
Students in the PhD program can take the candidacy examination after passing the qualifying examination with a PhD pass. The candidacy examination must be completed within two years after the qualifying examination and within three years admitted in the PhD program. A student must successfully pass the Candidacy Examination within at most two attempts for each sequence.
The examination will be administered three times a year, in the fall, spring and summer semesters. The examination will be on the second and third weekend of the fall, spring and summer semester, or on the date determined by the graduate program director.
Students to take the examination in the fall/spring/summer semester should submit your request to the Graduate Program Assistant of the department during the first two weeks of May/November/March.
Withdrawing the request is permitted. Students should send the withdrawal petition at least two weeks before the examination date. No showing will be counted as one attempt with grade Fail.