Upon completion of one year of research, all PhD students are invited by the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) to participate in the oral exams (Prelims) which take place twice a year, Spring (late April to early May) and Fall (late September to early October). The progress of each PhD candidate’s research as well as her/his ability to contemplate and present a research subject outside her/his research field are examined.
The Graduate Program Director (GPD), who is coordinating these exams, prepares in collaboration with the Secretariat the list of the PhD students who are required to take the exam at the specific date. Then, the GPD asks faculty members outside the specialized research area of each candidate to provide a non-review paper, which the candidate should present in the second part of the exam.
All GSC members and candidates' supervisors, as well as other faculty members who wish to attend, participate in the Prelims. It is desirable that faculty members who provided the papers (for the second part of the exam) attend the Prelims.
Each candidate is examined in 2 parts: