Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
The purpose of Ph.D. Preliminary Exam (application form) is to test the applicant’s knowledge of the fundamental concepts and techniques necessary for advanced studies in computer engineering. The material covered in the exam will be at the level of senior and first year graduate courses and will focus on the understanding of basic concepts. The examination, generally held at least once a year in the fall, consists of three individual tests in
- Data Structures and Algorithms [sample exam]
- Operating Systems [sample exam]
- Computer Architecture [sample exam]
and of an assessment in mathematical reasoning skills (COEN 490).
The individual tests are written and graded in a manner deemed appropriate by the department. After the individual tests are graded, and after the student has completed COEN 490, the department faculty meets to discuss the results of the exam and to determine who has passed and who has failed.
- The students will be officially informed (by letter) whether they passed the exam or not. No numeric scores will be provided.
- The examinations will not be shown to the students.
- The student may confer with an advisor, who may indicate areas of weakness to the student. (These do not necessarily have to correspond to areas in which tests were failed, as a student may have shown weak preparation while passing a test.) If a student is convinced there must have been an error in the grading of a test in which his or her performance was reportedly weak, he or she may ask the advisor to request that the test be re-examined.
- If a re-examination of a test results in a change substantial enough, in the opinion of the advisor, to merit reconsideration of the student's overall performance relative to passing the preliminary exam, the advisor may request that the faculty meet again to reconsider the affected student.
