This process is similar to that required by many industry research and engineering departments. The Qualifying Examination is a two-hour written examination covering a narrow subject area in which the student is expected to be proficient. Following the two-hour examination period, the examination is immediately graded and the results evaluated by a faculty committee. A thesis proposal seminar must be presented to all faculty and graduate students with extensive discussion with faculty concerning details of the proposed research. This gives students the experience in preparing and delivering formal oral presentations.
Students receive final constructive feedback on the proposed research.
Writing progress reports and participating in review meetings are common practices in industrial research. Once the experimental work is completed, the thesis is written. Reading committee approval of the thesis draft is necessary prior to submission for thesis approval to the entire faculty. A thesis seminar is presented to faculty, graduate students, and anyone else who wishes to attend. The student must defend the thesis before the entire faculty and submit the final thesis manuscript to the Graduate School.