The examination may be preceded by an open seminar of the student's dissertation research. The student must petition the Dean for permission to take the examination at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled date of the examination. The examining committee is approved by the major professor, Department Head and Dean and then appointed by the Dean. Traditionally, this examination is a test of the student's intimate knowledge of the area of the field in which the student is working. However, at the discretion of the committee or the Dean, the examination may include general questions from the major or minor fields.
Voting is by secret ballot with no more than one negative vote permitted.
If not more than one member of the examining committee dissents and if the dissertation is accepted, the candidate will be certified to the Graduate Faculty and Chancellor as having met all requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy. Teaching The faculty considers teaching an important part of academic training. As a rule, after the first year, students will be expected to participate as teaching assistants in medical, nursing, dental, or allied health courses offered by the Department. Teaching assignments will be made before the beginning of each academic year. Additional Comments s Students are strongly encouraged to interact with each other and the faculty on a daily basis from the start of their tenure as Physiology graduate students.