Students (Ph.D. and Thesis-Option Master's) who receive a minimum of 2 A's and 2 B's from the four core classes automatically pass the written qualifiers, and so do not have to take a separate exam. If you need to take the written qualifiers you will most likely do that at the start of your 2nd year or after your core classes (Quantum Mechanics, Electrodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, and Classical Mechanics) are completed. By passing the written qualifiers, students can then move on to preparing for oral qualifiers.