Ph.D. Candidacy Examination

Our Ph.D. Candidacy Exam is offered twice per year — during the first week of the fall semester in late August and during the first week of the spring semester in January. Typically, two of the subjects (see below) are tested in a four-hour exam on a Friday, and the remaining two subjects are tested in a four-hour exam on Monday the following week.

New students who have already completed a Master's degree are invited and encouraged to take the exam at the beginning of their first semester as an optional diagnostic test.  Incoming students who have completed only an undergraduate degree are also welcome to attempt the diagnostic exam if they wish.

For more details about the Candidacy Exam, please consult the Information & Policy Guide for Graduate Students

Sample Exam Questions

Recent exams are posted on the Google Drive (use Flashline credentials to access). For older exams, click on the links below: