Preliminary Exam FAQ

Q: When may I take the preliminary exam?
A: The preliminary examination may be taken no earlier than the semester in which the candidate completes the twenty-fourth hour of coursework required in the second stage of the PhD program.

Q: How do I notify the department that I plan to take the preliminary exam.
A: Each semester an email is sent to all graduate students asking who is planning to take the preliminary exam during the upcoming semester. You may respond to that email or send an email to ae-grad@illinois.edu at any time.

Q: How do I set up my doctoral committee?
A: You need to submit your committee members to the Graduate College for approval.  You will do so through the Graduate College Student Portal.

Q: May someone from off-campus be appointed to my committee?
A: Yes, but you must provide a brief description of the qualifications and justification for each non-Graduate College Faculty member being nominated to serve as a voting member of the committee. You must also provide a copy of the person's CV (electronically is preferred) as well.

Q: Are there any forms I need to worry about?
A: The Thesis Office will send letters of appointment to your committee. They will also send a Certificate of Result of Preliminary Examination for the Doctoral Committee. Graduate Programs will send this form directly to your Chair. Your committee will need to indicate the results of the exam on the form and each member will need to sign it. The Chair will return this to Graduate Programs.

Q: How do I reserve a room for my exam?
A: You may reserve the department conference rooms in Talbot Lab (319N, 319M, and 211C). For classrooms or other rooms on campus, please contact Laura Gerhold.

Q: Am I supposed to provide refreshments for the committee?
A: Most students do. The most common treats are coffee, donuts, cookies, pastries, etc.