Statistics

PhD students must pass the Basic Exam at the PhD level. For students entering with a previous Master's degree in Statistics, the Basic Exam should be taken within one year of entering the program.

PhD Preliminary Written Exam
Students must complete the PhD core courses (ST 758, 778, 793) before taking the PhD Preliminary Written Exam. The main content of the Exam will be a 15-20 page report prepared by the student without outside help. The topic will be assigned to the students by the Prelim Committee. In addition, the students will conduct and report on a simulation project. Also, the committee may ask for the student to make a presentation at which time they can question the student about the work. Students should take the Ph.D. preliminary written exam after having achieved a PhD pass on the Basic Exam and during the summer following the completion of the PhD core courses. Further details on the exam will be given by the exam committee.

PhD Preliminary Oral Exam
The preliminary oral examination may be scheduled only after the student has passed the Preliminary Written Exam and has the advisory committee and POW approved by the Graduate School. A doctoral student is admitted to candidacy upon passing the preliminary oral exam. The format of the preliminary oral will vary but may consist of some or all of the following components:

1. The student may be asked questions based on courses listed in his/her plan of graduate work or from the core of the master's and PhD programs. Areas in which the student demonstrated weakness on the written exam may be emphasized.
2. The student may be asked to write a research prospectus consisting, say, of a detailed literature review in his/her chosen area, a description of the proposed research problem, a presentation of preliminary finding and a bibliography. At the oral exam, the student may be asked to make a presentation and answer questions based on contents of this document.

Failure to pass the preliminary oral exam terminates the student's graduate work unless the student's advisory committee recommends a conditional pass or a reexamination. No reexaminations may be given until at least one full semester has elapsed, and only one reexamination is permitted.

All oral examinations must be officially scheduled through the Graduate School. It is the student's responsibility to find a date and time that is acceptable to all members of his/her advisory committee (including the Graduate School Representative, if one is appointed) and to notify the graduate secretary at least 15 working days prior to the proposed exam date. The graduate secretary will the reserve a room and make the necessary arrangements with the Graduate School.

PhD Final Oral Exam
The PhD final oral examination consists of a defense by the candidate of the methodology used and conclusions reached in the dissertation. The dissertation must embody results of original research of a standard that would warrant publication in a statistics research journal. At least FOUR months are required to elapse between the date of an unconditional pass on the preliminary oral exam and the scheduling of the final oral exam. The four-month interval begins with the date when ALL conditions are satisfied. As with the preliminary oral exam, it is the student's responsibility to find a date and time that is acceptable and to notify the graduate secretary at least 15 working days prior to the proposed exam date. The graduate secretary will then reserve a room and make the necessary arrangements with the Graduate School. It is also the responsibility of the student to provide a typed copy of the dissertation to each committee member at least two weeks prior to the exam. As a courtesy, the student should also offer to provide the Graduate School Representative with a copy. Final oral exams open to university community. PhD Final Oral exams consist of an open seminar followed by questions from the committee in a closed session.