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S.91-33

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Vice-President Academic

MEMORANDUM

To: ?

Senate ?

From: ?

J .

Munro, Chair

Senate Committee on

Academic Planning

Subject: Ph.D. Candidacy Exam in

Date: ?

May 14, 1991

Biological Sciences

(SCAP 91 - 17)

Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Academic Planning and the Senate

Graduate Studies Committee, gives rise to the following motion:•

MOTION: "that Senate approve and recommend approval to the

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Board of Governors, as set forth in S.91- 33 , the

proposed Ph.D. Candidacy Exam in Biological Sciences."

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Memorandum ?

DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES

9.

Does the student need to improve his understanding of 

subject matter related to his or her general field of 

research? 

10.

On the whole, is the student able to pursue and complete 

original research at an advanced level? 

Dr. ML. Winston, Chairman 

Departmental Graduate Studies Committee 

B. P.

SUBJECT: Ph.D. Candidacy Examination

DATE: April 4, 1991

Below is the proposed addition to the Biological Sciences calendar entry,

describing a proposed Ph.D. Candidacy Examination. It has been agreed to by

the department and should accompany the proposal to S.C.A.P.:

"Each Ph.D. student is required to pass an oral candidacy examination prior to

the end of the 4th semester in the program or second semester after transfer

from the M.Sc. program. The examination will concentrate on the student's area

of research and will follow submission of a written Ph.D. research proposal. The

examination will be graded acceptable/unacceptable. Students whose examination is

graded unacceptable will be required to pass a second examination within six

months; a student receiving a second unacceptable rating will normally be

required to withdraw from the Ph.D. program."

5. The exam will concentrate on the student's area of 

research. 

6.

It will be graded acceptable/unacceptable. 

7.

Acceptable can include recommendations for additional 

work. Course work or directed study may be suggested. 

8.

Candidates judged unacceptable would be required to have 

a second appraisal within six months. A student 

receiving a second unacceptable rating will not be 

permitted to continue in a Ph.D. program, except under 

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unusual circumstances. ? 

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9.

This proposal will not apply to Ph.D. students who have 

been enrolled for more than one semester from the date 

the candidacy exam is approved by the University. 

Nature of the questionir,g 

The following could serve as guidelines for posing questions 

and for appraising the candidate. 

1.

Has the student satisfactorily demonstrated how the 

proposed research logically follows from existing 

scientific knowledge and previous investigations in the 

subdiscipline? 

2.

Has the student satisfactorily demonstrated how the 

proposed research will contribute to the advancement of 

science in the particular subdiscipline? 

3.

Is the candidate familiar with relevant literature? 

4.

Are the objectives of the research clearly defined and 

achievable? 

5.

Has the candidate demonstrated sufficient knowledge of 

experimental design, data collection and methods of 

analysis to ensure completion of the research programme? 

6.

Is the time envisioned to complete the research programme 

realistic? 

7.

Does the candidate possess sufficient skills in written 

and verbal communication to complete Ph.D. dissertation 

requirements? 

8. ? 

Does the candidate have sufficient knowledge of the 

discipline? 

SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM

00 ........

Dr. P. Percival 

Chemistry 

CANDIDACY EXAM - 

Revised? 

Subject

..................................................... 

Dr. M. Winston 

From

..................................................... 

Chairman, DGSC 

25 January 1991 

Date

..................................................... 

Attached is a proposal for a revised candidacy exam for Ph.D. 

students, to be implemented as part of Departmental policy. 

We request that the following be brought forward for 

discussion and vote at a future Faculty meeting. 

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Purposes of a candidac 

y

exam 

1.

To stimulate the student to prepare and defend a written 

research proposal. 

2. To ensure that he or she has sufficient knowledge of the 

relevant literature and background information. 

3.

To identify the student's areas of weakness in the 

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discipline or in subject matter relevant to the student's 

• general field of research and to permit the examining 

panel to recommend courses or reading for the student 

well before the time of the defense. 

4.

To ensure that the student is able to pursue and complete 

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original research at an advanced level. 

5.

• Only minor attention is given to work already done on the 

candidate's thesis. 

Form of a Candidacy Exam 

1.

Normally an oral exam of not more than 2 hours duration, 

closed to the public. 

2.

Normally taken prior to end of 4th semester (2nd semester 

after transfer from M.Sc.). 

3.

Examining panel composed of supervisory committee, a 

member of the DGSC and one faculty member chosen by the 

DGSC in consultation with the Senior Supervisor. For 

some candidates an-examiner from outside the department 

might be suitable. The committee will be chaired by the 

DGSC member. 

4..

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The panel would be provided with an original research 

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proposal of the student's intended doctoral research two 

weeks prior to the exam. This should take the form of an 

• • NSERC operating grant proposal. This would form the 

starting point of the candidacy exam. 

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GS. 91.7

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM

To: Dr. B. Clayman, Dean

From: P. Dobud, Assistant to

of Graduate Studies

Dean of Science

Subject:

Ph.D. Candidacy Exam

Date: March 12, 1991

in Biological Sciences

This is to inform you that the following motion was approved by the

Faculty of Science Meeting held on February 25, 1991. Therefore, I would

appreciate it very much if you would include this motion in the agenda of the

next meeting of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee for consideration and

approval.

"To approve the proposal for a Ph.D. Candidacy Exam In

Biological Sciences as presented in Paper F -5- 1."

Assistant Director, Graduate Records