Academics - New

Select Faculty Advisor

Within the first year, students will select a faculty member to serve as their advisor and chair their dissertation committee. The student and advisor will develop a research topic that will lead to the completion of a master’s thesis or Ph.D. dissertation.

Selecting the right advisor is critical to student success in graduate school. In addition to inquiring about availability and expectations, when interviewing potential advisors, consider the following:

Shared enthusiasm about your thesis or dissertation topic

• Is this faculty member an expert on my topic?

Complementary working styles

• What kind and level of direction and personal support most helps me fulfill my potential?
• What type of working environment do I need to flourish?
• Does this faculty member’s working style fit with the kind of support I need to excel?

Leadership and collaboration potential

• Is this faculty member well respected by his/her peers?
• Will he/she be a strong advocate for me?
• Am I confident with him/her being responsible for supervising the other committee members and facilitating my dissertation defense?

Fellow students are often helpful resources for information about a faculty member’s advising style.

Assemble Committee

The committee’s primary goal is to provide each student with the guidance and support necessary to conduct an independent research project of the highest quality and relevancy that will lead to the preparation and defense of a master’s thesis or Ph.D. dissertation.

The faculty advisor, normally in consultation with the student and other program faculty, recommends appointment of faculty members to advise on and supervise each student’s research as part of their examination committees. Final approval of committee membership rests with the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Questions to consider:

• What specific expertise will the member bring to my committee?
• Have we established a positive, professional relationship showing potential for a constructive working experience?
• Will the member be available for the duration of my graduate career, and will he/she be able to provide timely feedback?
• How well do the members know one another and what is the history of the professional relationships between each member?

Committees meet annually. Open and consistent communication with the committee is critical to the student’s successful progress toward completing the thesis or dissertation.

Complete TA Service

Ph.D. students are required to serve as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for at least one semester. In addition to providing a source of funding, TA positions are central to the preparation of a pool of graduate students qualified to teach at post-secondary institutions. Serving as a TA provides valuable training and experience for:

• Future roles as university faculty or career professionals
• Preparation for the oral qualifying examination and oral defense of the dissertation
• Development of clear and effective communication skills and ability to respond on the spot in an organized

Present Technical Seminars

Students are required to present an open technical seminar or research poster at least once each academic year in residence. Presentations may be given as part of a regular seminar series or special event on campus, or off campus at a scientific conference. The Ph.D. defense may count as one of the required seminars.

Examples of student presentations…

Pass Preliminary Exam

The written preliminary exam tests undergraduate-level understanding of the fundamental concepts in the field and is offered at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Students may elect to take the exam for the first time at the start of the first or second semester, but must pass one of the exam options (physical chemistry, organic chemistry or biochemistry) by the fourth semester(maximum of four attempts).

Pass Qualifying Exam

The oral qualifying exam tests the breadth of a student’s comprehension of fundamental facts and principles that apply to his/her major field of study and his/her ability to think critically about the theoretical and practical aspects of the field. Prior to scheduling the exam, students must complete at least three required non-seminar graduate courses. Students are expected to pass the qualifying exam during their second year (maximum of two attempts). Passing is required before a student may advance to candidacy.

Students may petition the Educational Policy Committee for exceptions (e.g. exam date, number of attempts).

Advance to Candidacy

The bridge between focusing on course requirements to preparing a dissertation is advancement to candidacy. Students are eligible to apply to advance once they pass the qualifying examination and submit the qualifying exam report to the Graduate Division. An electronic form will then be sent to the student to complete.

Defend Dissertation

The dissertation demonstrates a student’s knowledge of a broad field of learning and contains an original contribution to the chosen field of study. It must be creative and independent work that can stand the test of peer review; thus, students will participate in a public seminar to present and defend the dissertation followed by a closed examination by the student’s dissertation committee.

In preparation for the defense, the student must provide a copy of the dissertation to each member of the committee at least four weeks in advance of the desired defense date. Should any of the committee members deem it necessary for the student to address errors or shortcomings, the student will be given the opportunity to make revisions. Once the committee agrees that the dissertation is ready to be defended, the defense date may be scheduled.

The student will be evaluated on the substance of the written dissertation and the student’s performance on the exam. A majority of the committee must vote that the student’s work is of satisfactory quality to earn a University of California Ph.D. degree. Should the student not pass, he/she may repeat the defense once no earlier than one month and no later than twelve months from the date of the first defense.

Advance to Candidacy

The bridge between focusing on course requirements to preparing a dissertation is advancement to candidacy. Students are eligible to apply to advance once they pass the qualifying examination and submit the qualifying exam report to the Graduate Division. An electronic form will then be sent to the student to complete.

When the student successfully defends his/her dissertation, passing the examination by the committee, the members of the committee will point out any corrections and/or revisions needed. The student will then finalize the written dissertation for approval by the committee. Once approved, the student will submit the dissertation online by the end of the semester in which the degree is to be conferred. After submission, dissertation manuscripts automatically become available for public access and circulation as part of UC Merced’s Library Collections.