PhD Exams

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PhD Exams at NC State#

In general, you will encounter three major exams during your PhD program:

  1. Written Preliminary Exam: Supposed to show that you are capable of conducting research in your area, usually happens around first paper draft / submission time.
  2. Oral Preliminary Exam: Outline for thesis proposal. Usually happens around 2 published papers / within a year or so of planned defense
  3. Final Exam (Defense): Final defense of your thesis. Usually happens with the 3rd paper being published / under serious submission.

1. Written Prelim#

Consists of:

  • Written report (usually your first research paper draft / preprint, but no more than 7000 words which is shorter than the usual security paper). Supposed to be sent to committee 2 weeks before oral presentation date, but usually more flexible in real world (e.g., share overleaf or similar)
  • Oral presentation (40–45 min, usually scheduled for 90 min to allow for admin and questions, announced and public to anyone).

The committee usually consists of 3 members:

  1. Advisor
  2. Area rep (based on our suggestions)
  3. Department rep/chair selected by GDP

From CSC’s Ph.D. in Computer Science page:

The Written Preliminary Exam is the first milestone in the student’s Ph.D. program. The purpose of this exam is to measure research aptitude, preparation (including knowledge of a specialization area) and proper research methodology. It is expected that the student will have conducted an extensive literature search of a problem area, identified a research problem and obtained some preliminary research results in that area. The work for this exam must be substantially that of the student, with minor help from the advisor or others.

The exam requires both a written report and an oral presentation. The report should be approximately 7000 words and should include sufficient background information to be accessible to a non-specialist. If the report has already been submitted for publication and has multiple authors, the student must make clear that the work and the writing are mostly their own efforts. It is not acceptable to use a paper in which the writing or the work is substantially due to others, since this would not represent the student’s independent efforts. The oral presentation is open to all faculty and students in Computer Science.

The following is currently not strictly enforced (but keep in mind for timelines):

Full-time Ph.D. students who previously received an M.S. degree are expected to have passed this exam by the start of the 4th semester; Ph.D. students who did not previously receive an M.S. degree are expected to have passed the exam by the start of the 5th semester.

Process#

  1. Register for CSC 890 (in the semester of, or semester before)

In the semester the exam is to be taken, the student will register for up to 6 credits of CSC 890 (Doctoral Preliminary Exam). (Alternatively, the credits may be spread over two successive semesters.)

  1. Send email to GDP to get process started (at least 3 weeks before planned date range)

The student, in consultation with the advisor, must submit to the DGP:

  • the name of the advisor
  • the names of up to five Computer Science faculty (not including the advisor, the DGP and the Department Head) who have expertise in the topic of the exam
  • the title and a preliminary abstract of the paper

The DGP will form an examination committee consisting of the advisor, one of the five faculty knowledgeable about the subject area and one other departmental faculty member (the DGP and Department Head are not eligible for this role). This information should be submitted at least 3 weeks before the proposed exam date.

  • You don’t need all 5 faculty with expertise, but suggesting 1–3 is helpful for the DGP to form a committee.
Example: Committee Request

Subject: Request to Schedule Written Preliminary Exam

Hello Dr. Heber,

I’m reaching out to schedule my written preliminary exam.

  • Advisor: Dominik Wermke
  • Area Faculty: Brad Reaves, Anupam Das, …

Title: Why pigs can’t fly: A study of the aerodynamics of porcine flight

Prelim Abstract: […]

Best regards,

Usually the DGP will respond with an email CC’ing the established committee:

DGP Response

Student,

Your CSC 890 Written Prelim Exam (Qualifying Exam) Committee will be:

  • Chair and Department Representative: X
  • Advisor: Dr. Dominik Wermke
  • Area Representative: Y

Information about the written prelim may be found online at https://csc.ncsu.edu/academics/graduate/phd/

Please contact the members of your committee as soon as possible to discuss potential exam dates and provide them with a preliminary draft of your report. Your committee needs a final copy of your paper two weeks before your exam. Your paper should include sufficient background to be accessible to a non-specialist.

In addition:

  • You may schedule the room for your exam with Linda Honeycutt, 515-7926; alternatively, the exam may be held so that committee members participate via videoconference, and the committee chair must provide the Zoom link.
  • The CSC Graduate Office needs a date, time, place, title of your paper, and an abstract of your paper two weeks before your exam so that it can be announced to all faculty and graduate students.
  • Send me an electronic copy of your paper for the CSC 890 exam, at the same time you submit it to the Exam Committee.

Title: […]

Abstract: […]

Best wishes for your graduate studies,

Steffen

  1. Reach out to committee members to establish date for the presentation
  • In general you can send an email with a When2Meet or similar as reply to the DGP response to all committee members from step 2 (but don’t forget to remove the DGP, Grad school email etc from the CC, they don’t like being included in theses “figuring out scheduling” emails until step 4)
  • Range of ~2 weeks on the W2M are good practice
  • Optionally: Check the committee members’ Google Calendars to check for big blockers / some available slots ahead of time
  • Optionally: Mention state of underlying paper, e.g., “I would like to share that the paper draft is currently under submission at X”, “I currently have scheduled X more interviews for data collection, which I expect to finish by the end of X.”
  • Optionally: Attach a draft of your paper (or share an overleaf link to it, or share a Google Drive link with updating PDF), not required and the final version is usually sent to the committee + DGP at least 2 weeks before the presentation (more or less in practice) as PDF.

If a committee member does not respond within 7 days or so feel free to write a reminder email or mention it to me so I can follow up.

Example: Scheduling

Dear Committee Members

Thank you for your time and support in scheduling my written preliminary exam. I am writing to identify a suitable time during [second half of April / week of Apr 16 / etc].

[Optionally if you checked their calendars] Based on your public calendars, the following options appear feasible:

  • October 6, [time]
  • October 7, [time]
  • October 8, [time]

Please indicate your availability using the link below: https://www.when2meet.com/[x]

If none of these options are suitable, please feel free to reply with alternatives so we can find a time that works for everyone.

[Optionally if draft / status] I have also attached the submitted paper as a draft of the written report. This work is currently under submission to S&P 20XX.

Best regards,

  1. Send final announcement details email to Grad office / DGP.
  • If you (the student) will be remote: The student is not supposed to create the calendar invite / zoom link for remote exams (i.e., your advisor should create it)
  • For rooms we can usually use the SCI suite, don’t forget to block it in the calendar (or ask your advisor to block it)
Example: Grad Office Announcement

Subject: CSC 890 Written Prelim Exam - [Your Name] - Announcement Details

Dear Graduate Office,

I would like to submit the required details for the announcement of my CSC 890 Written Prelim Exam.

  • Student Name: X
  • Student ID: Y
  • Advisor: Z
  • Date & Time: Tue, Oct 21, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM, 2025
  • Mode: In-Person
  • Place: 3211 EB2 building

Committee Members:

  • Dr. Member 1 (Chair and Department Representative)
  • Dr. Member 2 (Area Representative)

Exam Title: [Exam title]

Abstract:

[Abstract]

Best regards,

Grading#

Grading is done via 2 forms (but only Pass/Fail for the student):

Exam Assessment

Exam Assessment#

This is used for departmental assessment purposes only, I think, not for grading the student. Still putting it here to show what is assessed:

  • Taulbee Area
  • All 1. Strongly Disagree to 5. Strongly Agree scales:
    • Reviews the literature in a way that demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the research in the area of study.
    • Identifies research questions or problems pertinent to the field of study, providing a focus for making a significant contribution to the field.
    • Gathers, organizes, analyzes and reports data using a conceptual framework appropriate to the research question and the field of study.
    • Interprets research results in a way that adds to the understanding of field of study and relates findings to teaching and learning in computer science.
    • Communicates research effectively in written form using language appropriate to the field of study.
    • Communicates research effectively in oral form using language appropriate to the field of study.
    • Has established a productive research agenda that prepares student to extend his or her research beyond graduate school.
  • Other comments
Grading Report

Grading Report#

The actual pass/fail decision comes from this form

  • Comments on originality
  • Comments on technical quality
  • Comments on presentation
  • Final score (individual committee member’s):
    1. Strong reject
    2. Reject
    3. Weak reject
    4. Neutral
    5. Weak accept
    6. Accept
    7. Strong accept
  • Exam Outcome (combined committee decision):
    • Pass / Fail

Depending on the final scores:

  • A student with three scores of 5 or higher passes the exam.
  • A student with three scores of 3 or lower fails the exam.
  • All other cases are decided by committee discussion.

Some common questions to expect during the oral (mostly testing your understanding of the work and its context):

  • Why is this important?
  • Why did you choose [method/algorithm] over [other method/algorithm]?
  • What are the limitations of your approach?
  • What are the potential real-world applications of your research?
  • What are your next steps (for your next paper)

2. Oral Prelim#

Committee Invitation#

Template: Committee Invitation

Subject: Request to Serve on My Ph.D. Advisory Committee – Oral Preliminary Exam

Dear Professor [Last Name],

I hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Name], a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at NC State University, advised by Prof. [Advisor’s Name]. I am preparing for my Ph.D. Oral Preliminary Examination and am writing to ask whether you would be willing to serve on my doctoral advisory committee.

My research focuses on [Research Area]. Your expertise in [Relevant Expertise] aligns closely with my thesis, and I would greatly appreciate your guidance and feedback on my proposed dissertation research. Here is a brief summary of my thesis:

Title: [Tentative Thesis Title]

Chapters:

  1. [Research problem, methods, and main findings or contribution of the first project.] [Publication venue and year, or current status.]
  2. [Research problem, methods, and main findings or contribution of the second project.] [Publication venue and year, or current status.]
  3. [Additional completed or planned chapter, if applicable.]

Tentative time frame for the exam: [Date Range, Year].

Please let me know if you would be willing and available to serve on my committee. Once the committee is confirmed, I will share a When2Meet link to identify a time that works for everyone. I will also send my research proposal in advance for your review and follow up with the final exam arrangements.

Please let me know if you require any additional information from me.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Scheduling#

Template: Scheduling

Subject: Scheduling My Ph.D. Oral Preliminary Examination — [Your Name]

Dear Professors,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to coordinate a time for my Ph.D. Oral Preliminary Examination.

The proposed dates are as follows (all in [Year]):

  1. [Month Day (Day of Week)]
  2. [Month Day–Day (Day of Week–Day of Week)]
  3. [Additional date ranges as needed]

Could you please indicate all of your available times using the When2Meet link below?

[When2Meet link]

Once we find a time that works for everyone, I will follow up with the confirmed schedule and exam arrangements.

Thank you very much for your time and support!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

MyPack Approval#

Template: MyPack Approval

Subject: [Your Name]’s Ph.D. Committee: Action Required on MyPack

Dear Committee Members,

Thank you for accepting my meeting invite for the oral prelim exam.

I have submitted a request via MyPack to add you to my committee. Please review and accept it at your earliest convenience.

Thanks & Regards,

[Your Name]

Reminder & Report#

  1. Send the committee a reminder with your oral preliminary exam report attached at least about five days before the exam, so they have time to read the draft. Send it earlier if your committee requests more time.
  2. Include the confirmed date, time zone, room, and Zoom link. The Zoom meeting must be owned by your advisor; a student-owned meeting can cause problems with the Graduate School.
Template: Reminder & Report

Subject: Oral Preliminary Exam Reminder and Report — [Your Name] — [Exam Date]

Dear Prof. [Committee Member 1], Prof. [Committee Member 2], Prof. [Committee Member 3], and Prof. [Committee Member 4],

Please find attached my oral preliminary exam report, [Report Title], for your review ahead of the exam.

As a reminder, the exam is scheduled for [Day of Week, Month Day, Year], from [Start Time] to [End Time] [Time Zone], in [Building, Room Number]. The Zoom link is also included below:

[Advisor-owned Zoom meeting link]

Thank you very much for serving on my committee and taking the time to review my report. I look forward to discussing my research with you and receiving your feedback.

Please let me know if you have any trouble accessing the attachment.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Progress Updates#

After your oral prelim, keep your PhD committee informed about progress on the work you proposed. An update after major submissions or decisions can connect your progress to the dissertation plan and explain what comes next. CC all committee members so everyone receives the same update.

An example of an extensive update email to your PhD committee is below.

Example: Progress Update

To: [Advisor]

CC: [All other committee members]

Dear Committee Members,

I hope your semester is going well! I wanted to share an update on my dissertation research since my oral preliminary exam.

During my proposal, I outlined [project / research direction] with the following components:

  1. [First component, e.g., a study to understand users’ needs and preferences.]
  2. [Second component, e.g., an evaluation of how well existing systems meet those needs.]

I’m happy to share that we submitted a paper to [Venue] in [Month Year] addressing the first component. This was a collaboration with [collaborator / research group] and addressed the following research questions:

  • RQ1: [Research question] We conducted [method / study] to understand [what it examined].
  • RQ2: [Research question] We conducted [method / study] with [participants / data] to investigate [what it examined].
  • RQ3: [Research question, if applicable] We used [method / study] to compare [perspectives / approaches].

I am continuing this collaboration in [semester / timeframe] to work on the second component, focusing on [next step].

I also have an update on [another dissertation project]. As discussed during my oral prelim, we submitted this work to [Venue] in [Month Year]. During review, we received requests for [additional experiments / analyses / clarifications]. We completed [brief description of revisions], but the paper was ultimately rejected.

We incorporated the revisions and other reviewer feedback and submitted the work to [New venue] in [Month Year]. The main updates are:

  1. [Additional evaluation, e.g., testing on a new held-out dataset.]
  2. [Additional comparison or analysis, e.g., comparing results with an external dataset.]

We expect decisions on [these submissions] in [Month Year]. In the meantime, I plan to [next research step and how it fits the dissertation plan].

Thank you for your time and guidance. Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback on these next steps.

Best regards,

[Your name]

3. Defense#

(Also “Final Oral Exam”)

Scheduling#

Replace the dates and deadlines below with those for your graduation semester. Include the reduced-course-load paragraph only if it applies to you, and adjust any mention of academic breaks to match your proposed dates.

Template: Scheduling

Subject: Scheduling My Ph.D. Defense – [Your Name] – [Semester Year]

Dear Committee Members,

Hope you are having a great semester!

I’m on track to defend my Ph.D. in [Semester Year]. I plan to wrap up my dissertation work and submit it in [Dissertation Submission Timeframe] and defend in [Month]. To graduate this [Semester], the Graduate School requires that I pass my defense and submit my initial ETD by [Applicable Deadline].

[Optional: I’m also applying for a reduced course load for my final semester, which requires my defense date to be scheduled in advance.]

Could you please share your availability for [Preferred Date Range] using the When2Meet link below? In case none of those dates work, I’ve also included [Alternative Date Range], though I recognize that week falls during [Academic Break, if applicable].

Here is the When2Meet link: [When2Meet link]

Thank you for your time and support. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks & Regards,

[Your Name]

Rooms#

Available conference rooms / presentation spaces for defenses:

  • SCI Suite (2240 EB2 building): Most commonly used space, can be reserved by advisor.
  • Other rooms (reserved through Linda Honeycutt):
    • EB2 - 2216 Capacity - 17
    • EB2 - 2242 Capacity - 4
    • EB2 - 2253 Capacity - 6
    • EB2 - 2295 Capacity - 9
    • EB2 - 3211 Capacity - 76
    • EB2 - 3253 Capacity - 9
    • EB2 - 3265 Capacity - 24
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