|
The Qualifying ExamThe Qualifying Exam, or "qual," is the second hurdle enroute to the PhD in Mathematics at Syracuse University. While the point of the Prelim is attrition, the qual is a formidable exam in its own right. Like the prelim, the qual is broken into two sections, called the Major and Minor Qualifying exams. There are a number of different topics which each can cover, and particular choices of major can substantially limit the choices of minor. As the major topics are the general topics towards which a student will pursue research, the selection of which exams to take is fairly important. The actual format of the qual has recently changed from a very broad oral exam, covering about twelve classes, to the two-part exam as explained above. Each of the two parts covers two courses, thus bringing the total number of courses covered by the qual, for each student, to four. However, with a written exam, the depth of coverage in the courses can be much greater. To view old qualifying exams, check the Library's website. |