Departmental Preliminary
Examination for the Ph.D.
Degree

Final Oral Examination
for the Ph.D. Degree

Final Oral Examination
for the M.S. Degree

Soil Science Thesis Option Graduate Program

Oregon State University

IV. EXAMINATIONS

A. Departmental Preliminary Examination for the Ph.D. Degree

1. The preliminary examination should be scheduled prior to the completion of the fifth quarter of academic work.
   
   
2. The Soil Science graduate faculty requires that a student pass a written departmental examination before taking the oral preliminary examination for the Ph.D. degree. The examination tests the student's ability to integrate knowledge from different subject areas, to reason, and to apply principles to solutions of problems relating to soil science.
   
   The student's major professor is responsible for arranging the written part of the preliminary examination. The exam will consist of two questions in each of the following areas:
   1. Soil Chemistry
   2. Soil Genesis, Morphology and Classification
   3. Soil Biology and Biochemistry
   4. Soil Physics

   In addition, there can be two or more questions in the student's minor or from the student's graduate committee whose discipline is not soil science. When appropriate for the student, questions on larger scales (nutrient cycling at ecosystem level, watershed water dynamics, etc.) or practical applications (nutrient, water or tillage management, etc.) should be arranged.
   
   The authors of the questions must indicate which questions are open book or closed book and approximately how much time should be allotted to answer the questions (1 to 2 hours). Open book questions can be answered using text or library resources if the student so desires. The major professor will return the answers to the authors of the questions, who will evaluate the questions and indicate to the major professor whether the student passes. All questions should be evaluated within two weeks of the test date. All written exam answers will be provided to the student's graduate committee and will be considered in deciding whether the student passes the Preliminary Qualifying Exam. The graduate committee as a result of this examination may suggest additional course work, or the student may be encouraged to work towards an M.S. rather than Ph.D. degree.
   
   

3. After passing the written exam, the Ph.D. student will then take the oral preliminary exam within six months. Prior to the oral exam the student must write a proposal. The purpose of this proposal is to allow the student to demonstrate scientific creativity. Preparing the proposal is also a learning experience.
   
   The proposal is to be on topic that is not directly related to the student’s thesis research. It is permissible for a student to modify a proposal that they have previously written as a class project or for submission to a funding agency, as long as the proposal is essentially the work of the student. The soil science faculty members of the student’s committee approve the proposal topic.

   The body of the proposal should consist of no more than 10 double-spaced pages for objectives and/or hypotheses, literature review, justification, and research approach, and addition pages for a budget, references, and any supporting figures or tables. The student will provide a written copy to the graduate committee one month before the exam. This will allow the committee one week to review the proposal for any major deficiencies. If deficiencies are noted, the proposal will be returned to the student for corrections and changes. A final version of the proposal should be distributed to the committee one week in advance of the oral exam.
   
   The exam will start with a 20-minute presentation of the proposal (open to all interested) followed with the examination by the graduate committee. This exam is comprehensive (not just on the proposal) and evaluates the student's general knowledge and ability to convey/discuss scientific ideas/theories/techniques. It is the responsibility of the student to have the appropriate pre-exam Graduate School paperwork completed and to schedule the exam.