Proposal & Comp Exam (MSE 691)

Summary

The Doctoral Comprehensive Exam (MSE 691) and Dissertation Proposal are two separate requirements that are designed to be completed within the same semester. During this semester, a student will complete development on the proposed dissertation research, write the proposal, present the proposal to a public audience, and have a private Q&A with the supervisory committee about the proposed research and understanding of MS&E topics. The MSE 691 course and dissertation proposal are evaluated separately as described below.

Purpose

MSE 691, Doctoral Comprehensive Examination (1cr)

Taken when the doctoral student is in Regular Status and has completed a significant number of course credits applicable to the degree requirements. Considerable autonomy is granted to the academic unit in the design, administration, and evaluation of the comprehensive examination. Pass/Fail only.

Dissertation Proposal:

 A dissertation proposal must be approved in advance of the dissertation research by the supervisory committee. The dissertation proposal presents the background, objectives, scope, methods, and timelines of the dissertation research. Substantive work done by the student prior to the appointment of the supervisory committee or work represented by credit other than 691 Dissertation is not acceptable for the dissertation under any conditions.

When do I complete the proposal and comprehensive exam?

A student will typically enroll in MSE 691 and present his or her dissertation proposal and satisfy the doctoral comprehensive exam requirement between the 4th and 6th semester, depending on academic background and research progress. 

Before you enroll in MSE 691 you must 

• Core coursework (MSE 605, 608, and 618) must be completed with a combined 3.4 GPA. No more than one repeat amongst the three core classes is allowed.

• The Appointment of Supervisory Committee form must be submitted prior to enrolling in MSE 691.

• A student should have progressed in research such that they have completed, or are near completing the program writing requirement (have finished a master’s thesis or have a first author publication). Advisor support is necessary to enroll in MSE 691.

Note: A student cannot progress to Ph.D. candidacy until the writing requirement and MSE 691 are both completed. Therefore, most students should expect to complete the writing requirement in a similar time frame as enrollment in MSE 691 and completing the dissertation proposal. Some students will propose before the writing requirement is met because of the complexity of the first publication or the timing of the submission and review process.

Process

• Student requests permission number to enroll in MSE 691

• Student works with committee to schedule a date and time for oral presentation.

• 3 weeks prior to the oral defense, student sends out advisor approved version of written proposal to each supervisory committee member.

• Supervisory committee members send initial feedback on written proposal to the student, or meet with the student, at least one week before scheduled oral presentation. If major concerns are identified, the date of the oral presentation may be delayed.

Written Dissertation Proposal Requirements

Content

Your dissertation proposal must clearly describe the

• problem and motivation,

• scope of work, including the objectives of the research,

• related literature and anticipated scientific impact,

• proposed methods for obtaining and utilizing resources necessary to complete research,

• proposed data analysis methods, preliminary results and expected results, and

• proposed timeline for completing the dissertation.

Format

There are no program-specific requirements for the written dissertation proposal. Format should be decided in conjunction with the major advisor and supervisory committee. Two options often chosen are:

• 15 page NSF style proposal: The dissertation proposal is typically 10 – 15 pages single spaced and of format similar to a NSF or NIH grant proposal containing the following sections: Objectives (Specific Aims), Background, Proposed Work, Schedule of Work, and References.

• Other formats as approved by the research advisor are permitted.

MSE 691 Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Requirements

Content:

The comprehensive exam presentation should cover each of the 6 areas required for the written proposal and demonstrate that a student has the breadth and depth of knowledge in materials science and engineering to conduct successful dissertation research

• problem and motivation,

• scope of work, including the objectives of the research,

• related literature and anticipated scientific impact,

• proposed methods for obtaining and utilizing resources necessary to complete research,

• proposed data analysis methods, preliminary results and expected results, and

• proposed timeline for completing the dissertation.

Format

• 30-40 minute prepared oral presentation to supervisory committee and public audience

• Audience has 10-15 minutes to ask questions about the oral presentation. Audience is then dismissed.

• Student has private Q&A with supervisory committee covering below topics

• • Questions about oral presentation. Committee should feel confident that each of 6 required areas is sufficiently addressed and student is prepared to conduct dissertation research

  • Additional questions about the written proposal

  • Questions probing the understanding of basic materials science and engineering topics related to student’s dissertation research.

Evaluation

The supervisory committee determines the pass/fail results of both MSE 691 and the comprehensive exam. A student can pass any combination of one, both or neither the proposal and comprehensive exam. If a student does not pass the exam, he or she must request permission from the GPC, with advisor approval, to retake the exam. Final results should be documented on the online form (Previous versions including rubric here: Dissertation Proposal Form, and the MSE 691 Comprehensive Exam Form). 

 If a student does not pass the proposal the supervisory committee determines the appropriate path forward. For example, a student may be expected to re-write the proposal document, meet again with the committee to defend the proposal or address shortcomings, or provide a written response to supervisory committee addressing questions and shortcomings of the proposal.

 MSE 691, Doctoral Comprehensive Exam

MSE 691 is a pass/fail course that is evaluated based on (1) prior completion of core coursework with requisite GPA, (2) the quality of the oral presentation of the research proposal, and (3) the Q&A of materials science topics in the context of his or her research. A student who passes MSE 691 should demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge of Materials Science & Engineering topics as well as his or her preparedness to complete the proposed dissertation research. A rubric has been developed that the advisor and supervisory committee can use if desired.

Dissertation Proposal (Written Document)

The proposal is evaluated by the supervisory committee based on the quality of the written proposal which addresses the 6 required components, and the student’s response to questions about the proposed research during the oral examination.