Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision Both sides next revision
qual_lore [2017/01/04 18:27]
jwang [Selecting Your Committee]
qual_lore [2017/01/04 18:34]
jwang
Line 8: Line 8:
 ==== Selecting Your Committee ==== ==== Selecting Your Committee ====
  
-Perhaps the most difficult part of a qualification exam is gathering your committee. ​ Your committee is required to consist of 3 faculty members from the Astronomy department, and 1 faculty member //with no appointment in the Astronomy department//​ (0% appointments are now ok as long as they are part of the Academic Senate). ​ As you pick an outside faculty member, be sure to confirm they are part of the Academic Senate and have a <= 0% appointment in Astro! ​ It is recommended that you begin asking faculty about availability well in advance (i.e. >= 1/2 year) of your desired qual date, since professors'​ schedules fill up early. ​ Your advisor should be on your committee, and can help you select other members. ​ Factors to consider in selecting committee members:+Perhaps the most difficult part of a qualification exam is gathering your committee. ​ Your committee is required to consist of 3 faculty members from the Astronomy department, and 1 faculty member //with no appointment in the Astronomy department//​ (as of 2016, 0% appointments are now OK as long as they are part of the Academic Senate). ​ As you pick an outside faculty member, be sure to confirm they are part of the Academic Senate and have a <= 0% appointment in Astro! ​ It is recommended that you begin asking faculty about availability well in advance (i.e. >= 1/2 year) of your desired qual date, since professors'​ schedules fill up early. ​ Your advisor should be on your committee, and can help you select other members. ​ Factors to consider in selecting committee members:
   * Availability   * Availability
   * Ability to offer advice in a field complementary to your advisor'​s   * Ability to offer advice in a field complementary to your advisor'​s
Line 16: Line 16:
 It is very useful to talk to each member of your committee 1-2 weeks before the exam.  The purpose of these meetings should be to briefly familiarize your committee with your thesis topic and proposal. ​ Letting your committee know what to expect can reduce the number of strange or random questions you will face during the exam.  As a bonus, some external committee members are willing to clarify what what kind of role they expect to play in the exam (general knowledge, related sub-field, project management and timeline, etc.). It is very useful to talk to each member of your committee 1-2 weeks before the exam.  The purpose of these meetings should be to briefly familiarize your committee with your thesis topic and proposal. ​ Letting your committee know what to expect can reduce the number of strange or random questions you will face during the exam.  As a bonus, some external committee members are willing to clarify what what kind of role they expect to play in the exam (general knowledge, related sub-field, project management and timeline, etc.).
  
-From the [[http://​grad.berkeley.edu/​policies/guides/f2-6-qual-exam/|Berkeley Graduate Division Policies Website:]] +See the Berkeley Graduate Division Policies website ​[[http://​grad.berkeley.edu/​policy/degrees-policy/#f47-configuration-requirements-for-higher-degree-committees|section on committee requirements]] for more details. ​ 
-"The majority of the committee must be in the student’s major field. In the case of a four-person committee, at least two Academic Senate members must be from the student’s major. The chair of the Qualifying Examination Committee must be from the student’s major and a member of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate; the chair cannot also serve as chair of the student’s Dissertation Committee. At least one committee member must come from outside the student’s major, and also be a member of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate."​+
 ==== Making Your Presentation ==== ==== Making Your Presentation ====