| | | A Brief History of the Quals |
Note: The first two paragraphs are adapted from reference [1].
The current quals format is the culmination of over 40 years of experience and refinement. The quals process has undergone seven major revisions since the mid 1950's. Earlier formats included both an eight hour written test and oral exminations. However, after careful analysis, studies found that written test results were largely uncorrelated with a student's ability to do research and the quality of their Ph.D. theses. Written tests mostly gauged student's knowledge and were a less accurate indicator of their research aptitude.
Another major change occurred in 1966, when the oral exmination time was reduced from 30 minutes to 12 minutes. A study showed that professors usually decided their score in the first 5 to 10 minutes, and additional time rarely changed the score. In response, the department then reduced the time and increased the number of examiners, improving students' chances for a fair exam. Later in 1970, computerized scheduling allowed students to request individual professors by ranking them. Previously, committees were pre-selected without student input.
The latest revision occurred in 1998 in yet another attempt to make the process more fair. The question areas were revised, the breadth requirement was instituted, and the weighting of examiners' scores was eliminated. No doubt the new millenium will see more changes in the format.
| | | A Brief History of the Quals |