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James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo
Department of Chemistry

Preliminary Exam

Preliminary Examinations

The preliminary examination establishes each student’s candidacy for the PhD degree. The oral preliminary exam must be completed and defended by the end of the fifth semester (fall and spring) of graduate study, unless an extension is granted by the Graduate Studies Committee. In order to qualify to take your OP exam, you must complete the following requirements:
  • Have an approved plan of study that reflects 18 hours of completed graduate coursework (600 level or approved 500 level)
  • Students who entered the program before Summer 2023: Have successfully passed 5 cumulative exam.
  • Student who entered the program after Spring 2023: Have successfully completed their Foundational Course requirement.

Starting Fall 2024: Components of the Preliminary Exam

The following guidelines will be applicable to all students taking their Preliminary Exams after the Summer 2024 semester. Please review the revised Preliminary Examination policy for all of the Chemistry Department's Preliminary Examination requirements, learning objectives and more detailed descriptions all components of the exams. 

In the Department of Chemistry, this examination consists of two features, the Original Proposition (OP) and the Required Research Assessment (RRA). Each part will include written components and oral presentations to the examining committee.

Written Components of the Preliminary Exam:
  1. One Pager/Specific Aims Document
  2. The Original Proposal (OP) Document
  3. Dissertation Research Summary

Oral Components of the Preliminary Exam:

  1. Original Proposal Presentation
  2. Required Research Assessment Presentation

For most students, the entire preliminary exam process will happen over several months. A typical schedule is:

  • Summer following second year: begin to plan and outline Original Proposal topic.
  • August of second year: one-page “specific aims” document on the OP topic and research report due to the advisory committee as part of the second-year annual report.
  • Fall of third year: completion of final original proposal and dissertation research summary documents, scheduling of examination, distribution of documents to examination committee, and OP and RRA presentations and defense. 

Scheduling Logistics

Students should plan the examination several weeks in advance. Specifically:

  • We recommend that students confirm a time for the exam with their committee members at least six weeks prior to the exam date. Faculty schedules are complex, and finding a time for all members of the committee can be difficult. Typically, a period of two hours should be scheduled for the exam (including both the OP and the RRA presentations).
  • The Main Office should be informed via email to chemoffice@purdue.edu of the proposed exam date at least three weeks prior to the exam. The email should also include the exam time and list the three members of the examining committee. The Main Office will assist in reserving a room, and will complete the Graduate School Form 8.
  • The Graduate School requires all approvals on the Form 8 by two weeks before the exam date; starting early ensures time for your major advisor and Department Head proxy to sign.
  • Your OP document and dissertation research summary must be submitted to the Main Office at least two weeks before the exam date. Email PDF copies of your Original Proposal and Dissertation Research Summary documents to Jordan Harris, harri698@purdue.edu at least two weeks prior to your exam date.