Doctoral students must successfully complete a Comprehensive Examination by the end of their third year in the Program. You will not be eligible to take the Comprehensive Examination until the Program’s course requirements have been met. Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination is a critical requirement for Advancement to Candidacy, which must take place within 36 months from the start of your program (ideally within 30 months). A student who has not advanced to candidacy within 36 months may be required to withdraw from the program.
The purpose of the Comprehensive Examination is to have you demonstrate to your Examiners that you have a comprehensive knowledge in your area of specialization and related fields of cell and developmental biology, and have attained sufficient intellectual understanding of the subject matter to proceed with research likely to lead to the submission of a competent Ph.D. thesis. Additional information is available here and on the G+PS website. Detailed guidelines and forms are available here.