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• 2007 Changes FAQ
  • Course Requirements
  • Qualifying Exams
  • Oral Comprehensive Exam
  • Dissertation Committee

What are the changes in the Qualifying Exam structure?

1. There are more choices wrt the qualifying exams that can be attempted:
   1. As before a student will need pass exams in four areas.
   2. Starting August 2008, there will be a new required exam on Foundations of Computer Science. Prior to that date, the Algorithms exam continues to be required (as in the old rules).
   3. In addition, a student will have to pass exams in three out of eight areas.
   4. Exams on AI, Databases, Language Processors, Software Modeling will continue to be offered as before.
   5. The "Computer Systems" exam is now split into two exams on Operating Systems and Networks
   6. Exams have been added on (i) Software Construction, and (ii) Information Security
2. The rule on retaking exams has changed. Previously, if a student passed fewer than three exams in the first attempt, all four exams would need to be retaken in the second attempt. The new rules simply require a student to pass four exams in two consecutive attempts. Thus if a student has passed one or two exams in the first attempt, there is no need to repeat these exams in the second attempt.