Guidelines for the Candidacy Exam for IB Ph.D.

 A. Advancing to Candidacy

Dissertation Research Committee:  (Formed one semester before Candidacy exam)

The Dissertation Research Committee shall consist of FIVE members, including the chair, whose responsibility is to guide development of the Dissertation research and administer the dissertation proposal review and Dissertation defense.
- Three of these members can be the same as the supervisory committee.
- Generally the members shall be from the Integrative Biology Graduate Faculty.
- One member must be from outside your immediate area of research.
- Students are encouraged to have one member who is not in the Program faculty (internal or external).

B. Defense of Dissertation Proposal (Candidacy examination) 

Must be done at least seven months in advance of Dissertation Defense

1. Part A:  The student will be required to defend the research proposal in a meeting with the        Dissertation Committee in which the student’s proposed research and relevant scientific   background will be explored in comprehensive oral Format (presentation).
2. One week prior to the proposal presentation the candidate sends an announcement to program   assistant by E-Mail. The defense shall be open to all IB Ph.D. students/faculty.
3. Following the open presentation the Dissertation committee will meet in private to continue the   defense and vote on the defense.
4. Part B (see section D below): Successful defense of the proposal and the grant application, shall  qualify the student for candidacy and is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the core and elective course (s) requirement. Students MAY propose and defend before completion of the course requirement, but formal advancement to candidacy will be delayed until the core course requirement is satisfied.
5. A student’s Dissertation committee may specify other requirements as part of the Candidacy exam.
6. Students who fail the candidacy exam shall have one more semester to pass. If unsuccessful the  second time, the student shall be dropped from the IB Ph.D. program.

C. Dissertation grant proposal (Proposal Format)

1. The student shall submit a research proposal for review by the student’s Dissertation Research Committee (along with the defense).
2. The proposal will be written using NIH or NSF proposal preparation Guidelines for format. The Committee MAY decide on other formats.
3. The student is advised to seek advice from his/her advisor and other Committee members during the course of writing the proposal.
4. The grant must be submitted two weeks in advance of the Dissertation Research Proposal.
   Consult FAQs at the IB PhD web page for additional details.

D. I am admitted to Candidacy. What are the paperwork requirements?

1. The chair of your Dissertation Committee informs the program assistant by E-Mail.
2. Update the milestone check list.
3. Complete the FAU Admission to Candidacy form.
4. Complete Admissions to Candidacy Compliance verification form
5. Complete the memorandum to the College of Science, Associate Dean, student services.
6. Meet the Director of the program with these forms (# 2-5) prior to obtaining the signature from the Chairs.
7. A copy of the grant application is required for file.
8. Once these steps are complete you are admitted to Candidacy. You can now register for Dissertation credits.
9. Within one month of Admission to Candidacy, submit your research progress report.

Note: all these forms are online. See http://www.science.fau.edu/biology/intbio_2008/form download.htm

 E. Time line  

1. Aim to go for candidacy before the end of year 2 (maximum middle of year 3).
2. Your advisor and the Dissertation committee MUST agree that you are ready to take the exam.
3. One semester before you are ready to take the candidacy exam contact the Director of the program.