STUDENT HANDBOOK PhD PROGRAM: FIRST-YEAR
COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN EXAM AND DATA ANALYSIS PROJECT The Department supports its students in their successful completion of the
academic program of their choice. The Department offers a comprehensive written
examination at the end of the first year (usually about ten days after the end
of fourth term, on the first Monday in June). The written portion of the
examination is approximately four hours long and consists of questions that test
competency in the core areas of methods and applications, probability,
statistical theory, and advanced probability. There is also a take-home data
analysis project that serves to test students' competency in analyzing and
interpreting results from data relevant to health. An evaluation of student progress is made by faculty at
the end of the first year. Performance in coursework and on the qualifying
exam and data analysis project are synthesized. Based upon this review,
students are invited to continue on towards the PhD degree or to complete a
terminal master's degree.
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