Preliminary Qualifying Exam
Purpose of PQE
PQEs are an opportunity for our second-year students to put together ideas and potential plans related to their thesis research, prepare a succinct document on these ideas and plans to a faculty committee, and then meet with their committee to present their PQE proposal and answer questions about it. It is the expectation of the Chem Bio Program and Harvard that the students demonstrate depth and breadth regarding the subject matter of their proposal. Recognizing there is some subjectivity in what constitutes depth and breadth, it is fair and reasonable for students to be asked questions about methods and concepts adjacent to the specific topics of the proposal. Based on their overall performance, the committee will assess whether to grant an unconditional pass, a conditional pass, or a fail. They will also receive feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of their PQE proposal and responses to questions. The overall goal of the PQE experience is meant to assess that the student is on track to progress to the dissertation phase of their PhD.
Timing and scheduling of PQE
The PQE should be completed by June 15th of the second year unless approval is granted for an extension. The Chair of your PQE will be assigned by the Program Co-directors and in general will be an experienced Harvard Chemical Biology faculty member. Students should start the scheduling process at least three months prior to the desired meeting date. PQEs should be scheduled to allow for 2 hours and preferably should occur in person, but zoom is acceptable if
needed by members of your committee. Once the PQE has been scheduled, the student must enter their committee and PQE details in my.harvard which will prompt the chair to complete the evaluation after the exam.
Composition of PQE committees:
The PQE should include three Harvard faculty members, including the chair, selected in part for their experience related to the proposal topic. The student should consult with the chair of the committee to select faculty members for the PQE. The committee should not include the thesis advisor(s).
Expectations for PQE proposals
The PQE proposal should normally be about 6-9 pages (including figures but not references) and should include specific aims, background, preliminary data, and future plans. It is recommended that the student share/discuss the specific aims with the chair either in person or by email at least 4 weeks before the PQE to get feedback/advice. The PQE proposal should be written independently, without consultation with the thesis advisor although it is ok to receive advice from other trainees in the lab or the program. The PQE proposals should be shared with the committee and program administrator at least 7 days before the PQE meeting.
Expectations for PQE
At least 24 hours prior to the PQE, the PhD advisor should send the committee a brief paragraph (100-200 words) summarizing the student’s progress, including their strengths and areas for improvement, as well as any concerns the advisor would like the committee to consider.
At the beginning of the PQE meeting, the student should step out for 5 minutes to allow the committee to discuss the advisor’s feedback, review the proposal, and coordinate how they would like to approach questioning. The student will give a 30–40 minute presentation of their proposal, including the specific aims, background, preliminary data, and future plans. It is recommended that the student be given about 10 minutes of uninterrupted time at the outset to become comfortable and establish the context for the proposal. Committee members may begin asking questions, with the remainder of the presentation proceeding in an interactive format.
Ideally, the examination portion of the PQE should conclude within 1 hour and 45 minutes. The student should then step out again to allow 15 minutes for committee deliberation. Prior to the PQE, students will enter their committee and PQE details in my.harvard which will prompt the chair to complete the PQE evaluation form. The form records the committee's decision - Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail and provides an opportunity to give feedback on the written proposal, oral presentation, and the student’s performance during the question-and-answer portion of the examination.
Results
• Pass: The student becomes a candidate for a PhD.
• Conditional Pass: The committee re-examines the student before the end of the fall term of the G3 year. The committee decides the re-examination format, which may involve a written report to address specific concerns of the committee or re-assembled committee.
• Fail: The student is withdrawn from the program.
Dissertation