The UMass Lowell Computer Science Department
                  Doctoral Qualifying Examinations

                    Frequently Asked Questions
                          August 2002


This document contains frequently-asked questions (and answers) about
the CS Department's doctoral qualifying examinations, which are commonly
called "the quals".  The document contains answers to the following 
questions:

 1. What are the quals?
 2. What do I have to do to pass the quals?
 3. When are the quals offered?
 4. What if there's a snowstorm or hurricane on the day of a qual?
 5. How do I sign up to take the quals?
 6. Why do I have to sign up in advance to take the quals?
 7. Is there a study group?
 8. Where can I get the syllabus for the quals?
 9. Is the syllabus for a qual the same as the syllabus for the
    corresponding graduate class?
10. Where can I get copies of past exams?
11. How many times can I take the quals?
12. Where can I find the policies regarding the quals?
13. Is there a way to request an exception to the policies?
14. Who creates and grades the exams?
15. I'm in the Mathematical Sciences Option.  What quals do I have
    to take?

 1. What are the quals?

    The quals are exams that you need to pass in order to be fully
    matriculated into the doctoral program. The quals consist of
    four separate exams that cover three core areas of computer
    science (Algorithms, Foundations, and Languages) and one
    area of specialization.

    The purpose of the quals is to make sure you have sufficient
    background in computer science to begin doing research.


 2. What do I have to do to pass the quals?

    In order to "pass the quals," you need to pass each of the four
    separate exams (Algorithms, Foundations, Languages, and an
    area exam).  There is no such thing as a conditional or
    partial pass.

 3. When are the quals offered?

    The quals are offered twice a year, at the beginning of the
    fall and spring semesters.  The four exams are spaced out
    over four consecutive weekends.  The exams take place on
    Saturday afternoons.  The schedule for the next offering of
    the quals is available at http://www.cs.uml.edu/~wang/quals/schedule.html.

 4. What if there is a snowstorm or hurricane on the day of a qual?

    In case of a weather-related cancellation, a Saturday exam will
    take place in the following Sunday.

 5. How do I sign up to take the quals?

    About a month before an offering of the quals, the quals coordinator
    will post a message telling you how to sign up and what the
    sign-up deadline is.

 6. Why do I have to sign up in advance to take the quals?

    You need to sign up in advance for three reasons:  (1) faculty
    members who know you will be aware of your progress;  (2) we
    need to know how many copies of each exam to prepare; and 
    (3) nobody on the faculty wants to prepare an exam if there 
    aren't any students planning to take it. 

 7. Is there a study group?

    There is no official study group.  Students are free to form
    their own.  

 8. Is the syllabus for a qual the same as the syllabus for the
    corresponding graduate class(es)?

    Not necessarily. It is assumed that if you're ready to do
    doctoral-level work, you are also able to learn material 
    without having a professor present it to you.  You are
    responsible for all of the material in a qual syllabus,
    even if not all of it is covered in a particular course
    during a particular semester.

 9. Where can I get the syllabi for the quals?

    The syllabi are available in at 
    http://www.cs.uml.edu/~wang/qual/quals.html.

10. Where can I get copies of past exams?

    Copies of past exams are available from the Computer Science
    Department secretary. The more recent ones are available on the web.

11. How many times can I take the quals?

    You may take each part of the quals at most twice. That is,
    if you fail an exam the first time you take it, you may 
    re-take it only one more time.

12. Where can I find the policies regarding the quals?

    Policies regarding the quals are available at
    http://www.cs.uml.edu/~wang/quals/quals.html

13. Is there a way to request an exception to the policies?

    Under normal circumstances, exceptions to the policies will not
    be granted. To request an exception to the qual policies, you may
    submit a petition to the Graduate Committee, explaining the 
    extraordinary circumstances that lead you to request the exception.
    The committee will discuss your petition and inform you whether or 
    not an exception will be granted.

14. Who creates and grades the exams?

    Each exam is created and graded by one or more Computer Science
    faculty members. The person who has taught the most recent offering
    of the relevant graduate course may or may not participate in 
    creating and grading the exam.

15. I'm in the Mathematical Sciences Option.  What quals do I have
    to take?

    Students in the Mathematical Sciences Option take two Computer
    Science quals (any two of Algorithms, Foundations, and Languages) 
    and two Mathematics quals.