Comprehensive and qualifying examinations
All Ph.D. students must take the written and oral comprehensive examinations. Students are required to take Written Comprehensive Examinations at the end of their first academic year in the Ph.D. program, other than in cases of exceptional circumstances and with advanced permission from the Graduate Program Director. The exam is composed of three parts: microeconomic theory, environmental and natural resource economics theory, and quantitative methods (econometrics and dynamic optimization). The exam is offered in May. The oral comprehensive exam is given after successful completion of the written comprehensive exam. The exam committee is made up of the student’s dissertation committee and two additional members, one within the department and one outside the department (GSM 7.57).
Students without a master’s degree in the same or closely related area are also required to take the Qualifying Examination at the end of their first academic year in the graduate program, usually in May (GSM 7.55). Note that students with relevant master’s degree may still be required by the Graduate Program Director to take the Qualifying Examination under certain circumstances (e.g., number of years since the degree was obtained).
Contacts
Graduate Program Director: enre_grad@etal.uri.edu
Graduate Admissions: enre_grad_admissions@etal.uri.edu