- The current Ph.D. qualifier procedure is described in the "Redbook" here. Additional documents can be found here.
- In summary: Ph.D. students are generally required to pass the qualifier and core courses in their first 4 terms to be advanced to candidacy. Thus the qualifier is given mainly to second-year students Ph.D. students. Students are required to write a paper related to their expected reearch, give an oral presentation on the material, and answer questions about the material and the underlying physics and astronomy.
- Students who pass their qualifier should download the "Doctoral Qualifying Examination Form" from the School of Graduate Studies forms website: https://grad.rutgers.edu/academics/forms?&location=23. Have the qualifier committee, then the graduate director, sign Section A on the second page, then submit the form to SGS. Note that we have no language requirement - this section of the form does not need to be signed.
- Past qualifying exams - this has nothing to do with the qualifier system now in place!
- Placement / challenge exams (These are the exams giving to entering students and those who wish to place out of core courses.)
