Please review the Graduate School Handbook, (section VII) for more information on the candidacy exam. The candidacy examination is composed of both written and oral portions. After passing both components, the student is considered a doctoral candidate.
The philosophy of the OSUN program is that the candidacy examination should:
- rigorously test the student’s comprehensive knowledge of the field of nutrition including allied fields and supporting areas emphasized in the student’s individual program; and
- assess the student’s ability to think critically and express those ideas clearly, and to design and conduct research.
The oral portion of the candidacy examination generally covers selective aspects of the answers to the written questions but also new questions. A unanimous vote of the committee is required for successful completion of the candidacy examination. Rules covering postponement of the oral examination, unsatisfactory written answers to the questions, failure to pass the oral portion of the candidacy examination, and opportunities for one repeat candidacy examination are detailed in the Graduate School Handbook.