Comprehensive Exam

All doctoral programs at McGill require candidates to pass a comprehensive examination. The purpose of comprehensive examinations is to determine whether the student demonstrates the necessary research skills and academic achievements to continue in the Ph.D. program.

The Evaluation Form is located on the Forms page.

• The exam tests the research aptitude of the student, their ability to critique and integrate knowledge, and their ability to propose original and innovative research;
• The exam tests the knowledge of the student in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, and in fields related to the student’s area of research.

The examination committee is composed of five members

1. Student’s Supervisor
2. Student’s Mentor

+ Jury Members (which consist of):

3. Internal departmental member
4. Internal departmental member
5. External member to the department
    

• Jury members should not have been previously on the student’s advisory committee
• Only the jury members will evaluate the student
• The supervisor and mentor are permitted to ask questions during the examination, but the bulk of the exam will be conducted by the jury members
• Once the committee is confirmed, the student will email the Graduate Program Coordinator the names and email addresses of all members.
• The jury decides if the candidate has passed or failed or to adjourn the exam.

HELPFUL LINKS:

• GPS - Best Practices
• Practical advice on preparing

The student must summarize the plans for their Ph.D. research. It is expected that the student will consult with their supervisor, but that the student plays the major role in the writing and organization of the proposal.

Format:

• 10 pages double spaced
• Times New Roman, 12 point
• 1” Margins

The written thesis proposal must include:

• Introduction and statement of the problem (1 page)
• Relevant background literature (2.5 pages)
• Rationale for the study, hypothesis and specific aims (0.5 page)
• Methods for each aim, including the rationale for the choice of methods when alternatives exist, possible problems that may be encountered, and solutions (2.5 pages)
• Summary of results to date, analysis and interpretation of data (2 pages)
• Discussion and statement of expected contributions to original knowledge (1.5 pages)
• References
• Thesis proposals that exceed the page limit will not be accepted.

One week before the comprehensive oral exam, the student must submit to the Graduate Program Coordinator

(1) Thesis proposal, (2) a short CV, (3) an updated unofficial transcript

Presentation
(Thesis Proposal)

Maximum 30 minutes

A presentation of the student’s doctoral research project. The student’s mentor will keep the student on time.

• Discussion and elaboration of the thesis proposal
• Questions regarding the thesis proposal

From the time students enter the graduate program they are expected to continuously and consistently build on their general science knowledge of the field through regular and ongoing reading (primary literature, review articles, books), discussions, and seminar attendance, on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

Students should be able to explain and discuss principles of the major concepts listed below, and have a current understanding of modern molecular and cell biology. Students are expected to be able to explain basic concepts beyond those related to their own projects.

• Cell organization and compartmentalization (prokaryotic and eukaryotic)
• Nucleus and gene expression, chromosomes, chromatin, genes, DNA, RNA, transcription, post-transcriptional regulation, splicing
• Proteins, translation, post-translational modifications
• Membrane and vesicular traffic, secretion, endocytosis, autophagy
• Cytoskeletal networks, extracellular matrix, cell adhesion and migration
• Cell signaling: basic mechanisms, key pathways (G-protein coupled receptors, receptor kinases, second messengers, small G proteins, ubiquitination)
• Cell metabolism: lipids, mitochondria, peroxisome, lysosome, unfolded protein response
• Cell cycle basics, proliferation, apoptosis, senescence

The general knowledge section should not be focused on the student’s thesis project. Should questions steer in this direction; the mentor will interject and guide the committee back to asking general knowledge questions

 A Pass is required for students to continue in the program.

Following the exam, the committee will have a closed discussion regarding the oral and written components of the exam and the mentor will complete the evaluation form based on the outcome of that discussion.

The mentor will request that the jury members anonymously rate the student’s performance in each of the three categories: written thesis proposal, oral examination of the thesis proposal, oral examination of basic concepts in molecular, cell, and developmental biology. The mentor will read the votes. The committee will discuss the rankings and then make a global assessment. If necessary, the mentor will cast the deciding vote. The evaluation will be based on the rating criteria provided on the evaluation form: Pass (excellent, very good, good, satisfactory) / Fail (unsatisfactory).

Unsatisfactory outcome (fail): In the event that the student is judged to have failed the comprehensive, they will be allowed one repeat of the exam (in whole or in part) within a minimum of four months and a maximum of six months. The committee must indicate the conditions relating to a repeat of the examination, including the nature of the re-examination and committee membership, as well as the deadline for retaking the exam on the evaluation form. After the first failure, a grade of HH (which designates “continuing”) will be recorded on the student’s transcript. If the student does not repeat the exam by the deadline specified by the unit, the HH will be converted into F and the student will be withdrawn from the university. In the event that the repeat comprehensive is judged to have failed, the student will receive a grade of F and will be withdrawn from the university.

The student must upload the completed evaluation form to myProgress for GPD approval, at which point the milestone will be updated.