How does NMSU handle the qualifiers process?
The qualifier process for PhD work at NMSU is quite different from that in most other astronomy departments, and was adopted from the one in place at Indiana University. We take a series of short monthly exams, and need to pass six exams in five semesters (22 chances). The exams are a bit more detailed than most qualifying exams because they are usually based on the analysis and understanding of a published journal article. Each exam is written by a different faculty member, so the exams tend to be focused on the different research areas studied here. Students take one exam every month, so we do get a lot of practice getting comfortable with the exam style. The philosophy behind this format is that it spreads out the pressure, so that people do not get kicked out if they just happen to have one bad day on one exam date. It also gives the department a way of following a student’s progress through the program. Graduate students end up learning a lot of astronomy, because the professor wh
