Phase I
Examination Information
General Information
Entering students—regardless of whether they have received
a graduate degree or completed graduate level coursework—are required
to take a series of qualifying examinations, or Phase I exams, on undergraduate
material in five specific fields of study: Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry,
Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry. Phase I exam
results serve a major factor in determining whether students have the ability
and background to be declared “candidates for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy,” as well as for placement purposes.
Requirements and Scoring
In order
to be considered candidates for the Ph.D.
in Chemistry, students must have the
breadth and depth of knowledge to take
and reach “excusing level” on
at least four of the five subject areas. A minimum score (“excusing level”)
is set for each test. If a student chooses to skip an exam, that will count as
not achieving “excusing level” for that exam.
Format
Examinations may be either standardized ACS multiple-choice tests or Georgetown-constructed
tests which may involve essays and mechanistic answers. Students taking Phase
I exams are encouraged to contact the faculty member proctoring a particular
exam to determine in what format the exam will be given.
Administration
Phase I exams are administered three
times per year: before
fall semester classes
commence, throughout
the fall semester, and throughout the spring
semester. The first round of Phase I exams
will be administered as closely to the arrival
date of the student as possible. Students
matriculating in a fall semester will take
the first round of Phase I exams before the
start of the fall semester of their matriculation.
Students matriculating in a spring semester
will take the first round of Phase I exams
throughout the spring semester of their matriculation.
Results
Students,
who do not meet “excusing level” in more than one Phase
I exam in the first round, will have the opportunity to take those exams during
a second and, if necessary, a third round of examinations to be administered
during the subsequent testing periods. For example, a student, who matriculates
in the spring and who does not meet “excusing level” for either
Physical Chemistry or Biochemistry, will be given the opportunity
to take those exams a second time before fall semester classes commence
and, if necessary, a third time during the fall semester.
Each student will have up to—but
no more than—three opportunities to
reach “excusing level” on each
of the five subject examinations.
Failure to reach “excusing level” on
some of the Phase I examinations taken during
the first round will result in neither removal
nor reduction of fellowship or scholarship
support. On the other hand, students, who
successfully complete these exams, progress
faster towards the Ph.D. and are relieved
of the responsibility of studying for later
examinations.
Meeting with the Phase I Advising Committee
After the exams are graded, each student will have a brief meeting with the Phase
I advising committee. The purpose of this conversation is (a) to provide useful
feedback as to what sub-areas the student might focus on effectively for the
second round of Phase I exams (if necessary) and (b) to advise the student on
course selection matters. The student will not learn, at any time, how his/her
performance stands in relation to that of other students.
The Espenscheid Fellowship
To demonstrate
the importance of these examinations,
the Department offers an Espenscheid
Fellowship to all students who (a) have
not been enrolled previously in a graduate
degree program in chemistry and (b) reach “excusing level” on
four Phase I exams taken in the first attempt. An Espenscheid Fellowship
recipient is not required to teach during
the summer after the first year and can
afford more time to conducting research.
Suggestions for Phase I Preparation
Phase I exams are based on topics generally covered in undergraduate courses
offered at American colleges and universities.
As a means of preparation, you should consider obtaining
study guides/manuals for the GRE Chemistry Subject Test. You may find
these study guides—from Princeton Review, Research & Education Association,
Educational Testing Service, etc.—in a bookstore or through an online
vendor. You should note that, while the Chemistry GRE includes sections
on Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, and Physical Chemistry, it does not include
Biochemistry which is covered in our Phase I examinations. While the
multiple-choice, ACS format exams and the GRE Chemistry Subject Test are not
same, the Chemistry GRE study guides should prepare you for a multiple-choice
format chemistry exam.
Occasionally, a Georgetown written exam is given instead. The department’s main office (Reiss 240) maintains recent copies of Georgetown-constructed exams which are available upon request.
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