UCLA Computer Science Department 
   
   Examination Syllabus 
   
                       Written Qualifying Examination
     _________________________________________________________________
   
1. BASIS OF THE EXAM

   The Written Qualifying Exam (WQE) will cover fundamental material in 5
   "fields":
   
   Architecture
   Artificial Intelligence
   Networks
   Software Systems (Operating Systems, Database Systems)
   Theory
   
   The fundamental material in each field will be defined by the exam
   syllabus, which describes the material:
   
     * by specific topics;
     * by references (chapters or sections in texts; key papers)
       
2. FORMAT OF THE EXAM

     * The exam will emphasize problem solving ability: questions will
       test skill at applying fundamental concepts in solving problems.
     * The exam will be offered twice per year: in the Fall quarter
       (mid-November), and in the Spring quarter (mid-May).
     * The exam will be held in two 4-hour sessions.
     * Tentatively the sessions will take place on a Thursday afternoon
       and a Friday afternoon.
     * The exam will consist of 10 multipart questions.
     * Each question will be a "booklet", or "handout", which can be
       handled separately from the other questions.
     * Each session will present 5 questions, from each of the 5 fields.
       (Thus, each field will contribute 2 questions to the whole exam.)
     * It is recommended that questions have multiple parts where
       appropriate, to allow partial credit and reduce the likelihood of
       all-or-nothing scores.
     * A faculty committee will gather all questions well in advance of
       the exam, along with a written solution for each question. Then,
       as a group, they will review the 10 questions for their
       suitability in difficulty and in scope.
     * All exams are closed book, and closed notes.
     * Students must write all exam answers on the exam question booklets
       (extra sheets of paper will be included if they are needed).
       Students must turn in all exam booklets at the end of the session.
       
3. GRADING

     * Grading is double blind: both student and examiner identities are
       hidden.
     * Normally the person who developed a question (or part of a
       question) will grade it. A given (part of) a question will be
       graded by the same person for all examinees.
     * The worst 4 scores of the 10 questions are dropped.
     * At a meeting, the faculty review the best 6 scores of each student
       and vote on whether they are sufficient for passing the exam.
     * Student identities will not be revealed until after the vote.
       
4. RETAKES

     * Students can take the exam at most 3 times.
     * After entering the Ph.D. program, students must pass the exam
       within the first 5 times it is offered.
     * (Since the exam is offered in the Fall and Spring quarters, this
       gives students who enter the Ph.D. program in Fall quarter 7
       quarters in which to pass the exam, and students who enter the
       Ph.D. program in Winter quarter 8 quarters in which to pass the
       exam.)
     * (These time limits went into effect in the Fall 2000 quarter, so
       even students who began their studies at UCLA prior to Fall 2000
       will still have 5 offerings in which to pass the exam, beginning
       with the offering in Spring 2001.)
       
5. WHAT PASSING THE EXAM MEANS

     * The exam is intended both as a "fundamentals" exam, and as a
       "demonstration of problem solving ability" exam.
     * The exam is to be taken early, possibly even in the student's
       first quarter at UCLA if their preparation is excellent. As
       mentioned above, it must be passed within 5 offerings.
     * Students in the Ph.D. program who
          + pass the exam:
            are free to progress on their Ph.D. work, and may count the
            exam as the M.S. comprehensive.
          + do not pass the exam within the given limits:
            are excluded from the Ph.D. program (The grounds for
            dismissal is lack of timely progress and/or failing 3 times).
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
    Send questions to: wqe@cs.ucla.edu
    
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