The Admission to Candidacy (ATC) Examination for graduate students in the Biology Department

1. The Admission to Candidacy (ATC) Examinationfor graduate studentsin the Biology Department BIOL5700 Hal Whitehead

2. Information at: http://biology.dal.ca/GradInfo/ATC-Guidelines.htm/

3. Purpose of the ATC examination 1.        To determine whether the student is competent to pursue graduate studies in biology; the examination takes place at the earliest time such an assessment is possible.  2.        To identify any specific weaknesses in the student's background relevant to the proposed research area.  3.        To evaluate the student's overall ability and to assess requests for program transfers.  4.        To assess whether the proposed research is suitable for a graduate thesis.                 

4. Admission to Candidacy Exam • Timing: usually January-May • shift for January, May starts, part-time MSc’s • Research proposal: 5-7 page • plus references, appendices, figures • To Examining Committee 1 week before exam • Examining Committee: • Chair (Stream Chair) • Supervisor (silent!) • Supervisory Committee • External (to committee) Examiner • Audience? • Examination closed, but silent spectators allowed at student’s discretion

5. Supervisory Committee • Supervisor • At least two others • Internal supervisor for adjunct supervisors • At least 50% must be Dalhousie Faculty (or NSAC) • Discuss with supervisor, other students • Ask potential committee members • Choose those who will help most, not necessarily “easiest” • Chosen by student before ATC • Can be changed by student

6. Admission to Candidacy Exam • 15-minute verbal presentation (± visuals) • Goals of project • Research strategy • Expected contribution to new knowledge • Questions from examiners (except supervisor): • On proposal • Relevant concepts bearing on proposal • Candidate (and audience) retire • Consideration of result (including supervisor) • Tell candidate result

7. Results of ATC examination • Pass • Conditional pass • Take, audit class • Rewrite proposal • … • Repeat • Fail • [Transfer M.Sc. -> Ph.D.]

8. Reasons to repeat ATC • “Repeat” is result of first exam • Passed as MSc, but transfer not approved • Passed as MSc, later decide to transfer • Project radically changed • Not required, but strongly recommended

9. Admission to Candidacy (ATC) Exam: Purposes • Student (and supervisor) think clearly about research plan • Help student do the best research possible • Is graduate work suitable for student? • Are student (and project) ready for transfer to PhD? • Preparation for similar events to follow • Committee, etc. learn about student’s research • Student learns about committee expertise • Keeps supervisors on their toes

10. Preparing for ATC exam • Discussions with supervisor (and others?) • Outline to supervisor • Discuss with supervisor • Drafts of proposal (1-2) to supervisor • Read previous ATC proposals • Specific information from other committee members (or others) • Run through presentation to lab. Group, Communications Class, ...

11. ATC Proposal • Objectives (what you plan to do) • a list, may correspond with thesis chapters • Background (why you plan to do it) • Why is this study worth doing? • a few pages of background--cite references} • not comprehensive review • Methods (how you plan to do it) • be fairly specific: • explain experimental design clearly • statistical tests • species, lab techniques, etc. • time frames • sample sizes • [Expected results] • [Appendices (technical details, maps, equations, ...)]

12. ATC Proposal • Proposal should describe a well thought-out scenario • However, you are not bound by what you say you will do • You may change your research plan as appropriate as your program progresses

13. ATC presentation • 15-minute verbal presentation (± visuals) • Goals of project • Research strategy • Expected contribution to new knowledge • Committee have read proposal • So don’t need to cover basics • Use presentation • To give visual detail • To cover complex areas • That you would prefer not to be asked about

14. Most common problems with ATC proposals: • No clear objectives • Not clear why this work is worth doing • No theoretical or practical background • Do not have a good knowledge of theoretical basis or literature in study area • Do not understand methods proposed (statistical or lab. techniques) • Pretend to know things you don't • Insufficient detail in techniques • Do not know much about the natural history of the study organism (especially the animal/plant in the wild if this is a lab. study) • Project too large for MSc or too small for PhD

15. Size of project MSc PhD 4 years ~ 2-5 publishable journal papers (thesis chapters) [plus introductory and wrap-up chapters] • 2 years • ~ 1-2 publishable journal papers (thesis chapters) • [plus introductory and wrap-up chapters]

16. Why do some ATC exams seem “a breeze” and others “grueling”? • Examiners often get a good feel for the student/project from proposal, presentation • if all seems well, they relax • if they have concerns, they will probe • Examiners differ in the way they ask questions

17. Some practical details (1) • Student chooses supervisory committee • Supervisor suggests external examiner to Grad. Coordinator, Carolyn • Carolyn finds chair of exam • See Carolyn when you nearly have your proposal ready • Carolyn: • contacts committee, finds suitable date, time • finds room • advises on obtaining audio-visual equipment

18. Some practical details (2) • Give paper copy of proposal to all members of examining committee (including supervisor and chair) • Can be single-spaced, double-sided, use recycled paper, …. • Attach cover page: • http://biology.dal.ca/GradInfo/ATC-cover.doc

19. Some practical details (3) • Student is told result at end of examination • Student, and supervisor, are given summary sheet giving result, and evaluation of performance in a number of categories • Problems or concerns: • see graduate coordinator or stream chair