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- The Thesis
During the second year, students select their advisors and begin their doctoral research. By this time students should be sufficiently familiar with the faculty to choose their thesis sponsors. At the end of the second year, all students take a qualifying examination and write two complete research proposals. One is the actual thesis proposal and the second will be on an unrelated topic agreed upon by the student's examination committee.
Following the submission of the written proposals, students are given an oral examination, during which they are questioned in depth about their proposals and course work.
In general, a student should be able to complete the requirements for the PhD degree in five years, which includes the writing of the PhD dissertation and the thesis defense.
Former graduate students of the participating faculty have gone on to postdoctoral positions in excellent laboratories and subsequently found positions in leading academic and research institutions throughout the world.