Psychology students typically complete written preliminary examinations by the start of their fourth year in the program. Leading up to this department-wide deadline, your area and/or advisor will establish the timeline and mechanisms for completing the written examination.
Due to a mid-year process change, this information was updated on November 4, 2024.
Forms
- Committee submission workflow - review examination committee policies and declare or update the examination committee.
- Preliminary Written Exam Results form - complete the top portion then send it to your advisor(s) for signature and submission to the ADGS.
- Preliminary Oral Examination Results form - GSSP will email you the link to initiate this form for your committee chair.
- Important: Save GSSP’s email so you can access the link to initiate the Preliminary Oral Exam Form for your committee chair one week in advance of your oral exam.
Scheduling
- Consider using Doodle or a similar scheduling tool to identify times in common with your committee members for the oral prelim exam.
- Work with your committee to determine the exam modality. If your prelim oral exam will be conducted via zoom, review and follow the Procedure for Holding A Remote Preliminary Oral Exam.
- At least two weeks before your prelim oral exam, contact your Area Support Specialist and tell them:
- The date and time of your prelim oral exam
- The names and emails of your committee members
- The name of the faculty member who is serving as the chair of your committee
- The modality of your defense (in-person, hybrid, or remote)
- At least one week before your exam, Initiate the Preliminary Oral Exam Form for your committee chair a week in advance of the scheduled oral exam.
- You will need the date of your exam to complete this form.
- If you misplace GSSP’s email containing the Preliminary Oral Exam Form link, look for a copy in your Communication Center in MyU.
- If you have not received an email notification from GSSP confirming eligibility to take the oral exam by one week prior to your exam date, email gssp@umn.edu to determine what requirements are still outstanding and complete those immediately.
Results
- Advisors communicate written prelim exam results to you in writing, see your area handbook for details.
- Committee chairs communicate oral exam results verbally at the end of the exam and report the results using an electronic form. You will receive confirmation emails from GSSP when the results form has been received and processed.
| Pat Frazier Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) N571 EltH | 625-6863 pfraz@umn.edu | Laura Luepke Associate Director of Graduate Studies (ADGS) S243 EltH | 626-3483 luep0007@umn.edu | Hope Savaria Graduate Program Support & Event Specialist (GPSES) S244 EltH | 625-0377 hsavaria@umn.edu | Heidi Wolff Curriculum and Graduate Services Specialist (CGSS) S258 EltH | 624-5002 hwolff@umn.edu |