Advance to Candidacy Exam

The "candidacy exam" consists of writing an grant proposal on a topic that is unrelated to the topic of your dissertation. After you have written the proposal, you then have to defend the proposal, any and all aspects of it, before 4 faculty members. This the the final and largest hurdle you have to pass before you are fully accepted as a graduate student here at UCSB, so here are some tips.

On Selecting a Topic:

1. When searching for a topic, look for current reviews in top journals.
2. If you think the topic is too close to your dissertation topic...it is.
3. Pick a topic that excites you, it's a long process so try and enjoy it!

On Research and Writing:

1. Talk to anyone you like about your topic or a technique(i.e. other graduate students, postdocs, professors in that field).
2. Most students take about a solid month to write (minimal or no bench time), so plan accordingly.

After Submission of the Proposal:

1. Anyone can read your proposal at this time, so get feedback from many people.
2. Organize a mock committee. Usually a mock consists of graduate students from labs of your committee members.
Keep in mind that all grad students are busy, so be accomodating and curtious, they are doing you a huge favor!

The Oral Exam:

1. Take the advice your mock committee give you seriously.
2. Be able to draw all your data and controls from memory, you can only bring a copy of your proposal into the room.
3. Relax, you know this topic better then anyone else in the room!