The purpose of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) qualifying examination (QE) is to ensure that our doctoral candidates in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering have the necessary skills in mathematics, analytics, and physics to successfully undertake rigorous research projects in petroleum engineering.
The Ph.D. candidate must display mastery of these skills with successful completion (3.5 GPR or greater) in a designated sequence of core courses that the department selects and have a passing grade in a written exam dealing with these basic skills.
The successful completion of the QE involves two requirements: core class grades a a passing grade on the written exam.
Eligibility
- Ph.D. students: As policy, all doctoral students (with no exception) admitted to the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering are required to take the Ph.D. QE at its first offering. A Ph.D. student entering the program in the spring semester will still be required to take the QE at the first offering.
- M.S. students: A Master of Science student in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering (with a GPA of 3.5 or higher) who has not been admitted to the Ph.D. program can petition to take the QE after completing two long semesters. The petition must be approved by their advisor and the graduate program director. For an M.S. student, passing the QE does not guarantee admission to the Ph.D. program. The student will still be required to file a letter of intent for review by the graduate committee and be officially admitted into the Ph.D. program.
Core Classes
The first half of the qualifying exam requires students to master all three core classes required (or equivalent*) in the Ph.D. curriculum.
- PETE 666** - Conservation Theory and Applications in Petroleum Engineering
- PETE 624** - Foundations of Geomechanics for Petroleum Engineering
- PETE 689 - Analytical and Numerical Mathematics Applied to Petroleum Engineering
** Fall 25 and Spring 26 listed as PETE 689
The Ph.D. candidate must have a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher in these three courses to satisfy the first half of the QE.
A student who does not have a sufficient grade in the QE core classes will be required to take a remedial class imposed by the graduate committee in an area closer to the topic the candidate failed.
*Equivalent Classes
- PETE 624 - CVEN 651 Geomechanics
- PETE 666 - CHEN 629 Transport Phenomena
- PETE 689 - AERO/MATH 689 Introduction to Aerospace Graduate Mathematics
Format and Timing
The second part of the qualifying exam consists of one 3-hour written exam in the areas of mathematics, transport phenomena and mechanics. All Ph.D. students admitted in the prior fall and spring semesters will take the exam the following August.
The written exams are closed book (i.e., no materials are permitted in the examination).
The written exam will take place once a year, on the second Monday in August.
Exam Preparation
The suggested books to study to prepare for the qualifying examination are:
- See syllabus and references for the core classes listed above
If additional preparation is desired, candidates may take additional courses offered by the mathematics and other engineering departments. However, taking these courses and completing them successfully are neither required nor a guarantee for passing the written exams.
Exam Administration
All new Ph.D. students will be assigned a qualified examination (QE) number.
The candidates will use the QE number throughout the exam.
The candidates must not write their name on any exam-related papers. Doing so will result in failure of the exam.
Students are permitted to bring: a pen, pencil, eraser and ruler. A Casio calculator will be provided.
The next examination schedule:
- Monday, August 10, 2026
- 9am-12pm
- Richardson Building, Room 910
Exam Results
The results of the written portion of the qualifying examination will be reported back from the examination committee to the graduate program director and announced before the beginning of the following semester.
The student’s continuation in the program will be based on the following rules:
Pass
Students receiving a pass in all three subjects and the written exam may continue in the doctoral program. If the student is serving as a GAR or GAT, they may have their stipend increased to the PhD level with approval of their supervisor.
Failure (course)
A student failing any of the three subject areas will be allowed a second course attempt and may not take the written exam until the results of the second course attempt are reported as passing. Failing a course a second time will be considered a second failure of the QE, and the student will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program.
Failure (written)
A student failing the written exam on the first attempt will be allowed a second attempt the next time the QE is offered. Failing the written exam a second time will be considered a second failure of the qualifying exam, and the student will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program.
Failure (course and written)
Failure of the written exam after failing a subject area course is considered a second failure of the qualifying exam, and the student will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program.
A no-show for the written exam will be treated as a failure.
Post-Exam Review
The written exam grade is final. However, a student may petition the graduate program director to view his/her exam. The student will meet with the advisor and check the exam. No pictures, copies, videos, or scans may be taken during the meeting. There will be no additional petitions for re-grading.