The University of Pennsylvania requires all PhD students to pass a qualifying examination as organized by their respective graduate groups to indicate their ability to undertake doctoral work. You must have completed the City & Regional Planning Qualifying Examination, a written examination on the history and theory of city and regional planning, by the end of your first year. Administered by faculty as designated by the GGC, the student may register in CPLN 5000 Introduction to Planning History, Theory and Practice and/or meets periodically with the faculty to discuss a reading list in preparation for the examination.
Your faculty examiner will verify completion of Qualifying Examination registering this information with the GCC and the Graduate Group Coordinator via email by June 1 (or earlier) of the first year of study. Grades for the examination are either A+, A, A-, B+, or B.
3.c.1. Schedule: To schedule the Qualifying Examination, meet with the examining faculty to determine the scheduling and scope of the examination. Keep the GGC informed of your determination.
3.c.2. Certification to continue: After the evaluation of the written examination, the examining faculty, along with your principal advisor and the GGC, will review your academic progress (minimum requirement is a B average and enough courses depending on the timing of your examination) to determine your continuance in the program.
The Graduate Group allows a student receiving a grade below B to retake the examination in part or in its entirety one time. If a student still receives any grade below B, the GG will review the case to determine whether the student can continue in the program, considering the student’s performance in their coursework and qualifying examination. The GG decision will be final.
You will receive notice of your status within a month of your completion of the written examination. (In the event that you fail the Qualifying Examination, you will not be allowed to proceed with the doctoral program.) Upon receipt of a notice of successful completion of the Qualifying Examination, you should send an email to the Graduate Group Administrator who will update the requirement as complete in your Degree Audit.
