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George Mason University

Advancement to candidacy

General Information 

Advancement to Candidacy in a Ph.D. program is a major step which certifies that you are ready for research and, in the Ph.D. in Chemistry and Biochemistry, that you have already performed literature and laboratory research on your project. 

Doctoral students and their Faculty Advisors should become familiar with the GMU policies for the Advancement to Candidacy. 

Complete, accurate, and signed packets should be submitted via email to cbgrad@gmu.edu as pdf attachment(s) – good quality scans of forms are expected, cell phone pictures will not be accepted. 

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry deadlines for submission of the Advancement Packet are: 

  • To register for 999 in Spring - request should be submitted by Nov 8 
  • To register for 999 in Summer - request should be submitted by March 8 
  • To register for 999 in Fall - request should be submitted by May 24 

These dates are to guarantee advancement by the first day of class the following semester -- assuming that the Advancement Packets was completed and accurate. 

Required Forms and Documents

Students seeking to advance to candidacy should work with their faculty advisor to complete the following forms and documents for their Advancement Packet. 

The Graduate Coordinator will submit these items to COS after review. Do not submit them to COS on your own. Do not submit them to the Registrar. 

1. List of Courses (Program of Study‒POS) 

A 1- or 2- page document with no signatures. Most current students will use the following Plan of Study Form as a starting point.

Note: If you started a Ph.D. in Chemistry and Biochemistry before Fall 2013 and you are not changing to the Fall 2013 university catalog, use the following alternative Plan of Study Form (prior to 2013).  

2. Ph.D. Committee Members Appointment Form 

 A 1-page signature sheet which establishes your Committee. It has to be signed by each Committee Member, the Graduate Coordinator, and the Department Chair. 

3. Reduction of Credits for a previous M.S. (if applicable) 

If applicable, include your signed Reduction of Credits (ROC) form and any other required documents. 

4. George Mason University Dissertation Proposal Signature Sheet

A 1-page signature sheet with the title of your proposal, your name, etc. This serves as the cover sheet of the proposal. Please send it to the Graduate Coordinator with the signature of your Committee Members and the Chair of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. 

5. Proposal 

A multipage document written in formal English with Figures, References, and usually Tables. Please give a copy to the Graduate Coordinator after pass your Oral Advancement to Candidacy Exam (Oral Defense of Proposal). This document is not internal to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. It must be as perfect as possible. A copy of it will be given to the COS Dean’s office; it represents the Department. Your Committee may require that you re-write your proposal even though you did well on your Oral Advancement to Candidacy Exam. 

6. Doctoral Advancement to Candidacy and Non-Course Requirements 

A 2-page document using the registrar's form. The Graduate Coordinator to fill out page 2. Please fill it out and send it to the Graduate Coordinator at bvanaken@gmu.edu as a pdf after you pass your Oral Advancement to Candidacy Exam (and/or Oral Defense of Proposal). Your committee members do not sign.  

7. Confirmation of Completion of Written and Oral Qualifying Exams

You must also provide the Graduate Coordinator the dates of completion of the Written and Oral Qualifying Exam. After completing each portion of the Qualifying Exams, request your Committee Chair email cbgrad@gmu.edu cc'd to the Department Chair and all Committee Members stating that you have successfully completed each portion of the Qualifying Exam and the dates of completion. 

Information about the Dissertation Committee and Advancement to Candidacy can be found in the Catalog