Department of Computer Science & Engineering

Qualifying Exam (QE) Requirements

*Current as of Oct 10, 2011

*Amended Sep 09, 2011 (2011-9 CSE Graduate Program Committee)

*Amended Oct 10, 2011 (2011-10 CSE Faculty Meeting)

● List of remedial courses for each QE area

Area	Courses
Area 1 : Data Structure, Algorithm, Automata	CSED233 Data Structure CSED341 Automata & Formal Languages CSED331 Algorithms
Area 2 : Digital Logic, Computer Architecture	CSED273 Digital Systems Design CSED211 Microprocessor Application & Assembly Programming CSED311 Computer Architecture
Area 3 : Operating Systems, Programming Language	CSED312 Operating Systems CSED321 Programming Languages

1. Deadline for passing QE

- You must pass QE (or meet the remedial course requirements in lieu of the

exam) within the first four semesters (two years) of study.

- If you fail QE twice and fail to meet the remedial course requirements

within the first four semesters, you will be dismissed from the program.

2. Maximum Number of QE

- Students are allowed to take QE twice ― once before they enter the

program and once while in the program.

3. QE taken before entrance to the program

- New graduate students: If a student fails to receive a bachelor's degree due to unsatisfactory English competence and his/her admission to the graduate program is deferred, the QE result obtained prior to his/her formal entrance to the program will not be recognized.

- Master's program students: If a master's program student takes QE, the result will be recognized after the student enters the PhD program or the MS-PhD integrated program.

4. Details of QE rules by entrance year

● For students who entered the program before 2011

(Note: The number of remedial courses a student has to take is not relevant.)

► If you do not pass QE on your first attempt before entrance, you can choose

any of the following methods to complete your QE requirements:

- Take all the remedial courses required of you based on your QE result, earn a

grade of B+ or higher in each course, and submit the grades to the CSE

office.

- Take remedial courses for some area(s) and take QE for other area(s) in the

following year. The decision should be made by QE area. In other words, in

lieu of a QE in a certain area, you must take all the remedial courses

required of you for that area.

- Instead of remedial courses, take QE again in the following year in the areas

you have failed on your first attempt.

- If you fail again in your second QE, you may still be able to complete your

QE requirements by satisfying the remedial course requirements by the end of

the fourth semester of study. Take all the remedial courses required of you,

get a grade of B+ or higher in each course, and submit the grades to the

CSE office by the end of your fourth semester of study.

- If you neither pass the QE nor satisfy all the remedial course requirements

within the first four semesters, you will be dismissed from the program. In

the case of MS-PhD integrated program students, you can graduate with a

master's degree on your advisor's approval if you have satisfied all the

requirements for the MS degree.

● For students who entered the program in or after 2011

(Note: The number of remedial courses a student has to take is an important

factor.)

► If you fail to pass QE on your first attempt before entrance, you can choose

any of the following methods to complete your QE requirements:

- Take all the remedial courses required of you based on your QE result, earn a

grade of B+ or higher in each course, and submit the grades to the CSE

office.

- Take remedial courses for some area(s) and take QE for other area(s) in the

following year. The decision should be made by QE area. In other words, in

lieu of a QE in a certain area, you must take all the remedial courses

required of you for that area.

- Instead of remedial courses, take QE again in the following year in the areas

you have failed on your first attempt.

- After you take the second QE, if you are still in your first year of study and

the number of the remedial courses you have to take exceeds three, you will

be either dismissed from the program or you can graduate with a master's

degree on your advisor's approval if you have satisfied all the requirements for

the MS degree.

-  After you take the second QE, if you are still in your first year of study and

the number of the remedial courses you have to take does not exceed three,

you can satisfy the QE requirements by earning a grade of B+ or higher in

each of the remedial courses required of you and submitting the grades to the

CSE office by the end of the fourth semester of your study. (Note that it is

your responsibility to ensure that you take all the remedial courses in time.

Neither is it the department's duty to offer the remedial courses each semester

nor is the department responsible for the unavailability of remedial courses and

a student's subsequent failure to satisfy the remedial course requirements.)

5. Number of remedial courses and QE scores

► The number of remedial courses a student has to take in each area is

determined by the student's QE score in the area. The department designates

remedial courses among the major requirement courses (200- level or higher).

- If you score is 0: Take three remedial courses in the area.

- If your score is more than 15 points below the cut-off score: Take two

courses in the area.

- If your score is less than 15 points below the cut-off score: Take one

remedial course in the area.

6. Submission of the remedial course grades

- For undergraduate courses that you cannot take for a letter grade, audit the

courses and submit a confirmation letter from the instructor of each course

(that proves your grade is B+ or higher) to the CSE office.

7. Petition for substitute courses

- Petitions for substitute courses will no longer be accepted.

(Approved at the CSE Graduate Committee meeting on Sep 9, 2011)

8. Exam timeline (Approved at the CSE faculty meeting held on Oct 10, 2011)

- Incoming students take QE in February of the same calendar year as their

entrance year. Students who fail on their first attempt may re-take it in the

following year.

- Students who enter the program in the fall semester should take QE in

February of the following calendar year. In this case, if a student fails on

their first attempt, he/she may re-take it in the following year.

9. 2012 QE Date: Feb 24, 2012 (Friday)

※ Summary of Amendments

1. Approved at the CSE Graduate Committee meeting on Sep 9, 2011

A. Petition for substitute courses

- Petitions for substitute courses will no longer be accepted.

2. Approved at the CSE faculty meeting on Oct 10, 2011

- 2012 QE Date: Feb 24, 2012 (Friday)

- Incoming students take QE in February of the same calendar year as their

entrance year. Students who fail on their first attempt may take it again in

the following year.

- Students who enter the program in the fall semester should take QE in

February of the following year. In this case, if a student fails on their first

attempt, he/she may take it again in the year that follows their first

attempt at QE.

● 2012 QE timeline for incoming students

Application review	Program entrance date	QE opportunities		Remarks
1st and 2nd rounds	September 2011	February 2012	February 2013	- Students who enter the program in the fall take QE in February of the following year (Feb 2012) for the first time. - Students who fail on their first attempt can take QE for the second time in the following year (Feb 2013).
1st~4th rounds	March 2012	February 2012	February 2013	- Students take QE in February 2012 for the first time. - Students who fail on their first attempt can take QE for the second time in the following year (Feb 2013).

▪ Based on the decision made at the CSE faculty meeting (Oct 10, 2011)

Students who enter the program in the fall	Students who enter the program in the spring
- Twice after entrance	- Once before entrance - Once after entrance

※ "Program Language" QE Preparation Tip

(from Prof. Sungwoo Park)

The textbook for "Program Language" course is available at the following link:

http://www.postech.ac.kr/~gla/cs321/notes/all.pdf

The exact scope of the "Program Language" QE is detailed in the preface of the textbook. Exam questions will be derived only from the sections listed in the preface.

No actual exam questions from the previous QE's can be provided. However, it is helpful to review the actual exam questions from the midterm and final exams of the "Program Language" course, available at the following link:

http://www.postech.ac.kr/~gla/cs321/