The Special Committee for Ph.D. students requires at least three committee members and must be finalized by the end of the third semester. In other words, by this time you need to have chosen at least a chairperson and two minor members; you may have additional committee members if you choose. You can make changes to this form without a petition until you have taken your A Exam, but each time you make a change, you need to fill out a new form and obtain all new signatures (may be done electronically through the Graduate School website). You do NOT need the signature of an outgoing committee member to make this change, only the signatures of all members of your new committee. If you need to make any changes after you've taken your A Exam, you should consult the Graduate Records Office (150 Caldwell Hall (DE4)) to see if you need to file a petition.
To take and pass your A Exam, you will need to fill out a Schedule of Examination Form at least seven days before the exam is to be held. To the exam, you should bring a copy of the Results of Examination Form so that your committee members can sign off on the results. Don't forget to submit this form (with all the required signatures) to the graduate school no more than three working days after the exam. Note that all the members of your Special Committee must be present (or represented) at your A Exam (minimum of 3 graduate faculty present); if any member cannot attend, you must obtain a proxy from the same graduate field to attend instead. For questions about proxies, consult the Guide to Graduate Study or ask at the Graduate Records office. If you are awarded a Special Masters at your A Exam, you will also need to fill out a Degree Information Card, which must be typed.
Before scheduling your B Exam, pick up a Final Defense Packet from the Graduate Records office in 150 Caldwell Hall (DE4); just ask for the Ph.D. Final Defense information. As for the A Exam, you will need to file a Schedule of Examination Form at least seven days before the exam as well as a Results of Examination Form within three days after the exam. You will also need to fill out a Degree Information Card, and submit it along with the Schedule of Examination Form. All these, plus additional information, are included in the Ph.D. Final Defense packet.