Here are examples of syllabi for the preliminary exam (“orals”). For more information, see the Graduate Handbook. Note that the format and focus of the exam itself (within the guidelines of the syllabus) tends to vary significantly between fields and advisors. Please communicate with your PhD advisor to get clearer expectations about your exam.

2021 Oral Exam Syllabi

Delfin syllabus – Analysis – C^* algebras, etc.

Frei syllabus – Algebra – Algebraic geometry, etc.

Guth syllabus – Topology – Knot theory and low-dimensional topology, etc.

Jenne syllabus – Combinatorics – Dimer model, etc.

Manco Berrio syllabus – Topology – Homotopy theory, etc.

Muth syllabus– Algebra – Representation theory, etc.