2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Qualifying Exams and Proposals in Science and Engineering: Existing Barriers to Accessibility and Avenues for Change

This research paper presents empirical findings on STEM PhD milestones—primarily qualifying exams (QEs) and dissertation proposals—and the experiences disabled PhD students had or anticipated having while navigating these milestones. Between departments and programs, the format, timing, and structure of QEs and proposals vary greatly, and while there have been positive initiatives to reform these assessments, minoritized student perspectives are often neglected. This study involved interviewing 17 disabled science and engineering PhD students, ranging from second to sixth year, and conducting a workshop with disabled graduate students and faculty allies. Participants described the milestones required for their program, their feelings towards them, and what aspects of these assessments were inaccessible. Many departments did not have a separate QE, while others had multi-day, hours-long, sit-down exams. Proposals ranged from two-page research plan summaries to comprehensive written research proposals with oral presentations and Q&As. The largest sources of inaccessibility in these milestones included unclear and/or shifting expectations and limited opportunities for flexibility or accommodations. Often, these exams have departed from the original goal to assess independent research readiness. We advise that QEs should be eliminated and conclude with a series of questions that challenge programs to reflect on why they have the doctoral milestones they do, whether those milestones are achieving their objectives, and how such assessments/programs can prioritize flexibility and accommodation.

Authors

Chloe Siobhan Wright University of Texas at Austin [biography]

Chloe Wright is a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a Master's in STEM Education and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. She received her BS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University.
Emily Violet Landgren University of Texas at Austin [biography]

Emily is a 5th year graduate PhD student in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on disabled students in engineering classrooms. She has a M.S in Mechanical Engineering from UT Austin and a B.S. in Integrated Engineering and Humanities from Lehigh University.
Dr. Maura Borrego http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7131-4611 University of Texas at Austin [biography]

Maura Borrego is the E.P. Schoch Professor in Engineering, Director of the Center for Engineering Education and Professor of Mechanical Engineering and STEM Education at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Borrego is a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education and currently serves as Senior Associate Editor for Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. She was previously a rotating program officer at the National Science Foundation, a Vice President and member of the Board of the American Society for Engineering Education, an associate dean in the graduate school, Deputy Editor of the Journal of Engineering Education and Associate Editor for International Journal of STEM Education. Her research awards include U.S. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), a National Science Foundation CAREER award, and two outstanding publication awards from the American Educational Research Association for her journal articles.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

For those interested in:

Advocacy and Policy
Broadening Participation in Engineering and Engineering Technology
disability
engineering
Faculty
Graduate
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