Change Agents' Experiences Reforming Physics Candidacy Requirements

While research has explored the application and admission processes for physics graduate programs, there is a lack of research about the requirements for students to advance to candidacy within a physics graduate program. This study begins to fill this gap by investigating beliefs and practices surrounding physics graduate candidacy exams and the departmental processes to modify such requirements. We interviewed faculty, staff, and students at three institutions that have recently reformed their physics PhD candidacy requirements to understand the culture in which physics graduate program requirements are embedded and the difficulties in implementing reform. Here we focus on the experiences of the lead change agents at the three institutions. We analyzed their interviews using a grounded theory methodology; then we aligned these codes with Reinholz and Apkarian's adaptation of the Four Frames model which highlights the role of structures, symbols, people, and power in departmental change. We find the frames illuminate the challenges of establishing impactful departmental change. We describe commonalities across the change agents' experiences and highlight potential strategies for those interested in reforming requirements at their own department.