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The Comprehensive Exams

An overview of the examination's purpose and process

Purpose

The Comprehensive Exam's purpose is for the graduate student to demonstrate their familiarity with and understanding of multiple educational theorists and theories, current research practices and findings, and identifying how research and theory have shaped their work and thinking.

The Exam Process

  1. The term before you plan to take the exams, make sure that you register to graduate and select comprehensive exams as your exit option. Submit this form to Amber in the Graduate Office.

  2. Take the exams during Week 6 of the term. Exams take place on a Thursday and Friday.

  3. After exams are taken, wait.

  4. While you wait, the exams are anonymized, given to the MS Ed Program Coordinator, and then divided among graduate faculty for anonymous scoring.

  5. Each exam is scored by two faculty. The scores are compared by the MSEd Program Coordinator. If there are any discrepancies or serious differences as determined by the MSEd Program Coordinator, a third reader is invited to score the exams.

  6. Scored exams are returned to the Graduate Office.

  7. Exams are given one of four scores:

    1. Pass with Distinction,
    2. Pass,
    3. Unsatisfactory (require an oral exam),
    4. or Fail.

  8. If you fail the exam, then you have one more opportunity to retake the comps in the future.

  9. The Ed Core is scored separately from the Content exams. Thus it is possible to pass one exam and fail another. If one exam is failed, you only have to retake that exam not both. Please see the table below.

Outcomes

  • If you receive a fail, you must retake the exam. (Students are only allowed one retake before an alternative capstone project will be required)
  • If you must take an oral exam, a committee of two or three faculty will schedule a one-hour oral review. The oral exam will focus on areas that were scored as unsatisfactory. Every attempt is made to have at least one member from your program on the oral committee.
  • If you pass, congratulations!
  • If you pass With Distinction, hooray hooray!

Determining the overall outcome after taking both exams

 

One Session

Other Session

Outcome

Pass or With Distinction

Pass or With Distinction

Student passes comprehensive exams; no further exit evaluation is required.

Unsatisfactory

Student will be required to participate in a one hour oral review for the session that received the unsatisfactory score. If student passes they will be considered completed with finals. If student fails they will be required to sit for another written session of exams for the session that received the failing score.

Fail

Student will be required to sit for written exams for the session that received the failing score. Student will be required to get exam clearance from their advisor and the Graduate Programs Director. (See notes to student)

Unsatisfactory

Unsatisfactory

Student will be required to participate in a one hour oral review for both sessions. If student passes they will be considered completed with finals. If student fails they will be required to sit for another written session of exams for the session that received the failing score. (See notes to student)

Fail

Student will be required to participate in a one hour oral review for the session that received the unsatisfactory score. If student passes oral review they will be required only to retake the failed portion of the exam. If student fails both portions of exam after orals they will be required to retake written exams for both sessions. (See notes to students)

Fail

Fail

Student must retake written finals. Student will need exam clearance approval from both their advisor and the Director of Graduate Programs. Student has a total of 2 chances to successfully complete their written exams before they are required to find an alternative exit requirement. Student must pass both sessions to be considered successful in completion.

© gz 2014 // Thanks to Amber for the Outcomes table.