Educational Leadership Program
Comprehensive Exam Information for the Ph.D.
(Educational Policy and Theory, Higher Education)


I. The comprehensive exam serves the following purposes:

1. It provides evidence that the student has the prerequisites necessary to undertake successfully the independent work required for the dissertation. (See criteria for evaluating the comprehensive examination.) Successful completion of the comprehensive examination is a necessary requirement for advancement to the writing of the dissertation.
2. The comprehensive exam also serves as a transitional step toward the dissertation.

II. Prerequisites to the Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination may only be undertaken after the student has completed the Portfolio Evaluation and most course work (Course work officially listed as part of the dissertation in the individual student’s program of study need not be completed prior to undertaking the comprehensive examination).


III. Components of the Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination consists of three papers that meet the following general requirements:

1. Each paper shall be a maximum of 25 pages (exclusive of bibliography and notes). Only with the express permission of the student’s comprehensive examination committee may a paper exceed 25 pages. The paper will follow an appropriate style manual, e.g. APA, MLA, or Chicago Style.
2. One paper will address the field in which the candidate will be writing the dissertation. The paper may take either of the following forms: (a) It may be a synthetic, analytical and critical literature review of a topic within the student’s primary field of interest; or (b) the paper may be an expository or argumentative essay that deals with a problem within the student’s field.
3. One paper will focus on the methodological approach the student anticipates he/she will use in the dissertation. The paper will include (a) a discussion of the appropriate use of the relevant methodology; (b) the limitations of the methodology; and (c) will specifically comment upon, analyze and critique specific uses of the methodology found in other relevant research.
4. A third paper will demonstrate the student’s familiarity and expertise in a second field, i.e. a field other than the field addressed by the papers noted in (2) and (3). This paper may take the form of: (a) a synthetic, analytical and critical literature review of a topic within this second field; (b) the paper may be an expository or argumentative essay that deals with a problem within this field; or (c) the student may meet this requirement by developing an annotated syllabus for a three-credit course with approximately 38 hours of class time spread over fourteen weeks.
5. As discussed more fully below, students must complete each question within two months (for a total of 6 months of writing time).

IV. Planning Process
It is the student’s responsibility to form his or her comprehensive exam committee in consultation with his or her advisor and the chair of the comprehensive exam committee, if the chair is not the advisor.
The examination committee is composed of three faculty members. At least two of the three committee members must be tenure-track or clinical Warner School faculty members. One of those faculty members must be from the student’s program area, and the other must be from outside the program area. The third committee member may be a faculty member from the Warner School, but also may be a faculty member from another school/college in the University.

The student and the committee must reach an agreement, within the parameters listed above, regarding the topic/question of each of the three papers. It is the student’s responsibility to take the initiative in proposing to the committee the topic/question of the three papers. A student may consult with the chair of the committee in formulating this proposal, but the chair is to serve only as advisor and consultant, with the responsibility remaining the student’s to develop the specifications for the three papers. The student may only proceed with work on the papers after all three members of the committee have agreed to the papers.

The student and committee will agree on the style, e.g. APA, to be followed in writing the papers.

The student must complete and submit the Warner School Comprehensive Examination Form with all required signatures. The form is best submitted to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies only after the student and committee have agreed upon the questions upon which the student will be examined.

The committee and student will agree upon the sequence in which the papers will be written.

The committee and student will agree upon which faculty member shall be the initial reader of a given paper.

From the time of submittal of the required form the student has one year to complete the comprehensive examination. Thus within that year-long period a doctoral student must select, with the committee’s approval, the three two-month terms in which s/he will write (see III.5.) s/he will write the three papers. For example, March-April may be used for one question; July-August may be used for another question; and October-November for a third question. Consequently, a student and committee following this hypothetical schedule will agree that the first paper is due at the end of April, the second at the end of August, and the third at the end of November. This decision will be made at the time of the finalization of the entire plan and prior to the filing of the Warner School Comprehensive Examination Form. Adjustments in this schedule may only be made with the consent of the comprehensive exam committee.

Only because of the most unusual and compelling exigencies, e.g. health problems certified to by a physician, may a student be granted, with permission of the committee, an extension regarding either the overall limitation of one year to complete the entire exam or an extension regarding any of the one/two month terms allotted to write a particular question.


V. Writing the Papers
While the comprehensive exam plan is being formulated, committee members may assist the student by providing suggestions regarding the writing of the paper, such as literature to review, etc. But the faculty will not consult or advise the student during the writing of the papers. The comprehensive examination is intended to be a demonstration of the student’s capacity to undertake the independent work needed to successfully complete a dissertation. Note: The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies makes the final determination regarding extension of the one year time limit for completing the entire comprehensive exam.


VI. The Grading Process
The assigned reader of a paper will make the initial determination of whether the paper is a “pass” or “fail.” If the paper is deemed a failure, the paper will be read by the other two members of the comprehensive examination committee. In the circumstance that the whole committee reads a given paper, a majority vote of the committee will determine if the paper is to be given a grade of “pass” or “fail.” The reading of the papers will commence as the papers are completed and turned into the relevant faculty reader.

If the paper is given a “pass,” the faculty may still wish to provide the student with an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper.

If the paper is given a failing grade, the faculty will provide the student with an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper.
A student may re-write a failed paper once. Again the student must designate with the consent of the committee the two-month term to be devoted to the writing of the paper. Failure of a paper does NOT extend the over-all one-year limitation for completion of the comprehensive examination.

In evaluating the papers the faculty will take into consideration the following factors:

a. The significance of the topic/field/question addressed.
b. The quality of the writing (grammar, syntax, etc.)
c. The correct use of the relevant style manual.
d. Clarity and precision of expression.
e. The organization of the paper.
f. The validity and soundness of an argument.
g. The student’s ability to marshal, analyze, and interpret relevant evidence.
h. The range and appropriate selection of references.
i. The originality of insights and analysis.
j. In the case of a literature review:

1. Comprehension of the review.
2. Whether the review is synthetic, analytical and critical.
3. Whether the studies are appropriately grouped and related to each other.

VII. Successful Completion of the Comprehensive Examination
To successfully complete the comprehensive examination the student must pass all three questions within the one-year time limit noted earlier.

April 2010