PhD - Qualifying Examination Guidelines

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy

Purpose - The primary purpose of Qualifying Examinations is to provide evidence that a doctoral student is fully prepared to advance to the level of doctoral candidate and proceed to a dissertation research project.  Secondary purposes include demonstrating broad knowledge in the scholarly field of educational administration, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities pertinent to scholarship and leadership in education, and the integration and internalization of knowledge.  We also recognize the importance of this programmatic watershed as a rite of passage in a scholar's formal preparation. 

Qualifying Examinations are mandated by the Graduate School and Academic Senate as the means by which doctoral students qualify for candidacy for the degree, and as the key point at which an academic department establishes and maintains the standard of excellence it expects of its doctoral students.  Thus, criteria and standards for passage of Qualifying Examinations must be clearly stated and clearly communicated.

1.   Planning the Exam - Planning of the Qualifying Examination is done by the chair of the student’s Committee. Exams will be scheduled during the time frames identified for each semester - typically mid semester - by the Department Chair and Director of Graduate Studies. Working in conjunction with the remaining committee members, the chair will identify the content areas for examination.  Students are encouraged to meet with their chair to discuss the exam no less than 3 months prior to taking the exam.

            These areas should be informed by the following:

a) educational leadership content courses taken by the candidate, e.g., leadership, organization theory

b) research methods and design courses

c) the student’s allied field, e.g., public administration, sociology, communications, political science, etc.

d) the student’s potential dissertation focus

e) the supervisory committee’s respective areas of expertise. 

While students can expect the assistance of the chair and larger committee in identifying the content areas to be studied, students should not expect the committee to provide specific questions for the qualifying exam.  The chair will solicit questions from each committee member to be included on the exam as the student’s examination date approaches.  The exam date, time, and site will be arranged by the Department’s staff, working in conjunction with the supervisory committee chair and student. 

2. Format for Exam - The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy's Qualifying Examination format and procedures shall take the following form:

a. When to take Exam - Doctoral students must not take their Qualifying Examination until they have completed the course work required by their supervisory committee (or are in the final semester of doing so), and they may do so only with the explicit approval of their supervisory committee chair.  It is strongly recommended that students devote adequate time in preparation for this exam.  At minimum, a two to three month preparation time is highly recommended. For students taken the qualifying exam in a given semester, exams are scheduled by the Department.  See Departmental staff for dates and details.

b. Time and Means for taking Exam - Examinations will require two days of writing under the supervision of the department staff and faculty.  Computers with word processors will be used. Exams will be scheduled during the time frames identified for each semester - typically mid semester - by the Department Chair and Director of Graduate Studies.

c. Exam Organization - The examined is organized as follows:

1) day one: breadth - One day of in-residence writing (6 to 7 hours) will be devoted to test the breadth of a student's knowledge, thinking and creativity in educational administration, as defined by the members of his or her supervisory committee.

2)  day two: depth - One day of writing (6 to 7 hours) will be devoted to test in-depth knowledge, thinking and creativity in the student's specialty area and intended dissertation research methodologies.  An alternative for this portion of the exam, if agreed to by the student and his or her supervisory committee chair, is to write a scholarly essay independent of supervision during the one week prior to the breadth examination.  If the latter option is chosen, a publication-style essay is expected in terms of substance, logical development, scholarly references and writing quality.  This essay must be submitted no later than the day of the in-residence breadth examination.

d. Optional Oral Examination - A two-hour oral examination, within three weeks of completing the written examinations, may be held at the discretion of the supervisory committee chair.  Oral examinations will be used to test a student's competence in cases where one or more members of the supervisory committee question the performance of the student vis-à-vis departmental and university standards of excellence.

e.   Grading the Exam - Under the direction of the chair of the student=s committee, the entire committee will have three weeks to grade the examination.  Students will be notified of the committee’s evaluation shortly thereafter (typically 4 weeks after taking the exam).

f.  Exam Retakes - Students who do not pass their Qualifying Examinations the first time will be given one additional chance to sit for them, waiting at least three months before their second attempt.  At the discretion of the committee chair, a student may be required to retake one or both halves of the examination at the second sitting, and to pursue whatever additional study and preparation the committee prescribes.