Examinations
The Ph.D. qualifying exam must be passed as a partial requirement for completion of the Ph.D. degree. The student may take the exam after the completion of at least 18 credits in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis coursework and must have satisfied this requirement prior to scheduling the preliminary exam. Students have the option of completing a take-home written exam or writing a qualifying paper.
The Ph.D. preliminary examination must be passed as a partial requirement for completion of the degree. The student must have completed or must expect to complete the research requirements during the semester in which the preliminary exam is taken. The student’s program plan, research requirement plan, and minor option plan must have been approved by the Department prior to taking the preliminary examination. The preliminary examination is an oral examination based on the departmentally approved program requirements and the dissertation proposal. The Examination Committee is composed of three faculty members, two of which must be from the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis.
The Ph.D. final oral examination must be passed as a partial and final requirement for completion of the degree. The student must have completed or expect to complete ALL program requirements during the semester in which the final oral examination is taken. Certification of program completion must have been obtained from the Departmental Chairperson prior to scheduling the examination. The final oral examination committee is composed of a three member reading committee and two additional professors (non-readers) who make up the five member final oral committee. At least three of the final oral committee members must be from the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis. If a student follows the Minor Option A plan, then at least one member must be from the Option A department. In both Option A and Option B plans at least one member must be from outside the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis.