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Dates:
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Place: CPS Computer Lab, Room 107
Time: 8:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.
Guidelines for Comprehensive Exams:
1. When do the
comprehensive exams occur?
The
comprehensive examinations can be taken during one of the following times:
March, July, and October. Please check with the Graduate School of
Education Advising Office at 715-346-4403 for the specific dates. We also
advertise these dates in the Pointer and on our website (www.uwsp.edu/education/graduate)
2. What are the comprehensive exams?
The
comprehensive exam consists of four essay questions covering a total of
twelve credits (four different, 3-credit courses). These questions are
obtained from the 3-credit courses, which you have been completing for
your masters degree. You choose questions according to your degree
program.
MSE
General Candidates MSE
Elementary Candidates
One in
foundations One in
foundations
One in
curriculum One in
liberal arts
Two in subject
content or specialization Two in elementary education
Examples of
foundation courses are: Education 701, 702, 703, and 708.
The curriculum
courses are Education 721 and Education 726.
If you are
completing a thesis, then you will complete an oral defense of your
thesis and write on only
one exam question (one hour time limit).
3. How do I go about obtaining questions?
You contact
the professor of a specific course as outlined above and ask him/her if
he/she would be willing to write a question for you. If that professor
agrees, then you will write down that professors name and the respective
course on the application for comprehensive examination.
You can only
obtain one question from a course. In the case where a professor has
taught you two courses, you can request a question from each of the two
courses.
Courses you
wish to have included as part of your exam are to be listed on the
registration form enclosed. Be sure to list complete course department
and number (i.e. EDUC 702) together with the semester you took the course
and the instructor's name.
One cannot
shop around for the best question and then decide to list that course for
the comprehensive examination. Prior to registration, you can just ask
the professor if she/he will write a question for you. After your
registration has been submitted (please see number 5), then you could
contact the professor for further guidance.
4. What courses are allowed or not allowed for the comprehensive exam
questions?
Besides the
choices listed in number 2, you could write on a workshop course (ED
790). You cannot have a question from your research component of your
masters program (i.e., ED 707, 700, 782). As well, one cannot write a
comprehensive examination question on an independent study (ED 796).
5. Where and when do I obtain this registration form for the
comprehensive exams?
Graduate
students can apply for their comprehensive exam after they have completed
at least 24 credits of their masters degree. One contacts the Graduate
School of Education Advising Office the semester before you want to take
the exam. For example, if you want to take your exam during the spring
(March date), then you would need to apply during the previous fall
semester.
The exam registration form
is to be forwarded to Lori Yonash in School of Education-Graduate
Advising, Room 438,
College
of Professional Studies (X4403).
6. What happens next after registration?
Upon receipt
of the exam registration form, Graduate Advising staff will review the
selections you have made. They will ensure that you have covered the
necessary areas listed in number 2. If any changes need to be made, then
you will be notified.
You do not
secure exam questions from faculty involved. Exam questions will be
obtained by Lori Yonash in School of Education-Graduate Advising and an
exam packet will be prepared for you. You will receive that packet the
day of the scheduled exam
7. Can I ask the professors for their questions ahead of time in order to
study?
A professor is
not required to share the question before the exam. Yet, professors
frequently suggest material to study, or they often will share the
question itself or major parts of the questions. You may ask for a
general idea as to what the exam question they provide might entail or
inquire as to how you might best prepare/review for the exam.
8. What happens the day of the exam?
The program
assistant for the School of Education Graduate Advising Office will type
and assemble the questions for each student. At the beginning of the
scheduled exam, you will have four hours to write on the four questions.
The examination time promptly begins at
8:30 am and ends promptly at
12:30 pm.
Exam questions
usually take about 40 minutes each to write. Since a four-hour period is
allotted, there is sufficient time to review your responses before
submitting them.
You have the
choice of handwriting your responses into blue books (i.e., lined paper
booklets) or using a computer. Please read number 9 about the use of
computers. Blue books are provided for you.
You can use a
dictionary and/or thesaurus during the exam and we provide them for your
reference. No textbooks or notes are allowed unless specifically
indicated in your exam question by the professor providing the exam
question.
You may leave
as soon as you feel you have satisfactorily responded to the exam
questions provided. No one will be allowed to write beyond the time limit
included in the exams announcement. It is your responsibility to pace
your writing to allow for response to all questions provided.
9. How do I arrange use of a laptop computer?
Education
Graduate Advising will be utilizing the Computer Lab in Room 107, College
of Professional Studies, for the exam. Students can opt to write their
exam using the computers provided, or may write the exam using the blue
books provided. Exams that are completed using the computer will be
saved to a folder, and transferred to a thumb drive provided by the
department. Exams will be printed in the Education Graduate Advising
office, and distributed to professors.
10. How do I find out how I did?
The program
assistant will return each question and your answer to that question to
the respective professor. Professors are encouraged to correct these
questions within a two-week period. Due to vacations over the summer
months, there could be a delay.
The professor
indicates pass or not pass and returns the question and your response
to the School of Education Graduate Advising Office. You will then be
notified of the results in writing as soon as the exams have been
evaluated and returned. You must pass all four questions in order to
complete the exam satisfactory. Copies of the exam evaluations/comments
will be provided with the letter announcing the results of your exam.
11. What if I do not pass all four questions?
Any questions which
are not answered satisfactorily must be rewritten. At the discretion of
the professor involved, substitute questions may be written.
If after
the rewriting the questions and you have not passed all questions, you may
appeal to the Associate Dean of Education for permission to rewrite the
question(s) again. In most cases, permission will be granted only to
students who first complete additional course work. The Associate Dean
will not grant more than one repeat.
. If you do
not pass on the second rewrite of a question, you may appeal to a
four-member graduate faculty committee for special consideration by
contacting the Coordinator of the Degree Program. The committee shall
consist of:
1.
The Coordinator of the Degree Program, Chairperson
2.
The student's advisor
3.
A faculty member from the content area being considered
4. At least
one School of Education faculty member outside the specific content area
being considered
After reviewing
information relating to the appeal, the committee may:
1. Grant a
"pass"
2. Recommend
that the student do further study and then rewrite one more time either
for the same professor or another professor designated by the committee,
or
3. Determine
that the appeal has no merit
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