Comprehensive Examination
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2008
Place: CPS Computer Lab, Room 107
Time: 8:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.
Guidelines for Comprehensive Exams:
- What are the comprehensive exams?
- When do the comprehensive exams occur?
- How do I go about obtaining questions?
- Can I ask the professors for their questions ahead of time in order to study?
- What happens the day of the exam?
- How do I find out how I did?
- What if I do not pass all three questions?
- Graduate committee coordinator
- The student's advisor
- A faculty member from the content area being considered
- Grant a "pass"
- 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
- Determine that the appeal has no merit and student is dropped from the program.
The comprehensive exam consists of three essay questions covering a total of nine credits (three different 3-credit courses). Two questions are obtained from two core courses and one question from specialty as defined by your chosen elective courses.
See Program of Study for new core courses.
The comprehensive examinations can be taken during one of the following times: March and October. Please check with the graduate program office assistant, 715-295-8911, for the specific dates.
Meet with your major advisor to discuss the test-out exam at the beginning of the semester you plan to test in. During this meeting, two core courses you’ve taken and one of your elective courses will be chosen. Your major advisor requests a test question from each of the chosen faculty. The advisor contacts the faculty members and requests a test question be submitted to the advisor three weeks prior to the exam date. You are encouraged to make an appointment with the instructors providing test questions about the basic content of the questions. The instructor will discuss the basic content of the test question and relevant study materials needed to prepare for the exam. You will not receive the actual question.
The question will not be provided but you will receive information regarding the basic content. Professors may suggest material to study. 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.
Go to the School of Health Promotion and Human Development graduate program office. The graduate program assistant will provide a copy of the questions for each student. You will have four hours to write on the three questions. You will save your material on a flash drive which will be provided for you the morning of the exam. The examination time promptly begins at 8:30 am and ends promptly at 12:30 pm.
You may bring copyrighted/printed material (e.g. textbook (s) from courses) and other notes to exam.
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.
The graduate program office assistant will return each question and answer 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 your major advisor. You will then be notified of the results in writing as soon as the exams have been evaluated and returned. Each professor will grade the exam with one of the following: pass, reflecting a high level of graduate work; pass, reflecting an average level of graduate work; pass, reflecting a low level of graduate work; fail. You must pass all three 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, including the grade for each question.
Any questions which are not answered satisfactorily must be rewritten. You will be provided substitute question(s) or be asked to rewrite the same question(s). If after rewriting the question(s) and you have not passed, you may appeal to the Associate Dean of Health Promotion and Human Development, Dr. Marty Loy, 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 three-member graduate faculty committee for special consideration by contacting the Graduate Committee Coordinator. The committee shall consist of:
After reviewing information relating to the appeal, the committee may:
The student may take the test-out exam up to two times.
NOTE: Results of the test-out must be given to the graduate program assistant no later than the last day of exam week during the semester. Results given after this date will delay graduation of the candidate until the next semester.