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Purpose of Exam
This examination provides a means for a committee of faculty allows the committee to assess the student’s conceptual and research mastery of a topic that will become the focus of a PhD dissertation. This exam should will focus on evaluating both the written proposal document and the oral proposal defense. In this respect, this step presents This is a final technical checkpoint after satisfying the GPA requirement for the three required graduate courses in the program. . This is an opportunity for committee members to help enhance the research quality by offering suggestions and opportunities for collaboration. Specifically, this examination is used to evaluate the student’s:
(1) ability to design, articulate, contextualize, and defend a set of proposed aims and research methods,
(2) understanding of the broader research context for their proposed work, including an extensive understanding of the background back
ground literature in the area of study
(3) ability to develop a sound research methodology with testable hypotheses and premises, and
(4) ability to anticipate and propose pitfalls and alternative strategies. The ultimate goal of this exam and the meeting is twofold. First, this exam is conducted to ensure that the level of mastery by the student is sufficiently high as would be necessary to complete the PhD dissertation. In this regards, the focus of all questions, answers and discussion should involve the testing of the student’s ability (without faculty involvement). Second, this meeting is an opportunity for committee members to help enhance the research quality by offering suggestions and opportunities for collaboration.
Written Report Guidelines
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It is the responsibility of the student to set the date of the exam, and they are advised to do so at least two months in advance to accommodate the committee’s schedule. See Roombooking Room booking on the the Departmental Resources Page for instructions on booking rooms in CPE. The written research report must be given to each of the examiners at least one week in advance of the exam.
Note: Starting on 1/30/2018, the department requires that no food be broughtto the Oral Exam.
Examiners can attend virtually, or the presentation can be given separately if all examiners cannot attend on the same day. However, all committee members must sign off on the exam form (see below).
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