Home Random Page


CATEGORIES:

BiologyChemistryConstructionCultureEcologyEconomyElectronicsFinanceGeographyHistoryInformaticsLawMathematicsMechanicsMedicineOtherPedagogyPhilosophyPhysicsPolicyPsychologySociologySportTourism






Appendix B – Detailed Comprehensive Examination Procedure

 

The purpose of a doctoral program is to provide the student with the opportunity to gain a high degree of competence in conducting original research at an advanced level. This should result in a significant advance in knowledge in the field of study. The program of research should be aimed at completion within a four year time span for a full-time student. A student successfully completing a PhD program should not only be a competent researcher in his/her field, but also be a person able to communicate and evaluate technical information. These latter skills can be acquired and demonstrated by attending and participating in various seminars, discussion groups, graduate courses, scientific meetings and undergraduate laboratory teaching.

 

MUN regulations now require a PhD comprehensive examination to be completed within 7 semesters of the first registration, http://www.mun.ca/regoff/calendar/sectionNo=GRAD-0015#GRAD-0778.

Part-time students must take the comprehensive examination not later than the end of the third year of their PhD program.

 

The procedure shall be initiated by the Supervisor who shall notify the Program Chair, in writing, of the candidate's readiness. NOTE: A sub-disciplinemust be determined no later than three months before the examination. The sub-discipline is normally what is listed as the ‘Area of Concentration’on the ‘Program of Study’ formfilled out when the student was recommended for admission (Appendix E). The sub-discipline upon which the candidate will be examined should be made known to the candidate no later than three months prior to the examination.

 

The Examination Committee:

According to the regulations in the University Calendar, the number of voting members shall be an odd number. The examination committee will consist of five voting members. They are the Program Chair (or delegate), the supervisor, and three other members of which only one may be a member of the supervisory committee. A co-supervisor can serve as the other member of the supervisory committee on the examination committee.

 

The Program Chair (or delegate) chairs the comprehensive exam. At least two members of the Board of Study must be on the Examination Committee. The Head of the Department of the supervisor (or delegate) is invited to serve on the Examination Committee. The supervisor recommends the five names to the Program Chair, and

the Board of Study reviews the suggestions. These recommendations should be made on the form listed in Appendix E. The Board of Study may recommend changes. Once approved, the recommended examiners’ names are submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies for appointment to the Comprehensive Examination Committee. The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies (or delegate) is a non-voting member of the examination committee.


Once the committee is appointed, it shall meet and select a seminar topicwithin the student's previously determined sub-discipline. The seminar topic will generally be broad in scope and related to, but distinct from, the thesis research. The examination committee will submit the seminar topicand the sub-disciplineto the Program Chair, on the form listed in Appendix E, for approval by the Board of Study. During the meeting that determines the seminar topic for the examination, the examination committee should also set a date for the examination. This date should be set with the following in mind:



a) the candidate must be notified in writing not more than six and not less than four weeks before the examination date;

b) two weeks should be allowed for the transmission of the recommendation of the examination committee and the approval by the Board of Study.

 

The Program Chair will communicate the seminar topic and guidelines to the student six weeks, if possible, but not less than four weeks before the examination. The student, upon receiving the topic, will prepare a 20 page (maximum) typed paperon the seminar topic, which will include references. This shall be double-spaced in font

of 12 cpi size type. Figures and tables can be included in the text or appended at the end of the text. The subsequent seminar will be based on this paper. The paper will be given to each examiner plus an additional copy to the Program Administrator to be forwarded to the SGS representative at least one week before the examination. This paper is not graded; it is intended to inform the Examination Committee with regards to the approach the student has taken.

 

Format of the oral comprehensive examination:

The seminar topic is always general and requires the student to provide a brief introduction followed by a more in-depth review of a narrower aspect of the subject. At the beginning of the examination, the student will present a 45-50 minute seminar on the assigned topic. The student must demonstrate an understanding of the development of the subject, the context of the subject, and current knowledge. The student must be able to present a synthesis of the subject and opportunities for future research.

 

After the oral presentation, the student will be questioned by each examiner on the seminar topic, lasting approximately 10 minutes per examiner. All examiners, having had the written paper for a week, will have had an opportunity to develop potential questions for the candidate.

 

Then a second round of questions will follow. Primarily this round will focus on the broader sub-discipline area. Again, there will be approximately 10 minutes allowed per examiner. Any examiner may ask to have an answer elaborated on, if it is felt clarification is needed.

 

The aim of the comprehensive examination is to determine the student's basic knowledge of the field in which he/she is working. Thus PhD students, upon entering

a program of study, should prepare for their comprehensive by being familiar with the


general concepts and techniques of their field and be prepared to critically discuss them during the examination.

At the end of the question period the candidate and the audience will leave the examination room while the examiners discuss all facets of the examination and make their decision.

 

The outcome of the examination can be any one of the following:

i.The candidate has either passed or failed the comprehensive examination. A pass requires a majority vote by the voting members of the examination committee.

ii.If failed, and it is the first examination, the Committee can decide whether the student may be re-examined.

iii. If passed, the committee can recommend that the student be ‘Passed with Distinction’. This requires unanimous agreement and is awarded to candidates who demonstrate superior knowledge of their chosen field by showing excellence in the written paper and oral presentation, and answering/discussing examiners’ questions in a highly competent manner.

 

The results and subsequent action, if any, will be communicated to the Dean of Graduate Studies and supervisor, in writing, by the Chair of the examination committee.

 

If re-examination (in total or in part) is required, it must take place not less than one month nor more than six months from the first examination. The student may be

asked to redo the whole examination or only part of the examination. Re-examination can be in written or oral format. The student can be asked to review assigned

literature and/or redo a seminar topic. The nature of the re-examination will be communicated to the candidate in writing.

 

The outcome of a re-examination is either pass or fail. This is decided by simple majority. If the result is fail, the student will withdraw from the doctoral program, as only one re-examination is permitted.

 

If outright failure is decided on the first examination, with no option for re- examination, this decision requires a unanimous vote.


 


Date: 2016-03-03; view: 727


<== previous page | next page ==>
Appendix A.1 Scholarships available | Appendix C - Submission of Thesis or Project Report, Review and Notification
doclecture.net - lectures - 2014-2024 year. Copyright infringement or personal data (0.007 sec.)