Degree Requirements: Qualifying Examinations for Ph.D.

The Qualifying Examinations are written comprehensive examinations administered to doctoral students near the completion of their course work and Early Research Experience. Written verification of the completion of the Early Research Experience requirement must be filed in the department and the Student Academic Affairs Office.

The examinations are scheduled by faculty advisers through their department office. Purposes of the qualifying examinations in the College of Education include: assessment of the candidate's breadth in the discipline and depth in areas of interest; providing opportunity to explore, make connections, and integrate content in the discipline. The exam is comprised of the following parts:

The General Field Exam

All Ph.D. candidates will take a General Field Examination covering the field of study embraced by the home department or division. Each department faculty will establish procedures for developing the questions and selecting at least three readers for the General Field Exam. Readers must be faculty members of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with expertise in the field being examined. The department faculty will also determine whether an on-site or take-home format will be used for the General Field Exam.

The Special Field Exam

All Ph.D. candidates will take a Special Field Examination covering an area of specialization proposed by the student with the concurrence of the adviser. The Special Field should be a scholarly specialization more broadly conceived than the anticipated dissertation topic.

The adviser will be responsible for developing questions for the Special Field Exam, drawing upon the expertise of other faculty when needed. The adviser, in consultation with the candidate, will also determine the format of the examination and select at least three faculty readers with expertise in the field being examined.

Responsibilities of the Adviser in the Qualifying Examination Process

1. Review the student's file to determine readiness to take the exams, and ascertain the requirements, procedures, and deadlines pertaining to the examinations from the department office.
2. Confer with the student concerning the exam format, content, and evaluation criteria and arrange for student to take General Field examination in accordance with the department guidelines.
3. Identify, with the student, at least two other faculty members as readers for the special exam, prepare the Special Field exam questions, and consult with other faculty readers as needed.
4. Submit examination questions and readers' names to the department office and inform the department office if the student will be allowed special materials or will need special equipment or provisions for the exam.
5. Confer with the student after the exam concerning the student's performance.

Responsibilities of the Student in the Qualifying Examination Process

1. Consult with the adviser when she or he is eligible and ready to take the exams and discuss the selection of questions, format, and readers with the adviser.
2. Discuss the specific purposes and evaluation criteria for the exams with the adviser and readers and asks the adviser to share sample questions from previous qualifying exams.
3. Ensure that the Qualifying Examination Information form is filed in the department office.
4. Confer with the adviser for comments and suggestions concerning examination performance.

Responsibilities of the Department Office in the Qualifying Examination Process

1. Inform faculty and students about the requirements, procedures, and deadlines pertaining to qualifying examinations.
2. Distribute questions to student, oversee administration, and distribute completed exams, with evaluation sheets, to readers.
3. Collect and compile evaluations.
4. Communicate results of the exam to students, advisers, and Student Academic Affairs Office.

Examination Formats

Formats should be decided well in advance of exam dates. In particular, students should discuss the format of the Special Field Exam with their advisers to arrive at a recommendation that best meets student needs and the expectation of the adviser. The three formats are:

1. On-Site Format. A room and proctor are scheduled by the department. Normally, the General Field and the Special Field are each scheduled for a four-hour block of time. The time limit will be set by each department (or division).
2. Take-home Format. A take-home format may be used for the General Field exam (at the option of the department) and for the Special Field exam (at the option of the adviser). In the take-home format the candidate, with the approval of the adviser, writes the exam at a place of his or her choosing with no restriction on books or other written materials to be used. Because the purpose of the qualifying examination is to assess individual competence, students should not discuss the exam with anyone other than their adviser after they have picked up the questions. The time limit for this take-home exam will be set by each department (or division).
3. Portfolio Format (Special Field only). This format consists of assembling a focused collection of 3 or 4 high quality papers and/or projects which are then defended before three faculty readers. The number, subject, and length of the required papers or projects are decided by the adviser in consultation with the student. Portfolio submissions can include collaborative work, but independent work must also be reflected in the portfolio. The portfolio may include work completed to satisfy other requirements for the doctoral degree such as course papers, early research papers, master’s theses, and Research Specialization papers. The portfolio must be submitted with an original, independently written synthesis paper that defines the special field and articulates how each piece of the portfolio connects or contributes to the special field and its literature. If the portfolio option is selected, the student will discuss this work at an oral defense before the three faculty readers, after which the readers will determine whether the student has demonstrated competence in the special field.

Questions and Problems Arising Prior to Taking the Qualifying Exams

The first person a student should consult concerning the qualifying exams is his or her adviser. If irreconcilable differences arise between the student and adviser concerning scheduling, format, content, or rating procedures, the student should consult the department head/chair or designee. If the problem cannot be resolved, consult the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Normal grievance procedures can be used (see Graduate Student Appeals section of this document). If a student wishes to postpone a scheduled examination, the request should be made through the adviser to the department office.

Evaluation of the Qualifying Exams

To pass the examination, the student must receive satisfactory or excellent ratings from all readers in both the General Field and the Special Field. There are three possible ratings for both sections of the qualifying exams.

1. Excellent doctoral work. This rating is given for excellent doctoral work. If more than fifty percent of a candidate's ratings are excellent, the student is given a letter of special commendation by the department head/chair.
2. Satisfactory doctoral work. This rating is given for work that demonstrates competence expected of advanced students in the field. Candidates who receive ratings of "excellent" or "satisfactory" doctoral work will pass the examination.
3. Unsatisfactory doctoral work. This rating is given for work that can range from completely unsatisfactory to work with significant gaps in knowledge.

If a second examination is required, the readers shall communicate the major deficiencies to the candidate and make a collective decision as to the format and scope of the second examination. All faculty readers who read the first exam will evaluate the second exam unless a change in readers has been approved by the department head/chair or designee. Once again, a satisfactory or excellent rating must be awarded by all readers for the candidate to pass the second examination, and should one or more readers judge the performance unsatisfactory, the readers shall meet to review the candidate's performance. If extenuating circumstances exist that warrant a third attempt, the adviser may request approval from the department head/chair or designee. Candidates shall normally be permitted two attempts to pass the Qualifying Examinations.

Promptness of Evaluations

Students shall receive results within 3 weeks from the date of the exam. The department will ensure timeliness of review and communicate results to students and to the adviser.

Report of Examination Results

After all readers for the exams have returned their evaluations, a report is sent to the student from their department. The report indicates readers' decisions. The student and adviser receive copies of reader sheets. The original forms, the exam questions, and answers are placed on file in the department office after the student has met all requirements.

The student's department office will notify the Student Academic Affairs Office of the results. The Student Academic Affairs Office will complete a degree audit and send a letter to the student, adviser, and department regarding the audit. The audit indicates further degree requirements that must be satisfied before the preliminary and final examination may be taken.