GUIDELINES FOR COMPREHENSIVE EXAM

Slippery Rock University November, 2000
Department of Parks and Recreation/
Environmental Education

Policy and Procedures for Comprehensive Examinations

Non-Thesis Degree Options

1. The Comprehensive Examination will consist of questions chosen from three courses taken by the candidate during their program of studies. The student, in consultation with his/her advisor, will identify the three courses.

2. Comprehensive Examination questions will be completed by the end of the semester in which the course is taken. Students may elect to take one question during their first term of study, and up to two during the subsequent semesters until a total of three questions have been passed. Approval must be secured from the course instructor, the student’s advisor, and the Graduate coordinator by using a Comprehensive Examination Question Request form. This process should be initiated by the student no later than the tenth week of classes. Students who have been admitted conditionally may not request a comprehensive examination question until that condition has been removed.

3. If the student plans to request an examination question in his/her last semester of study, it must be administered by October 31 in the fall semester or March 31 in the spring semester.

4. The date and time of the administration of the examination question will be decided by the course instructor. The question should be administered no later than Final Exam week. The method of administration will also be at the discretion of the course instructor.

5. The examination question will be graded by the course instructor using a criteria of the instructor’s choosing. If using the traditional Comprehensive Examination rating of 0 to 5 with 0 reflecting a very poor response or failure to answer and 5 an outstanding response based on the five criteria of Concept, Accuracy, Completeness, Logical Progression, and English Usage, a minimum grade of 3.5 on each of the 5 criteria is required to pass the exam. If the instructor uses another form of evaluation, a minimum grade of B is required to pass the exam.

6. The question may or may not be counted as part of the students overall grade in the course at the discretion of the instructor.

7. The student, his/her academic advisor, and the Graduate coordinator will be notified in writing of the results of each examination question within three weeks of the examination date. The Graduate coordinator will record the results of the examinations and will notify the student, and the Office of Graduate Studies, when the required three examination questions have been passed. Students completing one or more questions during the semester of anticipated graduation will receive notification of results at least three weeks prior to the graduation date.

8. A student who fails any attempt at successfully passing a comprehensive examination question may select another course in a subsequent term with a limit of five questions being attempted. If a students has failed to pass three questions after five attempts, that student must meet with his/her advisor and the Graduate coordinator to devise a course of action to address the situation.

Slippery Rock University
Department of Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Comprehensive Examination Question Request

Name: ______________________________ Date of Request: _______________________________

I am requesting to have a Comprehensive Examination Question administered in the following course:

Course Number: __________________________________

Course Name: ____________________________________________________________

Instructor: ____________________________________________________________

Semester: ____________________________________________________________

Please complete the following information:

Date of Enrollment: _____________________________________________________

Date of Expected Graduation: _____________________________________________________

Program: _____________________________________________________

Number of Questions already completed:

___ None

___ One _______ Date Course: ________________________________________

___ Two _______ Date Course: ________________________________________

Instructor Approval: ___ Yes ___ No Date Administered: __________ Passed: ___ Yes ___ No

Instructor Signature: ______________________________________________________

Advisor Approval: ___ Yes ___ No

Advisor Signature: ______________________________________________________

Graduate Coordinator Approval: ___ Yes ___ No

Graduate Coordinator Signature: ________________________________________________

Please return this form to the Graduate Coordinator