The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
of the University of Toronto
Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination Requirements
Department of Sociology & Equity Studies in Education
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The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to evaluate a student's
knowledge and skills in the substantive field of sociology in education.
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Comprehensive examinations are to be evaluated by a committee of
at least two faculty members, one of whom must be a member of the Department
of Sociology in Education.
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Students are encouraged to take, as part of their normal load in
their last year of residence, one half course focused on the substantive
area on which they will be examined.
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The candidates are free to change members of the committee up to
within one month of the time at which the examination is to be taken. Notification
of such change must be made by the candidate to the department in writing.
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The comprehensive examination may take the form of:
a. a major paper, or
b. an oral presentation, or
c. a written take-home examination, or
d. a combination of (a) and (b). The form, content and
date will be decided by the candidate and her/his committee.
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If the candidate's examination is taken as either method (a) or (d),
as in #5, the candidate shall have three weeks in which to complete the
examination. If method (c) is chosen, the candidate will have seven days
to complete the examination.
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The examination question or questions shall be based upon a definition
of the field and a bibliography to be agreed on by the candidate and her/his
supervisor in consultation with the other member(s) of the committee.
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Completion of the comprehensive examination shall be on a pass/fail
basis. A pass shall be constituted by the recommendation of the committee.
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The comprehensive examination should be taken no later than in the
last term in which the student is completing his or her residency. It is
the student's responsibility to initiate the process with her/his supervisor.
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Records of the results of the comprehensive will be filed by the
committee chairperson with the department and Graduate Studies within two
weeks.
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Comprehensive examinations must be completed before candidates form
their doctoral committee. The doctoral committee must be formed before
candidates can register for the post-residency period. If, for any reason,
the comprehensive examination cannot be completed until after the last
term of residency, Graduate Studies may, at the request of the Chair of
the Department, permit registration on a temporary basis without completion
of the requirements.
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If a candidate fails the comprehensive, he/she shall be allowed one
additional attempt to complete this requirement. This must be done within
one year of the time of the original examination.
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Appeals of this process are handled according to the Institute-wide
procedure currently in place (see BISE/UT Bulletin).
Passed at the Departmental Assembly of January 24th, 1990.
DES/A.P.