Competency Examination and Thesis Requirements
Graduate Program Links
Prior to accumulating 15 hours of coursework in the program, students must select a major professor from among the department’s graduate faculty. This choice should be carefully made based upon considerations of shared interests and the expertise of the professor. After consulting with the major professor, students are required to indicate whether they are going to complete either the comprehensive exam or thesis requirement. Students must indicate their choice of a major professor, as well as the choice between a comprehensive exam and thesis, by completing the Comprehensive Exam/Thesis Designation Form available in the departmental graduate office.
Policies of the EKU Graduate School-Comprehensive Exams
Comprehensive examinations are scheduled after application for a degree has been filed and evidence exists indicating that the student should complete all degree requirements. Comprehensive examinations are not to be given prior to admission to candidacy, or while the student’s overall or program graduate grade point average is below 3.0.
Committee chairs must file the Schedule of Oral/Comprehensive Examination in the Graduate School office with copies to the student and committee members at least two weeks prior to the comprehensive examination. Committee chairs shall certify the results of the completion of the comprehensive examination to the Graduate School no later than ten days in advance of Commencement.
A review period of not less than 60 days nor more than one year is required of candidates who fail the comprehensive examination or thesis defense initially. Additional courses or thesis work may be required of a failing student. Committee changes are not normally approved between the first taking of the comprehensive examination or thesis defense and the retake. Comprehensive examinations may not be retaken more than once for the master’s or specialist’s degrees.
Exam Grade Appeals
An appeal of a failure on the comprehensive examination will follow the grade appeal process established by for the University. If a student believes the failing score assigned for a comprehensive examination is unjustified, the student should consult with the chair of his or her graduate committee (in lieu of a course instructor) seeking a satisfactory explanation. If after doing so, the student still believes the failing score is unjustified, the student may appeal the grade in writing within 30 days to the department chair or graduate program coordinator as appropriate. Please also refer to the section on Grade Appeals in the graduate catalog and to the University Handbook for Students for complete policy concerning grade appeals.
Thesis
- Students selecting the thesis option in consultation with the major professor will work with that professor to frame a thesis topic and develop a research plan.
- The student is required to consult with the major professor to identify two additional members of EKU’s graduate faculty to serve on the thesis committee. Though not required, the major professor will normally chair the committee, and at least one of the two other members shall be from the department’s graduate faculty. (It is a policy of the EKU Graduate School that a faculty member without full graduate faculty status may not chair a thesis.) The committee should be formed as soon as possible once a topic has been selected.
- Research and writing on the thesis shall progress in a manner directed by the committee chair, in consultation with the other members and the student, and in accord with EKU Graduate School policies. The committee will usually hold an initial meeting to consider a project proposal. The committee may meet as needed to the point of the oral thesis defense.
- Upon approval of the thesis committee chair, the oral defense will be scheduled through the department’s graduate program office and in accord with the timelines of the EKU Graduate School.
- Subsequent to the defense, students are responsible for making revisions as indicated by members of the committee to the satisfaction of the committee chair and for submitting the thesis to the EKU Graduate School according to established procedures and timelines. Normally, theses must be submitted to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to summer commencement and three weeks prior to the end of the fall and spring semesters.
- The thesis will be graded as S (satisfactory/passing) or U (unsatisfactory/failure). The oral defense will be evaluated as pass/fail. Both the thesis and oral defense grades will reflect a simple majority of the thesis committee.
