Qualifying Review and Exam

The purpose of the qualifying review is for students to demonstrate research aptitude and readiness to continue in doctoral work. You are expected to take the qualifying review near the end of your second semester in the Doctoral program. There are three parts to the review: a portfolio, a written critique of a research report, and an assessment by the faculty. To prepare for the qualifying review, you will meet with your temporary advisor to plan the preparation of a portfolio which your advisor will review and you will submit to the exam supervisor on the day of the article critique exam. The portfolio must include the following components:

• Vita: A complete resume of post-secondary education, employment history and professional activities
  
• Written self-assessment of progress in the program so far.
  
• Proposed program of study: A complete list of courses that have been expected to be taken for the doctorate degree. For courses already taken, list the semester, instructor, and grade received. Note that this document is a working draft, not a binding list.
  
• Written justification for intended program of study, including rationale for focus area and minor.

The article critique exam tests your knowledge and skills in research methods (e.g. EDF5481) and inferential statistics (e.g., EDF5401 or equivalent). This four-hour exam is closed-book and requires you to produce a critical review of a research article according to standard review criteria . No Internet access will be available during the exam, but you are permitted to bring a dictionary. You will receive guidance for preparing for this exam in the doctoral colloquium. The procedure for the exam is that a three-member faculty committee will select an article to be critiqued, monitor the exam, assess the results, and present their recommendations (qualified, not-yet-qualified, or not qualified) to the program faculty.

During a faculty meeting, the faculty will review and discuss whether each student under review: a) is making sufficient progress given the time within the program; b) exhibits professional commitment and attitude (e.g. maturity, responsibility, receptiveness to supervision, interpersonal effectiveness); and c) exhibits acceptable skills in research and skills in writing. Your temporary advisor will discuss the outcome of the qualifying review with you. The possible outcomes are “qualified,” “not yet qualified,” or “not qualified.” If a student receives a “not yet qualified,” another review will be conducted in the following semester, the nature of which will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A “not qualified” outcome constitutes a failure and the student will not be allowed to continue in the doctoral program. The program representative will send the names of those students who are qualified and not qualified to the records office of the college.