Exams, Thesis & Proposal

The comprehensive exam in the LIS doctoral program consists of the preparation and development of written essay(s) and other approved works as described below. The student may select, in consultation with their Academic Advisor(s), either of the following two options:

• A complete first draft of their dissertation proposal (30-40 pages), OR
  
  
• Both of the following:
  • A scholarly paper, 15-20 pages, on a topic selected in consultation with their Academic Advisor(s), that is related to the proposed area of inquiry for the dissertation; AND
  • A flexible format work, devised in consultation with the Academic Advisor(s), that may be one of the following:
    • Scholarly paper, 15-20 pages;
    • Course syllabus with accompanying rationale;
    • Research creation project;
    • Grant/Scholarship application;
    • White Paper

The Qualifying Examination is normally prepared and written during the final term of the student’s required course work and the term following (for full-time students, summer term of first year and fall term of second year). The precise timeline is set by the student’s Academic Advisor(s) and shall consist of, at a minimum, 12 weeks of preparation time after the completion of the required course work. For full-time students, the work(s) will normally be due by the first Friday of November of the second year of the program.

After consultation with their Academic Advisor(s), and no later than the first of April of their first year, students will declare in writing to the Graduate Chair their choice of exam option 1 or 2.

The Graduate Chair and the student’s Academic Advisor shall identify three faculty members with expertise relevant to the student's proposed topic(s) to serve as the Examination Committee. One faculty member will be appointed as Chair of the Examination Committee.

In consultation with the committee, the student will prepare and distribute a brief description of the proposed work to the Examination Committee. The description shall include a bibliography of at least 40 article-length works or equivalent. The Examination Committee and student will meet to discuss the proposed work and ensure the proposal reflects the shared expectations of all parties.

At this meeting, the Examination Committee may identify additional material beyond the student’s proposed bibliography that they feel is necessary for the Qualifying Examination. Such additional reading may consist of no more than 20 article-length items or equivalent.

The Examination Committee will either approve or reject the proposal. If the proposal is rejected, the student will revise and resubmit until it is accepted. Once the proposal is accepted, the Examination Committee will set the due dates for submission and evaluation of the comprehensive exam. During the Examination period, interactions between the committee and student regarding the Qualifying Examination shall be conducted at arm’s length to preserve the integrity of the Examination process.

Consultation with peers and other faculty during the Examination period is encouraged to help the student consolidate their thinking, identify additional resources, and brainstorm. The work(s) submitted in satisfaction of the Qualifying Examination, however, must represent the student’s independent work.

The student shall e-mail their written Qualifying Examination to the Examining Committee by 4 p.m. on the agreed upon due date.

As the student writes the exam, they can communicate with and have feedback from the Examination Committee, in a way that is mutually agreeable to both the student and the committee. Once the exam has been submitted, each examiner independently assesses the exam.  
 
Within one week of the exam's submission, the Chair of the Examination Committee will set up a meeting with the student and the other committee members. Examiners will bring their comments, questions, and feedback for the students at this meeting. Within three days of this meeting, each examiner will assign a Pass, Pass with Revisions, or Adjournment grade (along with written comments) and submit this grade to the Chair of the Examination Committee. The Chair compiles the individual grades and comments. The final grade is determined by the majority.  

Within a week of receiving grades and comments from the committee members, the Chair of the Examination Committee or designate will submit an overall Pass/Pass with Revisions/Adjournment grade for the exam along with a one-page overview of the examiners' feedback to the student and to the FIMS Graduate Student Services Office. 
 
If the student has passed the written exam without revisions, a member of Graduate Student Services staff will then record the completion of this program milestone on the student's record. 

If the student has passed the written exam with revisions, the student will revise the work in light of the comments, questions and feedback and resubmit to their committee within four weeks from receipt of the initial grade. As the student works on their revisions, they can communicate with and have feedback from the Examination Committee, in a way that is mutually agreeable to both the student and the committee. Once the exam has been resubmitted, the Chair of the Examination Committee will determine if the revisions have been appropriately done or if more work is needed to pass. The student has a maximum of two months from receipt of the initial grade to complete the revisions satisfactorily; otherwise, they will receive an adjournment. Once the revisions have been satisfactorily completed, the Chair will inform Graduate Student Services staff of the completion of this milestone. 

If the student has received an adjournment for the written exam, the student will have two months from receipt of the initial grade (or two months from the due date for the revisions) to revise and resubmit the work(s). As the student works on their revisions, they can communicate with and have feedback from the Examination Committee, in a way that is mutually agreeable to both the student and the committee. Once the exam has been resubmitted, the Examination Committee will then apply the grading procedures to the revised and resubmitted work(s). The Chair of the Examination Committee (in consultation with other committee members) may also schedule a meeting with the student within one week of resubmission at their discretion. The Chair will determine if the revisions have been appropriately done. If the revisions have been satisfactorily completed, the Chair will inform Graduate Student Services staff of the completion of this milestone. However, if the written exam is failed on this attempt, the student must withdraw from the program. 

LIS PhD students who successfully complete the qualifying exam are expected to:

• critically review the scholarly literature in a LIS-related major research area to gain expertise in the domain;
• critically evaluate a range of research approaches and perspectives to identify and justify appropriate research methodologies;
• apply major paradigms, theories, models, research areas, and methods studied in the courses to new contexts;
• identify and justify appropriate research designs for particular research questions;
• effectively describe, explain, and justify research decisions in writing;
• appropriately cite authoritative sources of evidence