Comprehensive and Qualifying Exams
You will need to complete a comprehensive exam if you are completing a master’s degree.
Master of Education (M.Ed.) Program
You are require to take the comprehensive exam during your last semester of course work. You must receive a satisfactory grade on each of the two sections to pass the exam and be eligible for degree conferral:
- Section One consists of multiple-choice questions that address the major core courses. This section is deigned to test your understanding of concepts in the field of study.
- Section Two is designed to assess higher-order thinking skills. The section is comprised of a comprehensive essay to be scored blindly by your three committee members.
How to Apply
Before you may take the exam, you must:
The comprehensive examination for the M.Ed. degree is administered three times a year. Please submit the application by the deadline for the applicable semester:
| Semester | Application Deadline | Test Date |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March 1 | Second Saturday in April |
| Summer | June 5 | Second Saturday in July |
| Fall | October 1 | Second Saturday in November |
No examination will be administered other than on a regularly scheduled administration date without permission from the graduate advisor, the Department Head, and the Graduate Dean.
Grading Procedure
The multiple choice questions are machine scored; a student is expected to satisfactorily answer a specific number of questions. A student must receive a minimum score of ‘3’ on the essay question in order to pass the essay portion of the exam. Oral examinations may be require of any candidate with a marginal performance on Section Two of the exam. If a test submission contains major grammar and/or composition errors, the student may be asked to repeat the examination.
| Score | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| 4 | Exceptional response Well above expectations |
| 3 | Average response Consistent with expectations |
| 2 | Weak response Below expectations Failing performance |
| 1 | Inadequate response Failing performance |
| 0 | Response did not address the require task Failing performance |