Comprehensive Review Policy
The Comprehensive Examination is an integral component of the PhD Program. Through this examination a doctoral student demonstrates the requisite breadth and depth knowledge of the discipline as well as the competencies that are necessary to continue doctoral studies by conducting original research.
Areas to be Examined
The concentration areas covered in the comprehensive exam include two selected course areas as well as Methodology Analysis. The student must identify the two concentration areas from the following list of concentration areas:
- Artificial Intelligence/Knowledge Management
- Database/Data Mining
- Decision Making Support Systems
- Human-centered Computing
- Software Engineering
The department publishes reading lists for each of these concentration areas and for the areas of Methodology Analysis and for General Information System knowledge. Students are expected to be very familiar with the articles on the two selected concentration areas and may be asked questions on the research methodology courses they have taken.
Integrative Question
Students planning to take the examination in a given semester must notify the Graduate Program Director through email by the Friday of the first week each semester. All students taking the exam are given the same integrative question. This question is intentionally broad in order to allow each student a degree of latitude in answering the question. Each student is to answer the integrative question individually; that is, examinees are not to discuss the question or possible answers among themselves or with any faculty member.
The answer to the integrative question must be original work and not
contain material previously written by the students for other assignments
(although past work can be cited).
In answering the question, each student is free to make any reasonable assumptions and should clearly state these assumptions as a prelude to the answer. While an examinee is free to ask only the Graduate Program Director for a clarification of the question, it is important to realize that understanding the question and possible approaches to answering it are part of the examination. Students must submit their answers by email to the Graduate Program Director on the required submission date.
Along with the answer to the integrative question, each examinee must also submit at the same time a dossier that includes:
- List of courses taken: students must complete all but the last two independent studies before taking the exam. Using a departmental form the student will list the five area courses and two methodology courses he/she has taken. This form must be filled out and included in the dossier;
- Self-assessment including strengths and weaknesses;
- Copies of all papers (published as well as unpublished course papers)
N.B.: Once the integrative question is released to those who are taking the examination, examinees may not withdraw from the examination. Students who do not submit their answers on the submission date receive an automatic Failure on the Comprehensive Examination.
Oral Examination
Following the submission of the answer to the integrative question, each student is given an Oral Examination. This must be taken in the same semester when the student answered the integrative question. The oral exam is approximately a two-hour closed exam. The student may bring notes, papers, and any other materials to the oral examination.
The comprehensive exam committee for each student consists of two faculty members from each of the two concentration areas selected by the student. The student is to ask faculty members from these areas to serve on the examining committee. The examinee's mentor is also one of these four committee members. The Graduate Program Director appoints the fifth committee member from members of the Graduate Committee.
The Oral Examination begins with the student giving a presentation on the answer to the integrative question. The presentation should not exceed thirty minutes. Following the presentation, the comprehensive exam committee examines the student on the answer to the integrative question, the two selected areas and methodological analysis. In addition, the student should be prepared for in-depth and detailed discussions on all the papers on the respective readings lists; that is, the general Information Systems knowledge, methodology analysis and the two selected areas reading lists. While the student should be extremely competent in understanding and discussing these papers, the student should augment these readings by appropriate additional papers. The student should also be prepared to discuss the research that was the focus of the Independent Studies courses.
The examination committee notifies the examinee within 24 hours concerning the outcome of the Comprehensive Examination. Students who fail the examination may attempt the exam a second time. Failing the examination a second time results in dismissal from the PhD program.
Comprehensive Examination Time Table
Fall Semester:
- June 1: Reading lists for the following Fall semester are announced.
- September 15: Integrative question is emailed to the examinees. (N.B. After this date the student cannot withdraw from the examination.)
- October 15: Answer to integrative question and dossier are submitted.
- November 1: Oral examinations to be scheduled after this date.
Spring Semester:
- September 1: Reading lists for the following Spring semester are announced.
- February 15: Integrative question is emailed to the examinees. (N.B. After this date the student cannot withdraw from the examination.)
- March 15: Answer to integrative question and dossier are submitted.
- April 1: Oral examinations to be scheduled after this date.