A Exam
In the Communication PhD program, the A exam consists of an independent written examination and an open oral examination by the student’s special committee. Its principle is that it is a qualifying assessment to ensure that each student is making appropriate progress toward completion of the PhD and has demonstrated sufficient proficiency in the field to move to candidate status. The exam has both a backward-looking and a forward-looking purpose, assessing expertise in material already covered while also preparing students for independent dissertation research. All A exams are different, depending on Special Committee. This document compiles general principles that members of the Communication Field use as norms.
Timing of the A Exam
By Graduate School rules, the A exam may not be taken before two semesters of registration as a doctoral student, but it must be taken before the student begins the seventh semester of registration, barring exceptional circumstances. Normally, the A exam is completed in the fall or spring semesters of the third year of the PhD program. We recommend that the student completes the oral part of the exam by mid-semester (early November or April, respectively) to allow time for alternative plans in the rare case of a failed exam with no option to retake. By special arrangement with the committee, the exam may be taken in the summer before the third or fourth year. The A exam may not be scheduled if there are any outstanding incomplete or missing grades, or if their committee is not complete.
Content of the A Exam
The A exam is a comprehensive review of the theoretical and methodological material the student has studied during their time in the program. It may also include material that is specifically relevant to the dissertation proposal.
Normally, the exam will test at least the following:
- Knowledge of theory development and methodology, including epistemology of social science;
- Knowledge of a broad range of communication theories relevant to the student’s work; and
- In-depth knowledge of the theory, research, and methods in the student’s area of specialization.
The student’s special committee will determine the specific contents of the A exam. The Field recommends that the student meets with the full committee to agree on the scope of the exam questions and the procedures to be followed. The chair of the committee will coordinate this process to ensure that the questions achieve the goals set for the A exam.
Procedures for the A Exam
In consultation with their advisor and committee, the student will set the date of the oral exam (which comes after the written exam), typically three to six months in advance. The student must formally notify the Graduate School seven calendar days in advance of the oral part of the A exam via the Schedule of Exam form and must follow all other Graduate School rules regarding A exams. It is recommended that the student initiates the schedule form at least one week in advance of the form deadline to ensure there is time for the signatures to be collected. To track signatures, the student will receive emails when someone signs off on the form and they can log into Dynamic Forms to see its progress.
The Written Exam
Together, members of the special committee usually give three or four closed- or open-book questions with a normal expectation of no more than 100 double-spaced pages of text in total. The number and type of exam questions will be decided by the committee after consultation with the student and may come in one or more of the following formats:
- dissertation proposal
- empirical research study
- grant proposal
- journal article
- literature review
- methodological exposition
- multimedia project
- policy paper
- syllabus
- synthesis of a field or subfield
- theoretical paper
Other forms are also welcome that suit the candidate’s area of research and career orientation, in negotiation with the chair and committee. The committee may also set other rules for the nature of materials and equipment the student may use in the examination.
Typically, once the deadline for the A exam is established, each committee member will give the student a question to respond to in the time allotted. The student should circulate all exam responses to all committee members at least two weeks before the oral defense; the committee may request additional time to read exam responses.
The papers for the A exam must be the student’s independent work. The student may not receive any feedback or assistance in writing papers to be submitted for the exam. In instances where the student may be perceived to be receiving assistance or feedback towards writing the papers (for example, with collaborative projects), the committee must discuss how to ensure an equitable process for all students.
In the case where the papers are (1) prepared in part for submission to an external body (granting agency, academic conference, and so on) whose deadline is prior to or within close proximity to the exam defense date, and (2) would benefit from the advisor’s input, the student will submit a draft of the paper to the committee before receiving feedback from their advisor. In the case where the question is based on a collaborative research project, the question should be phrased appropriately such that the student can write an independent response without input from collaborators.
Neither the advisor nor committee members may give the student feedback on exam responses prior to the oral exam.
The Oral Exam
Graduate School rules require that the oral part of the A exam be open to all faculty members of the Field. The oral defense may be held in person and/or on video conference. Provision should be made for field members to attend on video conference, if used. During the defense, all committee members can ask the student to clarify, expand upon, and otherwise develop each of their written papers in order to demonstrate expertise in the areas covered by the papers. The student may not bring materials to the oral exam beyond the papers themselves and should be prepared to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the materials in each paper;
- Clarify the argument of each paper;
- Situate the topic of each paper within the field of Communication and any relevant subfield or related field;
- Discuss how the papers will be useful in the preparation of the dissertation proposal.
After the open defense, the committee will meet in private to decide the outcome. This decision will then be communicated in person to the student.
Evaluating the A Exam
To pass the exam, the student must demonstrate proficiency in the material and the ability for independent thought. The committee will consider together both the written papers and the oral defense in determining their decision. In accordance with the Graduate School rules, the committee must award one of the following options in evaluating the exam:
- Pass: Upon successful completion of the A exam, the student is eligible to receive a non-thesis master’s degree. They should confer with their committee chair before the results form is processed as the chair has sole responsibility for indicating whether the student will receive a non-thesis master’s or not.
- Conditional Pass: The student may conditionally pass the exam, in which case the examining committee provides the student and the Graduate School with the conditions for passing. Once these conditions are met, the exam is passed.
- Fail With the Option to Retake: If the student fails the exam, a reexamination is allowed only with the approval of the special committee. The committee may decide to reassign the same questions or develop new questions. At least three months must pass from the time of the failed exam to the reexamination and will normally be retaken before the end of the following semester/summer.
- Fail With No Option to Retake: Fail with no option to retake: If the committee decides not to give the option of retaking the exam, the student will not be eligible to continue in the PhD program after the end of the current semester/summer.
The determination of pass or fail rests exclusively with the members of the special committee. In the case of a fail with no option to retake, in extremely unusual circumstances (such as a lack of unanimity among the members of the special committee and/or procedural irregularities) the student may petition the Grad School’s General Committee for a review. If a student petitions the General Committee for a review of the exam outcome, they are subject to the normal enrollment eligibility requirements pending a decision.
The Results of Exam form must be submitted within three days of the oral exam. The student is able to track signatures on the results form through Dynamic Forms.