All students on the non-thesis tract, whether they are Sport Psychology, Exercise Physiology, or Human Performance, must take comprehensive exams. Specific information about the exams is as follows:
1. Students are eligible to take the exams following the successful completion of all coursework and are not on academic probation. Students must contact the ESS Graduate Chair in writing (email, postal mail) at least two weeks before the scheduled exam date, and not prior to four weeks, with their intention to take the exams. Only following the graduate chair's approval in writing will the student be allowed to sit for the exam.
2. Students take three exams in the following order; (a) Statistics and Research Methods, (b) Leadership, and (c) Concentration area (i.e., either sport psych, ex phys, or human performance). The concentration area test and the stats/research methods test are each three hours long, the leadership test is one hour.
3. All tests are administered on the same day and only two times per year. Students take all exams on the same day. The tests are given after Summer Session II during the first part of August, and again in December on the last day of the fall semester final exams. Specific times are announced each semester. THE 2008 SUMMER SEMESTER EXAM DATE IS FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2008. NOTE THAT GRADES FOR COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS WILL NOT BE POSTED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1, MEANING THAT OCTOBER WILL BE THE GRADUATION DATE.
4. Exams begin at 8:00 am in the ESS Conference Room, unless otherwise stipulated.
5. Test material for the concentration area is on both theory and application required courses. This generally, but not always, means the following:
Specific content area is unique to each professor, so students are encouraged to discuss topic areas and study guides with their professors.
6. Test material for Stats/Research Methods is based on those two courses. See the course instructor(s) for specific material.
7. Test material for Leadership is based on that course and applied to your concentration area. See the course instructor(s) for specific material.
8. There are no set number of questions, but for the concentration area and the Stats/Research Methods area there are typically 4-10 questions. In your answers we look for factual understanding, synthesis of material across domains, and the ability to apply the information in new areas.
9. Exams are graded pass/fail and are typically graded within one week. Students who fail one or more of the tests are usually given a second opportunity to take the failed exam(s). Students needing to take an exam again must wait until the next time the comprehensive exams are offered.
It is each student's responsibility to check with the Registrar's office to confirm that all graduation requirements have been met, and to set a graduation date. Please do this BEFORE taking the comprehensive exams!
