Doctoral students become formal candidates for the
degree only after successful completion of the comprehensive examination
and defense of the dissertation prospectus. The application for
admission to candidacy for the degree is to be obtained by the student
from the Graduate School–Newark office (Hill Hall, Fourth Floor) and
submitted to the director of the Ph.D. program at the time of completion
of exams and the prospectus. The completed form should be filed with
the Graduate School office.
The comprehensive examinations in
public administration are in three parts (theoretical core, field,
research design), each of which may be taken only upon completion of all
required coursework in the relevant area of examination. Comprehensive
examination I is given in January and June of each year. Comprehensive
examination II may be taken at any time after successful completion of
comprehensive examination I and successful completion of all field
courses. Comprehensive examination III may be taken at any time after
successful completion of comprehensive examinations I and II. The
program recommends that students who complete all of their coursework on
a full-time basis sit for part(s) of the examination at the conclusion
of the spring semester of their second year, and complete all parts of
the examination as early as possible in the fall semester of their third
year; all students (including those who have enrolled on a part-time
basis for some semesters) should plan to complete the examination
process by the end of their third year.
- Theoretical
Core. A one-day, in-class, closed-book, written examination consisting
of two three-hour answers. Each option will be based upon courses in the
sequence.
- Field. A 48-hour take-home examination based upon courses
in a specified field.
- Research Design. The student will have one
week to complete this part of the examination, which is development of a
research design on a particular subtopic. This examination may be taken
at any time subsequent to successful completion of comprehensive examinations I
and II.
Comprehensive examinations I and II will be
graded on an anonymous basis (i.e., a student will be identified by a
code number, not by name) by faculty members who taught core courses and
by a faculty member assigned by the director of the Ph.D. program. If
one faculty member evaluates the exam as a pass, and the other as a
failure, a third faculty member will be assigned to grade that exam and
the majority opinion shall prevail. If both faculty members evaluate the
exam as a failure, the student must repeat the exam for that question
at the next regularly scheduled date. In preparation for the
examination, sample questions will be available. Students should provide
notice of intent to take examinations as early as possible.
Each
question will be graded as high pass, pass, or fail. A passing grade on
the comprehensive examination requires a passing grade in all sections:
high pass or pass. Students shall be informed of the outcome of each
part of the examination within four weeks of completing that part. Each
student who takes the examination is counseled by the Ph.D. program
director once the grading process is complete for each section. A
student may retake a section once subsequent to a failure. If a student
fails a section two times, the student will be asked to leave the
program, but may appeal that decision to the program's executive
committee.
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