The University Senate of Michigan Technological University

Proposal 29-14

(Voting Units: Full Senate)

“Required Oral Examination Attempts

 

Submitter

Graduate School

 

Background/Rationale

This policy clarifies that a student can, when allowed by their graduate program, request a second attempt at an oral examination associated with a milestone required for completion of a graduate degree.

 

Proposal

Graduate students who must pass an oral examination associated with one of the milestones required for completion of a graduate degree may be allowed a second opportunity to successfully complete each of the required oral examinations if this is allowed by the student’s graduate program.

 

Recommended text

This policy applies to graduate students pursuing a degree that requires an oral examination.

Individual graduate programs may have a more restrictive policy (meaning that they may allow only a single attempt at one or more of the oral exams) but they may not have a more lenient policy.

Oral examinations can have one of the following outcomes:

·         Pass

·         Conditional pass

·         Fail

 

Students who conditionally pass an exam but fail to complete the imposed conditions within a specified period of time will normally not be given a second opportunity to take the oral exam.

A student who fails an oral exam on the first try can request an opportunity to repeat the exam one time if this is allowed by the student’s graduate program.

 

Current text

This is a new policy, so no text currently exists.

 

The remainder of this document is the policy in the University format.  See University Policy 2.1001, “Establishing and Creating University Policy and Procedures”


 

 

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Once the template is complete, electronically forward to aroth@mtu.edu.

 

Policy:(Policy number.)

-will be assigned by policy coordinator-

Title:(Name identifying the policy.)

Required Oral Examination Attempts

Effective: (The date the policy goes into effect. Ex: MM/DD/YEAR)

First day of the semester after approval

Senate Proposal: (Yes or No. Indicates whether or not the policy originated from a University Senate proposal. If yes, the policy requires Senate approval for changes to the policy.)

Yes

Responsible University Officer (Title of the University officer (provost, vice president, cfo) responsible for implementing the policy and ensuring necessary procedures and guidelines are developed.)

Dean of the Graduate School

Responsible Office(Name of University office with responsibility of implementation of the policy.)

Graduate School

Policy Statement (A well-articulated, authoritative expression of philosophy and direction. Does not change frequently.)

Graduate students who must pass an oral examination associated with one of the milestones required for completion of a graduate degree may be allowed a second opportunity to successfully complete each of the required oral examinations if this is allowed by the student’s graduate program.

Policy Requirements (Required elements for any procedures supporting the policy.)

This policy applies to graduate students pursuing a degree that requires an oral examination.

Individual graduate programs may have a more restrictive policy (meaning that they may allow only a single attempt at one or more of the oral exams) but they may not have a more lenient policy.

Oral examinations can have one of the following outcomes:

·         Pass

·         Conditional pass

·         Fail

 

Students who conditionally pass an exam but fail to complete the imposed conditions within a specified period of time will normally not be given a second opportunity to take the oral exam.

A student who fails an oral exam on the first try can request an opportunity to repeat the exam one time if this is allowed by the student’s graduate program.

Reason for Policy (Provide background information for the need and result of the policy.)

This policy clarifies that a student can, when allowed by their graduate program, request a second attempt at an oral examination associated with a milestone required for completion of a graduate degree.

Related Policy Information (Include here any supporting information for this policy.)

Degree requirements for graduate degrees, including which oral examinations are required to complete a milestone for each type of degree are listed online:

http://www.mtu.edu/gradschool/administration/academics/requirements/

Exclusions (Exclusions (groups of individuals, funding, etc.) to the policy – if none it is assumed that the policy applies across the University.)

This policy does not apply to undergraduate students or graduate students pursuing a degree that does not require oral examinations to complete a milestone.

Contact(s) (Individuals who can be contacted regarding the policy.)

             Office/Unit               Telephone Number

            Graduate School      (906) 487-2327

Definitions (Unique terms, which by being defined, add to the reader’s understanding of the policy.)

Oral examination – an oral test at the graduate level.  There are typically three oral examinations – Qualifying Examination, Research Proposal Examination, and Final Oral Examination

Required oral examination – An oral examination that is required to complete the degree.

Qualifying Examination – a test of disciplinary knowledge

Research Proposal Examination – test of capability to conduct independent research

Final Oral Examination – public defense of research

Pass – an oral exam result when a student has successfully completed the associated milestone examination.

Conditional Pass – an oral examination result when a student has not successfully completed the associated required oral examination until specific conditions are met within a specified period of time.

Fail – an oral examination result when the student has not successfully completed the associated required oral examination.

Examination committee – a group of graduate faculty formed following current Graduate School and graduate program policies to evaluate the student’s oral examination.

Responsibilities (Individual areas of responsibility followed by the function to be performed.)

Graduate Student – Must be aware of the policy. If an exam is conditionally passed, must complete the conditions required to pass the exam within the allowed timeframe in order to complete the milestone.  If an exam is failed on the first try, the student can request an opportunity to repeat the exam one time if this is allowed by the student’s graduate program.

 

Graduate Program – Must either adhere to this policy or establish a more restrictive policy that only allows a single attempt at an oral examination (if this is desired by the program).

 

Examining Committee – Must communicate in writing the results of the required oral examination to the graduate program director and graduate program assistant.  Must document in writing the conditions as well as the period of time the student has to address conditions of a conditional pass.  Must monitor the completion of conditions for a conditional pass of a required oral examination.  For a failed exam, the committee must also communicate if the student requested a second attempt, whether or not the second attempt was allowed, and the outcome of a second attempt if one was allowed.

 

Graduate Program Director and Assistant – Must monitor the results of required oral examinations by its students and communicate the results to the Graduate School and student using normal procedures.

 

Graduate School – Must monitor that the appropriate documents are on file to record the results of required oral examinations.

 


 

Procedures (List of procedures that directly support this policy.)

     In support of this policy, the following procedures are included:

 

Procedure on Required Oral Examination Attempts

Forms and Instructions (The forms and associated instructions that are used in direct support of the policy.)

      In support of this policy, the following forms/instructions are included:

 

Report on Final Oral Examination form

Report on Qualifying Examination or Research Proposal Examination form

Appendices (Any lengthy or complex reference information that would disrupt the flow of the other sections.)

-None-

Additional Information

-None-

History (Audit trail of policy adoption and revisions. Will include the adoption date followed by revision information which includes each revision date and a brief note explaining the revision. If the policy originated from a University Senate proposal, the proposal number and any amendments are listed here.)

 

Approved by Graduate Faculty Council on March 5, 2013

Adoption Date:

 

 

Introduced to Senate: 9 April 2014
Approved by Senate: 23 April 2014
Approved by Administration: 27 June 2014