The Comprehensive Evaluation is a tool to assess a student once the majority of the required coursework is completed. Prior to Admission to Candidacy, each student must demonstrate:
- Ability to synthesize knowledge from the coursework in the doctoral program
- Recognition and connection of major ideas and issues as a basis for a scholarly agenda
- The ability to evaluate, generalize, and apply theories as they relate to critical educational issues
- Inquiry skills and background knowledge required to proceed with the dissertation
- Effectiveness in analyzing educational issues, developing recommendations for policy and/or action, presenting those recommendations, and persuading others of their worth.
To accomplish this, in consultation with the program committee, the student will design a rigorous, reasonable, and professionally credible evaluation that includes both written and oral components. There are three typical evaluations.
- First, a student can choose to write a scholarly response to five questions derived from classes aligning with CACREP core areas for doctoral education. The student will have a designated time to respond to these questions and then orally defend them.
- Second, a student can choose to write a review of literature suitable for publication, in consultation with his or her program committee.
- Third, a student may conduct a pilot study, which includes a statement of the problem addressed by the study, a brief review of the literature, a description of the methods to be used in the study, the results of the study, and conclusions.
The Comprehensive Evaluation should:
- Contribute positively to and reflect the student’s development as a scholarly practitioner
- Involve the student in activities that require synthesis, evaluation, generalization, and application of knowledge and experience
- Engage the student in research and writing activities similar to those that will be required by the dissertation
- Include questions the student is asked to answer without notes or reference materials
- Include an oral segment that will be open to the public and require the student to present and defend a position on critical educational issues, engage the student in thoughtful discussion of those issues, and assess the student’s ability to present ideas and proposals, and persuade others of the worth of key recommendations
The student must set a timeline for completion of the written work (not to exceed 90 days) and establish a mutually convenient date with his/her committee for the oral presentation and defense.
Upon approval of the written comprehensive evaluation, the student will proceed with preparation for the oral defense. Students need to submit the online announcement form: docs.google.com/a/boisestate.edu/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlqPmiDTKrP8462HN6EnjKCkH-8TaBI9eLToCjR2F0lx21zQ/viewform at least two weeks in advance of the oral defense; earlier if the information is available. The program coordinator will then notify the graduate faculty and students in the Ph.D. program of the time, date, and location of the oral evaluation. At the conclusion of the comprehensive evaluation, the committee meets to review the student’s written and oral performance and makes one of three recommendations:
- Proceed to dissertation (agreeing that the student has successfully met all requirements)
- Take additional coursework or independent study (believing there are areas of concern in the candidate’s performance)
- Be withdrawn from the program (believing that the student’s performance makes successful completion of the doctoral program unlikely).
Admission to Candidacy
When the admission to candidacy requirements (coursework and comprehensive evaluation) have been successfully completed, the student must file the Admission to Candidacy Form with the Graduate College. The Admission to Candidacy form can be found on the Graduate College website.
Admission to Candidacy is granted once a student successfully completes the required course work and passes a comprehensive evaluation.