Written prelim examination
The written specialty prelim within psychological foundations is
intended to be a comprehensive written examination in which students
demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a program area
(learning and cognition/educational technology, personality,
research methodology, human development in education or social
psychology/human relations). All doctoral students are required to
pass a written examination in their major field. The written
specialty examination covers all work completed in the major field
and may include any work fundamental to this field. This study guide
is provided to orient students to the structure and setting of the
written preliminary exam, to provide an overview to the type of
questions to expect on the written prelim, and to provide a
framework for structuring their preparation. The study is organized
by program area. Students should direct any questions about the
material in this document to their adviser. Written prelims are only
administered in the fall and spring terms and not during the summer.
In order to take the written prelim the student must have (a)
submitted their degree program form, EPsy examining consent form,
and EPsy general prelim registration form to the director of
graduate studies, and (b) satisfactorily completed the required
coursework listed on their degree program (including completing
incomplete grades). Students must have an active status in the
Graduate School to be eligible for the exam.
Students have two opportunities to pass the written specialty
exam. It is the student’s responsibility to produce a legible
document. If a student should fail the written exam on the first
try, the student will work with the adviser to prepare for re-taking
the exam and to determine the term that it will be re-taken. The
entire exam must be re-taken on a regularly scheduled examination
date (prelim examination dates are available in 250 Education
Sciences Building). The
student will inform the secretary in 250 Education Sciences Building of the intent to
retake the prelim by the appropriate deadline date. If the student
fails the exam a second time, the student’s study in the
psychological foundations of education/QME program is terminated.
If a scheduled prelim is missed and not taken as scheduled, the
student must petition the adviser or prelim committee for permission
to take the prelim the subsequent scheduled date. Petitions will be
reviewed on an individual basis. Typically, petitions are accepted
only from those students facing extraordinary circumstances. If a
petition is denied, the missed prelim will be recorded as a fail.
The Graduate School preliminary written examination report form
will not be approved by the director of graduate studies (DGS) until
1) the two research methods courses have been taken, 2) the
pre-dissertation research project has been completed, and 3) the
written specialty prelim has been passed. The checklist for the EPsy
‘written examination’ requirement is attached to the preliminary
written examination report form, available in 250 Education Sciences
Building.
Submit forms to the DGS by bringing them to the DGS assistant in 250
Education Sciences Building.
Forms are available at
www.cehd.umn.edu/EdPsych/forms/
Prelim dates and registration
deadlines
Revised September 2003
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