The Graduate School - Policies and Procedures
Doctoral Examinations
Doctoral Qualifying Examination
To test the student’s preparedness, a qualifying examination may be administered by the major department. The student usually takes the examination during the first year of attendance.
Doctoral Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination is the major academic examination during doctoral study that assures that the student has attained sufficient mastery of their Program of Study, including sufficient knowledge of pertinent literature, academic background, training and ability to conduct research.
Written and oral comprehensive requirement
The comprehensive examination must be both written and oral. The comprehensive examination will be assessed by the committee formally approved as the student’s Graduate Committee by The Graduate School.
Minimum registration to take the comprehensive examination
A student must be registered for a minimum of three (3) credits at Montana State University during the term in which an examination or defense is taken.
If a student wishes to sit for the comprehensive exam during the intersession (i.e. , the time between semesters), the student must be registered for a minimum of three (3) credits the term prior to the intersession or the term immediately following the intersession.
When to take the comprehensive examination
Two-thirds (2/3) of the course work required for a degree must be completed prior to sitting for the comprehensive exam.
In certain instances, the graduate committee and department head may decide that the written and oral sections of the examination should be held on separate occasions.
The last day to take the comprehensive examination or defend a thesis if you plan to graduate during the same semester is on or before the fourteenth (14th) business day prior to the end of the semester.
Reporting the results of the comprehensive examination
The Committee and department head are responsible for submitting written notice of the results of the comprehensive examination to the student and to The Graduate School no later than one (1) week after the examination is held or after each section is administered. If the written and oral sections are given at separate times, the results of each section must be reported in writing to the student and to The Graduate School no later than one (1) week after each section is completed by the student.
Acceptable age of the comprehensive examination
The maximum time allowed between the comprehensive examination for the Ph.D. or Ed.D. and degree completion is five (5) years.
Failed examination
If the student fails the examination, at least six (6) months must elapse before the examination may be repeated. Failure to pass a second examination will result in termination of doctoral work and dismissal from the academic program. Students who are dismissed from the program are ineligible to reapply to the same degree program at any time.
Invalid examination
Written examinations not made available to the Graduate Representative or oral examinations held in the absence of the Graduate Representative and Chair(s) will be invalidated and must be rescheduled. The Graduate Representative must be included in the process as an impartial observer to ensure the examination is fair for the student, comprehensive in nature (e.g. , includes both breadth and depth), and that it is conducted within the guidelines set by the university.
Video conferencing during comprehensive exam
The Graduate School allows for students to video conference with committee members using the following requirements:
- Must be a two-way video
- Conference process is initiated and completed by the student and/or department
- All costs incurred are the responsibility of the department and/or student
- If communication is broken during the examination and cannot be retrieved, the examination must be terminated and rescheduled to a later time/date
- In the case of the student not being present with any other committee members, an approved proctor must be present at student’s location throughout the entire examination
All committee members approved by The Graduate School must be present at the comprehensive examination. Last minute committee changes based on scheduling conflicts must be approved by The Graduate School. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all committee members are available when scheduling an exam.
Defense of Dissertation
A defense covering the dissertation must be taken by all doctoral candidates. The defense usually consists of a public presentation and an oral examination of the candidate’s research focus and background.
Notification of the defense date
Each member of the examining committee must be given a minimum of one (1) week’s notification before the student's final examination to read the draft of the dissertation. The dissertation defense will be arranged by the major professor and the graduate student, and is given before the final draft of the dissertation is completed. The defense is an oral examination only. Examinations in which any committee member has had insufficient time to prepare should not take place and may need to be rescheduled. The committee chair should discourage a student from defending if the chair (or the committee) feels the student is not adequately prepared.
Registration during the semester of the defense
A student must be registered for a minimum of three (3) credits at MSU during the term in which the defense is held.
Defense of dissertation deadlines
If a student wishes to hold their defense the semester of graduation, the defense must be held and passed at least fourteen (14) working days before the end of the term of graduation.
The “open” and “closed” defense
A portion of the defense must be open to the public. This is usually a presentation of the student’s research. Following the open portion of the defense, the committee chair will excuse all attendees other than committee members from the room. This begins the closed portion of the defense in which the student’s knowledge of the subject matter will be assessed by the committee.
Advertising the dissertation defense
The student and the academic department are responsible for supplying the following information for publication in The Graduate School “News and Announcements” on The Graduate School website:
a) the name of the candidate,
b) title of the doctoral dissertation,
c) time and place of defense, and
d) the place where a copy of the dissertation may be obtained for inspection.
The defense date must be advertised at least one (1) week prior to the actual defense date.
Reporting the defense results
The Dissertation Defense report must be submitted to The Graduate School no later than one (1) week after the defense is held. Failure to submit the report of the defense may invalidate the examination.
Failed defense of dissertation
If the student fails the defense, at least two (2) months must elapse before the examination is repeated. Failure to pass a second examination will result in termination of doctoral work and dismissal from the academic program. Students who are dismissed from the program are ineligible to reapply to the same degree program at any future time.
Invalid defense of dissertation
An examination held in the absence of the Chair(s) and/or the Graduate Representative will be considered invalid and must be rescheduled. The Graduate Representative must be included in the process as an impartial observer to ensure the examination is fair for the student, comprehensive in nature (includes both breadth and depth), and that it is conducted within the guidelines set by the University.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all Committee members are available when scheduling an exam. All committee members approved by The Graduate School must be present at the defense of dissertation. Last minute committee changes based on scheduling conflicts must be approved by The Graduate School.
Video conferencing during defense of dissertation
The Graduate School allows for students to video conference with committee members using the following requirements:
- Must be a two-way video
- Conference process is initiated and completed by the student and/or department
- All costs incurred are the responsibility of the department and/or student
- If communication is broken during the examination and cannot be retrieved, the examination must be terminated and rescheduled to a later time/date
- In the case of the student not being present with any other committee members, an approved proctor must be present at student’s location throughout the entire examination
