Examinations

All graduate students must pass a final comprehensive examination which consists of an oral and/or a written examination on all work, residence and transferred, offered for the degree. These examinations shall be held during the semester in which the student expects to receive the degree, at least three weeks prior to the end of that semester. During the semester a graduate student takes (repeats) his/her comprehensive exam, he/she must be enrolled in a graduate class at UT Martin or pay a fee equal to one credit hour (in-state rate). The final examination for students will be conducted by a committee chaired by the graduate student's major professor. The committee will include a faculty member from the student's minor area if he/she has one. Any members of the university faculty and graduate students may attend an oral final examination.

All students in Agriculture are required to take a final written examination which is comprehensive in nature. The student should consult his/her advisor at the beginning of the semester in which he/she expects to graduate in order to establish the final examination committee.

A Family and Consumer Sciences student who chooses the non-thesis option will write a narrative comprehensive exam covering major areas studied. Questions will be submitted by all members of the graduate committee. A final oral examination may be required by the graduate committee.

Business students are required to take written comprehensive examinations which are an integral part of Management 790. Students earning a grade of at least a "B" in the course have represented successful completion of a comprehensive exam. Students not earning at least a "B" will be required to take a comprehensive exam following the existing catalog guidelines regarding repeating the comprehensive examination. Students must take Management 790 in their last semester and must contact the Coordinator of Graduate Programs in Business relative to scheduling.

All students in Education are required to take a final written examination which is comprehensive in nature. The student should consult his/her advisor at the beginning of the semester in which he/she expects to graduate in order to establish the final examination committee.
All graduate committees formed for students using a content minor outside the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences will include a faculty member from the appropriate academic unit who teaches in the content area.

All requests for a change in the examination committee must be approved by the student's advisor, the appropriate graduate program coordinator, the chairperson and/or dean, and the dean of graduate studies.

In the event that a student fails his/her comprehensive examination, these guidelines apply:

1. The examination may be repeated within a period not to exceed one full semester from the date of the original examination only when it is the consensus of the examination committee that the student has a reasonable chance of mastering the necessary material.
2. The members of the original examination committee shall constitute the committee for the second examination, except for unusual circumstances approved by the appropriate graduate coordinator, the department chairperson, the dean of the college, and the dean of graduate studies.
3. The second examination cannot be given within one month of the first examination and will be scheduled by the chair of the committee.
4. The committee shall require the student to do such additional work as it deems necessary.
5. If a student fails the second examination, the chair will notify the student if he/she will be required to take additional courses and/or to complete additional examinations recommended by the committee before being permitted to have a third, and final, examination.

A copy of the required work in preparation for a third examination is to be sent to the graduate program coordinator, the department chair and/or the dean of the college, and the dean of graduate studies. In no case, shall a third examination be given until a complete semester has passed since the semester that the second examination was failed. Failure to achieve a minimum grade of "B" in each course required by the examination committee will disqualify a student from a third examination. Failure to pass the third examination will disqualify a student from receiving a master's degree for the coursework taken. This does not exclude a student from beginning a new degree program at this institution, but any coursework toward the first unsuccessful degree program may not be applied toward a new one.

Webmaster