Specialization Area Exam

Specialization Area Exam

The Specialization Area Exam (SAE) develops the student's primary area of specialization in preparation for the dissertation and normally overlaps with work on the dissertation. The Specialization Area Exam involves individualized, directed study of the literary, cultural and theoretical contexts related to the dissertation topic and thus provides the student with the research and pedagogical contexts to undertake the dissertation. It is related to the CAE insofar as the former serves to acquaint the student with the greater field he or she has chosen to study, while the SAE focuses narrowly and in depth upon a particular area within that greater field.

The following comprises the steps undertaken by the student in completing the SAE.

• By December 1 of the fourth term of registration, the student submits a reading list to the SAE committee for approval.
• The reading list—comprising journal articles, book chapters, books, and/or other relevant texts such as films—will involve 300-350 hours of reading and/or viewing time, or 50-58 “text units”; the construction of this list will be self-directed in consultation with the examining committee.
• After receiving feedback from their committee, no later than the first day of winter term, students submit a revised and final Reading List by January 15 in the fifth term.
• If the final version of the list is approved, the student completes a 20 to 30 page literature review based on the reading list with the goal being to produce a substantial part of the introductory chapter of their dissertation. The student submits this literature review as well as a draft of their dissertation proposal by May 15.
• The draft proposal is approximately 6-8 pages long and is accompanied by a Works Cited in MLA Style.
• The student then completes an oral exam (two to three hours long) by June 1, which is devoted to questions about the chapter, reading list, and the dissertation proposal. Evaluation consists of 60% for written exam; 40% for oral exam.
• The final dissertation proposal must be submitted for approval by June 30.

SAE Oral Qualifying Candidacy Examination

The examination is scheduled for a two-hour duration.

The oral examination constitutes the student's qualifying candidacy examination. The committee for the oral examination is constituted by the three members of the SAE committee. The examination committee determines the grades for the written portion of the SAE, and for the oral examination.

The examination is chaired by the graduate coordinator, or designate; if the coordinator is a member of the examining committee, then he or she will invite another member of the graduate faculty to chair the examination.

Before the examination begins, the chair of the examination reviews the procedures regulating the examination, as follows:

• The examination begins with the student’s 10-minute summary of the specialized field of study, demonstrating the candidate’s understanding of the reading list and field, contextualized in relation to the dissertation topic. The student may bring in notes or a written statement for the summary, but these aids are not permitted for the oral defence;
• The committee member who is most at arm's length from the candidate's project begins the questioning, to be followed by the second reader and, finally, the student's advisor;
• Each examiner is allotted 15 minutes for questioning. Examiners may choose to conduct a second round of questioning in which they are allotted five minutes to question the student;
• Examiners may ask questions pertaining to the student's SAE reading list, and its relation to the dissertation topic, as well as about the written portion of the exam;
• Following the examination, the student will leave the room while the examination committee determines the grades for the written paper and the oral exam. The chair of the examination does not participate in the assignment of grades;
• The student may be awarded one of two grades, pass or fail, and is asked to note that the oral portion of the exam is weighed more heavily than the written portion. Students who fail will be granted one more attempt to complete both portions of the SAE, within a four-month period, before the end of the next marking period.
• Following the committee's deliberation, the chair of the examination informs the student as to whether she/he has passed or failed the examination.

Within one week of the oral qualifying examination, the SAE supervisor writes a two-page report, based upon the findings of the full examining committee, each member of which co-signs the report. The report will comment on the written and oral parts of the exam, and will include any suggestions the committee might have for the student’s final dissertation proposal.

The advisor submits the report to the graduate coordinator, with a copy to the student.

If a student should fail the Specialization Area Examination, the student is allowed one chance to rewrite it by August 15.

Upon satisfactory completion of the oral qualifying examination, the student is deemed to have met the PhD program standards and becomes a candidate for the PhD degree, and proceeds to complete the dissertation proposal.