Comprehensive Examination Guidelines
Note: See the Academic Calendar for the Academic Regulations of Comprehensive Requirement.
SK893 is the course code for the comprehensive examination. Students are to maintain registration in that course until all of the comprehensive examination requirements are met.
The PhD comprehensive examination is an important stepping-stone in students’ dissertation research. It provides students with the opportunity to develop deep knowledge of the theory and knowledge/research related to their area of interest, which both informs and frames their dissertation research. In many instances, the work created for the comprehensive examination becomes part of the student’s dissertation. The comprehensive examination is comprised of two parts. One part addresses the theoretical framing for the student’s dissertation and the other part is a review of the relevant literature that supports the proposed dissertation research. Together, the parts serve to assess the student’s ability to
- Integrate social work knowledge, theory and practice
- Analyze the implications of knowledge-building/research and theory for social work practice
- Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the selected interventive area.
Students complete two comprehensive papers, one addressing each part noted above. A defence of both papers/parts occurs after the second paper is completed. The two papers developed in the comprehensive examination are envisioned to become two chapters of the dissertation.
The two-paper comprehensive model was developed in 2019-2020 following a curriculum review of the PhD Program, which included consultation with students, graduates, and faculty, and a scan of other PhD programs’ curriculum and requirements. This model was created to facilitate students’ timely progression through the comprehensive examination phase and to effectively prepare them to move on to the dissertation phase.
The intention is that all students will complete the two-paper comprehensive examination model outlined here. In some extremely rare, exceptional cases, where a student’s Comprehensive Examination Committee has unanimously agreed, a student may choose to write and defend one paper (~ 70 pages) that incorporates elements of the two papers/parts (a and b) described herein. In such cases, the timeframe for writing and defending a two-paper model will apply, as will the process for submission and defence of the paper. A rationale for selecting this option is to be included in the comprehensive examination proposal.
Any deviation from the procedures and steps outlined below would require specific consideration by the PhD Admissions, Curriculum and Student Affairs Committee.
The faculty members serving on the PhD Admissions, Curriculum and Student Affairs Committee approve the composition of each Comprehensive Examination Committee (CEC). Generally, the CEC goes on to form the student’s Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC). Therefore, it is strongly advised that the membership of the CEC meet the conditions of the DAC (see Dissertation tab on left side of this webpage, as well as the regulations in the Graduate Calendar).
Usually, students work closely with their advisor when determining the membership of their CEC. All members of the CEC must have graduate faculty status and normally the committee will be comprised of at least three members and a maximum of four members, specifically:
- An advisor who is a member of the Faculty of Social Work
- One member from the Faculty of Social Work
- One member who is either from the Faculty of Social Work or from outside the Faculty of Social Work (i.e., another Laurier faculty or another university)
- Optional member: May be an academic, professional, or elder from outside the university with appropriate expertise.
Committee Proposal: After consulting with their advisor and proposed committee members, students submit the following to the Associate Dean, PhD Program, to establish their CEC:
- The names of the proposed advisor and other committee members
- A working title of the proposed comprehensive examination
- An abstract (approximately 400 words) outlining the topic, the proposed focus of each paper, key theories to be explored, and potential implications
- A brief rationale (approximately 100 words per member) for their advisor and each committee member identifying their expertise and potential contribution to the examination
- A statement about the relevance of the composition of the committee as a whole to the student’s topic
If a proposed member is not a current member of Laurier’s Graduate Faculty, their CV should be included so that they can be nominated for temporary membership of the graduate faculty. If the proposed committee members do not include a member from outside the Faculty of Social Work, the student should explain, in writing, the unusual circumstances that have guided this request.
If the PhD Admissions, Curriculum and Student Affairs Committee has questions or concerns, the student and the advisor may be invited to respond to questions via email or attend the meeting to discuss the concerns. The Associate Dean, PhD Program will advise the student and the advisor of the decision via email.
After their CEC is approved, the student develops their comprehensive examination proposal, which the advisor reviews. After their approval, it is submitted to the full CEC and a date for the CEC and student to meet and provide feedback is scheduled. This is a collaborative meeting to provide clear and meaningful input and feedback to the student. Rather than a fully revised proposal, proposed changes are usually captured in an addendum. The proposal and any addendum should be a clear road map for the student as they write – it is in a sense their contract with their CEC.
Because the comprehensive examination consists of two parts/papers, the proposal should consist of two sections addressing each of the following papers: (a) the theoretical framing for the student’s dissertation, and (b) the review of the relevant literature that supports the student’s proposed dissertation research. A brief section linking and synthesizing these two parts of the comprehensive examination is to be included in the proposal.
The proposal should be 10-15 double-spaced pages long and include the following:
- The purpose of the examination papers
- The order in which the two papers will be written
- The importance and relevance of the proposed review to social work
- Each paper’s potential contribution to the development of knowledge
- Main concepts and theoretical frameworks to be discussed
- Main areas of knowledge-building/research to be discussed
- Types of conclusions to be reached based on the analysis, including for example:
- Critical understanding of concepts or theories
- Integration of not-yet-connected bodies of literature
- Identification of research gaps
- Exploration of methodological direction for future research
- The paper’s potential contribution to the student's dissertation work
In an appendix, students are to include a proposed initial reading list of articles, chapters, books, and other materials/sources that they plan to read to develop their examination papers. The student is expected to locate other materials as they complete their examination. The proposed list is to follow APA formatting.
Each paper should be original and creative, and not merely a summary of others’ work. Each paper should demonstrate thorough knowledge and critical awareness and analysis of the content area. Generally, these papers involve analysis, that is, taking an idea apart and looking at the pieces; synthesis, that is, how the idea relates to other ideas; and evaluation, which includes critical analysis of ideas. For example, what makes sense, what does not, where might this apply and where not? What are the potential inconsistencies and comparison with other ideas? Citation of work already done in the field should be included as well as a conceptual base underlying one’s discussion.
Each paper is to be well written and well organized in a monograph of 30-35 pages, exclusive of references and any figures. One-paper examination should be approximately 70 pages in length. Each paper is to be typed, double spaced, formatted and appropriately referenced using APA guidelines.
Theory Paper: This paper should ultimately develop and outline the proposed conceptual framework for the student’s dissertation research. As such, engaging with relevant theories and frameworks, the paper involves a critical examination of relevant theoretical perspectives and/or concepts that the student wants to bring to their own approach to the substantive area and potentially to their future dissertation research. The paper will also include a discussion of how and why the chosen theories and/or concepts might be applied to their area of research. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical or analytical lens that will help frame the student’s dissertation study. In some cases, students integrate selected theories and frameworks, potentially leading to an expanded or new lens through which to understand the topic and their future dissertation research.
Literature Review Paper: This paper should ultimately help the student to understand and present the context in terms of existing knowledge/research for their substantive area and potentially their future dissertation research. The paper will provide a cogent critical analysis of the relevant research in the student’s substantive area and the identification of the scholarly conversation to which their own work will contribute. This will likely include knowledge that the student identifies as key to understanding their substantive topic as well as gaps/issues that their research will address. The review can also briefly explore the research methods useful for the student’s dissertation research, including potential research questions.
Submission of Papers and Defence: The student submits Paper 1 and Paper 2 to their advisor, who will forward them to the other members of the CEC for their assessment. The advisor will convene a meeting of the CEC and student to hold an oral defence of the two papers.
The advisor and other CEC members will read and evaluate each paper and also participate in and evaluate the oral defence of the two papers. The oral defense is an opportunity to present a summary of the examination and to discuss the work with CEC members, including responding to their questions. It is recommended that the defense start with a 15-minute presentation highlighting the main contributions of the examination.
Students need to pass both the written (i.e., Papers 1 and 2) and oral parts of the comprehensive examination to complete the requirements of SK893. The defence can last up to two hours. The subject matter covered in the oral examination will be related to the topic of each paper. The decision open to the examiners is pass or fail.
Grading: Following the defence of the comprehensive papers, the CEC must assign one of the following categories:
- Accepted
- Accepted with minor changes
- Decision deferred; major changes required
- Rejected/failed
A majority of the members of the CEC must assign either the “Accepted” or “Accepted with minor changes” category in order for the student to receive a “pass” and successfully complete the comprehensive examination requirements.
The category assigned is based on both the written (i.e., Papers 1 and 2) and oral components of the comprehensive examination. In the case where the decision of a majority of the committee is “Decision deferred; major changes required” the student must resubmit and re-defend their work (this could be one or both papers and/or the oral defense). A student who does not complete the comprehensive examination requirements after two attempts, or within three consecutive terms for full-time students or six consecutive terms for part-time students, will be required to withdraw from the PhD program.
Comprehensive Examination Proposal: Normally, a student must complete all of their coursework before registering for SK893 Comprehensive Examination. By the end of Term 4, full-time students should have their CEC approved and their comprehensive proposal submitted and approved by their CEC. Generally, part-time students should begin their comprehensive examination by Term 8. Given progression through this stage of the program can vary for part-time students, they are encouraged to meet with the Associate Dean, PhD Program, as needed, however students should aim to defend their comprehensive proposal during the same semester as they complete their final course, in order to meet progression milestones.
Papers and Defence: For full-time students, all comprehensive examination requirements, including the defense should be completed within two terms. For part-time students, all comprehensive examination requirements, including the defense should be completed within four terms. Students going beyond the timeframe for their program will need to submit a petition to the Graduate Student Appeals Committee for additional time.
Once the CEC approves the proposal, students are expected to write the papers independently. However, “independent” does not mean the student is required to write the paper in isolation; they can consult with their advisor and/or other CEC members. In fact, it is often helpful to be able to “touch base” with faculty members, consult about ideas, discuss the analytical direction of the paper, and so on. However, advisors, CEC members, and other professors, including from other faculties or universities should not read or provide feedback on any drafts of either comprehensive paper before the paper is completed and copies provided to all CEC members. Students may use the services of an editor, professional, peer or otherwise. It is expected each paper is the student's own work.