Policy on Specialization Qualifying Exam

January 2010

SQE and Issues Seminar Request Form

SQE Topic Approval Form

Request Form for Approving a Specialization Course Outside of HED Course Offerings

The Specialization Qualifying Exam (SQE) is an academic milestone for doctoral students. Students show mastery and synthesis of higher education research literature to pass the exam. In addition, the SQE demonstrates mastery of writing and APA style in preparation for the dissertation. Because the SQE is based on cumulative knowledge, it is taken at the end of the coursework. 

EDA 391F

To help prepare students for the SQE, they must take EDA 391F, the capstone course which also includes an oral examination on a higher education topic. However, a passing grade on the course does not ensure approval of the SQE.  When the professor signs off on the SQE course paper, a “no-consultation period” begins where the work on the SQE is solely that of the student, who may not consult with anyone on the content, writing, or style.  To consult during this period is a violation of UT’s academic integrity code.

In extenuating circumstances, if the student cannot take the course, a request for a waiver must be submitted in writing to the director of the higher education doctoral program; the student will be waived from EDA 391F but must still write the paper and take the oral examination as a directed study. 

Students may only take EDA 391F once. If they do not complete the course within the time period specified by the university, the “Incomplete” grade will become a permanent “F.” Further, the faculty will review the progress of individual students who fail to complete the work for EDA 391F to determine students who will be dismissed from the program. 

SQE Examination Paper

A specialization paper must be submitted six weeks before the departmental deadline for the submission of advancement papers for that semester. There will be no exceptions to this deadline. Further, reading and scoring the exam may, on occasion, require longer than six weeks.  Four copies of the exam must be submitted, and the student’s name cannot be listed, nor can the student refer to herself or himself by name in the paper, i.e., the authorship of the paper must be completely anonymous. The four copies and the appropriate form must be submitted to the Administrative Assistant for the Higher Education program.

The specialization exam should be a paper that is of a quality that could be submitted to a competitive higher education journal (acceptance rate of 33% or less, such as the Journal of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, Research in Higher Education or Review of Higher Education).  The specialization paper is an integrated and critical literature review for the student’s dissertation which must stand on its own.  That is, the paper will have a distinct structure, with an introduction, body and summary/conclusion.  It will also include a proposed conceptual framework based on the literature review.  The paper should be 25-30 pages in length, including the reference list.

The current edition of the APA style manual must be used in all relevant aspects of the paper, including margins, font size, references and citation formats. The paper should be double spaced; the references list may be single spaced but double spaced between entries. Papers not written in APA style will be returned to the student for correction.  Style mistakes will result in a deduction on the student’s score on the SQE.

1. The following elements of the paper are graded:

Content:  (50%)
a) appropriate coverage;
b) use of an appropriate research literature;
c) thorough, appropriate, and skillful use of relevant literature;
d) salience to the field of the focus of the paper, and
e) presentation of a conceptual framework.

Quality of thought:   (25%)
a) clear presentation of a good argument;
b) evidence of analytical skills;
c) when appropriate, considers more than one perspective; and,
d) evidence of thoughtfulness and insight.

Quality of writing: (25%)
a) good syntax and grammar;
b) precision and clarity;
c) good logic, flows well, and well and clearly organized;
d) minimal use of clichés and jargon; and
e) use of APA style (style mistakes may result in a deduction of up to 15%)

2. The following grading scale is used for the SQE:

High pass – student exceeds expectations for doctoral student work (this score may be noted on the student’s vita).

Pass – student meets expectations for doctoral student work.

Low pass – student minimally meets expectations for doctoral student work and may be required to re-write portions of the exam and take additional preparation in writing.

Fail – student does not meet the expectations for doctoral work and must re-write the entire exam; student may be required to receive additional preparation in writing. A student who fails may only repeat the SQE once; a second failure results in a dismissal from the Higher Education doctoral program.

            When the specialization paper is submitted, it will be randomly distributed to faculty members for grading.  Two faculty members will grade each paper.  If one faculty member indicates that the paper is a “fail,” the paper will be given to a third faculty grader.  If two of the three determine that the paper is a “fail,” the paper will be considered to have failed.  Alternately, if both of the original two graders determine the paper to be a “fail,” the paper will be considered to have failed.  Comments on why the paper was assigned a failing grade will be provided to the student.

• If the student fails the specialization exam, then he or she must consult the program head and academic advisor who will map out a course of remediation and re-writing.
• If the student’s specialization paper fails a second time, he or she will be dismissed from the Higher Education doctoral program.

Advancement to Candidacy for the Doctorate in Educational Administration requires approval by the Educational Administration Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate School that the following requirements have been satisfied:

• Completion of an approved course of study (the "program of work").
• Nomination of a Dissertation Committee (a description of the structure of dissertation committees is available from the Graduate Coordinator).
• Approval by the Dissertation Committee of a dissertation proposal containing a Statement of the Problem, Literature Review, Research Design, etc. (This is often referred to as the "first three chapters").
• A score of Pass or High Pass on the Departmental Comprehensive Examination.
• A score of Pass or High Pass on Specialization Qualifying Examination.