PhD comprehensive exam in a Quebec university context

experience and advice

Abstract

The comprehensive exam is a key assessment in most Canadian doctoral (Ph.D.) programs. For some students, it turns out to be an anxiety-provoking ordeal included in the rite of passage for the doctorate, a university degree certifying the ability to contribute, through high-level scientific research, to a given field. The format of the comprehensive exam and its nomenclature differ from one program to another. The process and the expectations associated with it often remain unclear for students or supervisors, which is reflected in the scientific literature by a gap in knowledge about it. In this article, we have tried 1) to deepen knowledge about the comprehensive exam, 2) to describe the experience of doctoral students, 3) to identify practical advices to promote student success in the comprehensive exam. The comments of twelve doctoral students from the Faculty of Education of the University of Sherbrooke, collected through semi-structured interviews, reveal that the experience is proving to be positive. In addition, the categorization and content analysis of the student’s stories also highlight the importance of the entourage, breaks, bereavement and flexibility to promote the success of the exam.