Qualifying Examination Dossier Preparation
Once the learning plan is approved, the student may begin preparing the qualifying examination dossier.
The three established components of the qualifying examination dossier are intended to provide a degree of structure and scope to the qualifying examination. However, it is expected that the interdisciplinary nature of the program and the range of research problems under study will result in a broad variety of approaches to developing the examination dossier components.
The interdisciplinary scholarship component and research into action components may be designed around questions, problems, or tasks that are negotiated between the candidate and the supervisory committee, while the dissertation proposal can be developed in accordance with the guidelines appended to this document.
Over time, a library of sample qualifying examination dossiers will be curated by the IDSR program office for students and faculty to consult as exemplars.
Qualifying Examination Dossier Oral Examination
The qualifying examination dossier will be assessed by an examining committee in a formal oral examination. The examination will follow the procedure described in the graduate academic calendar for doctoral dissertation examinations, save that the examining committee composition will be as follows:
Three or more members of the supervisory committee;
The graduate director (or delegate) as chair.
Every effort will be made to schedule the oral examination within 4 weeks of the date on which the supervisory committee approves the qualifying examination dossier for oral examination.
The oral examination will consist of a brief (15-20 minute) presentation by the student, followed by questions from the examining committee. Generally, the total time for the oral examination should not exceed 90 minutes.
The oral examination of the dossier will be evaluated as follows:
Pass with distinction: The student continues in the IDSR PhD, transitioning from the qualifying phase to the dissertation/candidacy phase. This outcome demonstrates work of exceptional quality in the dossier and oral examination.
Pass: The student continues in the IDSR PhD, transitioning from the qualifying phase to the dissertation/candidacy phase.
Pass with revisions: The student may continue in the IDSR PhD program, but must take steps to revise the dossier as outlined by the examining committee, which may include re-examination. [NB: Students who are unable to revise their dossier to the satisfaction of the examining committee within a reasonable time as determined by the examining committee and the graduate director will be required to withdraw from the IDSR PhD program. In an instance where a second examination of the dossier results in an evaluation of less than pass, the student will normally be required to withdraw from the IDSR PhD program.]
Fail: The student is required to withdraw from the IDSR PhD program.
Following the approval of the qualifying examination dossier, the student is approved as a doctoral candidate, and may commence dissertation work (pending approval of the REB, if required). The Chair of the examining committee will submit the qualifying exam assessment page to the IDSR program office.