Eligibility to Sit for Comprehensive Exams
Students who have completed their residency coursework are eligible to take the Core Comprehensive exam. Residency coursework includes INDG 6600Y, INDG 6601Y, INDG 6603H, INDG 6630H (if applicable), INDG 6701H and INDG 6720H.
Upon successful completion of the required courses in year two, all students will complete a comprehensive examination (INDG 6740H) in Indigenous Studies, which consists of two components: a written scholarly submission and an oral examination in Indigenous Knowledges. There is one opportunity to sit for the oral exam (May-June) and two opportunities to take the written exam (July & January).
Written Exam
Students will submit a scholarly paper or Voicethread presentation (option for students in the Knowledge Basket Pathway) in response to exam questions. Student submissions will undergo a peer review process by an examination committee made up of graduate faculty members who teach and supervise within the PhD Program. Student submissions will be evaluated based upon their ability to demonstrate comprehensively their understanding and use of the core comp bibliography through:
Integration of the four themes (and associated sources) from the bibliography to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of
- Indigenous Studies as a discipline; and
2. The ability to situate themselves and their work within the discipline of Indigenous Studies.
Upon completion of the initial review, the examination committee will consider the submission with respect to the following options:
Pass with Distinction
Pass
Pass (with Minor or Major Revisions)
Students who pass with distinction on the initial submission, will receive this designation on their transcript. Students who pass with minor or major revisions will be provided with comprehensive feedback and the requirement to submit a revised paper within 45 days. After resubmission and re-evaluation by the examination committee, students will have an additional 15 days to submit final revisions. Final decision on revised submissions will be provided by the chair of the exam committee to the program directors.
Failure of the core comprehensive written exam is defined as the inability of a student to produce a revised draft of sufficient quality to meet the scholarly standards expected for publication, despite two submissions and opportunities for feedback and revision. Specifically, failure to effectively address feedback or produce a draft that demonstrates sufficient critical engagement with the themes and readings contained in the core comprehensive bibliography, or lack of participation in the review process, including missed revision deadlines, constitutes a failure of the exam.
Students whose submissions are not revised to expected outcomes for a comprehensive exam after the completion of the review process period (60 days), will be required to meet with the student performance committee and their supervisor to develop a plan of study to retake the exam. Students must retake the exam within six months of the last attempt. Students who do not pass the exam after a second time will be required to withdraw from the program.
Oral Exam in Indigenous Knowledges
A candidate who fails the oral exam is required to meet with the Director of Studies, their supervisor, and the Program Director to develop a plan that will adequately prepare them to retake the oral examination. Retakes of the oral exam are scheduled at the discretion of the Director of Studies and the Traditional Council. If a candidate fails the oral exam a second time, they will be required to leave the program.
Appealing the Results of a Comprehensive Exam
Under PhD Program and Graduate Studies Policy, students have the right to appeal decisions they feel are not reflective of an outcome they prepared for and expected. Making the decision to appeal a negative decision on a comprehensive exam is a serious matter and should not be made lightly. Prior to taking this step, students should meet with the Program Director and discuss the report from the examination committee.
Process:
Students wishing to file an appeal should review carefully the appeal policy below for each component of the core comprehensive exam and complete the appeal form. The appeal form must be submitted along with relevant documentation to the Program Director within 30 days of receiving a negative result.
Upon receipt of an appeal, the Program Director will establish an appeals panel as indicated below:
Appealing the Oral Exam in IK
An appeals panel made up of two members of the PhD Council, and one member of the Traditional Council not involved in the original decision will be established by the Program Director. The appeals committee will review the recording of the oral exam and make a determination and report that decision to the Program Director. A graduate faculty member not involved in the original decision will act as the chair of the committee. The panel reserves the right to interview the student and/or Traditional Council Members involved in the original decision. The panel has 45 days to make a determination.
Appealing the Written Take Home Exam on Indigenous Studies
An appeals panel will be made up of two tenured/ tenure-track graduate faculty members from the Indigenous studies PhD Program who were not involved in the original decision along with one external tenured/tenure-track graduate faculty member from another PhD program (the Program Director will select this faculty member). The PhD program director shall serve as the chair of the panel and shall record the decision of the panel. The panel reserves the right to interview the student and/or faculty involved in the original decision. The panel has 45 days to make a determination.
Appealing the Written Area of Emphasis Take Home Exam
An appeals panel will be made up of two tenured/ tenure-track graduate faculty members from the Indigenous studies PhD Program who were not involved in the original decision (one of whom should be on the students dissertation committee) along with one external tenured/tenure-track graduate faculty member from another PhD program (the Program Director will select this faculty member). The PhD program director shall serve as the chair of the panel and shall record the decision of the panel. The panel reserves the right to interview the student and/or faculty involved in the original decision. The panel has 45 days to make a determination.
Appealing to Graduate Studies
In most cases, appeals can be resolved at a program level. However, in rare instances, students can appeal to the Dean of Graduate Studies if they are not satisfied with the decision at a program level. Every effort should be made to resolve an appeal at the program level prior to filing an appeal with Graduate Studies. Students wishing to appeal at a Graduate Studies level can find information necessary to do so in the Graduate Student Handbook available on the Graduate Studies website.