Comprehensive Exam Policy and Regulations
Program Policy
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. The Core Comprehensive Exam is PASS/FAIL and will be recorded as such on the student's transcript.
Retaking the Core Comprehensive Exams
Students must successfully pass the oral exam as well as both take-home exams to move on as a candidate in the program. Students who do not successfully complete the comprehensive exam process have one additional opportunity to retake the exams as indicated below:
Oral Exam
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.
Indigenous Studies as a Discipline
Candidates who fail more than two sections of the exam must retake the entire exam and will have one additional opportunity to pass the exam at the next scheduled core comprehensive examination (December).
Candidates who successfully complete two or more sections of the exam may retake the exam and complete only the sections they failed on the first attempt.
In either situation, students must meet with a representative of the examination committee as well as their supervisor and the Program Director to develop a plan that will adequately prepare them to retake the sections that they failed. The exam retake date will be at the discretion of the Program Director (but will normally be at least two months). If a candidate fails an exam on these sections for the 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 we'll 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.