CHCS Student Handbook 2018-2019

172 Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences—Department of Health Science 2018–2019 Comprehensive Examination The comprehensive examination is a written examination that students take after the completion of all the required Ph.D. in Health Science coursework, and before beginning the dissertation phase of the Ph.D. program. It is designed to evaluate the student’s ability to demonstrate that he/she is a suitable candidate for a Ph.D. degree. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination is required for students to move to advanced standing and begin dissertation research. The comprehensive examination is given two times per academic year during the summer and winter semesters, and takes place on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus. Students must take the comprehensive examination within one year of completion of all academic coursework. Failure to complete the requirements within the time frame may result in dismissal from the program. Students register with the Department of Health Science prior to the comprehensive exam and receive an examination number. Students who register for the comprehensive examination certify by this action that they are prepared to take the exam. However, participating in the comprehensive examination center does not mean that students will pass the comprehensive examination. Students can withdraw from the comprehensive examination without a reason 10 days before the exam. Once this time has passed, students with circumstances beyond their control—such as sickness, car accident, family illness, or other family issues—must notify the Ph.D. program director at the earliest possible time and provide documentation to support their need to withdraw from the exam. Students who have obtained approval from the program director to withdraw from the comprehensive examination will be allowed to take the comprehensive examination at the next scheduled offering. Students who registered for the comprehensive examination and who fail to take the examination, or students who do not contact the program director requesting to be excused from the examination will automatically fail the comprehensive examination. Students who have failed the comprehensive examination are referred to the Committee on Student Progress (CSP). The CSP will examine the student’s individual case and will make appropriate recommendations to the department chair. See the procedures for the Committee on Student Progress and Student Appeals in the college section of this handbook. The grading of the Comprehensive Examination is on a pass/fail basis. Students are notified of their results on the comprehensive examination by certified mail (return receipt requested) and a copy of the letter is sent to students’ NSU email account with response requested. Following the successful completion of the comprehensive examination, students can register for dissertation credits and begin the dissertation process. Students are allowed to take the complete comprehensive exam one time only. Students who fail one or two of the three categories on the comprehensive examination have failed the exam, and are referred to the CSP. The CSP will examine the student’s individual case and may recommend that the student be allowed to retake a failed category or categories at the next scheduled institute and will be required to enroll in an additional 1-credit continuation course. If students are allowed to retake a failed category, they have one opportunity to pass all failed categories. Students who have failed the exam may register for the next semester, although they may not be eligible for federal funds. Failure of one or two categories on retake results in the student’s second failure of the comprehensive examination. Students who fail the comprehensive examination on retake are referred to the CSP for possible dismissal from the Ph.D. program. All college-wide policies regarding academic honesty, student progress committee, and appeals apply to the comprehensive exam. Students are required to familiarize themselves with academic standards and the academic honesty policy and procedure as described in the college section of this handbook.