COMPREHENSIVE EXAM - GUIDELINES
GOAL
The comprehensive examination (CE) allows students to demonstrate the depth and breadth of nursing
knowledge, their ability to integrate concepts, principles, theories, and apply these to nursing issues.
PROCESS
The comprehensive exam (NSG 9998) is mandatory in the School of Nursing doctoral program and must
be successfully completed before registration to NSG 9999 – PhD Thesis. Please consult the
academic assistant for deadlines.
Student Registration
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Students may register for the comprehensive exam during the last semester of course work or as
soon as all course work is completed (no sooner than session #3 and no later than session #6).
Jury composition
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The thesis supervisor(s), in consultation with the student, is responsible for forming the
comprehensive exam jury committee.
The committee shall consist of the three voting members including the supervisor(s) and two faculty
members, at least one of whom is from the University of Ottawa School of Nursing.
The jury committee will be chaired by a member of the School of Nursing who is not the student’s
supervisor(s).
All jury committee members must be appointed to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
(FGPS). If an external member participates, he/she must be appointed to the FGPS of his/her own
university.
Once the committee has been formed it must be approved by the University of Ottawa, School of
Nursing Graduate Program Committee within two weeks. The supervisor will forward the Graduate
Program Committee’s decision to the jury committee members.
Exam procedure
The CE is a take-home exam with an oral component.
individual registered for NSG 9998.
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Therefore it must be written solely by the
The chair:
- convenes the members of the committee to develop the exam questions in conformity with the exam
requirements.
- formats and submits the exam to the student and the Assistant Director of the graduate programs.
- informs the candidate of the following by using the “Comprehensive Exam-Jury composition” form
(Please submit the completed form to the Academic Assistant at the Academic Secretariat room
2014):
a)
b)
c)
The names of the jury exam committee members.
The date, time and method of receiving the exam.
The date, time and location for submission of the completed written component.
Written component
• During the CE process the student must not discuss the exam with any members of either the
comprehensive exam or the thesis committees. However, it is permitted to contact the chair and/or
the thesis supervisor for questions that are not directly related to the comprehensive exam.
• The student has a maximum of 4 weeks to complete the written portion of the exam.
• The student deposits 3 copies of the exam (4 if a co-supervisor), signed and dated, to the chair of the
committee on or before the due date.
• The chair arranges a meeting of the committee within two weeks of receiving the student’s completed
exam to discuss the evaluation outcome.
Oral component
• The oral portion of the comprehensive exam is scheduled for no later than 3 weeks after the student
has been notified that the written exam is satisfactory.
Exam requirements
Written component
• The committee prepares three questions one of which is compulsory and addresses knowledge in the
nursing discipline. The remaining two questions are designed to assess the integration of, nursing
knowledge, research methods, and the student’s program field. The student will answer one of these
two questions.
• The student prepares two essays each of a maximum of 18 pages excluding references and
appendices, using the format and style most appropriate for publication in their field.
Oral component
• The oral component of the exam can only take place when the committee members have reached a
successful verdict for the written portion of the exam.
• The oral portion of the exam will consist of a 20 minute presentation by the student.
• The student presentation is intended to address the evaluative comments made by the CE
committee.
• The committee will then ask the candidate questions to clarify or expand on the answers provided on
the written portion.
Evaluation
The evaluation pertains to the quality of the elements presented by the student to demonstrate depth and
breadth of knowledge in the discipline of nursing as well as the ability to integrate concepts, principles
and theories, and apply these to nursing issues. The final grade for the two components (written and
oral) of the comprehensive exam will either be satisfactory (S) or not-satisfactory (NS). (See
comprehensive exam evaluation scenarios attached).
Written portion
• All committee members have two weeks to submit their independent evaluation of the written portion
of the student’s comprehensive exam to the chair.
• Following a meeting of all members, the committee will grant one of two verdicts (based on the
majority): 1) Successful (accepted for oral exam) or; 2) Unsuccessful (new written exam).
• The chair will inform the student and the Program Graduate Committee in writing, within 2 weeks, of
the committee’s decision and evaluative comments.
• In the event that a student is unsuccessful on the written portion of the exam committee members
must provide the reasons in writing.
• A student who is unsuccessful may take a written exam the following semester and no later than
session #6. The exam committee will draw up new questions.
Oral portion
• Immediately after the oral exam, the committee members will convene in camera and discuss the
student’s performance and will grant one of two verdicts (based on the majority): 1) Satisfactory –
pass comprehensive exam or; 2) Unsuccessful – new oral exam.
• The chair will then invite to student to join the committee member and verbally provide the verdict.
• The chair will inform the student and the Graduate Program Committee in writing, within 2 weeks, of
the committee’s decision and evaluative comments.
• In the event that a student is unsuccessful on the oral portion of the comprehensive, committee
members must provide the reasons in writing.
• A student who is unsuccessful may apply to take an oral exam in the same semester but no later than
the following session.
The final evaluation results must be written on the official FGPS form available at:
http://www.grad.uottawa.ca/regulations/examinations_grading/comprehensive_examination_form.html
and submitted to the Assistant Director of the Graduate programs.
Comprehensive Exam Evaluation Scenarios
Students are allowed two unsuccessful grades (one for the written and one for the oral exam)
without having to withdraw from the program. Students with not satisfactory grade (in either
the written or oral exam) will have to withdraw from the program.
Written Exam
Successful
Unsuccessful
Oral Exam
Satisfactory
New Written Exam
Unsuccessful
Successful
Not Satisfactory
Fail
Comprehensive
Exam
Pass
Comprehensive
Exam
Satisfactory
Pass
Comprehensive
Exam
Oral Exam
Withdraw
from
program
Not Satisfactory
Fail
Comprehensive
Exam
Withdraw
from
program
March 2008