Brief Description of the M.A. Comprehensive Exam:

The MA Examination is an oral exam which covers 1) information obtained in coursework completed by the student and 2) a formal defense of the student's thesis proposal. The exam is given by the student's thesis committee and is usually done by the end of the third, regular semester.

Who?

All students who wish to get an M.A. in Linguistics must take the M.A. Comprehensive Exam.

Objective of the M.A. Comprehensive Exam:

The main objective of the M.A. Comprehensive Exam is to ensure that the student is adequately prepared to write a thesis to complete the M.A. degree requirements. Examinees must demonstrate specialized knowledge of the core areas of linguistics (i.e., syntax and phonology) and in other important subfields of linguistics (sociolinguistics, historical, second language acquisition, etc.) as they relate to the proposed topic of the student's thesis. Examinees must also demonstrate adequate background preparation (e.g., knowledge of the relevant literature, attention to data collection and analysis, etc.) in the topic area of the thesis.

Timetable for the M.A. Comprehensive Exam:

During the third, regular semester:
• Student develops a reading list and a formal thesis proposal which will be defended during the oral exam. The specific requirements of the formal thesis proposal are determined by the thesis advisor, so students must consult with their advisor as often as necessary to understand what is expected. Students must submit a prepared reading list to their advisor for final approval.
• Student submits a draft of the thesis proposal to the director for comments and approval. As soon as the advisor/director approves, student, in consultation with the advisor and reader, sets a date for the oral (comprehensive) exam and gives a copy of the approved proposal and reading list to the reader. Student must give the approved proposal and reading list to the reader and advisor at least one week in advance of the scheduled exam.

By the end of the third, regular semester:
• Student completes (oral) M.A. Comprehensive Exam.
• Upon successful completion of the M.A. Exam, student may register for thesis credits, i.e., Ling. 799, for the fourth, final semester.

More Detailed Information on the M.A. Comprehensive Exam:

Design of the Thesis/Exam Committee:
The student's thesis committee is the same as the exam committee. The thesis/exam committee consists of two faculty members in the Linguistics Program - a thesis advisor/director (must be core faculty) and a reader. It is the student's responsibility to choose his/her committee members and to make explicit the chosen topic area and schedule for completion of the M.A. thesis so that the potential committee members know what to expect. The committee should be formed by the beginning of the student's third semester.

Format of the M.A. Comprehensive Exam:
The M.A. Comprehensive Exam consists of 1) a formal presentation of the thesis proposal by the student, and 2) a comprehensive oral examination of the proposal and general linguistic questions related to the thesis topic by the committee. The general linguistic questions related to the thesis topic assume knowledge and understanding of the references given on the student's prepared reading list. Details of the formal presentation of the thesis proposal are determined by the director/advisor.

Content of the Exam (Reading list and Thesis Proposal):
• The content of the exam is based on the research proposal and reading list prepared by the student. All questions directed toward the student will have relevance to the proposal topic, although they may come from a variety of linguistic perspectives that the student has studied in the Program (based on reading list).
• The student chooses their thesis topic in consultation with the thesis advisor. The topic should be original research, careful replication of previously published research, or an in-depth literature review with original observations. Final approval of the thesis topic is the responsibility of the thesis advisor.
• There is no standard reading list for this exam; it is individualized for each student, depending on the student's proposed thesis topic and coursework completed. The reading list is a compilation of the relevant readings done throughout coursework, including papers/proposals, and any additional readings that the committee members deem appropriate. The content of the exam is limited to the references on the reading list. Students must get final approval on the reading list from their thesis advisor/director prior to the exam and must give a copy of the approved reading list to the reader.

Format of the Thesis Proposal:
The student will write a detailed thesis proposal in consultation with the thesis advisor. Although the exact specifications of the thesis proposal must be determined in consultation with the thesis advisor, it generally includes the following:

1) A statement of the research problem;

2) A preliminary review of the relevant literature;

3) A detailed presentation of the hypotheses;

4) A discussion of proposed methodology for data collection
• Students who will be collecting data from human subjects must include a copy of a completed application for review of research on human subjects submitted to the Ethics Review Committee. (These forms are obtained from the Graduate School or from the Chair of the Linguistics Program Ethics Committee).
• Students who are working with students from specific institutions (e.g., foreign language departments, local schools, the English Program for Internationals) must have evidence of the institution's approval for conducting the proposed research, such as a letter from a director or teacher acknowledging approval or student may design a form for the director or teacher to sign.

5) A discussion of proposed methodology for data analyses
Students who will be doing statistical analyses are advised to have a consultation with the Statistical Laboratory (Stat Lab) to determine (1) exactly which statistics are appropriate for the research design and questions, and (2) if the research design or methodology should be modified to allow appropriate statistical analyses for the hypotheses/research question.

6) A discussion of the relevance and significance of the proposed study.

Scheduling of the M.A. Comprehensive Exam:
The exam may be held at any time agreed upon by all parties (student and thesis committee members). This exam is normally held late in the student's third semester in the M.A. program or early in the fourth semester. The approved thesis proposal and reading list must be submitted to the thesis advisor and reader no less than one week in advance of the oral exam.

Evaluation of the M.A. Comprehensive Exam:
The comprehensive exam (i.e., presentation of proposal and oral exam) is evaluated by the committee as follows:

• PASS (with required modifications)
• FAIL

Evaluation takes place immediately after the exam and the student is notified at that time of the outcome. The committee is responsible for recommending modifications to the proposal as necessary and for articulating all required modifications (e.g., changes, enhancements, etc.) for the student's thesis. The student must complete all modifications (and required conditions) to the satisfaction of the thesis advisor within one month of the oral exam or be subject to re-examination. The thesis proposal, either as presented or revised, must be approved by the thesis advisor before the candidate may proceed with further work on the thesis.
• The thesis advisor notifies the Linguistics Program secretary in writing of a successful outcome.
• If the oral exam is deemed unsatisfactory (FAIL), or the modifications to the thesis proposal are not satisfactory, the student may choose to discontinue their work with that advisor, and start again with a new advisor.