The Written Exam
Students who choose this option are required to take a written exam as they near the completion of their coursework and prepare to sit for the oral exam. The exam not only provides the student with an opportunity to demonstrate, synthesize and apply knowledge gained during their coursework, but helps prepare them for the oral exam.
The written exam is a take-home exam in which the student responds to questions based on the subject matter of their coursework. The written exam should adhere to the following guidelines:
- The student will respond to two questions. Each response should be approximately five to eight pages in length (12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced, page numbers included).
- The configuration of the exam questions will depend on the subject areas emphasized within the student’s plan of study, but must include at least one question focusing on literature. No question should focus on an individual course, but should ask students to draw upon texts read and synthesize knowledge gained across multiple courses. Possible configurations include: one question on literature and one question on writing or rhetoric/composition/theory; one question on British literature and one question on American literature; one question on literature and one question on film (for students whose coursework has focused significantly on film).
- To meet or exceed the expectations for each exam question, the student must draw upon primary and secondary texts from their coursework reading list (individual exam questions will provide additional guidelines for doing so). This is an “open book” exam. Students are limited, however, to using texts assigned in their courses and may not use additional outside sources unless directed to do so by the committee member who authored the exam question.
- The student must cite their sources according to MLA documentation guidelines and include a works cited with each exam response.
During the oral exam, Option C students will respond to questions about and/or provide clarification on their written exam responses, as well as converse with the committee regarding the coursework included in their plan of study more generally.
Choosing an Exam Advisor and Forming the Exam Committee
Graduate students who choose the written exam option should identify an exam advisor with the assistance of the Graduate Coordinator. With the exam advisor’s assistance, the student will then identify two more English and Interdisciplinary Studies department faculty members to sit on the exam committee. The exam committee will consist of three members, and at least one member must be drawn from each of the following two areas: 1) Literature and 2) Writing and Rhetoric/Composition/Theory. Whenever possible, the committee members will be instructors with whom the student has completed coursework.
Preparing for and Taking the Written Exam
At the beginning of the semester of degree completion, the student should work with their exam advisor and additional committee members to schedule the written and oral exams. The student must apply for graduation before the Graduate School’s graduation application deadline for that semester.
The student and exam advisor should follow these guidelines in planning for and scheduling the written and oral exams:
- The oral exam should be held at least a week prior to the Graduate School’s capstone component completion deadline in order to give the student time to retake or revise any portion of the written exam he or she does not pass. (Note: the capstone component deadline is different from the oral exam deadline for thesis students).
- The student must submit a detailed reading list based on all of his or her coursework to the exam committee no later than eight weeks prior to their intended oral exam date. The committee members will use this reading list to prepare the exam questions. To assist with the development of these exam questions, the student should be prepared to submit syllabi from the courses listed to committee members upon request. For this reason, it is essential that students save the syllabi from all of the courses they take during their time in the program.
- The student’s exam advisor will collect the committee’s exam questions and provide them to the student six weeks prior to the date of the oral exam.
- The student will have four weeks to complete the written exam.
- The student must submit the completed written exam to the exam committee at least two weeks before the oral exam date.
During the oral exam, Option C students will respond to questions about and/or provide clarification on their written exam responses, as well as converse with the committee regarding the coursework included in their plan of study more generally.