Doctorate in Program Evaluation

This document is prepared for graduate students interested in the Program Evaluation major. It outlines procedures and requirements associated with doctoral degrees in this major. Information concerning a fifteen credit Program Evaluation Certificate is available on request.

Assignment of a Temporary Advisor

A temporary advisor is assigned to each applicant admitted as a graduate student. The duration of this assignment is generally for the student's first semester.

The temporary advisor helps the students select courses to be taken the first semester, select a major professor and committee, and become aware of graduate policies and procedures. The temporary advisor is also a good source of information for new students prior to arrival on campus.

Selection and Appointment of the Major Professor

Towards the end of the first semester, a major professor is selected by the student and appointed by the Department Chair. In selecting the major professor, the student and prospective major professor take into account the professor's specialization, compatibility of this specialization with the student's academic interests, and the current load of the professor.

To serve as major professor, the faculty member must have master's directive status in the Program Evaluation major for students enrolled in a masters program, or doctoral directive status for doctoral students. College policy provides that the faculty member must consent to serving as the student's major professor.

While continued service of the major professor until graduation is typical, a change may be requested by the student, the faculty member, or both. Occasionally, as the student's interests mature, and an area of specialization emerges which differs from that of the major professor, a new appointment becomes desirable. The need for such a change is most likely when a student advances from a master's to doctoral program, and also at the time a student selects a dissertation topic.

Appointment of the Advisory Committee

The student and major professor select and agree upon nominations for membership of the advisory committee. A master's advisory committee consists of three faculty, with at least one from the Program Evaluation major. A doctoral advisory committee consists of four or more faculty, at least two from the major, and a University Representative who must be from outside the department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

All members of the advisory committee must be members of the university's graduate faculty. Three members of a doctoral advisory committee, including the University Representative, must have doctoral directive status within the university. Advisory committee may include more members than the numbers specified above. The major professor is counted as a member of the committee.

The student asks the nominated faculty to serve on the advisory committee. When the committee is finalized and approved by the Department Chair, the student complete and obtains necessary signatures on the Graduate Supervisory Committee form. This form is available from the department secretary.

Planning and Approval of the Program of Studies

With the advice of the major professor and the guidelines provided by prototype programs, the student prepares a formal program of studies. This program includes a listing of all courses the student will complete while fulfilling requirements for the degrees sought.

A doctoral program is tailored to the background and professional goals of the student. The program will include a core of 10 courses and approximately 6 electives from over a dozen advanced courses in program evaluation, policy studies, research design, and measurement and statistics. Electives also are selected from throughout the College of Education and the University in order to prepare the student for the employment sector of his or choice. Finally, a student must earn a minimum of 24 semester hours of dissertation credit.

The Program of Study form is used to list courses included in the program, and indicate dates when each course will be taken. Signatures of individuals serving on the committee signify their approval of the program of studies. The Department Chair and the Dean also must concur. A meeting of the advisory committee may be used to discuss and approve the program of studies.

Upon entry to a doctoral program, students are expected to be involved in a meaningful program of research and evaluation activities. This program involves planned reading of the literature, the practice of program evaluation, and writing. This work is coordinated by the major professor, and involves enrollment in Directed Individual Studies and or Supervised Research/Evaluation. This program of research can serve as the foundation for the dissertation research.

Residency Requirement

Student seeking the Ph.D. degree must complete 24 semester hours in 3 consecutive semesters or 12 calendar months.

Language/Research Tool Requirement

Within the Measurement and Statistics major, the language/research tool requirement is usually satisfied by completing six semester hours of work in an allied field outside the major program. (See Planning and Approval of the Program of Studies above). The Language/Research Tool Verification from must be submitted to the Graduate Records Coordinator prior to the preliminary examination.

Preliminary Examination

During the last semester of coursework, the student completes the preliminary examination. The preliminary examination is designed to test scholarly competence and knowledge and to afford the examiners the basis for constructive recommendations concerning subsequent formal or informal studies.

The student enrolls in EDF8964 during the semester in which the exam is scheduled. Clearance to take the exam must be obtained from the Graduate Coordinator and Office of Student Services.

The exam consists of written and oral portions. The written portion is scheduled for four days in the middle of each semester. The exam is developed by an examination committee consisting of graduate faculty within the program and includes common and specialized components. The common component is completed by all students scheduled to take the exam that semester whereas the specialized component reflects the specialization of each student.

The oral portion is administered by the student's advisory committee. The major professor schedules this portion approximately two weeks after the completion of the written sections. At the completion of the oral portion, the committee grades the exam as passed, additional work to be completed, failure, or the be re-examined. A re-examination, if required, must be graded as passed or failed.

Satisfactory completion of the preliminary examination is required for admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree. A student must pass this exam prior to registering for dissertation credits (EDF6980). The preliminary examination must be passed at least 6 months prior to graduation but not more than 5 years prior to graduation.

Upon passing the preliminary examination, a student must enroll each subsequent term for a minimum of 2 semester hours of dissertation credit. This rule applies beginning the term the dissertation is defended. The specific number of credit hours should reflect demands placed on the major professor by the student. Should a student not enroll for the minimum number of credit hours for two consecutive semesters, the student must formally apply for readmission when dissertation work is resumed and may be subject to any rules and regulations in force at the time of readmission.

Prospectus for the Dissertation

The student prepares a prospectus describing the rationale, problem, appropriate literature review, and procedures for the dissertation research. When endorsed by the major professor, the student and committee meet as a group to review the proposed prospectus. The prospectus is revised until it meets with the approval of the committee.

After the committee signs the prospectus, it is submitted for review by the Department Chair and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. A minimum of 4 months must elapse from the Associate Dean's signing the prospectus to the defense of the dissertation. Guidelines for preparation of the prospectus are available from the Student Services office.

Dissertation

In accordance with the approved prospectus, the student independently carries out the work of design, development of materials, collection of data, analysis and interpretation of results. The major professor has primary responsibility for providing advice to the student. It is common for the student to seek the advice of other committee members during the course of the research.

Typically, an initial clean draft of the dissertation is distributed to the committee for review. A final draft is then prepared for the dissertation defense. The format of the final draft is to be consistent with the latest edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. The University may stipulate additional requirements concerning preparation of the dissertation. Guidelines are available from the University Graduate Office.

Dissertation Defense

The student orally defends the final draft of the dissertation. At this defense, the student presents a summary of the research and answers questions. The student enrolls in EDF 8985 the term the defense is scheduled.

The defense is open to all members of the graduate faculty and is to be announced in a university publication two weeks prior to its occurrence. The student's advisory committee and other faculty that the College Dean may appoint serve as the examining committee. The student's major professor presides at the defense.

At the conclusion of the defense, the examining committee meets to assign a pass, fail, or to be re-examined grade to the defense. Prior to the defense, the student provides the major professor with forms provided by the College to record committee actions.

Final Clearance for Diploma

During the first two weeks of the term during which graduation is planned, the student applies to the Office of Permanent Records for a diploma. A Final Term Clearance form is given to the student. This form provides space for certification by relevant parties that all requirements for the degree have been met.

College of Education Graduate Deadline

Each term, College of Education Graduate Deadline is published and posted. It is important to be aware of critical dates listed in this announcement.

Program Evaluation program
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
114 Stone Building - Tallahassee, FL 32306-4452
Phone: (850) 644-8780 ♦ Fax: (850) 644-1258 ♦ E-mail: lschrade@mailer.fsu.edu