Guidelines for the Written Comprehensive Examination
PURPOSE
Students in the Sport Administration Graduate Program are prepared to assume the role of an administrator within sport or physical activity. The purpose of the written comprehensive exam is to assure that each candidate can apply the information they have learned to employment-related scenarios.
APPLICATION
Candidates for the written comprehensive examination are graduate students in sport administration who are completing the non-thesis track. These students must have completed all coursework requirements or be in the process of completing final coursework requirements prior to taking the examination. Successful completion of the exam is required before the individual is permitted to begin the internship.
All candidates must notify the Graduate Sport Administration Program
Director in the first month of the semester they wish to take the
comprehensive exam. The exam is offered once each semester and
will take place on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Click here for the ESS-Sport
Administration Application for Comprehensive Exam.
ADMINISTRATION
The written comprehensive exam consists of two 2-hour exams given the same day. The exam is essay-type and will require the candidate to recall information to develop an argument or solve a problem. Emphasis is placed on citing references from professional literature. The first 2-hour exam will address two questions from the research core EFN 736/730 and EFN 735 or ESS 752. The second 2-hour exam will address four questions from the sport administration core classes (ESS 545, 702, 738, 739, and 754). Exam questions will vary from semester-to-semester. The candidate will not receive questions prior to the exam. The comprehensive exam requires the candidate be responsible for all material in the plan of study.
EVALUATION
Each question in the exam is graded (A-F scale) by selected Sport Administration faculty. At least two faculty members will individually read the exams and determine the final assessment. The author of the question will be one of the two readers.
Grading is based on the following criteria:
A (4.0) = Excellent
B (3.0) = Above Average
C (2.0) = Average
D (1.0) = Below Average
F (0.0) = Failure
The Department Chair and Associate Dean are notified of the results and a letter will be sent to each candidate within a month of the exam date. In the event a candidate scores an average of 2.0 or less on a particular section of the exam, the candidate will be allowed to retake that section of the exam on the next scheduled testing date. After two unsuccessful attempts, the student will not be allowed to take the exam a third time and will then be academically dismissed from the Sport Administration Graduate Program.
DATES SET FOR UPCOMING EXAMS
Exams are held 8:00 am - 12:30 pm on the following dates, in La Crosse:
- Friday, June 27, 2008
- Friday, August 1, 2008
Contact program director for details: Dr. David Waters, 608-785-8167, waters.davi@uwlax.edu.
