Department of Psychology at Illinois State University
The student's Plan of Study must be approved by the Graduate School at least six weeks prior to the comprehensive examination dates. Students should plan to have their Plan of Study approved by the Graduate School prior to the fall semester of their third year in the program. Students may not register for the comprehensive examination without an approved Plan of Study.
Students should register for the comprehensive examination in the Graduate Psychology Programs office (DEG 448) before the end of the spring semester. The written comprehensive examination is given early in the fall semester. The examination assesses students' ability to integrate and apply what has been learned during doctoral studies to professional issues and students' functioning as school psychologists.
Study materials consist of questions from prior examinations. Students are encouraged to consult with their Advisory Committee about areas of study. Team study is also recommended. The examination materials are a Microsoft Word document that will download to the computer's desk top. See examination materials(.doc).
The School Psychology Coordinating Committee, with additional input from faculty who possess expertise in students' study areas, prepares and scores a common core of questions that cover all areas of study. The examination is administered over two days, three hours each day. All students sitting for the examination receive a set of common questions as well as questions focused on their specialty area.
Comprehensive Examination Registration Form(.doc)
The registration form is an interactive MS Word file. Click on the link to download the form to the computer's desktop. The registration form should be completed, saved as a MS Word file, and submitted as an e-mail attachment to the Graduate Psychology Programs office. Receipt of the registration form will be confirmed by return e-mail. Confirmation completes the registration process.
Comprehensive examinations will be scored on a variety of factors including integration of theory and practice, completeness, accuracy, documentation of appropriate research studies and other references, and directness (clear writing style). At least two committee members will score each question, with the final score being the average of two or mare raters.
The Examination Committee Chair will report the final outcome of the examination to the school psychology program coordinator. Students will be notified, in writing, of the results of the examination in a timely manner.
