Documenting Failed Milestone Exams - Best Practices

Owned by Rickie Smith
Last updated: Mar 02, 2022
3 min read

This document is to help guide departmental best practices for documenting failed milestone exams, such as a master’s comprehensive exam, qualifying exam, field exam, etc. It is important for departments to follow established due diligence procedures, and maintain fairness in retakes, rewrites, formal academic monitoring/probation, etc.

Establishing and/or Clarifying Departmental Requirements and Policies

Almost every masters and doctoral degree program will involve a milestone exam, such as a comprehensive exam, field exam, or qualifying exam as one of the major milestones to earning a masters or doctoral degree.

The Academic Senate Regulations do not specify a number of attempts graduate students have to pass such exams, these are set by the department. Most departments allow two attempts, but it is ultimately up to each department to determine. So, as a first step, each department must make sure that their policy on how many retakes/rewrites students have for such exams is documented in their Graduate Handbook (in detail) and in the General Catalog (briefly, such as “each student is allowed 2 attempts at passing the qualifying exam)”.

The Graduate Handbook should include a detailed description of the retake policy and procedures, and should address the following;

  • How many attempts does each student get for each type of milestone exam offered?

  • Is there a time frame for the retake of the exam?

  • Is there an appeal process for an additional attempt? If yes, what is the process?

Establishing a Consistent Procedure and Documenting Outcomes

What should the department do if a student fails a milestone exam on the first attempt? (Assuming the department offers a second attempt, as is most common)

  1. The Graduate Division strongly urges that the department recommend academic monitoring status when a student fails a milestone exam on the first attempt. This process clearly documents the outcome, expectations, and follows the established due diligence procedure in the case that the student needs to be placed on academic probation or academically disqualified. Monitoring status does not cause any immediate financial penalties to the student, and acts as a notice. To request monitoring, Faculty Graduate Advisors would follow Department Standards of Scholarship Report Action - Graduate Division User Manuals - Confluence to initiate this status.

  2. Support your student

    1. What resources can the department provide to help them pass on the second attempt?

    2. Would the student benefit from meeting with the Graduate Division’s Academic Counselor?

  3. Make sure the student is aware of the retake policy, timeline, resources for help, etc. This should all be documented on the above academic progress plan. Make sure that the Staff Graduate Advisor is made aware and has this documentation on file.

What should the department do if the student fails a milestone exam on the second/final attempt?

  1. Does the department have an internal appeal process for another attempt? If so, that should be documented in the Graduate Handbook, and the student should be made aware, should they choose to appeal.

  2. Are there any other options to move forward in the program? Can the student take a different exam to meet the requirements? If this is for a master’s degree, can the student write a thesis instead? If this was a qualifying exam, can the student earn a terminal master’s degree? Make sure these options are explored, as your program policy allows.

  3. If there are no options for the student to move forward, then the student should be notified of this, and given the option to voluntarily withdraw from the program (via the Change of Degree Status Petition).

  4. If the student does not wish to voluntarily withdraw, the department can request academic disqualification from the Dean of the Graduate Division. The department should immediately contact the Director of Academic Services in such a situation. If the Dean agrees to disqualify the student, then the student would have the option to appeal.

What if the student wishes to appeal the grading of the exam?

If a student wishes to contest the outcome of a milestone exam, they would follow the Procedures for Appeal for Graduate Student Disputes with Graduate Committees.

Manage Student Expectations

While nobody wants to see a student fail, in the end it serves as an important part of maintaining the integrity of the graduate program. Having clear procedures that are communicated in advance can help departments manage these situations when they come up. Managing student expectations is part of that process.

  • Share these retake policies with each incoming cohort, and then again prior to the student’s exam.

  • Share with the students the historical pass rate for exams, and what they are to expect if they don’t pass the exam on the first try.

  • Explain exit strategies (such as earning a master’s degree in cases where the student doesn’t pass the doctoral qualifying exam on the second attempt.)

  • Acknowledge failure as part of the academic cycle. Failure is complicated, however it is sometimes a reality. Here are some resources to help you frame how to think about, and deal with failure.