Doctoral Dissertations

Candidates undertaking their comprehensive examination must register for courses using the appropriate degree type and departmental designation. 

• EDE550 - Comprehensive Exam Research: K12 Educational Leadership EdD 
• EDE551 - Comprehensive Exam Research: Higher Education EdD
• EDE552 - Comprehensive Exam Research: Educational Leadership, K12 Administration PhD
• EDE553 -  Comprehensive Exam Research: Higher Education PhD
• EDE554 - Comprehensive Exam Research: Educational Policy & Theory PhD 
• EDE555 - Comprehensive Exam Research: Counseling & Human Development PhD 
• EDE556 - Comprehensive Exam Research: Counseling & Human Development EdD
• EDE557 - Comprehensive Exam Research: Teaching & Curriculum PhD 
• EDE558 - Comprehensive Exam Research: Teaching & Curriculum EdD

Candidates in all departments except Educational Leadership may register for zero to six (0 – 6) comprehensive exam credit hours in a given semester. Candidates, other than those in Educational Leadership, are not required to register for one of the above categories, if they choose not to include the additional hours in their programs of study.

Candidates may not register for more than six (6) total comprehensive exam credit hours during their program.

EDE550 and EDE551 are 0-hour registrations and cannot be used for additional credit hours toward the student’s program; these are part of the accelerated EdD programs where the comprehensive exam is built into the curriculum.

Candidates undertaking their comprehensive exam and wishing to maintain full- or half-time enrollment can register for one of the following additional designations:

ED999 – Doc Dissertation: Full-Time

• This is for students who are not enrolled in full-time coursework but are, nonetheless, working full-time on degree requirements (e.g., comprehensive or dissertation).
• Though it is a zero-hour registration category, it is considered full-time enrollment for all reporting purposes and satisfies government requirements for F-1 and J-1 international students to maintain full-time enrollment.
• It includes a relevant dissertation fee, as well as other fees associated with full-time enrollment.
• Students are registered with specific reference to a faculty advisor, who is ultimately responsible for monitoring their full-time effort.
• Students are eligible for federal loans.
• Students are eligible for University health insurance.
• This category can be used a limited number of times, so students should utilize it sparingly.

ED 999B – Doc Dissertation: Abroad (full-time)

• This is for international students who are not enrolled in full-time coursework but are, nonetheless, working full-time on their degree requirements (e.g., comprehensive or dissertation) outside the United States.
• Though it is a zero-hour registration category, it is considered full-time enrollment for all reporting purposes and satisfies government requirements for F-1 and J-1 international students to maintain full-time enrollment.
• It includes a relevant dissertation fee.
• The student must actively demonstrate full-time effort, having completed the appropriate petitions to demonstrate full-time effort abroad.
• This does not qualify the student for University Health Insurance so therefore includes no Mandatory Health Fee.
• International students living abroad must coordinate with ISO for immigration purposes.

ED 998 – Doc Dissertation: Half-Time

• This is for students who are not enrolled in half-time coursework but are, nonetheless, working at least half time on degree requirements (e.g., comprehensive exam or dissertation).
• Though it is a zero-hour registration category, it is considered half-time enrollment (equivalent to six credit hours) for all reporting purposes.
• This dissertation category does not satisfy government requirements for F-1 and J-1 international students to maintain full-time enrollment.
• It includes a relevant dissertation fee.
• Students are registered with specific reference to a faculty advisor, who is ultimately responsible for monitoring their part-time effort.
• The student must either have completed all requirements for the degree or be enrolled in final coursework in addition to the work necessary for degree requirements.
• Students are eligible for federal loans.
• Students are not eligible for University health insurance.
• This category can be used a limited number of times, so students should utilize it sparingly.
   

Candidates cannot register for the following dissertation research designations until they have completed their comprehensive exams (the exception to this is those in the accelerated EdD programs where comprehensive exam registration accompanies an EdD Research registration):

• ED593 EdD Research
• ED593B EdD Research Abroad (for international students completing research abroad) 
• ED595 PhD Research
• ED595B PhD Research Abroad (for international students completing research abroad)

Advisors will leave the grade field blank until the candidate has completed all requirements of the comprehensive exam. When the candidate has passed the comprehensive exam in full, advisors will record a grade of “S.” Should a candidate fail the comprehensive exam, the advisor will record a grade of “E.” The Warner School will withdraw candidates earning a failing grade on the comprehensive exam from their program.