background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Focus: Research Methods, the Proposal, and the IRB.

Course Registration

Before you can start your Preliminary Exam coursework, you must request an "override" to register for the course.

Primary Request Form (COE): Online EdD/PhD Exam Course Request Form

Note: This is the standard portal for all EPOL dissertation sequence overrides (EPOL 586, EPOL 58, EPOL 591, EPOL 599).

Preliminary Exam: EPOL 591 (4 credit hours: 8 weeks in duration)

Late Registration / Student Portal: Graduate College Student Portal

Submit a petition here if the standard registration window has closed.

Attend Group Advisory Sessions

Present your proposed methods at a weekly group advising session.

If your advisor is Dr. Cope or Dr. Kalantzis, attend group sessions on Monday nights, 7:30 - 8:30 CT. If your advisor is Dr. Magee, attend group sessions on Tuesday nights, 7:00 - 8:30 CT.

Individual Avisory Sessions: Drop in (don’t email, please)

Dr. Kalantzis, Tuesdays 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. CT
Dr. Cope, Tuesdays 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT
Dr. Magee (arranged by mutual availability)

Draft Chapters 1-3

Combine these into a single manuscript. You must run an AI and Peer Reviews on this draft.

IRB Initiation: Give your advisor the title of your project so they can initiate the IRB application. You must then complete the application and request that your advisor submit it.

Submission to Advisor: Submit the front matter and all three chapters in the Graduate College Thesis Dissertation format in a Box file.

Review the Graduate College Exam Policies: Exams and Committees general information.

Complete Change Note: Before submitting your Chapters 1-3 draft, you must complete the Change Note. This report should detail how you addressed the critiques from your General and Special Field Exams. Your advisor will not review the draft without this accompanying document.

Add IRB and Appendices: Include instrument appendices and your IRB draft or approval.

Scheduling the Exam

Review the Graduate College Exam information: Scheduling a Preliminary or Final Exam

Submit your PER (Preliminary Exam Request) 3-4 weeks in advance via the Graduate College Student Portal.

Select an available Exam Session time: Write your full name in the appropriate session column.

Create a Zoom Session with the following settings:

Set the passcode to 535.
Uncheck "require authentication."
Under “Options,” add Dr. Cope or Dr. Magee as an alternative host.

Notify: EdD students send the Zoom link and dissertation title to Jena Pfoff; PhD students send to Linda Stimson.

Distribute: Email your manuscript and slideshow (15 mins of duration) to your committee 2 weeks before the exam.

Complete and submit this form.

Part 3: The Preliminary Exam (EPOL 591)