Appendix B: Comprehensive Exam Preparation

In order to graduate from the Counselor Education Department all students must (a) successfully pass the Comprehensive Exam, or (b) write and defend a scholarly project (the master’s thesis), or (c) develop a professional portfolio (school counseling students only). School counseling students ONLY complete a professional portfolio in lieu of comprehensive exam.

Final Examination:

If a final examination is required by the student’s department, it shall be taken after successful completion of any required second language examination and after at least 30 credits have been completed. The examination is not a re-examination over coursework but rather a test of the candidate’s ability to integrate material in the major and related fields, including the work in any thesis or research project. A minimum of 1 graduate credit of registration is required when taking any final oral or written examination.

Oral examinations:

In the case of a non-thesis oral examination, the committee shall consist of at least two members of the student’s department, including the student’s adviser. At the discretion of the department, a faculty member from another department may be added. For M.A.T. and M.S.T. students, one additional member of the committee is required to be a faculty member from the Graduate School of Education or a faculty member with pedagogical expertise in the student’s discipline.

Non-thesis final oral examinations (including final project presentations) can only be held during regular academic terms, i.e., not between terms. Examinations must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of finals week for graduation in that term. For summer term graduation, the deadline applies to the regular eight-week summer session dates, i.e., exams must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of the eighth week of summer term.

Passing of the final oral examination requires a majority approval. If the student fails the entire examination or any section thereof, the department may dismiss the student from the master’s program or permit the student to repeat the entire examination, or the section that was failed, after a minimum of three months. The results of the second examination are final.

Written examinations:

If a final written examination is required, it can only be held during regular academic terms, i.e., not between terms. Examinations must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of finals week for graduation in that term. For summer term graduation, the deadline applies to the regular eight-week summer session dates, i.e., exams must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of the eighth week of summer term.

If the student fails the entire examination or any section thereof, the department may dismiss the student from the master's degree program or permit the student to repeat the entire examination, or the section that was failed, after a minimum of three months. The results of the second examination are final.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Exam:

This section addresses the exam, its goals, format, and content. The Comprehensive Exam is a 3-hour exam, offered biannually (May and November) that seeks to:

(a) insure that department graduates possess the necessary knowledge to successfully practice as counselors in a variety of community settings, and

(b) prepare students for the national certification exams (e.g., NCC, CRC, CDMS) and the state licensure exam (i.e., Oregon’s LPC exam). A second component, students’ possession of clinical skill, is measured by successful completion of the practicum and internship experiences.

The Comprehensive Exam is comprised of cross-specialization multiple choice questions that samples content covered in required-only Counselor Education Department courses.

The multiple-choice section typically presents the student with 120 questions based on 9 content areas that sample CACREP approved academic areas (i.e., required courses).

These include:

Helping Relationships (based on such courses as Interpersonal Relationships and Practicum)

Theories and Interventions (Theories and Intervention I & II)

Social and Cultural Foundations (Multicultural Counseling)

Group Counseling (Group Counseling, Group Practicum)

Lifestyle and Career Development (Career Counseling, Occupations Analysis/Voc. Evaluation)

Human Growth and Development (Developmental Foundations)

Appraisal and Diagnosis (Using Tests in Counseling, Diagnosis)

Research and Evaluation (Research and Program Evaluation in Counseling)

Professional Orientation (Introduction to Counseling, Ethical and Legal Issues, Practicum)

Students are advised to review material covered in these required courses prior to taking the Comprehensive Exam. Students should also contact their advisors for assistance on preparing and organizing material for the exam. The use of small study groups may also be beneficial as a means of organizing and reviewing material for the exam.

Students who seek special arrangements and provisions when taking the exam must register with the Disability Resource Center and request approved accommodations, in writing, prior to the exam.

Students are permitted to receive a “no pass” on the exam only once.

If a student fails the exam, their Comprehensive Exam is considered a no-pass. In this case the exam must be retaken. If the second exam still does not merit a passing grade, their exam will be considered a no-pass a second time and the student will not be permitted to graduate.

Instructions for registration for the Comprehensive Exams will be emailed during winter term of your 3rd year.