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Home » I-O Program » Comprehensive Exam

Program Tracks

Students in the MSIO program have two options for a culminating milestone to complete their degree: a comprehensive exam or a thesis. The program requires the same number of credit hours (34) for either track, but 7 of those credit hours are track-dependent. Graduation from the MSIO program requires successful completion of 34 credit hours, and either passing a comprehensive exam or successfully completing a thesis project. Students admitted to the program will discuss both track options in more detail during the initial onboarding process and throughout their first semester. Additional information about these two milestones are given below. 

Students completing the comprehensive exam track take two elective courses (6 credit hours total) during their time in the program and a complete their exam during a 1-credit hour course in their final semester of the program.

Exam Preparation: In addition to building your study materials and content preparation throughout your time in the program, comp exam students register for a 1-credit hour Comp Exam final preparation course. The D2L course provides useful content in preparing for the exam, including the program policy on the exam, a list of possible topics/concepts, additional resources, and suggested best practices for successfully completing the exam. This is also where any updates or announcements regarding the upcoming exam cycle will be posted. Study materials should primarily come from content from individual courses (e.g., textbooks, readings, handouts, lectures, powerpoints, assignments).  

Content and Format of the Exam: The comprehensive exam is a proctored essay exam that covers program competencies trained across all non-elective coursework. Students can choose from a variety of questions covering the different competency areas. Once started, students have four hours to complete the exam. The exam is closed-book and password protected. Program faculty also regularly revise comp exam questions and format. Major format changes to the exam are announced prior to any exam window opening.

Virtual Proctoring: The exam is proctored by Examity, which is free of charge to 365bet students. This is a live virtual proctoring service, requiring a webcam and reliable internet access on your computer when taking the exam. 

Students completing the thesis track take a pre-thesis course (1 credit hour pre-requisite) plus 2 semesters of thesis hours (3 credit hours per semester, 6 hours total). Students on this track do not take a comprehensive exam and are not required to take elective coursework (although you can take these as extra courses). The following section is a very simplified overview of the thesis process to help you understand the general steps and timing involved.

Students interested in this track must meet with the MSIO Thesis Chair, Dr. Earnest, to be approved to register for the Pre-Thesis course.

Students who enter the program on the thesis track will discuss initial considerations with the program director during their onboarding process. However, these conversations continue in more depth during the first semester, with additional opportunities for thesis info sessions hosted by the program. Such conversations will help students with planning and preparation, what to expect, developing a tentative timeline, and realistic expectations for managing thesis workload and timing, especially given additional constraints students may have outside their program studies.

***Below is a high-level, general overview of the thesis process. Keep in mind, each step in this overview includes many smaller steps you will discuss in full as you consistently meet and work with your Thesis Chair.***

  1. Work with Thesis Chair to finalize your thesis topic.  
  2. Develop a Research Project Proposal.
  3. Develop a Thesis Document Outline.
Students meeting satisfactory progress requirements during Pre-Thesis, will then begin their first semester of thesis hours. As with pre-thesis requirements, all steps outlined below are in close consultation with your Thesis Chair.
  1. Solicit graduate faculty members to complete your thesis committee.
  2. Develop Thesis Proposal Document, building off the work completed during Pre-Thesis. 
  3. Prepare for thesis proposal meeting.
  4. Once proposal is approved by your committee, submit IRB.
  5. Once IRB is approved, start data collection.
  1. Once target sample size is reached, begin the data analysis your Thesis Committee approved.
  2. Using your Thesis Proposal Document (& any required revisions) and data analysis, draft results and discussion sections.
  3. Finalize Thesis Defense Document.
  4. Prepare for thesis defense meeting.
  5. After you've passed your thesis defense, make final revisions in accordance with APA standards and 365bet's thesis formatting requirements. 
  6. Once all requirements have been complete, solicit committee member signatures and submit to the College of Graduate Studies.