Assessing Doctoral Students: A Background on Comprehensive and Authentic Assessments

Abstract Comprehensive exams, or “comps,” are a staple of doctoral programs as a way for students to express their understanding of material, synthesize their learning, and apply that learning to their fields of study; further, comps are deemed a rite of passage prior to advancing to the dissertation stage of the doctoral degree. Literature reviewed on the benefits/challenges of comps reflects a theme questioning the fidelity of the exams. Does a high-stakes test reassure doctoral faculty that the doctoral student has the content capacity expected of one earning a doctorate? Are comps an indicator of successful navigation through the dissertation process? This article reflects an authentic assessment process of evaluation that has successfully been instituted within a doctoral program as well as the benefits/challenges of these assessments in lieu of traditional comps. Further, we share examples of how doctoral students have developed/implemented genuine learning experiences that synthesize both content and skills they learn/practice in their program, while propelling them forward into the field of scholarship.