Texas Tech University

Research Competency Exam

All doctoral students in the College of Media & Communication must successfully complete the research competency examination before completing coursework. The exam is intended to assess the student's need for additional instruction. Based on the results of this exam, the student may be required to take additional coursework in research methods, theory or data analysis.

Students are advised to schedule courses so that the exam can be taken at the end of the first year of study.

Students must take the research competency exam at the earliest testing date following the student's completion of the required courses:

If, following the research competency examination, students are required to take additional coursework in research methods or statistics, those course requirements may be added to the student's program.

If, following the research competency examination, students are required to take additional coursework in research methods or statistics, the student may be asked to retake the research competency examination after having completed those additional courses.

In order for a qualified student to take the research competency examination, he or she must notify the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in writing of his or her intent to take the examination by the last class day of the semester preceding the date the examination is to be taken.

Each fall, spring and first summer term, the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies will form a research competency examination committee.

Only Graduate Faculty members will serve on the research competency examination committee.

The research competency examination will be administered up to a maximum of three times per academic year.

The dates and times of the exam will vary but typically the exam will be administered between academic semesters.

  • December (following final exams)
  • June (following final exams)
  • September (following final exams)