TAR: master's graduation requirements, not courses

["Jacqueline M. Ganiere" <generejm@MAIL.MILWAUKEE.K12.WI.US>]

With the mention of people preparing for the Praxis a while back, and
knowing I have several friends who are getting ready to take comps, a
question came to mind.  Comps were the thing everyone dreaded, the
make-you, break-you graduation requirement that came close to the end of
all your course work.  You spent months agonizing, memorizing - I still
break out in a cold sweat.

The ALA accredited university I received my master's from allowed you one
failure, and one re-try on a combination take-home question and 3 hour
written exam where you selected the 3 questions you wished to answer.  The
questions asked oftentimes did not relate at all to being a school library
media specialist, but geared more toward the business world.  (Okay, so I
have a skewed vision...)

If you (gulp) fail as do at least 1/4 of the students and wish to appeal,
you can do so. If the faculty board decides your defense isn't adequate,
you have the opportunity to take comps over again.  If you fail comps the
second time around, you aren't awarded the master's degree.  You have taken
all the courses, but don't have that magic added degree.

After all that explanation, the big question is:  what are the policies of
other ALA accredited schools like?  Is this a unique policy?  When I
graduated a little over a year ago, they were thinking about offering the
option of writing a thesis v. taking comps.  I can't answer whether or not
they've instituted that policy yet.

Thanks in advance for your contributions, and I will post a HIT.

Jackie Ganiere, LMS
Luther Burbank/95th Street Elem. School(s)
Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee, WI
generejm@mail.milwaukee.k12.wi.us

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST, etc.) send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu   In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
 See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
    http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=