This paper briefly presents a history of comprehensive examinations in higher education in the United States, characteristics of comprehensive exams, and the use of such exams in assessing program quality. This paper then focuses on the experience of 11 program faculties at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), that developed and used exit…

This paper describes two case studies of testing programs at local levels. The work was conducted as part of the Assessment Development and Use component of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's (NWREL) Assessment and Development project. Two school districts were recruited to participate in this effort--McMinnville, Oregon, and Kyrene,…