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Baylor > University Scholars > Exit Interview

Exit Interview

The Exit Interview (Spring of Junior Year)
Scholars demonstrate their knowledge of the texts on their reading list in an Exit Interview, which generally lasts from 45 minutes to one hour. The interview committee, headed by a UNSC director, includes an outside faculty member and a senior University Scholar who has successfully completed the interview. Students may request a certain director, but interview assignments will ultimately be based on an equal division of interviews among the directors. Students may select the outside faculty member and the senior University Scholar. Ideally, the student would choose their thesis director to be their outside professor. If the student's thesis director is also a UNSC director, that individual will conduct the interview and the student will secure a second professor to serve as the other faculty examiner.

All three members of the committee should be familiar with some, if not most, of the texts on the student's reading list.

Exit Interviews take place during three periods of the academic year:
• First month of the semester for seniors
• Second month of the semester for juniors
• Third month of the semester for juniors or seniors who did not pass the first attempt

Scholars must register for the interview (UNSC 3001) along with the other courses they will take during the semester in which they plan to do the interview. It is recommended that students schedule the interview for the spring in order to concentrate on their thesis in the fall.

To schedule the Exit interview:

At least 30 days in advance, contact an outside professor and schedule a date and time.
Contact a senior Scholar who has already passed the interview and who would be available at that date and time.
Email the UNSC office with the following information:
• the date and time of the interview,
• the names of the outside professor and the senior University Scholar, and
• the reading list (a signed copy should be on file in the UNSC office).
The office manager will inform you as to the room in which the interview will take place and the UNSC director who has been assigned to head the committee.
The office manager will email the reading list to the three interviewers.
Confirm the date, time, and place with the three interviewers one week prior to the interview.

If a Scholar's performance falls short, a second Exit Interview covering the same content may be taken during the next scheduled period.

Some hints on preparing for the Exit Interview:

Highlight important passages and write notes in the margins during the initial reading in order to facilitate later review.
Before the interview, review principal characters, major themes, and key concepts from each book.
Reflect on intertextual connections-that is, similarities or other relational ties among the texts.

Additional Guidelines for the Exit Interview may be found at:
Exit Interview Guidelines

Thesis Précis
Students are to come to the Exit Interview with a working title of the thesis and the name of their thesis director. Within 30 days of the Exit Interview, the student must submit a précis and outline with a timetable (1-2 pages) of the thesis to their thesis director, copied to the University Scholar's office. For the format of the précis, go to: Sample Thesis Précis. Failure to submit a précis will result in the student not receiving credit for passing the Exit Interview.

If students have trouble determining:
a) whom to ask to be their thesis director; or
b) what topic to write about; or
c) laying out a timetable;
they should make an appointment to see their adviser who can help. They SHOULD NOT wait until day 29 after the Exit Interview to do this!