Graduate Information

Comprehensive Examinations

Master of Arts - Non-Thesis Option Master of Arts - Thesis   |   Master of Arts - Non-thesis |  PHD Exam

Not earlier than during the final semester of course work enrollment, the candidate shall satisfactorily complete both a written and oral examination. The written examination includes the following sections:

1. Basic Communication Theory (1 hour)
2. Communication Theory (2 hours)
3. Communication Context (2 hours)

The written examination is administered by the student's Comprehensive Examination Committee. Obtain specific instructions about the written comprehensive examination from the Director of Graduate Study. To be eligible for the examination, the candidate must have finished or be currently enrolled in all course work with a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average.

Once the candidate has passed all sections of the written examination, he/she is eligible for the oral comprehensive examination. The examining committee -- which is determined through consultation among the student, his/her academic advisor, and the Director of Graduate Study -- is normally composed of the student's academic advisor plus two additional members of the Department's graduate faculty.

The examination usually lasts from one to one and one-half hours, and it covers any aspect of the student's graduate program. The results of the examination will be reported either as "pass" or "fail." A student must be enrolled in a minimum of two (2) credit hours (1 credit hour at Edwards Campus) any semester in which he/she expects to take the comprehensive examination.

Request Procedures for all Oral Examinations At least two weeks prior to any oral examination the candidate must formally request certification to take the examination from the Director of Graduate Study. He/she will inform the chair of the examining committee whether or not the student is eligible to take the written and oral examinations.