The Ph.D. comprehensive examination encourages the most comprehensive and synthesized thinking possible. You must complete all of your course work before you take your written exams.
Exam Structure
Doctoral students are responsible for six areas: Medieval/Renaissance, Seventeenth Century, Eighteenth Century, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth/Twenty-first Century, and Francophone.
1. There will be three exams. Each exam is three hours, covering two areas, ask students to synthesize and draw connections between the two periods covered. Students will sit for each exam. Students who can demonstrate sufficient preparation and/or coursework in these areas may be allowed to drop one of the coverage exams with the permission of their advisor.
- Exam 1: Medieval/Renaissance + 17th Century
- Exam 2: 18th Century + Francophone
- Exam 3: 19th Century +20th-21st Century
2. Students will complete a take-home exam that will prepare them in their specialized area of study. It will be largely critical/theoretical in nature. Students will respond to a series of questions that asks them to engage with the theoretical framework and the stakes of their proposed dissertation topic. The list will be worked out with the advisor. Students will have one week to complete this exam.
3. Before being admitted to candidacy, students must present and have approved a substantial dissertation prospectus (proposal). This prospectus will constitute part of the exam structure. If the dissertation will be written in English, the prospectus may also be written in English.
All of the written and oral exams will be in French. Comprehensive exams are given under the supervision of the chair or a member of your Supervisory Committee. You may take them in August, in January, or in April (in the period following Spring Break).
If you take all the exams at once, your written exams must be completed within a period of five weeks. You can space them out during the five-week period as you wish. You may also divide your examinations into two sets, one consisting of two examinations taken within two weeks and the other of three examinations taken within three weeks, if you sit for the first set while you are still doing your course work. For example, you might take exams over two areas in August after completing course work in those areas, and take the other three examinations the next year after all course work has been completed. However, you must agree with your Supervisory Chair on a schedule that specifies the date and time of each exam at least a month before each is given, within the framework you select.
Your answers are read by all members of your Supervisory Committee and by the authors of the questions, who each make a recommendation to your Committee. A grade of “high pass,” “pass,” “low pass,” or “no pass” is assigned to each answer and to the exam as a whole.
The Chair of your Committee will inform you of the results of your written exams. If a portion of the comprehensive exam is not passed, you may retake that part during the next examination period. A second re-examination is possible only with prior approval of the Graduate Committee.