Comprehensive Exam Resources
All students in the M.A. program must complete a 'Culminating Experience,' either writing a thesis or passing the Comprehensive Exam. You should also consult 'Finishing the M.A.' for more details about this important part of your progress to your degree. Here are the steps you need to take:
1. In the semester before you plan to take the exam, ask your coordinator for a permit to add English 6983. This course will act as a support/study group for exam preparation.
2. Sign the Declaration of Intent Form and turn it in to your coordinator to receive a permit to add the zero-unit English 6980, which is where the exam itself will be delivered. These two courses may be taken separately. That is, a student may put off taking the exam one more semester if they feel they need more time, but the norm is that 6983 and the exam are taken in the same semester to complete the degree.
3. If a student fails one or both of the exams, they do not need to retake 6983 (though it can be repeated for credit). They will sign another Declaration of Intent form for a permit to take the exam the following semester.
Process for Comprehensive Exam and Continuous Enrollment through College of Extended and Global Education (CEGE)
This policy was approved to allow graduate students to register for either 6990 Continuous Enrollment (0-units) or 6980 Comprehensive Exam (0-units) courses through the College of Extended and Global Education. While students may continue to register for these courses through regular state-side enrollment, if the graduate student is only taking this single course, they may enroll through CEGE for a cost of only $320. Note that although these are zero-unit courses, graduate students would normally pay the 0-6 unit fee for the quarter.