English

Comprehensive Exam

The MA Comprehensive Exam is a required part of the MA program. We have transitioned from our old list based exam format to our field essay format.

For this exam, students will complete two essays over the course of a semester, overseen by two different Literature Graduate Faculty. The essay should seek to define a specific field--its major texts, movements, thinkers, theories, etc.

Preparation for the exam should begin the semester before a student intends to write the exam. To prepare students should do the following:

• Prepare a bibliography for 4 primary and 6 secondary texts (which can include articles and book chapters, as well as major texts)
• Prepare a paragraph proposal of what you wish to study
• Approach the faculty you wish to work with and provide them with the above materials.
• If the faculty agrees, fill out the Comprehensive Exam Candidacy Form. (MSWord)
• Please note that you should be working with two faculty members. While you are free to pursue related areas, you must have two entirely unique bibliographies for each question.

The Exam itself is as follows:

• Essays should be 15-20 pages. The due dates for the exam are as follows, with all essays due by 5pm: Friday Week 5, draft 1 due ; Friday Week 10, revision 1 due; Monday Week 13, revision 2 (final revision) due. *
• The exam is graded by your faculty member on a pass/fail system
• Upon successful completion of both questions, you will meet with graduate faculty to discuss your essays on the last day of CEP week.

*your faculty may require additional drafts than these, at their discretion. The above represents the hard due dates set by the program.