Students must form an exam committee consisting of three faculty members representing their three departments of  specialization. In one of the three departments, students must write an analytical essay. The other two departments will be tested in closed, written exams. Students must obtain the forms for listing the faculty committee from the Center for  Latin American Studies.

Analytical Essay
An essay for a student's Department A (the major field) should be approximately 30 pages. An essay for Department B or C (a minor field) should be approximately 15 pages. Students must provide three copies of the essay to the LAS Center on the day of the closed exams; failure to complete the essay by that date constitutes failure for that department. While the essay can take various forms (e.g. position paper, research design, literature synthesis, policy analysis), to receive a "pass" it must be analytical in content, including a comprehensive review of appropriate literature and a cogent discussion of the topic; a purely descriptive account or narrative would be insufficient.

Closed Exams
Faculty will provide students with study questions and bibliographic suggestions early in the semester, and are encouraged to meet periodically with students to confirm progress in preparation. The closed exams will be held in the LAS Center, conducted on computers. Students will be given five hours to complete the two written exams. The scope and analytical depth of a written exam for Department A should approximately double the expectations for Departments B or C. To receive a "pass" written exams must include a comprehensive review of appropriate literature and a cogent discussion of the topic.

Oral Defense
An oral defense is mandatory. All three exam committee members must attend. Students are responsible for arranging in advance the date and time of the oral defense. The essay and both written exams will be provided to all three committee members prior to the oral. Examiners are encouraged to read and evaluate all three. Examiners take primary responsibility for evaluating student performance on their department exam, but may raise substantive questions from any of the three fields during the oral exam.

Repeat Exams
Students who fail in one (or more) departments may re-take that department exam (or exams) in a subsequent semester. Only one re-take will be permitted. There is no oral defense on repeat exams. Students who fail twice on any portion of the exam will not be awarded the MA by Plan B, though they may elect to write a thesis (Plan A). No exams will be offered during the summer semester.

Exam Schedule for Fall 2007
Date 1: Friday, February 29, 2008 -8 weeks prior to exam - last day for formation of exam committee
Date 2: Friday, March 14, 2008 - 6 weeks prior to exam - last day to confirm essay topic; last day for CE committee members to provide study questions for closed exams to students
Date 3: Friday, April 11, 2008 -2 weeks prior to exam - last day to confirm date for oral exam- see date 5 below
Date 4: Friday, April 18, 2008 - 1 weeks prior to exam - last day for faculty to submit actual exam question to CLAS (Elizabeth)
Date 5: Friday, April 25, 2008 - exam date for closed exams, final due date for analytical essay
Date 6: Monday, April 28 through Monday, May 12, 2008 - oral exams
Date 7: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - last day to submit CE results to the Center for Latin American Studies
Date 8: Friday, May 16, 2008 - last day to report exam results to Graduate Division

Spring 2008 Comprehensive Examination Procedures and Dates

Spring 2008 Comprehensive Examination Application