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Ph.D. Comprehensive Examinations

Each year, after the end of the Spring semester or at the beginning of the Fall semester, designated faculty members will offer a set of written exams testing students in three core disciplines: microeconomic (Fall), normative (Spring), and political analysis of policy issues (Spring). These exams will be based on material covered in School courses, supplemented by additional readings. Examiners will provide supplemental reading lists several months in advance of the exam date. Full-time students will generally take these exams at the end of the first year; part-time students at the end of the second year. Students also have the option of taking fewer than three exams in a given year. In addition, students must fulfill the quantitative methods requirement by successfully completing and defending a research paper.

Please note that every comprehensive exam is offered only once per academic year.

A student must pass all four comprehensives (economic, normative, political, quantitative), plus additional exams given in areas of specialization, prior to defending a dissertation prospectus and advancing to candidacy. A student who fails one or more of the comprehensive exams may retake these exams when next offered. Generally a student may take each component of the comprehensive exams only twice; a second failure in any area will lead to removal from the program.

All comprehensive exams follow open book and open note policy, however candidates are not allowed to consult with anyone. Each exam takes approximately 8 hours to complete. Current dates for comprehensive exams in Political and Normative Analysis (Summer 2011) are May 24 and 26, Tuesday and Thursday respectively. If you are taking the exam, please plan NOW to be somewhere with Internet access and in command of a quiet space for two eight-hour periods as indicated above.

Professor Ruth will be the principal examiner for the comprehensive examination in Microeconomic Analysis that will be offered on September 10.

The date of the comprehensive exam in Quantitative Analysis is tentatively Monday September 13, it will also likely spill over into the next day because of the number of students taking the exam. This means that if you are taking the exam this year, you will need to email your paper to Professor Gordon by Wednesday September 1. When you do, please indicate any faculty members whom you would like to invite to the presentation. Remember, this is an opportunity to get feedback on your work.

Line-up for Summer 2010:

Chief Examiner:	Chris Foreman
Political Analysis:	Chris Foreman
Normative Analysis:	Dave Crocker
Microeconomic Analysis:	Matthias Ruth
Quantitative Analysis:	Philip Swagel