I. General Information
The comprehensive exam takes place at the end of the second semester and aims to acquaint you with the area of German Studies that will be the focus of your thesis. The exam is based on a reading list that you assemble in close consultation with the members of your committee, and consists of a take-home written exam followed by an hour-long oral examination that concentrates on the written exam but may also address texts and topics on your reading list that are not covered in the written exam.听
The exam is supervised by a committee of three faculty members, at least two of whom are from the German program, and the reading list should be made up of about 15 works. If you choose to designate an outside area, one third of the list should include works from your second area. Each committee is chaired by a faculty member from the German program. If a student fails the exam, he/she has the option to take the exam again no later than the end of the first week of the third semester.
If you are doing the non-thesis plan, you must take a second comprehensive exam in your fourth semester. You should announce your intention to pursue the non-thesis option no later than the end of the first week of the third semester. The exam is also supervised by a committee of three faculty members, all of whom are from the German program.
II. Reading Lists
Your reading list should reflect your individual intellectual interests and can focus on any area of German Studies. You determine the focus of the list and assemble the list in close consultation with the faculty in the German Studies program and, if you choose to designate an outside area, with the faculty in your second area. Your list should include primary texts and secondary literature that address these texts' critical and historical contexts.听
Your reading list must be approved by the three members of your committee and by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies.
If you are doing the non-thesis plan, once you have announced your intention at the beginning of the third semester, the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies will assign you a reading list that is going to be the basis of your second comprehensive exam. The scope of the reading list is broad and representative of the main trends and figures of the German literary and cultural tradition.
III. Exam Format
You will be given three groups of two or three questions each, and you will choose one question from each group. Your responses should be about 4 double-spaced pages each. The exam will be emailed to you by the Graduate Program Assistant or your committee chair by 2:00 pm on Friday.听 You should return your responses to the Graduate Program Assistant by 2:00 PM the following Monday. You may also start your exam on another day of the week, as long as the Graduate Program Assistant or your committee chair is available to send the exam to you.听 You will then be responsible for submitting your responses three days later.听 You can consult any materials you wish while writing your exam. You should plan to take your comprehensive exam by the 13th week of the second semester.
If you are doing the non-thesis plan, you should plan to take your second comprehensive exam by the 13th听week of the fourth semester. The format is the same of the first comprehensive exam
