1. Master's Comprehensive Examination
a) The composition of the Comprehensive Examination Committee is
specified in the degree and departmental regulations, and the
Committee is appointed by the Dean. The Dean of Graduate Studies or
delegate may exercise the right to attend. All members of the
Committee including the Chairperson, but excluding the Dean of
Graduate Studies, shall be voting members.
b) In this examination the candidates must demonstrate an advanced
knowledge of the academic discipline as defined by the academic unit
in which they are students. Therefore, in order to be eligible to sit
the examination, all course requirements must be completed.
c) Members of the Comprehensive Examination
Committee shall decide the results of the comprehensive examination as
indicated in i-iv below:
i. The category of “pass with distinction” will be awarded to
candidates who demonstrate superior knowledge of their chosen field.
This category requires unanimous support of the Comprehensive
Examination Committee.
ii. The category of “pass” will be awarded to candidates who
demonstrate an acceptable knowledge of their chosen area and requires a
simple majority vote.
iii. The category of “re-examination” selects those candidates with an
understanding of their research area that lacks sufficient depth and
scope as indicated by a simple majority of the Comprehensive
Examination Committee. Only one such re-examination is possible and
students in this category are not eligible for the award of “pass with
distinction”. If a re-examination is to be held, it must be conducted
not less than one month and not more than six months after the first
examination. The decision of the voting members of the Committee
following this re-examination can only be “pass” or “fail” decided by
simple majority. Failure will lead to immediate termination of the
candidate’s program. There is no option for further re-examination.
iv. Students awarded a “fail” are deemed, by unanimous vote of the
Comprehensive Examination Committee, to be unable to demonstrate an
adequate understanding of their research area. The candidate’s program
is terminated.
d) The Chairperson of the Comprehensive Examination Committee shall
report to the Head of the academic unit who shall report to the Dean.
The result of the comprehensive examination(s) shall be reported to
the candidate by the Dean.
2. Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination
a) The candidate shall submit to a comprehensive examination, which may
be written or oral or both as determined by the academic unit.
Candidates shall normally take the examination no later than the end of
the seventh semester in the doctoral program. Unless an extension is
approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies, failure to take the
examination at this time will result in the termination of the
candidate’s program.
b) This examination, whether written or oral, shall be conducted by a
Committee appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies on the
recommendation of the academic unit. It shall consist of the Head of
the academic unit (or delegate) who shall be the Chairperson, the
candidate’s supervisor [or, where a supervisor has not yet been
appointed, the Graduate Officer or chair of the Graduate Studies (or
equivalent) Committee], the Dean of Graduate Studies (or delegate),
and at least three other members, the total voting members to be an odd
number. All members of the Committee including the Chairperson, but
excluding the Dean of Graduate Studies, shall be voting members.
c) In this examination, the candidate must demonstrate a mastery of
those sub-disciplines appropriate to his/her research area, as defined
by the academic unit in which they are students. Those sub-disciplines
upon which the candidate will be examined should be made known to the
candidate no later than three months prior to the examination. The
candidate must further be able to relate the specialization of his/her
research to the larger context of these sub-disciplines.
d) Members of the Comprehensive Examination Committee shall decide the
results of the comprehensive examination as indicated in i-iv below:
i. The category of “pass with distinction” will be awarded to
candidates who demonstrate superior knowledge of their chosen field.
This category requires unanimous support of the Comprehensive
Examination Committee.
ii. The category of “pass” will be awarded to candidates who
demonstrate an acceptable knowledge of their chosen area and requires a
simple majority vote.
iii. The category of “re-examination” selects those candidates with an
understanding of their research area that lacks sufficient depth and
scope as indicated by a simple majority of the Comprehensive
Examination Committee. Only one such re-examination is possible and
students in this category are not eligible for the award of “pass with
distinction”. If a re-examination is to be held, it must be conducted
not less than one month and not more than six months after the first
examination. The decision of the voting members of the Committee
following this re-examination can only be “pass” or “fail” decided by
simple majority. Failure will lead to immediate termination of the
candidate’s program. There is no option for further re-examination.
iv. Students awarded a “fail” are deemed, by unanimous vote of the
Comprehensive Examination Committee, to be unable to demonstrate an
adequate understanding of their research area. The candidate’s program
is terminated.
e) The Chairperson of the Comprehensive Examination Committee shall
report to the Head of the academic unit who shall report to the Dean.
The result of the comprehensive examination(s) shall be reported to
the candidate by the Dean.
Up to Calendar Table of Contents
Back to Office of the Registrar's Home Page