Each candidate must pass a general comprehensive examination.

The examination committee shall be appointed by the Dean on the recommendation of the Department(s) or Board of Studies. The committee shall consist of either three or five members, at least one of whom must come from outside the Department(s) concerned. The candidate shall be informed of the names of the committee well before the examination.

The candidate and the tutor will normally agree when the candidate may sit the general comprehensive examination. However, the Department(s) or Board of Studies must accede to the candidate's request to sit a comprehensive examination, except that in no circumstances may a candidate attempt the general comprehensive examination before his or her course program is completed.

The schedule for the examination shall be agreed by the candidate, the tutor, and the examining committee, and shall be promulgated by the Dean.

The examination shall consist of a written part and an oral part. The time between the written and the oral parts shall normally be from one to four weeks.

The oral examination shall be from one to three hours in length, and shall be conducted by the examining committee, and shall be open to the examination committee and to members of the Department(s) or Board of Studies only.

A candidate must satisfy the examining committee in both parts of the examination to obtain a pass.

The successful completion of the comprehensive examination is the final academic requirement for the Master of Philosophy Degree.