GRADUATE PROGRAM GUIDELINES: COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS
Doctoral Preliminary Comprehensive Examinations
The doctoral comprehensive examinations are traditionally regarded as the means by which
the members of the faculty assess the level of mastery a student has attained once the prescribed
course work for the degree has been completed. The oral examination is
announced by the Graduate School on the Graduate School Web site; therefore, the graduate
coordinator should notify Enrolled Student Services of the date, time, place and names of the
committee members at least two weeks prior to its administration. The form for electronic
submission of the announcement is located at http://www.gradsch.uga.edu, click on "For
Faculty," "Forms and Publications," and "Announcement of Oral Exam and Dissertation
Defense." An approved advisory committee form and program of study must be on file prior to
this notification. The Graduate School will mail the “Report of the Written and Oral
Comprehensive Examination” form to the graduate coordinator prior to the examination.
Because of the serious nature of these examinations, the scheduling of the oral examination must
be arranged when all members
of the student’s advisory committee can be available for the entire
examination. If, for a good reason, a member cannot be present, the student must choose one of
the following options:
1. The absentee member may participate via a teleconference or video conference in
which all participants can hear each person’s comments. The chair of the committee will need
to sign the report of the exam for the absentee member and register his/her vote and indicate that
the member participated by telecommunication or video conference (the major professor signs
the absentee member's name followed by the major professor's initials).
2. A substitution may be made with another faculty member who can replace the former
member in expertise of the subject field and who has knowledge of the student’s research project.
A revised advisory committee form must be submitted to the Graduation Office prior
to the examination.
3. The examination may be canceled or rescheduled at a later time. In either case, the
Graduate School must be notified.
No more than one dissenting vote is permitted for the student to pass both the written and oral
examinations. The major professor’s/co-major professors’ vote of approval is required for the
student to pass the examination. An abstention is not an appropriate vote for comprehensive
examinations.