There are basically two phases to a PhD program; these are the academic and the research phases. The academic phase deals with your course-work, and the Comprehensive Exams (CE) fall between the academic phase and the research phase. The CE is a major milestone along the road to successfully completing your doctoral program on time and within budget. This is a rigorous exam that represents the culmination of your learning from the academic phase of the PhD journey, and it calls on your ability to demonstrate competencies in certain areas of your learning.

The Comprehensive Exams (CE) In previous posts, I discussed how the research phase can exceed the academic phase by years, and how this can prolong the time to complete a PhD program, while adding to the cost. The research phase consists of two sub-phases: writing the Research Plan (RP), and writing the Dissertation. In-between the academic and the research phase is the Comps Exam; unless you pass this rigorous exam, you cannot proceed through to writing the research proposal, or writing the dissertation. From firsthand experience, I can assure you that the CE is probably the loneliest and most stressful academic experience you will ever have. This is a major milestone that can completely derail the PhD learner’s progress toward completion.

Basic Purpose of the CE What is being tested in the CE is your ability to competently apply the high critical thinking skills that you developed throughout the academic phase of your PhD journey by integrating and synthesizing the scholarly literature on the theoretical, applied, and research methods that you learned in that phase. As a doctoral student, you should be very acquainted with Bloom’s taxonomy of learning by the time you get to the CE as you will be required to demonstrate competence in applying the various levels of intellectual behavior and thinking when you write the exam; failure to do so will guarantee you will not pass.

Quick Overview of the CE Process PhD students must submit five (5) topics that are related to their discipline and particular area of interest; one of these topics must be directly related to their dissertation topic. They must also provide the title of their dissertation, and state the research method(s) that they intend to use in their dissertation research. From these topics, three (3) will be chosen, and these will constitute the whole of the Comprehensive Exam.

What to Expect The exam questions that you will be asked will be related to your discipline and field of study, and one question in particular will directly be related to your dissertation topic. Other questions will also be related to you dissertation topic, albeit in a seemingly more indirect way. All questions will focus on theories related to (a) your field of study and your dissertation topic, (b) your research design, and (c) the appropriate application of applied theory and research. Successful completion of the CE is an indication that you are ready to proceed into the second phase of your journey; that is, the research phase.

Administration of the Comprehensive Exams This exam is administered in different ways at different institutions; however, the goal and purpose of the exam remain the same across institutions. I have heard that some universities do not administer a CE at all; however, in my opinion, sitting and passing a CE validates the PhD learner’s cumulative learning and, to a certain degree, demonstrates a certain amount of mastery of the of the theoretical, applied, and research methods that you learned in the academic phase of the doctoral journey. If you are an online PhD learner, most likely you will take this exam online. The college that I attended administers the CE online, and students are allowed 28 calendar days to answer three questions in papers that range in length from a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 17 pages – no more, no less. This rule is very strictly enforced, and the reviewers will not read beyond these page limits.

The CE Classroom In many online schools, students are required to attend a comprehensive examination course before taking the exam. This, in itself, can be a very enlightening experience, or a very stressful one; it all depends on the facilitator’s classroom management style. Some professors are very sympathetic to the learners’ anxiety levels and strive to make the classroom experience as accommodating and stress free as possible, while others can make it a totally useless experience that just adds to one’s level of stress. Apart from learning more about the CE process and the policies, rules, and regulations that govern and inform the process, learners interact and express their fears and ask questions that can range from clarifying APA fine points, to strategies for effective time management. It can be like that water-cooler moment at a brick-and-mortar school before mid-term or end-of-term tests starts. Some professors strictly prohibit any discussions about APA, for example, while others allow them – until the exams actually start. It is strictly prohibited for students to ask anyone for help during the CE, and doubly so for paying for help during this time. Students who do so can be thrown out of the program. In future posts, I will share tips on how to successfully complete the CE on the first attempt.

Dr. Ruth