Skip to main content
Department of Politics and Government

Comprehensive Exams

Comprehensive examinations provide the other of the two means for most students to complete the requirements for the Masters degree. Students wishing to pursue the comprehensive exam option should notify the Graduate Director and set down a tentative Plan of Study which indicates courses likely to be taken to meet the sub-field requirements.

Assuming they have completed a "Plan of Study" approved by the Department and the Graduate School, and also have no incomplete grades from previous terms, students may take these exams during the semester they are completing the required 32 hours but not in the semester when the student is taking one of the core seminars of the subfield except with approval of the Graduate Director.

Copies of previous exams for each sub-field are available to aid students in preparing for their comprehensive exams--inquire with the department office staff.

Students choosing to take comprehensive exams must successfully complete six graduate courses, three in one subfield, and three in a second subfield from the four subfields listed below: The list of 6 courses must include the core seminars of the subfield, namely: POL 461 and POL 497 (for Political Theory and Methodology), POL 411 (for American Politics subfield), POL 441 and POL 451 (for Comparative Politics and International Relations), and POL 421 and POL 431 (for Public Administration and State and Local Politics).

  • Political Theory and Methodology (POL 417, 461, 463, 496*, 497, 337, 338, 339, 361, 363)
  • American Politics (POL 411, 412, 417, 432, 310, 312, 317, 324, 325, 326, 327, 336, 337, 338, 339)
  • Comparative Politics and International Relations (POL 441, 442, 451, 452, 340, 341, 344, 345, 349, 351, 352, 353, 358)
  • Public Administration (POL 421, 422, 431, 433, 318, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335,)

There is no guarantee that all courses will be offered during the tenure of a graduate student in the department. It is the graduate student's responsibility to consult with the Graduate Director as to the current course availability.

Administration of the comprehensive exams

  • After completing 18 hours of graduate work, a student should confer with the Graduate Director regarding his/her intention to take comprehensive exams.
  • Sub-field committees will prepare and evaluate the respective comprehensive exams.
  • All comprehensive exams will be administered once per semester. In the Fall, comprehensive exams will be administered the first week of November. In the Spring, they will be administered the first week of April. No exams will be administered during the Summer.
  • Students must receive grades of "B" or better to pass the comprehensive exam. A student, who receives uniformly high grades, will be awarded "pass with distinction."
  • A student who receives a grade lower than a "B" on one or two of the exams, may retake that exam or exams on the next scheduled date.
  • A student may retake exams only once.

Exam Procedures

Below are examples of the instructions found on actual comprehensive exams, grouped by subfield

American

American Politics Comprehensive Exam: Spring 2020

INSTRUCTIONS: This is a 24-hour, open-book exam. Please answer question #1 and any two of questions #2-#6. All three responses should be provided in essay form, proofread, and include appropriate citations for all referenced literature. They should reflect a comprehensive understanding of the workings of the American political system and the political science scholarship surrounding it.

Theory/Methodology

Political Theory Comprehensive Exam: Spring 2020

INSTRUCTIONS : This is 24-hour, open-book exam. Write two in-depth essays, choosing from among the questions listed below. All responses should be provided in essay form, proofread, and include appropriate citations for all referenced literature. They should reflect a comprehensive understanding of relevant theoretical concepts, authors and approaches.

Empirical Research Methods Comprehensive Exam: Spring 2010

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the following question. Please cite relevant literature by the authors' names. This is a 12-hour, open-book exam.

IR/Comparative

Comparative Politics and International Relations Comprehensive Exam: Spring 2020

INSTRUCTIONS;

  • Students should answer a total of THREE (3) questions.
    • Students can select ONE from Comparative Politics and TWO from International Relations
    • Or ONE from International Relations and TWO from Comparative Politics.
  • Length: Essays should be at least 1,500 words long.
  • You have 48-hours to complete the exam.
  • Students must return an electronic version and/or a hard copy of their answers to the Department's office. Return questions, too.
  • You should use books, articles, notes, & etc.

EVALUATION CRITERIA;

  • Complexity: Consider the question from different angles.
  • Knowledge of the literature: Student must demonstrate mastery of the literature reviewed in the graduate program. This entails discussion of adequate references relevant to the questions; be sure to provide appropriate citations and footnotes (including pages #s where the arguments/references are found).
  • Thoughtfulness: Clearly present personal thoughts after careful assessment of existing arguments. Students must demonstrate complexity and thoughtfulness in discussing the theory's concepts and assumptions and the political implications of academic debates in specific historical contexts.
  • Historical, global, and comparative understanding of the issue, as well as of the existing debates and positions. Students must demonstrate the current relevance of the issue, the historical development of its conceptualization and future prospects.
  • Mastery of English language and composition.

Public Administration

Public Administration Comprehensive Exam: Spring 2020

Please write complete coherent essays that demonstrate a command (mastery) of the subject matter and cite by theorist/approximate date of publication of each author. Answer one question in the PA Field, one question in the State/Local field, and two questions from the subfields. You have a total of 48 hours to complete the exam. SELECT QUESTIONS THAT MINIMIZE OVERLAP IN YOUR RESPONSES.

  • Part I. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. You are required to answer ONE of the following two questions. Number your answers.
  • Part II. STATE AND LOCAL. You are required to answer ONE of the following two questions. Number your answers.
  • Part III. SUBFIELDS. You are required to answer TWO questions from among the various subfield questions listed below. Number your answers.

To graduate, a student must pass both comprehensive exams. Failing twice any of the comprehensive exams will result in the termination of the student from the master's program.

*Proposal regarding POL 496: While being taught as a pilot course, POL 496 will serve as a "methodology requirement." Once POL 496 is approved, it should receive grades of “B” or better to pass the comprehensive exam. A student, who receives uniformly high grades, will be awarded “pass with distinction.”