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Comprehensive Exams

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Policy for Biblical and Theological Studies Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam is offered by the BITH department twice during the academic year, in October and March. Comps are not offered in the summer for August graduates of the Master of Arts programs, so students completing requirements and anticipating graduation in August should be prepared to take the comprehensive exam in March. The comp may be attempted at any point the student feels prepared to sit for the exam (usually after all core courses are completed) but must be passed within the 5-year deadline to earn the degree by traditional students, and within the 7-year deadline for MPPM students. If a semester or more has passed since the student’s last enrollment in the Graduate School, the student should submit a Supplementary Application to the Graduate Admissions department in order to become eligible to register for BITH 692, Comprehensive Exam, in the semester of their choosing. The comprehensive exam fee is $25.

Once a student has registered for BITH 692, s/he will be informed of study guides, exam dates and locations, special instructions, proctor agreements, and any additional information by the graduate BITH department secretary. It is the student’s responsibility to verify that the graduate BITH department has all necessary contact information including an email address, to use to communicate with the student. If the student decides to withdraw from the comprehensive exam that semester, s/he must drop it from their registration for that semester in the Registrar’s Office no later than 2 weeks prior to the exam date. No refund is given after the second week of the semester. Further, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate to the department no later than two weeks prior to the exam date that they have withdrawn from the comprehensive exam for that semester, or if they qualify for special accommodations due to documented special needs or learning disabilities. The documents for special needs must be on file in the Registrar’s Office. Failure by the student to withdraw before the deadline of two weeks prior to the exam date results in the exam being recorded as an “F” for that attempt. Students may attempt any section of the comprehensive exam for their master’s program only twice. Failure to pass any area of the comprehensive exam on the second attempt results in failure to have the master’s degree conferred.

Students that fail or withdraw from the comprehensive exam may be precluded from participating in commencement activities for that academic year.