United States History Comprehensive Exams
The written qualifying exams for the PhD in U.S. History are designed to demonstrate the student’s mastery of core themes in the field, as defined at once by coverage of three chronological areas (early America to 1800, 1789-1900, and 1890-present) and one thematic specialty (diplomatic, intellectual, labor history, etc.) as chosen by the student.
Both the general nature and more precise terms of the exam questions are a matter to be worked out with care in discussions between the student and the examiner in each field. The direction of field mastery, for example, might be oriented to the general terms of a projected dissertation topic or alternatively to the dominant themes of an undergraduate course in the designated subject area of the exam.
Each student will prepare for each of the four examinations with an appropriate member of the faculty. In each case, student and faculty will decide on a reading list of 20-25 books, or their equivalent in articles, for each area. As a rule, they will also discuss the topics and issues from which the examination question is to come.
Students have eight hours to complete each examination, and the length of each examination response should be 10-15 pages (typed and double-spaced). Students may consult a single sided page of notes while writing each exam. A student may take all four examinations in one semester or over two consecutive semesters. The student’s adviser must approve the student’s schedule of examinations early in the semester in which the first examination is taken. When constructing this schedule, a student must secure the approval of each participating faculty member regarding the time for his/her examination. A faculty member may ask a student to synchronize an examination with those of other students.
Faculty reading the comprehensive exams will assign graduate grades to each exam. In the event a student receives a grade of L or F on one exam, the student will receive a failing grade for that exam and he or she will be allowed to retake that exam within six months. A student receiving grades of L or F on two or more exams will receive a failing grade on those exams and will be allowed to retake the exams once no sooner than three months and no later than six months after having first taken the exams.