5.3 Official Grading Policy 5. The five areas are Theory, Programming Languages, Algorithms, Operating Systems, and Architecture. Masters students take the latter three.
Additional information is provided below.
The comps are currently offered at the beginning of the Fall Quarter and the beginning of the Spring Quarter, although the Spring Quarter is not guaranteed. If you have very little background in computer science, the time requirements may be waived, but such waivers are rare. Therefore, always get the official word from someone like Julie Conner when you have a question or concern. The comps format and the material being covered can change, so don't rely on rumor or someone's past experiences to guide you completely. There is an official comps syllabus available from Julie and also in the library in the lounge.