See your major advisor for the specifics regarding this exam. Once a substantial part of the course and thesis work is completed, the student must take a written comprehensive exam. Questions are solicited by the major advisor. Some departments such as Biometrics hold written comprehensive exams once each semester. Call them or contact your major professor for more information.
Oral examinations are at the discretion of the major advisor.
Once the written comprehensive and the language or tool requirement is fulfilled, the supervisory committee recommends, via a written report to the Graduate College, that the student be admitted as a candidate for the Ph.D. degree. This report must be filed at least seven months before the final oral thesis defense. Graduate students who are admitted to candidacy must continue to register for thesis credits until the degree is obtained. If 3 years or more elapse from the time of admission to candidacy until the final oral exam, then the written exam must be retaken. Final copies of the thesis must be submitted to members of the reading committee at least 4 weeks before the scheduled oral final exam.