They consist of two parts that cover material presented in all of your required courses. Currently, there is nothing on the exam that is included in elective classes or other subjects not included in the core courses, though elective course material could be included if the faculty so choose. How Comps Questions Are Determined Each faculty member contributes a list of questions forming a pool of questions. Questions are selected from this pool, which is updated periodically.
Many students form study groups to devise questions, compile material, and study.
Registering for Comps You are eligible to take comps after you have completed all core courses in the program. After you have completed your core courses, discuss taking comps with your advisor. We suggest that you do not wait until your last semester to take comps. You are given four hours to complete both portions of the exam. Once you have finished, you turn in the exam.