This information is mainly for the current graduate students.

• Schedule - The comprehensive exam is offered twice a year: once in the Fall semester and once in the Spring semester. Please click here for the schedule information.

• Attempts:  Each student is entitled to 2 attempts to pass the exam.  A third attempt may be granted with the consent of the Department and the College of Graduate Studies and Research.

• Scoring:  Each comprehensive exam consists of 3 problems from each of the 4 courses comprising the exam for a total of 12 problems.  Only 8 problems will be graded, and these problems are identified by the student before leaving the testing area.  A minimum score of 62.5% is required to pass the exam.

• Materials:  The comprehensive exam covers materials from four courses but the four courses might vary for different programs.
  • Mathematics MA:  Math 517, 547, 570, 555
  • Mathematics and Statistics MS: Two courses chosen from Math 517, 547, or 570, and two courses chosen from Stat 550, 555, or 556.  Advisor approval is required.  The four courses are submitted to the Graduate Coordinator at the time of application to take the exam.
  • Applied Statistics MS:  Four courses chosen from Stat 555, 556, 550, 551, Math 517, Math 547, or Math 570.  Advisor approval is required.  The four courses are submitted to the Graduate Coordinator at the time of application to take the exam.

• Accessing previous comprehensive exams - Using your email credentials login to https://vpn.mnsu.edu/.  In the left panel click Web Applications.  At the top of the page click Mavdisk Personal Folders > All Users > Staff > W > Wu_Han > My_Public_Files > Comprehsive Exams