Comprehensive Examination Track Guidelines
I. DESCRIPTION
The Comprehensive Examination is ideal for students who want to engage with a broad range of topics related to Performance Studies. Unlike regular final examinations, the Comprehensive Examination is not linked to any particular course but rather tests knowledge across courses. In that way, it certifies that students have achieved a core level of mastery in the field.
Students taking the Comprehensive Examination must have at least one main topic of interest. This could be a specific performance practice, scholar or artist, community, historical period, media, technology, theoretical framework or method.
The Comprehensive Examination has a written examination and a defense component.
II. COMMITTEE
After passing the Prospectus Defense, each M.A. student establishes a Comprehensive Examination Committee in consultation with his/her advisor. The committee will consist of the graduate advisor (who is also the committee chair), at least one other faculty from the Performance Studies program and one outside faculty. The student may also have on his/her committee a third internal committee member and a faculty from another Texas A&M University department — more than one external faculty must be approved by the director of graduate studies.
III. WRITTEN EXAMINATION
The written examination has seven questions, organized into two main sections. The first section (four questions) involves a range of issues in Performance Studies. This includes questions related to the history of the field (when, how and why it emerged, for instance); prominent Performance Studies scholars; and theoretical and methodological trends. The second section (three questions) focuses on issues directly related to the student’s topic(s) of interest. The committee chair will request multiple questions from the committee member(s) but will be responsible for constructing the bulk of the examination.
It is up to the student to meet with committee members on an individual basis to discuss how best to prepare for the Comprehensive Examination (e.g., creating reading lists).
The chair will arrange with the student the date and method for delivering the exam. The student must answer five of the seven questions provided by the chair within two weeks of receipt of the exam. Each response should be at least 2,500 words in length.
IV. DEFENSE (ORAL EXAMINATION)
After receiving the student’s responses, the chair will share the document with the rest of the committee and schedule the Oral Examination. The Oral Examination is usually scheduled two weeks after the committee members have received the student’s written responses.
Before the Oral Examination, the student must:
- Submit Degree Plan to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (OGAPS) in the semester prior to graduation (see OGAPS calendar for deadlines).
- Schedule date and time of the examination in consultation with the supervisor, committee members and director of graduate studies. Oral examinations are scheduled for 60 minutes.
- Apply for degree and pay graduation fee.
- Check to make sure degree program and advisory committee are up to date, and course work is complete.
- Submit Request and Announcement of the Final Examination at least 10 working days before the oral examination (see OGAPS calendar for deadlines).
Defense Procedure
- Student and committee meet briefly.
- Student leaves the room.
- Committee discusses any concerns and establishes the order of questioning.
- Student comes back into the room.
- Committee members ask student a round of questions. Time permitting, the committee asks a second round of questions.
- Student leaves the room.
- Committee discusses the written and oral components and votes on pass/fail:
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pass with no revisions (or minor revisions such as formatting or grammar) |
| 2A | Pass with revisions to be approved by the supervisor |
| 2B | Pass with revisions to be approved by the committee |
| 3A | Fail with revisions |
| 3B | Fail |
8. Student comes back into the room.
9. Supervisor informs the student of pass/fail decision and of the requested revisions (if any):
| Description | Action |
|---|---|
| Pass with no revisions | Committee and supervisor sign the Report of the Final Examination |
| Pass with revisions to be approved by the supervisor | Committee signs the Report of the Final Examination; candidate completes revisions and submits to supervisor for approval; supervisor signs the Report of the Final Examination |
| Pass with revisions to be approved by the committee | Candidate completes revisions and submits to committee and supervisor for approval; committee and supervisor sign the Report of the Final Examination |
| Fail with revisions | Candidate completes revisions and submits to committee and supervisor; candidate schedules a second defense, following the steps listed above. |
| Fail | Candidate does not receive the MA degree. |
10. The defense concludes.
Degree Plan for Comprehensive Examination Track
Required Foundational Courses (First Year): 9 hours
| Course | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PERF 600 | Graduate Scholarship in Performance Studies | 3 |
| PERF 601 | Theories in Performance Studies | 3 |
| PERF 602 | Research Methods in Performance Studies | 3 |
Required Track Courses (Second Year): 3 hours
| PERF 685 | Directed Studies (with graduate advisor) | 3 |
Elective Internal Courses: 12-15 hours
| PERF 603-6821 PERF 600-6942 | [TBD] [TBD] | Up to 15 |
| PERF 685 | Directed Studies | Up to 3 |
| PERF 689 | Topics in Performance Studies | Up to 6 |
Elective External Courses3
| [TBD] | [TBD] | Up to 9 |
| _____685 | Directed Studies (with external faculty) | Up to 3 |
Total: 36
1 Pending approval from the DGS, students can take one additional PERF 685.
2 Except FILM 685, FILM 689 and FILM 691.
3 Students must consult with their advisor and the DGS before registering for external courses.