Currently, students must sit for exams in two of the department's five identified specialty areas. The new system retains the requirement that students show mastery of two fields within sociology. Further, students must sit for at least one exam in one of our four as the process is currently set up and may choose to sit for both exams in the current system. However, students may now choose to construct an exam proposal as the basis for a comprehensive exam crafted per approval the student's exam committee. Comprehensive exams are administered during the third and fifth week of each fall and spring semester. Students who are ready to take their comprehensive exams must submit the Specialty Area Check Off Form to the Graduate Office. The Check Off form requires a signature from the specialty area coordinator to certify that the courses listed do in fact fulfill the course requirements of the area. The form also requires your advisor's signature.
