[Graduate Studies]

DMA and MM Comprehensive Examinations

Comprehensive examinations are administered twice each year, once in the Fall Semester and once in the Spring Semester. All graduate students must pass the comprehensive examination before they can be admitted to candidacy in their degree program. Students who fail on the first attempt are allowed to take the examination a second time, but not in the same semester.

Students who plan to finish the MM degree in two years or in two years and a summer, or the DMA degree in three years or three years and a summer, should plan to take the examination in the Fail semester of their second year (MM) or the Spring Semester of the second year (DMA). Since students are not eligible to take the comprehensive examinations until they are enrolled in the last semester of their required course work, careful attention should be given to the selection of courses so that students may take full advantage of the rotation (most theory courses are offered semiannually). Students are not required to take the examinations in the second year; however, postponement is likely to increase the amount of time required to finish the degree.

Information regarding the structure and content of the comprehensive exam may be found in the Graduate Handbook:

for the MM degree

for the DMA degree

Read about the theory segment of the exam.