Your two written exams must be taken in the first year of coursework, during Spring and Summer. The third exam is an oral exam that will be conducted at the time of your dissertation proposal defense at the end of the fourth semester and covers material from your specific area of research.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the dates are:
Spring 2025
March 24 - March 31
Application Period: January 15 – March 14
(applications will not be accepted before 1/15, final deadline is 3/14)
Summer 2025
July 14 - July 21
Application Period: June 9 – July 7
(applications will not be accepted before 6/9, final deadline is 7/7)
Taken in your second semester of coursework, exam topics include:
Taken in the summer after your first year of coursework, exam topics include:
Taken at the end of your fourth semester during your dissertation proposal defense meeting, the oral exam comprises a series of questions about your area of research drawn from your directed reading and dissertation proposal.
Bibliographies for each exam area are available online or in the administrative offices.