Jackson State University

The Division of Graduate Studies

Application for the Graduate Area Comprehensive Examination

Directions:  Please complete Part I and have your advisor and department chair approve you application by affixing his/her signature to it.  Return the completed application to the Division of Graduate Studies on or before the deadline date specified in the Graduate Calendar.    Use this opportunity to confer with your advisor about the content of your examination which should be individualized, personalized, and based upon your course of study.  (See procedures below.)

Part I.  To be completed by the student.

Name:       JSU Id No.  J

Address:                City/State/Zip: 

Telephone:                        E-Mail: 

Advisor:        Hours earned:  # Times this examination taken 0 1 2

Current Level:  Doctoral        Specialist               Masters          Major:  Select one Accounting Biology Business Chemistry Clinical Psychology Communicative Disorders Computer Science Criminal Justice Early Childhood Ed. Adminstration Elementary Ed. Engineering English Environmental Science Guidance Haz. Materials History Mass Comm Mathematics Music Physical Ed Political Science Public Administration Public Health Public Policy and Admin Reading Rehab. Counseling Science Ed. Secondary Education Social Work Sociology Special Ed. Sport Science Technology Urban Higher Ed. Urban & Regiona Plan

Desired Examination Date*:

*If you fail to take the examination on this date, you MUST RE-APPLY by the deadline to take it on a subsequent test date.

Signature:_______________________ Date: ____________

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Part II. To be completed by the advisor.

The advisor verifies:

1.  The student has been officially admitted to the program. Yes:  ______   No: _________
2.  The student has passed the Graduate English Competency Examination or passed English 500. Yes:  ______   No: _________
3.  The student has been declared a Candidate for Graduate Degree. Yes:  ______   No: _________
4.   The student's GPA is:  ____________

5.   The student is eligible to take the Graduate Area Comprehensive Examination on __________________________.

Advisor's Signature:  ________________________________             Date: ____________________

Name Typed: 

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Part III.

I have reviewed the requirements of the department/program and verify this student is eligible to take the Graduate Area Comprehensive Examination.

Department Chair/

Program Director:  ________________________________                 Date: ____________________

Name Typed: 

Accepted for the Graduate Council.

Graduate Dean: ________________________________                     Date: ____________________

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Eligibility

Master-level

1. Completion of 24 semester hours of graduate coursework with a 3.0 grade point average

2. Successful completion of Graduate English Competency Examination (GECE)

Specialist-level

1. Completion of 24 semester hours of graduate coursework with a 3.0 grade point average

Doctoral-level

1. Completion of 80% of required graduate course work with the appropriate grade point average

• Students may not appear for the comprehensive examination until the Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies declares them eligible.
• Additionally, students must be registered for at least one credit hour in the semester in which the examination will be taken.
• Audited courses will not meet this requirement. The Graduate Comprehensive Examination is generally dates are set three times a year, Fall, Spring and Summer by the Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies.
• Students are permitted to take the Comprehensive Examination a maximum of two (2) times: if the student fails the second time, the student must petition the Academic College Dean for permission to take the examination the third time. Once permission is granted, students then register with the assigned advisor or department chair to take this examination.
• Students should consult with department chairs or academic dean for specific departmental school and college requirements and number of examinations offered per year.

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Procedures

• Students must pick up an application in the Division of Graduate Studies or their respective Department.
• The student completes the application and meets with their advisor for review and approval.
• Prior to approval, the advisor must verify that all requirements specified in Part II have been completed.
• The advisor signs the application granting approval for the student to take the comprehensive examination.
• The Department Chair signs the form granting departmental approval of the student to take the comprehensive examination.
• The student brings the approved application to the Division of Graduate Studies (not to the department) by the deadline specified in the Graduate Calendar.
• Students who miss the deadline for their desired examination date must wait to take the examination on the next scheduled date.
• The Division of Graduate Studies will complete the Comprehensive Examination Roster and mail notification to all qualified applicants and their departments as least five (5) days prior to each scheduled testing date.
• Students should consult with advisor or department chair for the specific location and time for the examination.
• Students may NOT take the examination as a walk-in.