Procedures for Students Taking Comprehensive Examination

  1. Please arrive at the specified room at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the examination. There will be a sign-in sheet at the door.You will need some type of ID (MSU ID or driver’s license). You will be given your exam packet by the monitor when all students have arrived.
  2. Be sure you know your NetID and password so that you are able to login our computer system for the preliminary examination.
  3. Do not bring any materials to the examination room with you. By unanimous vote of the faculty, students are not to bring any materials with them into the examination room when taking their comprehensive examinations.
  4. The monitor may ask that you leave bags, purses or personal items at the back of the room or secured beneath your table.
  5. The monitor will go over the procedures and ask that you sign the MSU Honor Code signature sheet included in your packet. Review your packet for any problems. Please feel free to ask the monitors about any concerns that you might have before the examination begins.
  6. The exam packet should include your questions, flash drive for your saved work, Honor Code signature sheet, copy of procedures, and an exit survey (to be completed at the end of your exam).You will be provided scratch paper or pencils, if needed.
  7. During the examination you are not permitted to use the Internet or e-mail; all of the computers will be monitored. If you use these types of media, you will be excluded from the examination.
  8. You will be assigned a student # which will be on your packet label and your flash drive label. The proctor has a list of names that corresponds with each assigned student number. Be sure and put this number on your answer documents (not your name). Double space your work and save periodically.
    To insert a footer: Double click in the footer section (bottom of the page) of the Word document. At the left margin, key “Student #”and add your assigned student number. Press tab and key today’s date at the center. Press tab again and use the “Page Number” menu option to insert a page number in the bottom right corner.
  9. You are allowed to print your answers for editorial review only, as many times as you want. The monitor will retrieve the printouts from the printer for you.
  10. Once you have finished reviewing your printed “editorial” copy of your exam, please be sure that all draft copies are turned in to be shredded(you can return these to the envelope or give to the monitor at the end of the exam to be shredded. You are not permitted to keep edited copies of your examination. You are not permitted to take any printed or electronic materials from the examination room. You are also not permitted to send an electronic copy of your examination to yourself via e-mail.
  11. Print your final answers to be turned in and make sure that you have saved answers to the Flash drive provided to you. Place the exam questions from your packet along with your final printed answers in the exam packet envelope. If you require the full examination time, you will have 15 minutes at the end of the examination to print your answers for that session.Do not forget to complete the exit survey!
  12. Place all documents in the exam packet and turn in to the monitor to be checked and cleared. You are free to leave when you are cleared by the monitor for each session.
  13. Your exam results should be available within two weeks(spring break not included). You will be sent a letter of results from the department(Results will not be given over the phone). Thank you and have a safe trip home.