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Center for International Studies
Yamada International House
56 E. Union St.
Athens, Ohio 45701

Latin American Studies Comprehensive Examination Procedure

Rules and Timeline

Comprehensive Examination Checklist

  • Notification of Intent to Take the Written Examination submitted by Friday of 5th week.
  • Committee selected and notified and each committee member given a copy of the Faculty Notification Form for the LASP Comprehensive Exams by Friday of 5th week.
  • MAIA Comprehensive Exam Reading List completed and signed Friday of 5th week.
  • Papers approved and Approval Form for Graduate Papers to be Used in Latin American Studies MAIA Exam submitted by Friday of 5th week.

Comprehensive Exams will be held on Friday of 7th week in Yamada house 3rd floor.

  1. Notification of Intent Submit the "Notification of Intent to Take the Written Examination" form to LAS Directo by Friday of 5th week.
  2. Committee Selection Select your examination committee by end of 5th week. Your examination committee is to be composed of three faculty members. Two or three members may be from one discipline each of your core courses while one member may be from your Skills Minor. By 5th week, contact the three professors who will be on your committee and secure their agreement to participate. Give them a copy of the completed "Faculty Notification Form for the LASP Comprehensive Exams" (on the website). Make sure they understand that they are to submit to the LAS director one question or choice of questions that can be answered in one 60-minute essay. Check periodically to make sure they do it. It is the student's responsibility to make sure that all questions have been sent and received.
  3. Reading List Each of the professors on your committee should assign a set of readings for your exam. Complete the "MAIA Comprehensive Exam Reading List" (see web) form and submit it to Jill McKinney in Yamada House by 5th week. You are ALSO required to read and have a command of the material and theses in "The Short Standard Reading" list for the Latin American Studies Program. Questions from that material will appear on the comprehensive exam. Copies of the books listed therein will be on reserve in Alden Library.
  4. Exam procedure
    1. The exams will take four hours and may contain essay questions designed to test:
      1. The student's general knowledge of Latin America as acquired from course work and from the standard reading list
      2. Knowledge in specific Latin America and skills/disciplinary areas
      3. The ability to respond to questions regarding the two papers approved for the comprehensive exam.
    2.   There are three possible outcomes of the written exams:
      1. Pass.
      2. Pass conditionally. In which case the committee will stipulate further work required.
      3. Fail. In which case the student will be required to take an oral or second written exam at a date no sooner than a month from the time of the failed written exam.
    3. There are three possible outcomes of this second exam:
      1. Pass.
      2. Pass conditionally. In which case the committee will stipulate further work required
      3. Definitive fail. Termination from the program.
    4. If you wish to graduate this quarter, you must also formally apply for graduation early in the quarter. See Yamada House for the procedures for applying for graduation. Also check with Yamada House to make sure that all of your paperwork is in order. Failure to follow the correct procedures may well result in your not graduating on the expected date.