Comprehensive Examination (PhD)

Entrance Requirements | Credit/Course Requirements | Completion of the PhD Degree

All PhD students are normally expected to complete their comprehensive examination within 24 months from the date of initial registration. A student who is not admitted to candidacy within 36 months from the date of initial registration must withdraw from the program. Extension of this period may be permitted by the Dean of Graduate Studies in exceptional circumstances.

The basic requirements for a doctoral student to be admitted to candidacy are:

  • all required course work has been successfully completed
  • the comprehensive examination has been passed
  • the research supervisory committee has certified that the thesis proposal has been approved.

The Comprehensive Examination (Please see New Comprehensive Exam Guidelines) consists of preparation of a research proposal (written according to the regulations for an application for a grant-in-aid from the Canadian Institute of Health Research) on a topic which may be related to the student's own research project but must be distinct from it. The proposal is presented and defended orally before an examination committee.