Graduate students are required to complete their comprehensive examination or culminating experience (e.g., thesis courses, capstone courses, or courses with a culminating project) at A&M–Central Texas. These courses will not be accepted for transfer without prior approval from the Dean of the Graduate School. Requests for exceptions must be submitted at least six months before enrollment in the course. 

Comprehensive examination policies and procedures are available through the student’s academic program office. Students should review the requirements early in their degree program. Written comprehensive exams must be scheduled at the beginning of the semester in which they will be taken. Deadlines for submitting examination results to the Graduate School are published in the university calendar. 

If an oral examination is required in addition to the written component, it will be conducted by the student’s comprehensive examination committee. A representative from the Graduate School may be invited to participate. 

Students who do not pass the comprehensive examination may retake it at the next scheduled administration or, if approved by their advisory committee, graduate coordinator, and department chair, at an earlier date. Unless a department has stricter requirements, students who fail the exam three times will be dismissed from their graduate program. There is no appeal beyond the third attempt. 

Students who do not plan to take the scheduled examination are encouraged to drop the course before the exam date. A "No Show" will be considered a failed attempt.