After three (or more!) months, over 100 books, and countless instant messenger coversations with colleagues, I’m relieved to announce that I passed my major field comprehensive exams yesterday!
Good News
- Date May 25, 2006
After three (or more!) months, over 100 books, and countless instant messenger coversations with colleagues, I’m relieved to announce that I passed my major field comprehensive exams yesterday!
Congratulations, Jeremy!
It sounds gruesome and clearly deserving of major congratulations! (And I’ll set aside a glass of wine to drink to you tonight!)
Still, as an ignorant Brit who never sat a single exam between third-year undergrad finals and the PhD viva, I’m curious. What was involved in these exams? What part does it play in your PhD overall? Are you ABD now, or is this a different rite of passage?
Congratulations! Though like Sharon, I’m not sure of what it is you’ve passed.
Ah, sorry! Didn’t even think to explain it more. In the PhD program at George Mason, we have to complete an exam for our major field of study. Major fields include 15 hours of coursework in a particular field (U.S., European, or World history). My major field is U.S. history. My exam consisted of a 1.5-2 hour oral exam given by three committee members, covering a book list of about 120 books on a variety of historical topics related to U.S. history.
In addition to the oral exam, we have to complete two minor field statements, which essentially involve writing a 25+ historiographical essay related to a minor field. Minor fields involve 9 hours of coursework. My minor fields are “19th-century cultural history” and “History and New Media.” Our minor fields are essentially constructed by the students themselves, with the guidance of two “readers” of the minor field statement. I’m finishing my two minor fields this summer, and after that I’ll be ABD.
A little more detailed description of our program’s requirements are on the department’s website.
Congratulations and rock on, Mr. Boggs. I am well aware of the oral exam requirement at GMU, for which you certainly prepared infinitely more carefully than I did when I stumbled through Europe (1500-1800) almost exactly two years ago.