PhD Comprehensive Exam Extension

Under extenuating circumstances, students may petition for an extension of the time limits for completing the Comprehensive Examination. Students in this situation should review the EGSO policy on academic accommodations and petitions. Petitions are to include proper documentation and justification of the reason for the extension request. Students who wish to petition on the basis of medical grounds, must register with AccessAbility Services and provide them with all required medical documentation. Medical documentation should not be provided to your Department. AccessAbility Services will determine if the medical condition justifies an accommodation. Petitions must include the following:

  • Summary of accomplishments
  • Plan and timeline for Comprehensive Exam completion
  • Plan and timeline for program completion
  • Extenuating circumstances

The PhD Comprehensive Request for Time Limit Extension form must be approved by your Supervisor(s), home Department, and Associate Dean, Graduate Studies. Students who do not meet the required timelines and do not submit a request for extension or submit a petition and it is denied, will be required to withdraw from the program.

Extenuating circumstances are normally limited to issues related to the student's (or student's immediate family's) health or documented incidents involving graduate student supervision that can be demonstrated to have delayed the student's progress. The conduct of research, writing papers, or work on other projects is not considered a valid extenuating circumstance to delay beyond the normal comprehensive examination completion deadline

If the petition is granted, the Associate Dean, Graduate Studies will coordinate with the student's Graduate Officer to establish a new deadline by which the comprehensive exam will be completed. This deadline will be communicated to the student in the notice of decision on the petition.

If no petition has been previously adjudicated, and the student fails to meet these requirements by the end of the seventh term, the student's academic status will be changed to Required to Withdraw

Petitions for extension are always submitted for the upcoming term (i.e. petitions for extension for the Fall term are submitted in July/August).