Overview
Some programs require a final examination for completion. At the discretion of the student’s advisory committee – the examination may be written, or oral, or both. The examination may cover the student’s research, coursework, or other related topics.
Eligibility
To schedule the final examination (defense), the following conditions must be met:
- Have an approved degree plan
- Complete all coursework or be registered for the remaining coursework on the degree plan
- Meet the Enrollment Requirement (See below for details)
- Meet the Enrollment Requirement (See below for details)
- Degree Plan GPA and Overall GPA must be above minimum GPA requirements.
- No open requests in DPSS
- The previous milestones must be completed: Degree plan, preliminary exam (doctoral only), proposal (If required), residency and admission to candidacy (doctoral only).
Depending on the degree type, there may be requirements for enrollment at the time of the examination.
Doctoral Students
- Doctoral students must be registered during the semester they take any part of the preliminary examination or the final examination.
Master's Students
- Thesis – Master’s thesis option students must be registered during the semester they take the final examination.
- Non-thesis – Master’s non-thesis students are not required by the Graduate and Professional School to be registered during the semester of their final examination if all course work on the degree plan has been completed.
Please Note: Students who are attempting to hold an exam between semesters must be registered in the semester immediately preceding the exam in order to be eligible to take the exam. A department and/or college may have requirements in addition to the University. International students should consult with International Student and Scholar Services regarding additional registration requirements.
Scheduling
The Final Examination Request is submitted through ARCS. There are two required deadlines to meet for a valid Final Examination.
- Submission Deadline: The Request must be submitted at least 10 working days prior to the requested examination date OR before the published Submission deadline for a program, whichever come first.
- Examination Deadline: The examination must take place before the published deadline each semester for a student to be a degree candidate for that semester.
FAQs
How do I change my final exam date or cancel the exam after the request has been submitted?
Your Committee Chair or program’s Graduate Advisor can contact the Graduate and Professional School to request that the exam be rescheduled or indicate that the exam has been cancelled. If cancelled, a new Final Examination Request will need to be submitted through ARCS.
Substitutes
Only one committee member substitution is allowed with prior approval of the Graduate and Professional School. The Chair cannot be substituted.
If the committee member to be substituted is external to the student’s department, the substitution should also be external to the student’s department. This can be exempted in extraordinary circumstances by the Graduate and Professional School.
If the need for a substitution arises after the final examination has been scheduled, please contact gradprocessing@tamu.edu.
Grading
A positive evaluation of the final examination by all members of a student’s examination committee, with at most one dissension, is required to pass a student on their final examination.
The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Final Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS) within 10 working days of completion of the examination. If an approved examination committee member substitution has been made, their approval must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via ARCS.
Once the exam has been fully evaluated by the committee, the results will be indicated in the degree evaluation in Howdy under Program Non-Course Requirements. The examination results will also be reflected in the Final Examination milestone in ARCS.
Final Examination Exemptions
Only an option for students in Master’s programs that allow final exam exemptions.
Thesis option candidates may request to be exempt from their final examination if the degree plan GPA is 3.500 or greater and they have approval of the advisory committee, the head of the student’s department, and the Graduate and Professional School. The Final Examination Exemption should be submitted through ARCS the same semester you submit the thesis.
Some non-thesis programs allow for an exemption to the final examination. Please view your program’s Catalog page for further information.
To request an exemption, the following conditions must be met:
- Be in a Master’s program that is approved for submitting Final Examination Exemptions.
- Degree Plan GPA and Overall GPA must be above meet or exceed GPA requirements
- All coursework on the approved degree plan must be completed or in progress
- No open requests in DPSS
- These following milestones must be completed prior to requesting a final exam exemption: Degree plan, Proposal (if required) and Residence (if required).
- If conditions are met, select "Exemption for Final Exam" on the Final Examination Milestone, then fill out information as prompted.
Failures and Retakes
Please see the Catalog for information about a Failure on the Final Examination.
How do I appeal a decision on the Final Examination?
Briefly summarized below, Texas A&M Student Rule #53 (Graduate Student Examination Evaluation Disputes) describes the appeal process in detail. Carefully examine Student Rules #53 before pursuing a grievance.
- First discuss your grievance with the chair or co-chairs of the examining committee.
- If no satisfactory resolution is reached with the examining committee chair or the committee chair is unavailable, then students shall appeal to the head of the department or program administering the exam.
- To appeal exam results to the department or program head, students must complete form GAP-003 and collect all documentation that supports claims of capricious, arbitrary or prejudiced academic evaluation.
- Next, submit form GAP-003 and all supporting documentation to the Graduate & Professional School. These materials together represent the Appeal Summary File.
- The Appeal Summary File original stays with the Associate Provost for Graduate and Professional Studies office, and Graduate & Professional School will send a copy to the department or program administering the degree.
- The graduate student or the examining committee acting through its chair may appeal the department head’s decision to the dean or designee of the college in which the student is enrolled.
- If no satisfactory resolution presents from the dean or designee, the student and/or examining committee through its chair may file an appeal with the Graduate Appeals Panel.