Comprehensive examinations are designed by your graduate department and may take either a written or oral format. If your exams are written, expect to sit for two to three hours answering essay-style questions. In some cases, you may be allowed to take your exam home with you and return it for marking after a specified deadline. If your exams are oral, you will probably sit before a panel of professors at your school who will ask you questions or you may be required to make a presentation that you prepared beforehand.
The content of comprehensive exams varies by school and field of study. In general, professors look for expert-level understanding of topics considered elementary building blocks for the subject in question. For example, the University of British Columbia's comprehensive exam for physics asks students to answer in-depth questions about quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and mechanics. If you're studying a subject in the liberal arts, you'll need to know canonical texts back-to-front. Don't expect to pass your Elizabethan Literature exam if you don't know your Shakespeare. For social science subjects, testers will want you to know major theories and theorists. For a more specific outline of your comprehensive exam, ask the subject department at your university. Some schools get students to assemble their own panel of professors, who work together to come up with comprehensive exam questions. Talking to your professors and knowing their research backgrounds can give you clues about what your test could look like.
Preparing for your comprehensive exams is no small undertaking. The University of Central Florida suggests that you'll need to spend a full semester studying to ready yourself. If the exam covers a lot of content, form a study group and have one person tackle each topic. Each student can teach her specialty to the rest of the group, saving everyone time. Make a list of themes that you expect to see on your exam, then design your own practice questions and answer them. Practice according to the anticipated exam format. If the test will be handwritten, use a pen and notebook to write out your responses. If it will be computer-based, type away. If you're expecting an oral format, find a friend or family member who doesn't mind listening to you talk out your answers. Make a study time line and stick to it to make sure you cover every topic before test day.
Get plenty of rest the night before your exam. Give yourself the evening off to calm your nerves and don't cram. Read or listen to the question wording carefully. If you're taking a written exam, underline key nouns and verbs to make sure you understand each question. Sketch out your essay format answer before writing, remembering that you need to state your argument, provide evidence and summarize what you've said every time. If you're taking an oral exam, you can do the same exercise mentally. Think about your answer and what evidence you'll offer before you begin speaking.