* Comprehensive Exam: Covers the entirety of the material taught within a specific course, program, or a significant portion of a student's academic career. It's designed to assess a student's mastery of all relevant concepts, skills, and knowledge accumulated over a longer period. Think of it as a final, overarching assessment encompassing everything learned.
* Non-comprehensive Exam: Focuses on a specific, limited portion of the course material. It may cover a single unit, a few chapters, or a specific set of topics within a larger curriculum. It's a more targeted assessment, evaluating understanding of a smaller, defined segment of the learning. Think of it as a quiz, midterm, or exam covering only a part of the course's content.
In short:
| Feature | Comprehensive Exam | Non-Comprehensive Exam |
|----------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Scope | Entire course/program/significant portion | Specific, limited portion of material |
| Purpose | Assess overall mastery | Assess understanding of a specific section |
| Breadth | Broad | Narrow |
| Depth | May cover material at varying depths | Typically focuses on a specific depth |
For example, a comprehensive exam for a Master's program might test knowledge across all coursework taken throughout the entire degree, while a non-comprehensive exam might be a midterm focusing solely on the first half of a single semester's course.