Oral Exam

The Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies Oral Exam serves as a capstone event for CISA students who elect the dual concentration for the Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies degree. For the academic year 2011-2012, only students in the South and Central Asia Program are offered and required to complete oral exams.

South and Central Asia Program Oral Exam

The Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies Oral Exam tests student mastery of degree learning objectives. Each Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies Oral Exam is administered by two faculty members, one of whom has expertise in the AOC subject matter tested. Faculty administering the Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies Oral Exam draft a bank of questions for the exam, keeping in mind that the questions should be designed to test mastery of the AOC learning objectives. Students do not have access to the questions prior to the exam. New questions are drafted or revised each year and submitted to the Dean of Academic Affairs for approval. The exam is a 30 minute, closed door, closed book exam; in no instance shall an exam exceed 30 minutes. Oral exams are scheduled two weeks after the close of the spring semester by the OAA according to faculty schedules and approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs. Students are assigned exam slots by the Office of Student Services.

The exams are evaluated as pass/fail, and student transcript will note the exam, date taken, and pass/fail status. Students who fail the Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies Oral Exam will be given an opportunity to retest prior to graduation. Students who fail the retest will have one final opportunity to pass the exam in the twelve months following the initial test. If the exam is passed successfully before 15 December, the student may graduate with the January class. The exam must be successfully completed no later than the regularly scheduled Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies Oral Exam weeks following the close of the spring semester in the following academic year.