1) Comprehensive examination is an overall examination closing the training and research phase (1st to 4th semester), on which the doctoral student must present his/her theoretical knowledge and the state of his/her research.

2) General characteristics of the comprehensive exam

o to be taken in the second half of the examination period ending the fourth semester of the PhD studies;

o it is the prerequisite of starting the 5th semester (research-dissertation period)

o should be taken in front of a 3-member Committee appointed by the Doctoral School’s Council;

o it is public and oral (exceptionally it may be a written part of it);

o consists of two main parts: theoretical and dissertation part (about the progress of research)

3) Conditions for taking the comprehensive exam:

(a) obtaining at least 110 credits, which must include at least 45 course credits and at least 65 research credits;

(b) successfully completing all (5) compulsory courses (see curriculum);

(c) the preparation and submission of a research report (at least 40.000 n long) and research plan and analysis approved by the supervisor (form).

4) The theoretical part of the comprehensive exam consists of two topics:

a) research methodology related to the compulsory courses of the PhD training programme of law and political sciences (Research Methods - 1^st CE subject);

b) the general, fundamental theoretical knowledge of the research field to which the doctoral student's research topic belongs; the subjects of this part are determined by the CDS/DCSS (2^nd CE subject).

5) The “dissertation part” (scientific advancement) of the comprehensive exam consists of two parts:

a) first, the student demonstrates his research results (10-15 minutes);

b) second, the student presents his/her two-year research plan for the research-dissertation phase of the training, including a schedule for writing major publications and submitting the dissertation (10-15 minutes).

6) The final evaluation of the exam is two-graded: fail or pass.

7) Each member of the Committee grades the theoretical and dissertation part of the exam (separately) by 0-5 points. The exam is successful if,

a, the majority of the Committee members (at least 2 of them) concludes that both parts are successfully completed;

b, the majority of Committee members (at least 2 of them) evaluates both parts for at least 3 points;

(c) the average of the points concerned shall be at least 3.

In case of an unsuccessful exam the student may resit the exam on the failed part(s) once more in the particular examination period. If the student failed in only one of the exam parts, only that part should be retaken.