The purpose of the Admission to Candidacy Exam, or A Exam, is to certify that a student possesses the academic and research skills necessary to present a thesis to the Graduate Faculty. Successful completion of the exam implies that coursework is nearly completed and that other Field requirements are either completed or nearly complete. The A Exam is administered by the student’s Special Committee along with the addition of a field-appointed member whose role is to ensure that all Field requirements are satisfied.