The comprehensive exam (also known as a qualifying exam) is an examination which PhD students must pass in order to advance to candidacy and tests a student’s knowledge of fundamental physics.
Below are some Canadian and American exam guides/resources:
UBC: https://phas.ubc.ca/graduate-program-comprehensive-exam-guidelines-phd-students
McGill: http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/grads/prelim/
UAlberta: https://www.ualberta.ca/physics/media-library/form-documents/grad/cand_exam_document.pdf
UNH: https://physics.unh.edu/content/comprehensive-exam-texts-and-topics
Yale: https://physics.yale.edu/academics/graduate-studies/graduate-student-handbook/qualifying-exam-1
Arizona: http://www.optics.arizona.edu/academics/reading-room/collection/comprehensive-exam-archive#major
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