Relevance of the research is determined by development of Master's Degree Programs in Russian universitie, it requires profound changes in educational content and methods. This work is aimed at presentation of experience in approbation of essay as a form of exam in education of 20 students of Master Program "Preschool education". The incomplete sentences technique as a data-gathering tool was applied after the exam. According to the results, creating an essay contributes to generalization and understanding, comprehension of the problem information, makes cognitive and metacognitive processes more active. This form of final control gives psychological comfort, creates a situation of success. It strengthens needs for autonomy, competence, relat-edness, which are sources of internal motivation as the basis of subjectness and self-development tendency. The material could be useful for university lecturers.