44-00 Examinations
44-10 General Examination Policy
In the case of multiple-section courses, the faculty teaching the various sections will determine the examination policy for the course (e.g., common examinations), subject to any restrictions determined by the entire faculty of the section, department, or division offering the course.
Written notification of the examination procedures (including the instructor’s final examination policy) to be used in each section of each course must be made available to the students in the section during the first ten calendar days of a semester or its equivalent.
In the case of a campus closure, please refer to Senate Policy 45-00 Faculty and Student Responsibilities Regarding Cancelled Classes When a Campus is Closed for more information.
Initial Legislation: 2/3/76
Revised: 4/28/87
Revised: 3/17/20
44-20 Final Examination Policy
To provide for student integration of instructional material, end-of-semester evaluation of student performance, and instruction extending to the end of the scheduled period, course instructors shall:
- Determine a method of providing for meaningful integration of course topics and evaluation of student performance.
- Offer a full schedule of instruction (e.g., fifteen weeks in a fifteen-week semester).
- Schedule no examinations during the last week of classes. (Quizzes and narrowly limited tests in support of classroom instruction worth no more than ten percent of the semester grade may be given during the last week of classes.)
- Schedule any end-of-semester examinations worth more than ten percent of the course grade during the final examination period. Examinations will be scheduled in this period by the University registrar at University Park or the academic affairs officer at other locations (or their designee) based on the notices filed under Section 44-10. (Conflict final examinations are covered under Section 44-25.)
- Where end-of-semester examinations are not administered, require the submission of any alternative integrative and evaluational means worth more than ten percent of the course grade (e.g., term paper, final project report, take-home examinations, or studio projects) no earlier than the first day of the final examination period.
- A study day period shall be scheduled by the University registrar at University Park or the academic affairs officer at other locations (or their designee). For full-semester courses held during the 15 week Fall and Spring semesters, the current standard practice of having two study days (the Saturday and Sunday before finals week) will continue to be required. For courses offered in other instructional periods which are less than a full 15 week semester (such as Summer sessions, Maymester, half-semester courses, etc.) there shall be at least one study day scheduled, after the last day of formal instruction and before the final exam.
Exceptions to the provisions of this policy may be granted only for educational reasons and only as recommended by the faculty of the program offering the course and approved by the appropriate dean or chancellor.
Revised: 3/4/75
Revised: 2/3/76
Revised: 12/4/84
Revised: 4/28/87
Revised: 12/11/07
Revised: 3/17/09
Revised: 9/10/13
44-25 Conflict Final Examinations
F-3 Conflict Final Examinations
Revised: 9/9/75
Revised: 11/8/88
Revised: 4/18/89
Revised: 9/9/99
44-30 Non-Final Examinations
- Consent of the dean of the college in which the course is taught is obtained.
- Not more than four such examinations are scheduled in any one semester in any course.
- The evening examinations are scheduled in advance with the University registrar at University Park or the academic affairs officer at other locations and announced to the students during the first week of the semester.
Revised: 1/31/84
Revised: 2/28/84
Revised: 4/18/89
44-35 Conflict of Non-Final Examinations
F-4: Conflict Non-Final Examinations
Initial Legislation: 4/18/89
44-45 Examinations for Failure Elimination
Revised: 4/18/89