A Department/School may require examinations (oral and/or written) to evaluate the student's progress. Numeric grades must be assigned to indicate the student's standing in courses except where otherwise specified.

Students are advised to note the Schedule of Dates. Students who encounter a conflict between a scheduled midterm or final examination and a religious obligation (see Academic Accommodation of Religious Obligations) must contact the course instructor or their graduate program coordinator to request that alternate arrangements be made. A listing of major religious holidays is available from The Office of Diversity and Human Rights.

Midterm Examinations

Term tests must not be scheduled during the last five class days prior to the final examination period. Exceptions may be granted by the Dean (or designates) for practical evaluations such as Laboratory or Studio tests, with the scheduling of such tests indicated in the course outline. Short quizzes, which have been a regularly scheduled part of the course and which are intended to review small amounts of material, are not considered term tests and may be held during the last five class days.

Departments/Schools are urged to schedule term tests and examinations in regularly scheduled class time and instructors must make every effort to accommodate students representing the University in extracurricular activities when there is a conflict between those activities and scheduled tests or examinations held outside regularly scheduled classes.

The University has reaffirmed the commitment to maintain the 17:20 to 19:00 time slot free of academic activities as much as possible. However, from time-to-time, approval may be given by the Dean (or designates) to schedule classes or labs in that time slot if necessary. Requests for scheduling out-of-class midterm examinations should also be restricted as much as possible to regular academic hours (8:30-17:20 and 19:00-22:00).

If there is a scheduling conflict between a scheduled class for another course and the proposed time for the midterm examination, the scheduled class takes priority and students with such a conflict must be accommodated.

Final Week of Classes

Final term assignments or papers may be due in the last five class days prior to the final examination period. Due dates for these evaluations must be stated in the course outline. Final assignments along with all necessary resource material should be available to students no later than the end of the 9th week of classes.

Term tests must not be scheduled during the last five class days prior to the final examination period. Exceptions may be granted by the Dean (or designates) for practical evaluations such as Laboratory or Studio tests, with the scheduling of such tests indicated in the course outline. Short quizzes, which have been a regularly scheduled part of the course and which are intended to review small amounts of material, are not considered term tests and may be held during the last five class days.

Final Examinations and Final Assignments

Under normal circumstances, changes to the published examination timetable are not permitted.

When regular final examinations are to be given, they must be given during the examination period. All regular final examinations will be two hours in duration.

When final examinations in either regular, take-home or other format are to be given, they must be given or due during the final examination period.

Instructors using take-home examinations will determine when the examination paper will be made available to students but must allow students at least 72 hours between the date of issue of the exam and the due date. The date of issue of the examination and the due date must be included in the course outline distributed at the first class meeting. The date of issue of the examination and its due date must be included in the course outline distributed at the first class meeting.

Final assignments or papers may be due either during the final examination period or in the last week of classes. In either case, the assignments along with all necessary resource material should be available to students no later than the end of the 9th week of classes and the due date and date of issue of the assignment must be included in the course outline distributed at the first class meeting.

Policy on Student Access to Final Examination Materials

Final examination papers and final assignments are to be retained by faculty members for a period of one semester.

Printed or written materials directly related to examinations conducted in the final examination time period published in the Graduate Calendar or related to final assignments will be made available to a student, upon submission of a written request to the Chair/Director. The request will be submitted by the fifth class day of the next semester.

Printed or written materials to be made available include the examination question paper, the marking scheme keyed to desired responses to questions, where appropriate; the student's response to the examination questions; and records taken by examiners during oral or any other examination. Faculty members are encouraged to discuss openly with the student any questions raised. The Chair/Director will make the necessary arrangements for student access to the material. When a large number of requests are received in connection with a specific course or when a faculty member is on leave it may be necessary for the Chair/Director to delay access and make special arrangements, e.g., the posting of the marking scheme on a bulletin board, the scheduling of a special meeting at which the faculty member will review the examination, etc.