Examination and Grading Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework to guide the effective administration and scheduling of in-term course work and examinations and the submission and release of final grades.

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy the following definitions apply:

“Examination” means a form of testing intended to assess the level of students’ knowledge, ability, skills, comprehension, application, analysis, and/or synthesis of the subject matter in a course of study. This includes, but is not limited to in-person, online, take-home, practical, and laboratory Examinations.

“Deferred Examination” means an Examination written outside of the originally scheduled day and/or time.

“Final Examination Period” means the period of calendar days stated in the Academic Calendar that is set aside in each Semester and/or Session for the administration of Final Examinations.

“Final Examination” means an Examination scheduled during the Final Examination Period.

“In-term Course Work” means any course work assigned during the Semester or Session.

“In-term Examinations” means an Examination held during the Semester or Session.

“Semester” means sixty days of lectures and a Final Examination period.

“Session” means a period of approximately six consecutive weeks in the Summer Semester consisting of 30 days of lectures and a Final Examination period. The first half of Summer Semester is designated as Spring Session; the second half is designated as Summer Session.

“Study Break” means a period between the last day of lectures and the first day of the Final Examination Period.

Scope and authority

This Policy applies to all In-Term Course Work and Examinations.

This Policy applies to the submission and release of final grades.

This Policy does not apply to PhD candidacy exams, master’s and doctoral thesis defense examinations. For more information regarding these types of examinations, please refer to the University's policy library.

The Registrar, or successor thereof, is the Policy Owner and is responsible for overseeing the implementation, administration and interpretation of this Policy.

Policy

General

1. All Examinations, will be scheduled and administered in accordance with this Policy, the Procedures for Final Examination Administration, the Procedures for Consideration of Missed In-term Course Work and Examinations, and all other applicable University policies and procedures.
2. Students are responsible for all material covered in a given course and In-term and Final Examinations may be used to assess course material that is delivered both directly (e.g. during a scheduled class) or indirectly (e.g. additional reading assignments).
3. No Examinations or lectures may be administered during the Fall or Winter study week, or the Study Break before the Final Examination Period. In addition, students may not be required to present, submit term papers, reports, or other assigned material during these periods.

In-term Examination Scheduling

1. In-term Examinations will normally be held during regularly scheduled class times, though they may be scheduled on any calendar day of the Semester or Session.
2. In-term Examinations held outside of the regularly scheduled class times will require the approval of the Faculty and must be noted in the course syllabus prior to the start of the Semester or Session to ensure students have reasonable advance warning of such scheduling.
3. The total value of any In-term Examination given in the last five days of classes in a Semester or Session must be no more than 15 percent of the final mark of the course.

Final Examination Scheduling

1. The Office of the Registrar has authority for the scheduling of Final Examinations.
2. Final Examinations will only be scheduled during the Final Examination Period and will be scheduled in accordance with the Procedures for Final Examination Administration.
3. Scheduling of Final Examinations will be conducted to eliminate conflicts and to minimize the instances of consecutive examinations.
4. Normally, the Final Examination schedule will be published no later than six weeks prior to the first day of the Final Examination Period for a Semester. Normally, once published, there will be no scheduling changes.
5. Normally, the Final Examination schedule will be published no later than three weeks prior to the first day of the Final Examination Period for a Session. Normally, once published, there will be no scheduling changes.
6. Warning about other commitments: Final Examinations may be scheduled at any time during the Final Examination Period. Students are expected to avoid making travel or other professional or personal commitments during this time.
   1. As instructors are not required to be present at their Final Examination, they should be available should an emergency occur.
7. Take-home Final Examination deadlines must fall within the Final Examination Period. The take-home Final Examination deadline must be noted in the course syllabus prior to the start of the Semester or Session.

Deferred Examination Scheduling

1. Deferred Examinations will normally be scheduled no later than the end of the first week of classes in the following Semester or Session.

Students Requiring Academic Accommodations

1. Students with disabilities who are registered with Student Accessibility Services will receive accommodations for all In-term Course Work and Examinations in accordance with their individual accommodation plan.

Missed In-Term Course Work and Examinations

1. Grounds for Consideration: The following are grounds for which a student may apply and be considered for approval to make up missed In-term Course Work or Examination.
   1. Religious Observance: Students who are unable to submit In-term Course Work or write an Examination due to religious obligations.
   2. Extenuating Circumstances: Students who are unable to submit In-term Course Work or write an Examination as a result of extenuating circumstances beyond their control. Extenuating circumstances that may be considered include:
      • Significant physical or psychological event or illness that is debilitating to the student’s academic performance;
      • Severe family emergency;
      • Other compelling personal reason.
   3. Competing Academic Conflict: Students who are unable to write an Examination as a result of a competing academic conflict. The following competing academic conflicts may be considered:
      • Three Final Examinations scheduled within a 24-hour period from the start time of the first Final Examination to the end time of the third Final Examination. The middle examination of the three will be the one considered;
      • An In-term Examination that is scheduled outside of the regular class time and which conflicts with another scheduled class or In-term Examination.
2. Requests for Consideration
   1. Requests for consideration of missed In-term Course Work and Examinations must be made in accordance with the Procedures for Consideration of Missed In-term Course Work and Examinations. Considerations will only be granted where sufficient documentation is submitted.
3. Options for Make Up Work
   1. Students who are unable to submit In-term Course Work or attend an Examination may be required to make up the work in one of the following ways, at the discretion of the Faculty responsible for administering the course:
      • Reweighting of the value of other course components;
      • Deferred Examination; or
      • Other such make up work as determined by the responsible Faculty.

Failure to Write a Deferred Examination

1. A student who is granted a Deferred Examination to make up a missed Examination will receive a grade of zero if they do not write the Deferred Examination on the scheduled deferred examination date.
2. A request to make up a missed Deferred Examination will only be considered where the student can demonstrate a need based on one of the acceptable grounds under this Policy.

Supplemental Examinations for Graduate Students

1. In some circumstances, graduate students may be allowed to write one supplemental examination.
2. The mark from a supplemental examination may replace or otherwise augment a mark previously obtained in an examination in the same course.
3. Students should contact their graduate program director for more information concerning supplemental examinations.

Final Grade Deadline and Submission

1. The submission deadline for Semester final grades is five calendar days after the last scheduled Final Examination in the Final Examination Period. Grades must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by 10:00 a.m. on the fifth calendar day.
2. The submission deadline for Session final grades is four calendar days after the last scheduled Final Examination in the Final Examination Period. Grades must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by 10:00 a.m. on the fourth calendar day.
3. Final grades will be posted by the Office of the Registrar and will normally appear on a student’s transcript within five calendar days following the grade submission deadline.
4. Course instructors may not post and/or release final grades to students prior to the posting of final grades by the Office of the Registrar.
   1. For courses that do not include a Final Examination, instructors must withhold the component grade for a terminal piece of coursework until final grades have been released by the Office of the Registrar.

Final Grade Deadline and Submission for Deferred Examinations

1. The submission deadline for Semester final grades of a Deferred Examination is five calendar days after the scheduled Deferred Examination. Grades must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by 10:00 a.m. on the fifth calendar day.
2. The submission deadline for Session final grades of a Deferred Examination is four calendar days after the scheduled Deferred Examination. Grades must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by 10:00 a.m. on the fifth calendar day.

Retention and Access to Final Examinations

1. Final Examination scripts are the property of the University and are retained in accordance with the University Records Retention and Classification Schedule.
2. A student has the right to view their Final Examination script and associated grade.

Monitoring and review

This policy will be reviewed as necessary and at least every three years. The Registrar, or delegate thereof, is responsible to monitor and review this Policy.

Relevant legislation

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Related policies, procedures & documents

Academic Staff Responsibilities with Regard to Students
Graduate Academic Calendar
Final Examination Administration Procedures
Procedures for Consideration of Missed In-term Course Work and Examinations
Records Classification and Retention Schedule
Undergraduate Academic Calendar, as amended
Administrative Guidelines for Determining the Academic Schedule
Doctoral Candidacy Examination Policy
Thesis Oral Examination for Master's and Doctoral Candidates Policy