Culminating Activities and Final Examination Period

Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 | Archive

In accordance with University Policy S17-1 [pdf], instructors are required to have a culminating activity for their courses. This applies to courses offered during Regular Session Fall and Spring, during intersessions (Winter and Summer terms), and in all special session programs.

Culminating activities may include a final examination, research paper, project, creative work, performance, portfolio, or other appropriate assignment. Supervision, internship, and individual study courses are not required to have a culminating activity.

Culminating activities for Regular Session Fall and Spring Courses, including final examinations, must be completed no later than the last day of the Culminating Activity Period (“Makeup Day”). Culminating activities for intersession, summer term regular session, and special session courses must be completed no later than the last instructional day.

The Culminating Activities and Final Examination Period schedule is posted for Fall and Spring terms. The final exam for Winter and Summer intersessions and Special Session Programs are normally scheduled for the last day of the term. The schedule is created in accordance with the Culminating Activities and Final Examination Policy.

Resources: To support students during the period, offices and departments across campus host events, study spaces, tutoring programs, and provide resources.

Spring 2025 Changes

Effective Spring 2025 per the revised University Policy S17-1 [pdf], the Culminating Activities and Final Examination Period schedule will begin at 8:30 am rather than 7:30 am. All slots will be two (2) hours in length rather than two hours (2) and fifteen (15) minutes. 

Schedule Categories

Classes with meeting times other than those identified in the Culminating Activities and Final Examination Period schedule, or which cannot be held at the scheduled time, should utilize the "Make-Up" period provided on the final exam schedule page for the specific semester.

• Group I Classes
  • Group I classes are those classes which meet M, W, F, MTW, MWR, MTWF, MWRF, MTWRF, MW, WF, MWF, MF, TW, WR, MT, WS.
• Group II Classes
  • Group II classes are those classes which meet TR, T, R, TWR, MTR, TRF, MTRF, MTWR, TWRF, RF, TF,TRS.
• Late Afternoon Classes  

  • Late afternoon classes are those classes with regular class start times between 5:30pm through 6:25pm.

    Late afternoon and night classes meeting more than once per week should schedule their culminating activity or final exam on the earliest possible date.

• Night Classes  

  • Night classes are those classes with regular class start times at  6:30pm or later.

    Late afternoon and night classes meeting more than once per week should schedule their culminating activity or final exam on the earliest possible date. 

• Saturday Classes

  • All Saturday classes will administer final exams on the Saturday of final exams week, at the regularly scheduled class start time, for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

• Classes with Multiple Meeting Patterns or Components 
  • Classes with multiple components or multiple meeting patterns must specify which component(s) and/or meeting time(s) will have a culminating activity scheduled in their syllabi. 
• Online/Hybrid Classes

  • Online/Hybrid classes without a designated date and time, (TBA) as their first (or only) meeting pattern, should utilize the Online/Hybrid Classes section provided on the culminating activity or final exam schedule page for the specific semester.

    Online/Hybrid classes with a designated date and time, as their first (or only) meeting pattern, should utilize the culminating activity or final exam schedule as identified in the appropriate section (Group I, Group II, Late Afternoon, Night, or Saturday) provided on the culminating activity or final exam schedule page for the specific semester. 

• Common Culminating Activity or Exam for Multiple Classes/Sections

  • Common Culminating Activities or Final Examinations apply to certain classes. Currently, several undergraduate MATH courses administer  a common final examination, which do not follow the standard schedule. Questions should be addressed to the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. 

Exceptions

Per the Culminating Activities and Final Examinations Policy students and instructors may request  appropriate exceptions for Culminating Activities and Final Examinations.

Students may request an excused absence for a culminating activity (S22-2 [pdf]) or rescheduling of a culminating activity (S17-1 [pdf]) if their schedule results in three or more culminating activities or final exams held/due within a 24-hour period. Requests must be made at least three weeks prior to the last class instructional day of the semester. 

Instructor exceptions will normally be requested before the start of the term and approved by the dean's office and then included in the syllabus. The deadline for requesting exceptions is normally the terms Enrollment Census Date.