Faculty Handbook

TEACHING

Examination Policy: Mid-Terms, Finals, and Make-Up Tests

http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies

The preliminary final examination schedule is published by the Registrar’s office prior to the beginning of the semester.  This preliminary schedule is based on the course offering information provided by the academic department.  Based on subsequent information received from the academic departments, the Registrar’s office publishes the complete final exam schedule during the eighth week of the semester.

If you are teaching and coordinating a course you are responsible for both the method and substance of examinations in that course, including the final examination or other integrating evaluative instruments.  Written notification of the examination procedures to be used in each section of each course must be made available to students in the section during the first ten calendar days of a semester or its equivalent.  It is also recommended that you include this information in your course syllabi.  Each faculty member will assess student progress in several ways, e.g., through mid-term and final examinations, in addition to term papers, quizzes, and periodic exams.  Please note that it is not appropriate or fair to the students to give only one exam during a course without other forms of assessment.

No final examination may be scheduled during the last week of classes.  Also, alternative integrative means of evaluation (e.g., final project submission or a take-home exam) may not be scheduled earlier than the final period without authorization from course program faculty.  Quizzes, however, may be scheduled during the last week of classes.  These policies are designed to ensure that students receive a full term of instruction.

As the instructor, you are expected to proctor your own in-class examinations.  If you cannot be present to proctor your own exam, arrangements should be made with a graduate assistant or another faculty member to serve as proctor.  If you are having difficulties finding another faculty member to proctor the exam, please contact your unit head, who will assist you in finding an appropriate faculty member to proctor the exam.  Aunit’s staff assistant should not be asked to proctor exams.

Students may request that the Registrar’s office provide rescheduling of final exams if there is a direct time conflict of two or more examinations, or if more than three examinations are scheduled within a 15-hour period.