44-00 Examinations

44-10 General Examination Policy
44-20 Final Examination Policy
44-25 Conflict Final Examinations
44-30 Non-Final Examinations
44-35 Conflict of Non-Final Examinations
44-40 Proctoring of Examinations
44-45 Examinations for Failure Elimination
44-50 Examinations for Awarding Credit by Examination

44-10 General Examination Policy Print This Policy

Periodic examination of student accomplishments is essential for both teaching/learning and evaluation purposes. Examinations may include traditional written examinations, whether in-class or take-home; oral examinations; term papers; laboratory or project reports; or studio projects. The faculty teaching and coordinating a course are responsible for both the method and substance of examinations used in each course, including the final examination or other integrating evaluative instrument.

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.

Initial Legislation: 2/3/76
Revised: 4/28/87

44-20 Final Examination Policy Print This Policy

Cumulative final examinations are valuable for University credit courses because they can fulfill two important academic objectives; student integration of instructional material and end-of-semester evaluation of student achievement. However, valid means other than the final examination exist for accomplishing these objectives (e.g., term paper, final project report, take-home examinations, etc.). Course instructors should determine which of these methods is most appropriate and effective in each undergraduate (including 400-level) credit course taught. Regardless of which type of activity is chosen, care must be taken not to interfere unduly with the full complement of scheduled instruction of the student.

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:

  1. Determine a method of providing for meaningful integration of course topics and evaluation of student performance.

  2. Offer a full schedule of instruction (e.g., fifteen weeks in a fifteen-week semester).

  3. 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.)

  4. 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 based on the notices filed under Section 44-10. (Conflict final examinations are covered under Section 44-25.)
  1. 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.

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.

F-2 Procedure for Final Examinations

Revised: 3/4/75
Revised: 2/3/76
Revised: 12/4/84
 Revised: 4/28/87
Revised: 12/11/07
Revised: 3/17/09

44-25 Conflict Final Examinations Print This Policy

  1. Direct Conflict. A direct final examination conflict occurs when two or more final examinations are scheduled at the same time. A student in this situation is required to file a conflict examination request. A conflict examination will then be scheduled at a different time.

  2. Overload Conflict. An overload conflict is defined as three or more final examinations scheduled on any one calendar day or in three consecutive examination periods. A student in this situation may either file a conflict examination request, in which case a conflict examination will be scheduled on a different day, or elect to take the examinations as originally scheduled.

F-3 Conflict Final Examination Procedure

Revised: 9/9/75
Revised: 11/8/88
Revised: 4/18/89
Revised: 9/9/99

44-30 Non-Final Examinations Print This Policy

Evening Examinations. The holding of evening examinations in courses not normally scheduled in the evening shall be permitted only when all the following conditions are fulfilled:

  1. Consent of the dean of the college in which the course is taught is obtained.

  2. Not more than four such examinations are scheduled in any one semester in any course.

  3. 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.

F-5 Evening Examinations Procedure

Revised: 1/31/84
Revised: 2/28/84
Revised: 4/18/89

44-35 Conflict of Non-Final Examinations Print This Policy

  1. Evening Conflict. In the case of conflict between an evening examination or quiz and other scheduled University approved activities, or in the case of more than one evening examination in any one evening, each student is permitted to make up the examination without penalty.

  2. Non-Evening Conflict. In the case of conflict between a non-evening examination or previously announced quiz and participating in scheduled University-approved activities, the student is permitted to make up the examination or quiz without penalty. (University-approved activities are covered under Section 42-27.)

F-4: Conflict Non-Final Examinations Procedure

Initial Legislation: 4/18/89

44-40 Proctoring of Examinations Print This Policy

In order to protect the great majority of honest students from improper actions by a small minority who would otherwise be tempted to dishonesty, all examinations must be adequately proctored. A formal honor system under the supervision of an honor council is considered one form of adequate proctoring.

Revised: 11/7/57 (as Rule 0-3)
Revised: 4/18/89

44-45 Examinations for Failure Elimination Print This Policy

Special examinations for the removal of failures may be given only under extraordinary circumstances and then only on the written approval of the head of the department and the dean of the college in which the course is given, as well as the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled or the director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies, if the student is enrolled in that division. Such examinations shall be graded no higher than D, and this, if attained, shall be the final grade for the course.

Revised: 4/18/89

44-50 Examinations for Awarding Credit by Examination Print This Policy

Examinations given for the purpose of granting credit under conditions stated in Section 42-50 or 42-84, procedure 1, must be based on the standards of work required of students enrolled in this University.

Revised: 4/18/89

This page maintained by the University Faculty Senate Office (afb11@psu.edu)