Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education regulations require that those institutions that reserve the final week of the semester as a testing period shall ensure that all classes meet during the testing period. Final examinations are given at the discretion of the instructor, or, in the case of multiple sections, the department in which the class is offered. When a final examination is given, the student must take the examination.
If a final examination is given, no faculty member is authorized to depart from the published examination schedule for either a class or an individual without approval, as stated in the Faculty Handbook. Early final examinations are prohibited.
Final Examination has been defined as follows: an examination that is comprehensive in nature or that accounts for a greater proportion of the final grade than an exam given during the semester.
- Two-hour classes which have one of their meetings on MWF will have the examination at the time scheduled for MWF classes. Those meeting both days of TR will have the examination at the time scheduled for TR classes
- Three-hour classes must follow the examination schedule. Classes meeting both Tuesday and Thursday are considered to be TR classes. Classes meeting two of the days Monday-Wednesday-Friday are considered to be MWF classes.
- Classes meeting four or five days a week will have the final examination at the time scheduled for MWF classes with the same meeting time.
- Classes meeting one day a week for more than one hour with a start time before 5:00 PM will have the final examination during the last lecture period. Classes in this format have been scheduled with sufficient meeting time during the semester to compensate for time lost in the final examination week.
Evening Classes
Classes that begin at 5:00 PM or later will have the final examination during the last lecture period. Evening classes have been scheduled with sufficient meeting time during the semester to compensate for time lost in the final examination week.
If laboratory examinations are given, they will be held during the last regularly scheduled meeting of the lab.
A student will not be expected to take more than two final examinations in one day. In cases where a student has three or more exams scheduled for the same day, instructors must offer make-up exams. The student's number of exams will be reduced to two by the following procedure:
- If a student has three or more exams on the same day, the instructor(s) giving the third and subsequent exams must provide make-up exams during the week designated for final exams for that semester
- The student must notify the instructor or department of the third and subsequent final exams scheduled within a single day. Such notification must be given to the specific instructor or department before the end of the twelfth week of classes (sixth week of summer session).
In the event a conflict should arise from the scheduling of two or more examinations at the same time, the student will attend the examination for the class that met first during the week, according to the student's class schedule. The instructor(s) giving the second and subsequent exams must provide make-up exams during the week designated for final exams for that semester.
Summer Final Examination Regulations
During the summer session, if a final examination is to be given, it must be administered during the final regular class period, or the final two class periods if additional time is required, as long as the final exam does not exceed two hours in length.
The University-wide policy on multiple final exams (see regulations on either the fall or spring semester final exam schedule) will also apply for the summer session.