Final Exam Schedule
Final Examinations
Final exams are scheduled for two hours in accordance with the final exam policy and final exam schedule. The time of a final exam for a class section may be changed only with prior approval of the dean or director, which will require the exam to be held later in the week. Dean or director approved requests must be submitted to the Provost’s Office for final approval. The Registrar’s Office is to be notified prior to the schedule of classes publication date for the applicable term of any approved changes in final exams for scheduling purposes and to avoid conflicts.
Students may request an alternate time for an exam if they have three or more scheduled exams on the same day. When a combined final exam conflicts with a student’s individual final exam, another combined final exam, or results in three or more exams in one day, it is the responsibility of the department giving the combined final exam to offer it at another time. The ‘Optional Exam Time’ is included on the schedule for make-up or rescheduled exams.
Current Schedule:
Effective Fall 23 Schedule:
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- Individual Final Exams: Most final exams are scheduled based on the class sections’ meeting pattern during the term in accordance with the final exam schedule posted above.
- Combined Final Exams: These exams are given at the same time for a group of class sections for a course. Combined final exam blocks fall outside of the individual final exam schedule to reduce conflicts for students and space, particularly large lecture halls.
- Student Conflicts: When a combined final exam conflicts with a student’s individual final exam, another combined final exam, or results in three or more exams in one day, it is the responsibility of the department giving the combined final exam to offer it at another time. The ‘Optional Exam Time’ is included on the schedule for make-up or rescheduled exams.
- Evening Exams (5:00 PM & later (effective Fall 23: 5:30 PM & later): Evening final exams are held in the 5:30-7:30 PM block (effective Fall 23: 6:30-8:30 PM) during final exam week.
- Saturday Classes: Final exams for Saturday class sections are scheduled at the start of the hour, in which they are regularly scheduled, for two hours on the Saturday of final exam week.
- Optional Exam Time: Based upon recommendation from the Academic Policy Committee, this optional exam period has been reserved for students with exam conflicts to take one of the conflicting exams.
- Official Emergency Date: If the University must declare an official emergency during the final examination period, the exams that are postponed will be rescheduled in the same rooms at the same times on the designated date for the term. If more than one day of exams are cancelled, the Office of the Provost will announce plans for rescheduling.
Schedule Publication
The final exam schedule for fall and spring terms are published at the same time as the schedule of classes for the term. This allows students to be able to plan their final exams while planning their schedule for the term.
Final Exam Scheduling & Room Assignments
The final exam schedule for a term is generated in PAWS by the Registrar’s Office around late-September for fall terms and mid-February for spring terms. PAWS attempts to schedule all final exams in the classroom in which the section is taught unless a conflict arises with another final exam. Department academic schedule builders and coordinators are notified when final exams are scheduled, and rooms are assigned. It is the responsibility of the department to contact the instructor and students regarding any classroom changes.
Once scheduled and rooms assigned, final exam times, dates and locations are available to students, faculty, and teaching staff in PAWS. Follow the links below to find out how to see your schedules:
Instructor Email from PAWS
Instructors with grade approval access for a section will receive two auto-generated emails from PAWS indicating the section(s) for the term with their exam date, start and end time, and location.
Study Day Policy
The current iteration of the study day was created as a permanent fixture of the academic calendar via a motion by the Academic Policy Committee in 1987 as part of the 1989-90 academic calendar recommendation.
For more detailed Final Exam & Study Day policies, please refer to this document.
May 13 & 15-20, 2023
Optional Exam Time: Friday, May 19, 2023, from 7:30 – 9:30 AM
Official Emergency Date: Saturday, May 20, 2023
Individual Final Exams: Most final exams are scheduled during one of four daytime blocks on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday during final exam week. To determine the date and time of an exam, locate the meeting days (MWF or TR) and start time (from within the range stated in each box) of the lecture. For example, if the class meets during the semester TR 2:30-3:45 PM, the exam block is TR 2:00-2:55 PM, and the final exam is Tuesday, May 16, 2023 from 3:00 – 5:00 PM.
- MWF, includes the following meeting patterns: MWF, M, W, F, MW, MF, WF, MTWR, MTWF, MWRF, MTRF, & MTWRF (may include other meeting patterns that start with M, W, or F)
- TR, includes the following meeting patterns: TR, T, R, TF, RF, TRF, & TWRF (may include other meeting patterns that start with T or R)
Evening Exams (5:00 PM & later): Evening final exams are held in the 5:30 – 7:30 PM block during final exam week. If the class meets multiple days per week, the final exam will be held on the first day of the meeting pattern (i.e., if a class meets TR at 6:30 PM, the exam will be held Tuesday at 5:30 PM during exam week).
Combined Final Exams: These exams are scheduled during one of the 6 blocks on Friday or Saturday (or from 8-10 PM M-R, if needed) during final exam week. Combined final exam blocks fall outside of the individual final exam schedule to reduce conflicts for students and space, such as large lecture halls.
Saturday Classes: Saturday classes hold their final exams at the regular meeting start time for 2 hours.
Individual & Combined Final Exam Schedule
For more information on the courses and sections included in the combined finals, see chart below this schedule.
* Approved 3-hour final exam from 3-6 PM.
NOTE: Several Nursing final exams do not adhere to the individual final exam schedule due to conflicts and other requirements of the major and are approved each term by the Provost’s Office. Please contact the department for more information.
Combined Finals Exams Courses & Sections Information
December 16 & 18-23, 2023
Optional Exam Time: Friday, December 22, 2023, from 6:30-8:30 PM
Official Emergency Date: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Individual Final Exams: Most final exams are scheduled during one of four daytime blocks on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday morning during final exam week. To determine the date and time of an exam, locate the meeting days (MWF or TR) and start time (from within the range stated in each box) of the lecture. For example, if the class meets during the semester TR 2:30-3:45 PM, the exam block is TR 2:30-3:29 PM, and the final exam is Tuesday, December 19, 2023 from 4-6 PM.
- MWF, includes the following meeting patterns: MWF, M, W, F, MW, MF, WF, MTWR, MTWF, MWRF, MTRF, & MTWRF
- TR, includes the following meeting patterns: TR, T, R, TF, RF, TRF, & TWRF
Evening Exams (5:30 PM & later): Evening final exams are held in the 6:30-8:30 PM block during final exam week. If the class meets multiple days per week, the final exam will be held on the first day of the meeting pattern (i.e., if a class meets TR at 5:30 PM, the exam will be held Tuesday at 6:30 PM during exam week).
Combined Final Exams: These exams are scheduled during one of the six blocks on Friday or Saturday (or from 6:30-8:30 PM Saturday, if needed) during final exam week. Combined final exam blocks fall outside of the individual final exam schedule to reduce conflicts for students and space, such as large lecture halls.
Saturday Classes: Saturday classes hold their final exams at the start of the hour, in which it is regularly scheduled, for two hours (i.e., if a class meets at 9:30 AM, the exam will be held Saturday from 9-11 AM during exam week).
Individual & Combined Final Exam Schedule
For more information on the courses and sections included in the combined finals, see chart below this schedule.
* Approved 3-hour final exam.
NOTE: Several Nursing final exams on the Milwaukee and Waukesha campuses do not adhere to the individual final exam schedule due to conflicts and other requirements of the major and are approved each term by the Provost’s Office. Please contact the department for more information.
Combined Finals Exam Courses & Sections Information
* Approved 3-hour final exam.