Regular Examinations

Regular course examinations are held during the last week of each quarter at the times indicated in the quarterly class schedule, accessible via CAESAR and at https://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/calendars/final-exam-schedules/index.html. Summer Session examinations are usually held at the last class meeting. Students are responsible for knowing the time and location of each examination. Early examination policies are determined by each school. Both the instructor and the dean may permit a student to be absent from the final examination for causes beyond the student’s control; normally such permission must be secured in advance of the date of the examination, and an incomplete grade is awarded. Students planning to graduate within that time frame must complete courses and receive grades before graduating. Incomplete grades remaining at the time of degree conferral will be changed to final grades of F (failure).

Please also see the policy on incomplete grades.

Class Attendance and Absence

Undergraduate students enrolled in courses with in-person class meetings are expected to be on campus and in attendance no later than the end of the first week of the quarter and must plan to remain until the end of the quarter.  Please see the related policy for more detail.

In addition, students are expected to attend all sessions of the courses for which they are registered. Excessive absence is cause for failure in the course. Some courses require attendance at the first class meeting. Students may be dropped for nonattendance. Such courses are designated in CAESAR as “First Class Mandatory.”