Final Examinations
Except for laboratory classes, a final exam during exam week is required in all courses. Take home exams approved in advance by the department head may be used and are due at the officiially scheduled examination time.
Courses with four or more sections may be grouped for a common exam if the department so wishes. There are several common exam periods during the week, and one will be assigned for a particular course.
Students may occasionally have three or more exams in one day. If this is the case, students may request relief by having special examinations assigned according to the following policy. This request may be made to the Provost's Office at least three days before the examination date.
- In the fall and spring terms, the courses with higher course numbers will be asked to give a special exam (MKTG 346 is higher than ACCT 111).
- In the winter and summer terms, the courses with lower course numbers will be asked to give the special exam (ACCT 111 is lower than MKTG346).
To complete a request for a special final examination due to the circumstances mentioned above, download the Final Examination Conflict Form and turn in a completed copy to the Provost's Office in Main Building 308.
Final Examinations for Seniors in the Spring Quarter
In the Spring Quarter ONLY, senior undergraduate students in their last quarter of academic work who have applied for a degree may arrange to be exempted from a final examination if the student's estimated grade for the entire term, as indicated by the instructor on the last day of the term, is passing and is sufficiently high so that his/her cumulative average will meet the grade point average required for graduation. (This is 2.0.)
NOTE: Under this policy the only reasons for not granting the exemption from a final examination are:
- that the student's final grade is not passing,
- that the student's cumulative average will not meet the grade point average required for graduation or,
- that the course normally does not require a final examination.
Final exams for graduating seniors will be given the first day of the final examination period, regardless of the final examination schedule. Grades reflecting final examinations taken under these conditions are due at the end of the first scheduled day of final examinations in the Spring quarter.
Senior Privilege
(Does not exempt students from attending class and/or taking final exams)
Senior Privilege affords seniors a one-time opportunity to take an additional final exam to make up a failing grade in a course required for graduation. The following criteria apply:
- Senior Privilege may be invoked only once during an undergraduate career;
- The failing grade must have been incurred during the period in which a student is classified as a senior, and the failing grade must hot have been assigned as the result of any academic dishonesty;
- The student must have been in college during the term in which the course was taken (i.e. not on Co-op);
- The make-up exam used for Senior Privilege must be taken during the second day of exam week in the student’s final term;
- The grade for the exam must be reported to the Student Administrative Services Center by the fourth day of the exam period;
- The student’s permanent record will record the fact that the student took the course two different times; the grade earned in each will appear on the record and both grades will be included in the GPA calculation.
Interpretation: Students are required to adhere to class attendance requirements for all other courses as specified by university policy. Senior Privilege does not exempt students from attending class and/or taking final exams in courses for which they are enrolled during the last term of their senior year.
If the student meets the requirements indicated above, the following procedure should be followed:
- The student obtains a Senior Privilege application form from the Student Administrative Services (SRC) Center and fills in the required information;
- The student has the appropriate SRC staff member verify his/her eligibility and sign the approval line;
- The student takes the completed form to the Office of the Comptroller where he/she will pay the required special examination fee; the Comptroller's office must stamp the form to verify payment;
- The student schedules an appointment with the instructor to establish the time for the exam;
- After the exam is administered, the student will submit the Senior Privilege form to the instructor so that the instructor may record the grade received and sign the form to indicate that the student completed the exam. The instructor shall make certain that the academic unit’s seal, or the Dean or Director’s signature, appears on the form.
- By the fourth day of exam week, the instructor submits the form to SRC for recording the grade.
Credit By Examination
Drexel University’s policy on "credit by examination" allows undergraduate students a one-time opportunity to gain course credit toward graduation by taking a comprehensive examination in a course, that is, without registering for the course or attending any classes—in fact, the student must never have attended (or currently be enrolled in) the course in which credit by examination is being sought. The grade earned in the examination is included in calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average.
Students on co-op may apply for credit by examination; however, approval will be granted only if the exam does not interfere with the student’s co-op experience. Students on academic probation are not permitted to pursue credit by examination.
Students have 30 days in which to take the examination once permission has been granted. Permission is considered granted once the “Credit by Examination” application form, available in the Student Administrative Services (SRC) Center, has been completed and returned to the SRC. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain all necessary signatures. The charge for Credit by Examination is the current year’s Special Examination Fee and is payable in the Office of the Comptroller prior to the examination date. Once paid, the fee is nonrefundable.
Credit/No Credit Option—Undergraduates Only
The purpose of the Credit/No Credit grading option is to offer undergraduate students a broadened educational experience with additional flexibility in their elective choices; in particular, to encourage enrollment in elective courses not in the student's area of expertise.
- Students can elect to choose the Credit/No Credit grading option only for those courses identified by their Academic Advisor in each department for their specific major.
- A total of six courses may be scheduled with this option during the undergraduate program at the rate of one course per term.
- Students on academic probation are not eligible for this option.
The instructor will report a letter grade in the course. If a grade of "C" or better is reported, the student's grade report will indicate a "CR" (credit) for the course and the credits will count toward graduation requirements. If a grade of "D" or "F" is reported, the student's grade report will indicate "NCR" (no credit), and the credits will not count toward graduation requirements. A "CR" or "NCR" will be included on the student's academic record with a special notation indicating the course was taken under this option. Because no letter grade is recorded, courses taken under this option are not included in calculating the student's cumulative GPA.
Requesting the Credit/No Credit Option
Undergraduate students have until the end of the second week of the term to select or delete the credit/no credit option for a course for which they are registered. All students should add the Credit/No Credit option to the respective course they choose in their college via the Credit/No Credit Application Form. This form is available in SRC.
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