Final Exams

During the last week of classes, often referred to as "dead week," instructors cannot give exams, tests, or quizzes worth more than 10% of your final grade during the final three days (Wednesday through Friday) unless they’ve received approval from the department chair and dean. Labs, seminars, and senior projects may have exceptions, so be sure to check your syllabus for important due dates. Your grades for assignments, tests, and quizzes should also be returned before finals week starts so you know where you stand.

Each undergraduate course requires a final exam, which will be held at the scheduled time unless your instructor has received prior approval from the department chair and dean for any changes. Always be on time for exams and bring your student ID. Missing an exam without a valid excuse, leaving the room without permission, or arriving more than 15 minutes late may prevent you from taking the exam or result in automatic failure. Examinations should be concluded in three hours and twenty minutes unless otherwise specified by the instructor.

Exam schedules are posted before the semester begins, so plan ahead and write down your exam time for each class! Rescheduling is only allowed if you have three or more final exams in one day. If this is the case, you can arrange with your instructor beforehand to take the noon or 7:30 p.m. exam at another time.

Some courses may require a specific Scantron or Blue Book and a #2 pencil or your laptop. Scantrons and Blue Books are sold at the Ole Miss Bookstore in the Student Union and vending machines in the J.D. Williams Library. Check with your instructor or syllabus for allowed resources, such as calculators.