Instructors are encouraged to hold tests during the regularly scheduled class times for their courses. If instructors hold a test outside of the normal course meeting times that creates a legitimate conflict for students, the regularly scheduled event takes precedence, and the instructors must provide an alternative, mutually agreeable time for the student to write the test.
The date and time of tests must be included on the course outline. This time and date cannot be subsequently changed unless there is an extreme circumstance and unanimous consent from the class.
Material included on a test should be introduced sufficiently in advance of the test date to allow students reasonable time to seek clarification or greater understanding of concepts. Normally, this period will be a minimum of two working days.
Instructors are encouraged to avoid requiring students to sit for tests during the time when co-operative work-term employment interviews are scheduled. Whenever possible, students are encouraged to avoid scheduling co-operative work-term employment interviews that conflict with tests. Attendance at co-operative work-term employment interviews is not considered to be a valid reason to miss a test.
The parameters for scheduling tests are as follows:
- Tests are held during the Formal Lecture Period from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, inclusive.
- The Faculties of Mathematics and Science may schedule Saturday tests for large, multiple-section courses in the fall and winter terms, if those tests are approved by the appropriate associate dean, scheduled using test slots, and announced to students during the first week of classes via published course outlines.
Tests are not permitted outside of these parameters.
In instances where students have adjacent tests or when students have more than two tests in a given day, these students should request accommodation from instructors within one week of the notification that caused the conflict. Guidance on when accommodation may be granted and potential options for accommodation are provided in the following pages of the Assignments, Tests, and Final Exams section.