Academic Calendar

Final Examinations and Final Grades Policy and Procedure

Final Examinations and Final Grades Policy

The Policy and Procedure are available online at http://umanitoba.ca/admin/governance/governing_documents#academic.

Part I: Reason for Policy

1.1 To establish the University of Manitoba’s policy relating to final examinations and grades and to oversee the procedures related to final examinations, deferred and supplemental examinations, and final grades.

Use of Terms

1.2 Final Examination: A final examination is a test scheduled within an examination period which serves as the final evaluation of student performance in a course.1

1.3 Deferred Examination: A deferred examination is a privilege that may be granted to a student:

(a) who is unexpectedly unable to write a final examination as scheduled; or

(b) who knows in advance that he or she is unable to write an examination at the scheduled time. Students may request a deferred examination(s) on the grounds that they are unable to write said examination(s) due to: 

(i) a medical condition; or

(ii) participation in an inter-university, provincial, inter-provincial, national or international scholastic or athletic event; or

(iii) religious obligations.

Making a false or misleading claim regarding a deferred examination may be considered an offence under the Student Discipline Bylaw. Penalties may range from a failed grade in the course to suspension or expulsion.

(c) Supplemental Examination: A supplemental examination is the rewriting of a final examination and is a privilege offered by some faculties, schools, and academic units to students who have not achieved the minimum result in required courses. Within the conditions established by the student’s faculty, a student who is granted a supplemental examination is given the opportunity to rewrite a final examination. The impact of a supplemental examination on the final grade is to be determined by regulations within the faculty.

Part II: Policy Content

2.1 The Senate has determined that each faculty or school or academic unit shall be responsible for establishing regulations governing evaluation procedures for students enrolled in its courses.

2.2 Those relevant items listed under procedures for final examinations, deferred and supplemental examinations, and final grades shall be incorporated into the regulations established by faculties, schools or academic units.

2.3 Faculties, schools, and academic units shall submit regulations and amendments to evaluation procedures to Senate for its approval via the Senate Committee on Instruction and Evaluation.

2.4 The Senate has determined that each faculty or school or academic unit shall adopt a formal policy for the appeal of grades given for term work, in that faculty or school or academic unit, that has been returned or made available to students before the last day of classes. Policies adopted by a faculty or school or academic unit, after review by the Senate Committee on Instruction and Evaluation, shall be forwarded to Senate for information.

Deferred and Supplemental Examinations Procedures

Part I: Reason for Procedure

1.1 To set out procedures secondary to the Policy entitled “Final Examinations and Final Grades”, in connection with deferred examinations and supplemental examinations.

Part II: Procedural Content

Deferred Examinations

2.1 A deferred examination is a privilege that may be granted to a student who is unexpectedly unable to write an examination as scheduled or a student who knows in advance that he or she is unable to write an examination at the scheduled time. Making a false or misleading claim may be considered an offence under the Student Discipline Bylaw. Penalties may range from a failed grade in the course to suspension or expulsion.

2.2 Students who are unable to write an examination due to an unexpected illness must file an application for a deferred examination with the advising office of the faculty, school, or academic unit (including University 1 or Extended Education) in which they are registered, setting out the reasons for the deferral. The application must normally be filed within forty-eight (48) hours of the scheduled date of the missed examination or, in a case where more than one examination was missed, within forty-eight (48) hours of the scheduled date of the last examination missed. The application must be accompanied by a medical certificate or otherwise appropriate documentation certifying the reason for the deferral, the inability of the student to write the examination at the regular scheduled time and, where possible, an indication of the period of incapacity. Based on the evidence, the Dean or Director shall decide whether the application is approved. Based on the student’s ongoing incapacity or other exceptional circumstances a deferral may be granted to a student who files an application after the forty-eight (48) hour period has lapsed.

2.3 Students may request a deferred examination(s) on the grounds that they are unable to write said examination(s) due to:

(a) participation in an inter-university, provincial, inter-provincial, national or international scholastic or athletic event;

(b) religious obligations; or

(c) a medical condition.

Students requesting a deferred examination due to a known condition as listed above must file an application normally twenty (20) working days prior to the day of the scheduled examination with the advising office of the faculty, school, or academic unit (including University 1 or Extended Education) in which they are registered.

2.4 Initial approval of all deferred examinations by the student’s faculty, school, or academic unit shall be conditional upon verification that the student has completed all required components of the course and that it is mathematically possible for the student to pass the course by writing the final examination. Approval will be rescinded if these conditions are not met.

2.5 Any students requesting a deferred examination(s) on the grounds that said examination(s) conflict(s) with vacation or holiday plans shall not normally be granted a deferral.

2.6 If a student becomes ill or receives word of a family emergency during the course of an examination and is unable to continue, the student must report at once to the Chief Invigilator, hand in the examination, and indicate either that they wish to submit their examination paper as: (1) completed; or (2) not completed and with the right to request a deferred examination. The Chief Invigilator must record all notifications. Students leaving an examination early in compliance with this section are eligible to apply for a deferred examination under the provisions of section 2.2. Only students who do not complete the examination and who notify the Chief Invigilator of the reason they cannot complete the examination shall be eligible to apply for a deferred examination.

2.7 No faculty, school, or academic unit shall have regulations that compel students to accept deferrals for any or all examinations or examination series.

2.8 When an application for a deferred examination is approved by the faculty, school, or academic unit, the head of the unit in which the course is offered, in consultation with the instructor concerned, shall schedule the deferred examination to take place normally within thirty (30) working days from the end of the examination series from which the examination was deferred, taking into account the following:

(a) If a deferred final examination is granted for a course that is a pre-requisite to another course or courses, students may be permitted to remain registered in those affected courses. However, if the examination is written after the revision deadline and the pre-requisite course is not satisfied, the student will be withdrawn from all courses requiring it. Faculties, schools, and academic units are encouraged to schedule deferred examinations in pre-requisite courses early in a term to ensure that results are available prior to the course revision deadline.

(b) Faculties, schools, and academic units are requested to schedule deferred examinations as soon as possible for potential graduands so that final grades may be available in sufficient time to meet planned graduation deadlines.

2.9 In the event students are unable to write the examination as outlined in section 2.8 the following may take place:

(a) the deferred examination shall be written at the next scheduled examination series in which the course is offered (unless the faculty, school, or academic unit chooses to make other arrangements); subsequent requests for re-deferral may result in the student being denied registration in the current or a future term until all outstanding examination obligations have been completed;

(b) the head of the academic unit in which the course is offered, in consultation with the instructor concerned, may assign a grade without examination. In such cases, the grades shall be assigned on the basis of the term work and assignments. Faculty or School Councils shall establish the procedure by which such a decision will be implemented.

(c) the deferred examination must be written within a time frame that enables the examination to be written and graded, and, if necessary, a supplemental examination to be written and graded, before the start of the next academic term in such cases in which the progression rules of the student’s program require the successful completion of an entire academic year before a student is eligible to proceed in the next academic year.

2.10 Students who, for medical reasons, withdraw from a program or receive deferred examination privileges for all final examination series, or who fail to write deferred examinations as scheduled, may be prevented by the faculty, school or academic unit from reregistration until they have established, through appropriate medical consultation, their fitness to resume studies.

Supplemental Examinations

2.11 Supplemental Examinations are offered by some faculties to students who have not achieved the minimum result in required courses. Within the conditions established by the student’s faculty, a student who is granted a Supplemental Examination is given the opportunity to rewrite a final examination. The impact of a supplemental examination on the final grade is to be determined by regulations within the faculty.

2.12 The results of supplemental examinations must be reported to the faculty or school council.

Final Examinations Procedures

Part I: Reason for Procedure

1.1 To set out Procedures secondary to the Policy entitled "Final Examinations and Final Grades" in connection with the method of conducting final examinations. A final examination is a test scheduled within an examination period which serves as the final evaluation of student performance in a course1.

Part II: Procedural Content

Information Provided to Students

2.1 Within the first week of the academic term, students shall be informed of the method of evaluation to be used in each course, as specified in the Responsibilities of Academic Staff with Regard to Students Policy.

Examination General Regulations

2.2 Any test or tests, which have an aggregate value of more than 20% of the total value of the course may not be scheduled to take place during the fourteen (14) calendar days ending with the last day of classes in the term during the regular session as defined in the University General Calendar, or during the last two (2) classes of Summer Evening and the last three (3) classes for Summer Session (see Responsibilities of Academic Staff with regard to Students Policy).

2.3 No project or assignment may be announced during the periods outlined in section 2.2 unless contained in the course outline or syllabus required to be provided to all students in the course during the first week of classes (see Responsibilities of Academic Staff with Regard to Students Policy).

Final Examinations

2.4 No final examinations or the submission of take-home final examinations shall be scheduled to occur prior to the examination periods as described in the General Calendar except with the expressed joint consent of the Deans and Directors involved.

2.5 The weight of each question shall be clearly indicated on the examination paper.

2.6 The name of the instructor or course coordinator shall be clearly indicated on the examination paper.

2.7 Faculties, schools or academic units electing to use the services of the Registrar’s Office shall adhere to the regulations outlined in section 2.8 below.

Regulations for Examinations Administered by the Registrar’s Office

2.8 If a faculty, school, or academic unit elects to use the services of the Registrar’s Office to schedule and administer examinations, the following regulations shall apply:

(a) Requests for examination scheduling must be submitted five (5) working days prior to the Revision Deadline for the term in which the course is offered.

(b) Examinations shall be of one, two or three hours duration.

(c) The faculty, school, or academic unit shall be responsible for supplying the number of examination invigilators as deemed necessary by the Registrar’s Office.

(d) Examination question papers must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office ten (10) calendar days in advance of the examination.

(e) The Registrar’s Office shall make a record of any issues arising during the conduct of examinations and bring any matters to Senate that it deems to be significant.

(f) The responsibilities of invigilators (see section 2.14-2.16) shall apply for examinations administered by the Registrar’s Office.

Regulations for Examinations Administered by Student Accessibility Services

2.9 Examinations administered by Student Accessibility Services are additionally regulated by the Accessibility for Students with Disabilities Policy.

Invigilation of Examination

2.10 The faculty, school, or academic unit shall supply such number of examination invigilators as is necessary. At a minimum, there shall normally be one invigilator for the first sixty (60) students and one additional invigilator for each fifty (50) students thereafter.

2.11 Invigilation of examinations shall normally be carried out by the instructor of record. In addition, university employees appointed as invigilators by a faculty, school, or academic unit may assist.

2.12 An instructor must be available during the whole of his or her examination even though he or she is not invigilating that examination.

2.13 In view of the responsibilities with which a Chief Invigilator has been charged, selection of Chief Invigilators for large examination halls shall ensure that they are persons at a more senior rank than that of teaching assistants.

Responsibilities of Invigilators and Students

2.14 Prior to an Examination

(a) Invigilators are required to report to the Registrar’s Office for examinations administered by the Registrar’s Office for supervisory duties not later than thirty minutes (one half hour) prior to the scheduled time for each examination. Examination material, supervisory lists, and the name of the invigilator in charge will be distributed.

(b) At each seat in the examination room, the invigilator should place the appropriate material required for the examination.

(c) The time of commencement of the examination shall be announced.

(d) Each student shall display his or her student card and photo identification and shall sign an attendance form.

2.15 Conduct During Examination

(a) Any student departing from accepted procedure during an examination must be reported immediately to the Chief Invigilator.

(b) The Chief Invigilator shall allow the student to continue writing the examination except as noted in subsection 2.15(g).

(c) The Chief Invigilator shall record the nature of the alleged infraction on the form provided by the Registrar’s Office.

(d) The Chief Invigilator shall complete the introductory section of the form immediately and shall ask the student to sign at that point in order that the student provides positive identification.

(e) The Chief Invigilator shall advise the student, when the identification portion of the form has been signed, of his or her right to submit a separate report on the circumstances of the incident to the Dean or Director of his or her faculty, school, or academic unit.

(f) The Chief Invigilator shall ask that the student read the form containing full details of the incident by or at the close of the examination. The form, thus completed, shall be sent to the Registrar’s Office for distribution to the Dean or Director, to the student and to the invigilators involved in the incident.

(g) Notwithstanding the above, in those cases in which the behaviour of a student is disruptive to others writing the examination, or to the conduct of that examination, the Chief Invigilator may, after due warning, require that student to cease writing the examination and leave the examination hall. For such cases the form provided by the Registrar’s Office must be completed, to the extent possible, in the manner outlined in the above paragraph.

(h) The Chief Invigilator shall ensure that no student leaves the room without signing the roll and submitting a script. In addition:

(i) No student shall be permitted to leave the examination room during the first thirty (30) minutes of an examination.

(ii) No student shall be permitted to enter the examination room after at least one other student who is writing the same examination has left the examination room.

(iii) A student who arrives to write an examination more than thirty (30) minutes after the start of the examination will not be permitted to write the examination.

(iv) Any student who, due to late arrival, is not permitted to write an examination will be asked to complete the appropriate form and will then be advised to contact the Office of his or her Dean or Director not later than the next business day to discuss possible alternatives.

(v) No student scheduled to write an examination in a centrally administered location who arrives late for the examination shall be permitted to write longer than the scheduled end-time for that examination. For those examinations not centrally scheduled, flexibility may be allowed at the discretion of the unit administering the examinations, but all students in a given course with commonly examined sections should have equal opportunities to take advantage of whatever flexibility is afforded.

(vi) Should a technical irregularity occur in an examination, such as misprinted information or wrong instruction, invigilators supervising the same examination in other locations must be informed. The Registrar’s Office should be contacted immediately should this or other similar problems arise in an examination room.

(vii) If a student becomes ill or receives word of a family emergency during the course of an examination and is unable to continue, the student must report at once to the Chief Invigilator, hand in the examination, and indicate either that they wish to submit their examination paper as: (1) completed; or (2) not completed and with the right to request a deferred examination. The Chief Invigilator must record all notifications. Students leaving an examination early in compliance with this section are eligible to apply for a deferred examination under the provisions outlined in section 2.2 of the Deferred and Supplemental Examinations Procedures. Only students who do not complete the examination and who notify the Chief Invigilator of the reason they cannot complete the examination shall be eligible to apply for a deferred examination.
​Note: Documentation verifying the illness may be required.

2.16 At the Close of the Examination

(a) The time of conclusion of the examination should be announced.

(b) Every candidate must turn in an examination script before leaving the room to the invigilator located at the exit of the room.

(c) A count must be made of the scripts by course number and balanced against the total for each course examination indicated on the nominal roll.

(d) No student may be permitted to re-enter an examination room until all examination scripts have been collected.

(e) The nominal roll must be returned to the Registrar’s Office at the conclusion of the examination session. Examination scripts may be either received by the instructor(s) concerned or be delivered to the Registrar’s Office.

Audio Visual Supports

2.17 The use of audio visual supports to display examination or test questions shall be prohibited with either of the following two exceptions:

(a) Audio visual supports may be used to display examination questions where arrangements have been made to display all questions simultaneously for the entire examination period; or

(b) In courses where time limited identification is a legitimate and specified part of the examination process, the use of overhead or slide projectors, or other audio visual supports for display purposes shall be permitted.

Examinations using audio visual supports should not be scheduled with other examinations.

Unauthorized Materials in Examinations

2.18 Students are not permitted to access any unauthorized materials during an examination. This includes but is not limited to calculators, books, notes, pencil cases, or any electronic device capable of wireless communication and/or storing information (e.g. computer, dictionary, translator, cell phone, pager, PDA, mp3 units, etc.). However, students may bring in such materials or devices when permission has been given by the instructor.

Security

2.19 Students may store valuables and personal items under the desk or chair of the examination room but may not have access to these items during the examination. Items stowed under the desk or chair must not obstruct the aisles of the examination room. Students must ensure that all items required for the examination are placed on top of the desk prior to the start of the examination.

Posting Examination Answers

2.20 Answers to examination questions shall not be posted prior to the conclusion of the examination.

Student Access to Final Examinations

2.21 In order to allow proper feedback, students shall have an opportunity to read their own final examination script and any comments written on it prior to the deadline for a formal grade appeal, but only in the presence of the instructor or a staff member appointed by a faculty, school, or academic unit.

2.22 Notwithstanding section 2.21 above, there is no obligation upon the faculty, school, or academic unit to make machine-scored examination answer sheets available for consultation by students. It is expected that faculties, schools, and academic units will provide appropriate means of feedback to students in such circumstances and, where practicable, will encourage instructors to discuss selected questions and answers.

Final Grades Procedures

Part I: Reason for Procedure

1.1 To set out procedures secondary to the Policy entitled “Final Examinations and Final Grades”, in connection with:

(a) Final grades;

(b) Incomplete grades;

(c) Continuing grades;

(d) Appeal of final grades; and

(e) Grading systems.

Part II: Procedural Content

Final Grades

2.1 Departments are required, subject to faculty and school regulations, to establish a procedure for the review and approval of final grades prior to submission to the Registrar.

2.2 All final grades must be submitted in accordance with the instructions received from the Registrar.

2.3 Final grades will be released to students by the Registrar’s Office as they are submitted by faculties and schools, except where alternate arrangements have been made Between the Dean or Director and the Registrar.

2.4 To protect the confidentiality of students’ personal and private information, neither faculties, schools, academic units, nor instructors may post or publicly release grades.

Incomplete Grades

2.5 A student who is unable to complete the term work prescribed in a course may apply to the instructor, on or before the End Date for the term in which the course is offered (as set out in the Academic Schedule), for consideration of a grade classification of Incomplete.

2.6 The student is expected to write the final examination if one is scheduled for the course. It is possible to request a deferred examination based upon the conditions stated in the Deferred and Supplemental Examinations Procedures.

2.7 Taking into account the results of the final examination, the value of the term work completed, and the extent of the incomplete term work, the instructor shall calculate the temporary grade using a zero value for incomplete work. The grade code reported will consist of the appropriate letter grade following by a space followed by the letter “I”.

2.8 In addition to the grade, the recommendation should indicate the reason(s) for consideration being given, a description of the outstanding work to be completed, and the date by which the work must be submitted. The following maximum extensions are allowed:

(a) for courses terminated in April – August 1st

(b) for courses terminated in August – December 1st

(c) for courses terminated in December – April 1st

2.9 If the final grade is not reported within one month of the extension deadline, the letter “I” will be dropped and the grade remains as awarded. The student’s opportunity to improve the grade will have lapsed.

2.10 In no case will the satisfaction of the Incomplete requirements cause a grade to be lowered.

2.11 When specific circumstances warrant, Deans or Directors may extend the date by which an Incomplete must be cleared. Instructors must formally request such an extension prior to the elapse of the maximum deadline date. In addition, the Registrar’s Office must be notified of the extension.

Continuing Grades

2.12 For those graduate level courses which continue beyond the normal academic term, which are being taken by students enrolled in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the instructor shall recommend that a grade of “CO” be used until such time as a final grade can be established.

Appeal of Term Work

2.13 The appeal of term work returned or made available to students before the last day of classes shall be subject to policies and procedures established by Faculty/School Councils.

Appeal of Final Grades

2.14 A student may enter an appeal, through the Registrar’s Office, for assessment of one or more grades. A student wishing to make a final grade appeal must do so by the deadlines set for the following terms and sessions:

(a) On a Fall Term course grade the deadline is fifteen (15) working days following the first day in January which the University is open.

(b) On a Winter Term course grade the deadline is fifteen (15) working days after Victoria Day.

(c) For Summer Session course grades the deadline is thirty (30) working days following the end of the examination period.

(d) For all other programs the deadline is twenty (20) working days following the end of the examination period.

Applications must be made on a prescribed form obtainable from the Registrar’s Office. On payment of the prescribed fee, such appeals shall be forwarded to the Head of the academic unit in which the course is offered.

2.15 Examination scripts are to be held by the teaching unit responsible for the course until six (6) months after the expiration of the appeal period. In individual cases where appeals have been initiated, the holding period will be extended accordingly.

(a) Each faculty, school, or academic unit is responsible for arranging the proper processing of the appeals, and shall report the results of appeals to the Registrar’s Office.

(b) Normally the re-evaluation of a grade shall be undertaken by the instructor(s) responsible for the particular course (section) in consultation with at least one other instructor – in the same or related subject area – who shall independently assess the script and/or other relevant material.

(c) In the event that an appealed grade has been awarded on the basis of an examination only, the entire script will be re-read.

(i) Except as noted below, where the grade has been awarded on the basis of an examination in combination with term work, the examination script will be re-read and term mark calculation reviewed.

(ii) In the case of grades awarded solely on the basis of term work, only the calculation will be reviewed.

(iii) In instances where term work has not been returned to students before the last day of classes, that term work shall also be re-read.

(d) Grades subject to appeal may not be lowered.

(e) In cases where appeals have resulted in a change of grade, the application fee will be refunded to the student.

(f) Teaching units shall be responsible for arranging to destroy examination scripts held by them in accordance with this section, ensuring in the process, the confidentiality of the document.

(g) The result of an appeal must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office within thirty (30) days of the deadline for a student to submit the appeal being considered. In the event this deadline cannot be met, the academic unit must notify the Registrar’s Office with reasons for the delay. In no case shall an appeal be delayed longer than sixty (60) days.

(h) Students who wish to appeal the results of a grade appeal based on procedural grounds must file an appeal with the office the Dean/Director of the teaching unit. A request for a review of appeal procedures must be filed within ten (10) working days of receipt of notification of the result of a Grade Appeal.

Grading Systems

2.16 Faculties and schools may investigate various grading systems in order that a better understanding is reached regarding the relationship between grading systems, evaluation processes, student performance and program objectives. Prior to taking action based on such investigation, the faculty or school must submit its proposal to the Senate Committee on Instruction and Evaluation for its approval.