6.4.7 Examinations

Every student has a right to write term papers, examinations and theses in English or in French except in courses where knowledge of a language is one of the objectives of the course.

Students will not be permitted to write an examination in any course unless they have fulfilled the requirements of the course to the satisfaction of the instructor and the Program Director. Once students have presented themselves for an examination or test, they must submit all written work to the invigilator before leaving.

Students writing examinations must have with them their valid McGill student ID card. Forgetfulness cannot be considered an acceptable excuse.

Students are reminded that cheating in any examination is considered a serious offence which could lead to expulsion from the University. Students are not permitted to have in their possession, or to use, any unauthorized materials during an examination.

Responses on multiple choice examinations are normally checked by the Exam Security Computer Monitoring Program. The program detects pairs of students with unusually similar answer patterns on multiple-choice examinations. Data generated by the program can be used as admissible evidence either to initiate or corroborate an investigation or a charge of cheating under Section 16 of the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures.

All students are responsible for knowing the University Examination Regulations and the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures. The former are normally posted during the examination period.

Information about issues related to academic integrity can be found at www.mcgill.ca/integrity.

Students with visual or other disabilities should consult the Coordinator, Office for Students with Disabilities, Brown Building, about the possibility of special examination facilities.

6.4.7.2 Final Examinations

Instructors are not permitted to grant any special treatment regarding examinations to any student. Faculty requires all instructors to decline to discuss marks with students before their official publication.

Formal final examinations are held during an examination period following the term in which the course is given. The dates of the examination periods are listed in the Calendar of Dates. Students are warned not to make travel arrangements to leave Montreal prior to the scheduled end of any examination period. In some courses there is no final examination; standing in these courses is determined on the basis of term work and class tests.

6.4.7.3 University Regulations Concerning Final Examinations

The objectives of these regulations are as follows:
1) to protect students from excessive workloads;
2) to use the full 15-week term to maximum advantage.

1. These regulations shall apply to undergraduate courses up to and including the 500 level that are evaluated by the use of written examinations. They shall not apply to clinical, field, laboratory, performance, and seminar courses, or to other courses that are evaluated solely by means of a design, paper, program, or project.

2. Written examinations (including take-home examinations) shall not be held during the last two weeks of scheduled classes during the Fall and Winter terms, except where a pattern of continuous evaluation has been established, in which case the total value of examinations given in this period shall comprise no more than 10% of the final mark.

3. If the written examinations in a course constitute 50% or more of the final mark, one of these shall be given as a final written examination; and it shall take place during the examination period after the last day of scheduled lectures in December or April.

5. Students shall be informed of all course requirements by the end of the course change period. All term work shall be assigned early enough in the term for students to complete the assignment(s) by the last day of class.

7. In courses that span the Fall and Winter terms (course pairs with numbers ending D1 and D2), instructors who wish to give a mid-year examination in December must schedule it in the formal examination period.

8. The principles enunciated in these regulations shall be applied, appropriately modified, to courses given during the summer, to other courses of less than a 13-week duration, and to courses in the Faculties of Law, Medicine, Dentistry, and Education that do not follow the normal University Timetable.

9. Individual faculties may propose variations in these regulations to the Academic Policy and Planning Committee in order to meet their special needs.

Instructors are not permitted to grant any special treatment regarding examinations to any student. Students who believe there are circumstances which might justify making special examination arrangements for them or which might legitimately be taken into account in evaluating their performance should apply to the Associate Dean of their faculty.

It is the responsibility of the student to confirm the date, time and place of the examination by checking examination schedules posted on notice boards on campus and on the Web at www.mcgill.ca/students. This information is not available by telephone. No student will be allowed to enter an examination later than one half hour after it has started.

6.4.7.4 Interim Class Tests and Mid-Term Examinations

Members of the teaching staff may give interim class tests if they consider them necessary. The class will be advised at the beginning of the course when they will occur with the mark allocation. Students will be informed of all course requirements by the end of the course change period. The timing of the class tests is at the discretion of the professor, but no written tests will be given during the last two weeks of the term, except where a pattern of continued evaluation has been established, in which case the total value of examinations given in this period shall comprise no more than 10% of the final mark.

Mid-term examinations for one term courses are given close to the middle of the term. In those courses that span the Fall and Winter terms, instructors who wish to give a mid-term examination in December, must schedule it in the formal examination period. Make-up examinations follow the same rules as for class tests.

6.4.7.5 Final Examinations

Final examinations must be held during the official examination period following the term in which the course is given, and shall be worth at least 25% of the overall mark. This holds true for written, oral and practical examinations. For oral examinations, verbal feedback may be given to the students regarding their performance, but no marks will be provided during the examination. Marks for final examinations are presented to the Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy Student Promotion Review Committees. Following the Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy Student Promotion Review Committees meetings, marks will be available on Minerva. In some courses there is no final examination; the standing in these courses is determined on the basis of term work and class tests.

6.4.7.6 Supplemental Examinations

Students who have failed an examination and who have been given permission to write a supplemental examination must avail themselves of this privilege at the time of the next supplemental period.

Written application to write a supplemental examination must be received at the Undergraduate Student Affairs Coordinator's Office at least 30 days before the examination period. The $35 supplemental exam fee is payable as soon as the application has been approved.

It should be noted that the supplemental result will not erase the failed grade originally obtained which was used in calculating the GPA. Both the original mark and the supplemental result will be calculated in the GPA and CGPA (i.e., the taking of a supplemental examination has the same effect on a student's GPA as does repeating the course).

exceptionally, supplemental exams for failed professional courses in the Fall Term which are prerequisite to Clinical Affiliation 1 (PHTH 220 or OCC1 220) will be given during the month of February or during the U1 examination period in March. Supplemental examinations for other failed U1 Fall and Winter term professional courses will normally be held during the month of March or the first two weeks of June following the Integration Block. Supplemental examinations for failed Fall Term campus courses will normally be held during the Spring supplemental period in April or May. Supplemental examinations for Winter Term campus courses including PHGY 202 and ANAT 316 are written in the official supplemental period in August.

supplemental examinations for all failed Fall Term courses and for failed Winter term professional courses will normally be held at the end of the regular spring examination period during the month of May. Supplemental examinations for Winter Term campus courses are written in the official supplemental period in August.

6.4.7.7 Deferred Examinations

Students who, for serious reasons such as illness or family affliction, have not written one or more examinations, may receive the permission of the Program Director to defer the examination to the next deferred examination period. Students should be aware that deferred examinations are granted only for compelling reasons, which are verified and accepted by the Program Director. Supporting evidence is required such as an appropriate medical report from McGill Health Service which indicates the date(s) and duration of the illness. The Student Affairs Office and the Program Director must be informed by the student as soon as possible after the examination of the reason for his/her absence from the examination, and the supporting documentation must be received no later than one (1) week after the examination. If the request is approved, a grade of L will appear in place of a grade in such courses, followed by the grade obtained in the deferred examination after it has been written.