As the semester winds down and final exams approach, Michigan Tech students begin navigating one of the most stressful stretches of the academic year. What many don’t realize, however, is that the University has an extensive set of exam policies designed to keep finals fair, consistent, and manageable. These rules outline when exams can be given, how conflicts should be resolved, and what students can do if something isn’t handled properly.
Michigan Tech is very clear about when final exams are allowed. Finals can only be given during the official final exam week, and major exams cannot be moved into the last week of classes for courses that have a scheduled final. No professor may shift a final to an earlier date for convenience, and no finals may be held on Sunday. While instructors may choose to use the scheduled exam period for additional instruction, they may not replace it with an early exam. The University also limits students to a maximum of three finals per day, ensuring that exam week doesn’t become unmanageable. Make-up exams are permitted for illness or other excused reasons, but only if test security can be maintained.
Not all exams are final exams, and Michigan Tech has rules for those as well. Evening exams, for example, must be arranged through the scheduling office and are generally held between 6 and 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. When conflicts arise between two evening exams, the larger class takes priority; if an evening exam conflicts with a regularly scheduled class, the class always comes first. The University also protects certain high-impact days on the academic calendar. Instructors may not give major exams or set major due dates on the day of Career Fair, and faculty are encouraged to be flexible throughout that week, especially for first- and second-year students learning to balance professional events with coursework. During Winter Carnival week, major exams are not allowed after 6 p.m. on Tuesday. In even-numbered years, Election Day cannot be used for major exams, projects, or presentations, with faculty encouraged to support students who need flexibility to vote.
MTU also outlines clear expectations for students with accommodations. Anyone requiring accommodations must notify instructors at least five business days before the exam, and students who receive extended time cannot be required to spend more than six total hours testing in a single day. This may reduce their daily exam limit from three to two. For online courses, students living within 30 miles of campus must take exams at the MTU Testing Center or with an approved proctor, while those farther away must arrange and verify a qualified proctor. Any violation of online exam rules is considered academic misconduct.
Perhaps the most important part of the policy — and the part many students don’t know — is what to do when a professor doesn’t follow the rules. Michigan Tech explicitly states that it is the responsibility of each department chair to prevent violations. Students are encouraged to report concerns directly to the chair, either in person, by email, or even anonymously. Reports can also be made to the Dean of Students Office, which will forward the concern to the appropriate department. Students are not expected to confront instructors themselves; the University handles these situations professionally and discreetly, and students are never penalized for submitting a report. A simple explanation of the course, the instructor, and what occurred is enough.
