Exam Conflict Policy


Except in the case of recognized exam conflicts, all students are required to take exams as scheduled.  When registering for classes, each student is responsible for reviewing the exam schedule and for scheduling classes to avoid exam conflicts.  Because the School of Law reserves the right to reschedule exams at any time during the examination period, students must not schedule personal obligations, travel, vacations or other commitments at any time during the examination schedule.

Recognized Exam Conflicts

Exceptions to the general rule shall be made in the case of the following recognized exam conflicts:

  • If two exams in required courses are scheduled on the same day.
  • If a student has exams scheduled on four (4) consecutive days.
  • In the case of mandatory religious obligations, a student's serious illness or injury, labor and/or delivery of the student's baby, or a death in the student's immediate family.
  • In the event the Dean or Provost cancels an exam due to inclement weather.
  • If the Academic Status Committee grants relief from this policy due to extraordinary circumstances.

Timing of Notification of Exam Conflict and Request for Make-up Exam

  • A student who has a foreseeable recognized exam conflict should notify the Registrar as soon as practicable following the end of add/drop and in all events at least one month prior to the end of class.  For purposes of this paragraph, a foreseeable recognized exam conflict is one caused by the scheduling of two required exams on the same day, the scheduling of exams on four consecutive days, or a mandatory religious obligation.
  • A student who has an unforeseeable recognized exam conflict shall: (i) notify the Associate Dean of Students and the Registrar of the occurrence of the event as soon as possible, but no more than two days following the student's discovery of the event; (ii) request a make-up exam; and (iii) provide written proof of the event to the Registrar within two days of initial notification.  The Associate Dean of Students will review the student's request for a make-up exam and, for good cause shown, may approve the request and direct the Registrar to schedule a make-up examination.  An unforeseeable recognized exam conflict is one caused by a student's serious illness or injury, labor and/or delivery of the student's baby, or a death in the student's immediate family.
  • A student who petitions for relief from the rules of this section on the grounds of extraordinary circumstances must submit such petition no later than one month before the end of class unless the circumstances on which the petition is based make that impossible.  Email petitions must be sent from the student's official .duq email account to the Academic Status Committee (c/o the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs), and the student bears the burden of ensuring receipt.

Scheduling Make-up Exams

  • To the extent possible, all make-up exams and all rescheduled exams shall be administered on the day(s) reserved during the examination period for make-up exams.
  • If the Registrar is unable to schedule a make-up or rescheduled exam on the day(s) reserved during the examination period for make-up exams, the Registrar will notify the affected student(s) and, at the earliest convenience of both the Registrar and the affected student(s), meet to arrange a time for a make-up examination.
  • In the event that a student informs the Registrar that he or she has exams on four consecutive days, the Registrar shall review the class rosters of the classes to determine if any other students are similarly situated and, then, determine whether to schedule a make-up exam for all similarly-situated students or to reschedule the exam for one of the classes to the make-up day.  If the Registrar decides to schedule a make-up exam, any similarly-situated student may opt out of taking the make-up and take the exam at the regularly scheduled time.
  • Make-up examinations must be taken when scheduled by the Registrar.