Skip to main content

Academic Honor System

In 1944 the students of Smith College voted to establish the Academic Honor System in the belief that each member of the Smith community has an obligation to uphold the academic standards of the college. The basic premise on which the code is based is that the learning process is a product of individual effort and commitment accompanied by moral and intellectual integrity. The Academic Honor Code is the institutional expression of these beliefs. The code requires that each individual be honest and respect and respond to the demands of living responsibly in an academic community.

Read more about the Academic Honor Code as it applies to examinations and class work in the Smith College Handbook.

Policies & Guidelines

Scheduled and self-scheduled examinations may not be taken outside the regular examination period. Students are not permitted to complete examinations early and are not permitted to make special arrangements with faculty to complete exams outside the examination period without prior permission of the Academic Board. Written requests must be made to the Academic Board through the class dean (not to individual faculty members).

Students making their end-of-semester travel arrangements should be sure that their plans do not conflict with the examination schedule; requests to take final examinations early will not be considered.

Only the class dean may authorize an extension beyond the end of the final exam period. Such extensions, granted for reasons of illness, emergency or extenuating personal circumstances, will always be confirmed in writing with the student, the instructor, and the registrar's office. An individual instructor, without authorization by the class dean, may grant extensions on work due during the semester through the last day of exams.

For students granted an official extension by the class dean, make-up examinations will be administered by the Office of the Registrar and must be completed by the deadline set by the class dean.

Extensions for Five College Students

Five College students enrolled in Smith courses are held to the guidelines published here concerning final exams and papers. Five College students requiring extensions for reasons of health or emergency should contact the class deans office at Smith.

If a student is too ill to write an examination, they should report to Health Services before the examination is scheduled to begin. In case of illness which occurs after an examination has begun, the student should go directly from the examination center to Health Services, not to their house. In the case of a scheduled examination, they should leave the examination materials with the instructor if he/she is present, or on the desk in the examination room. Students taking self-scheduled examinations should leave their examination materials with the supervisor of the center where the exam was received. In both instances, Health Services will notify the registrar and class dean that the student is ill and unable to complete the exam during that period.

A student who arrives after 2:10 p.m. on the first three days or 12:40 p.m. on the last day of self-scheduled exams may write for the remaining time, but must turn in all papers by the closing time for that session (4:30 p.m. on the first three days or 3 p.m. on the last day). Completed exams and all used and unused blue books must be returned to the centers and must be handed to one of the workers who will record the time received.

Extra time taken to write an exam is considered a violation of the Academic Honor Code and will be reported to the Academic Honor Board.

Students who do not take an exam during the exam period and do not have an extension will be reported to the Academic Board. The board has ruled that a grade of E shall be given for examinations missed because of carelessness, oversleeping, misreading the schedule, poor planning, etc.

Students with documented disabilities who do not already have disability-related testing accommodations must contact the Accessibility Resource Center to specifically request accommodations for self-scheduled finals.

Deadlines for Final Exam Accommodations

Semester Deadline
Fall semester November 15
Spring semester April 1

The Accessibility Resource Center will evaluate your request and inform the registrar about the specific accommodations needed. Accommodations are not guaranteed to students whose requests are received after the deadline. Disability-related accommodations will not be provided without current medical documentation or psycho-educational testing on file with disability services.

Students with disabilities taking exams with accommodations must pick up their exams from the registrar's office. The registrar's office will be open at 9 a.m. each day during the examination period and exams with additional time can be picked up until 12:10 p.m. (double time), or 1:10 p.m. (time and a half) the first three days or 10:40 a.m. (double time) and 11:40 a.m. (time and a half) the last day of exams. You will be given instructions when you pick up the exam regarding where to take the exam and the accommodations that are allowed. Students taking exams with accommodations are bound to the Smith honor code.

Five College Students with Disabilities

Five College students with documented disabilities needing disability related accommodations for self-scheduled finals must first contact the disability services coordinator at your own school. That individual will assess your need for accommodations and should provide you with a letter or form specifying the accommodations needed, which you must submit to the Accessibility Resource Center at Smith College. The ARC will evaluate your request and inform the registrar about the specific accommodations needed. Accommodations are not guaranteed to Five College students whose requests are received after the deadline.

Deadlines for Final Exam Accommodations

Semester Deadline
Fall semester November 15
Spring semester April 1

Final Exams

Final examinations (those covering the work of the entire semester) must be administered during the final exam period at the end of the semester. They may not be given during the last week of classes or during the pre-examination study period.

Pre-examination Study Period

The pre-examination study period, between the end of classes and the beginning of final examinations, is set aside for students to prepare for exams. Therefore, the college does not schedule social, academic or cultural activities during this time. Deadlines for papers, take-home exams or other course work cannot be set during the pre-exam study period.

Fall 2024: December 15–18, 2024

Final Examinations (those covering the work of the entire semester) must be administered during the final exam period at the end of the semester. They may not be given during the last week of classes or during the pre-examination study period.

Students may start the exam at any of the time listed in the schedule but must allow enough time to complete the exam before the listed ending time for the session. Students are limited to 2 hours and 20 minutes (including travel time) to complete an exam. All exams must be returned by 4:30 p.m. on the first three days, or 3 p.m. on the last day. Students who check out exams after 2:10 p.m. on the first three days, or 12:40 p.m. on the last day will only have the remaining time in the exam period to complete their exam.

Date

Sign In

Sign In for Full Time

Finish By

Sunday, Dec. 15

9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

2:10 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 16

9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

2:10 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 17

9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

2:10 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 18

9 a.m.–3 p.m.

12:40 p.m.

3 p.m.

Exams are picked up in Seelye 110 after showing a picture ID and must be returned to the same room by the return time indicated on the exam. Exams must be written in designated classrooms in Seelye Hall. Please see the link below of sanctioned classrooms for exams, per the Honor Board.

Sanctioned Classrooms for self-scheduled exams (36.55 KB)

Track your time. The time you pick up your exam and return it will be recorded, but you are responsible for monitoring your time and finishing within the time limit.

Arabic
ARA 100-01 - Elementary Arabic I
ARA 100-02 - Elementary Arabic I
Astronomy

AST 111-01 - Intro to Astronomy

Chemistry

CHM 111-01 - Chemistry I: General
CHM 111-02 - Chemistry I: General
CHM 111-03 - Chemistry I: General
CHM 118-01 - Advanced General Chemistry
CHM 223-01 - Chemistry III: Organic
CHM 223-02 - Chemistry III: Organic
CHM 331-01 - Phys Chem: Quantum Mechanics

Classical Studies

GRK 100Y-01 - Elementary Greek
LAT 100Y-01 - Elementary Latin
LAT 212-01 - Intro to Latin Prose & Poetry

Computer Science

CSC 210-01 - Data Structures
CSC 210-02 - Data Structures
CSC 231-01 - Microprocess & Assembly Lang
CSC 252-01 - Algorithms

Economics

ECO 125-01 - Game Theory
ECO 150-01 - Intro Microeconomics
ECO 150-02 - Intro Microeconomics
ECO 150-03 - Intro Microeconomics
ECO 153-01 - Intro Macroeconomics
ECO 153-02 - Intro Macroeconomics
ECO 220-01 - Intro Stats & Econometrics
ECO 240-01 - Econometrics
ECO 250-01 - Intermed Micro
ECO 253-01 - Intermed Macro
ECO 265-01 - Economics of Corporate Finance

Engineering

EGR 328-01 - Sem:Digital Circuits & Sensors

English Language & Literature

ENG 256-01 - Shakespeare

Environmental Science & Policy

ENV 101-01 - Sustainability & Social-Eco Systems

Exercise & Sport Studies

ESS 260-01 - Human Anat & Physio I

French

FRN 101-01 - Accelerated Beginning French I
FRN 101-02 - Accelerated Beginning French I
FRN 120-01 - Intermediate French
FRN 120-02 - Intermediate French
FRN 220-01 - High Intermediate French
FRN 220-02 - High Intermediate French

First-Year Seminar

FYS 149-01 - The Big Bang and Beyond

German

GER 110Y-01 - Elementary German
GER 110Y-02 - Elementary German

Government

GOV 206-01 - The American Presidency
GOV 284-01 - Colq: America/21st C.

History

HST 120-01 - Modern East Asia
HST 287-01 - The Holocaust

Italian

ITL 110Y-01 - Elementary Italian
ITL 110Y-02 - Elementary Italian
ITL 111-01 - Accelerated Elementary Italian I

Jewish Studies

JUD 101-01 - Elementary Modern Hebrew I
JUD 287-01 - The Holocaust

Mathematical Sciences

MTH 246-01 - Probability

Physics

PHY 111-01 - Living Physics I
PHY 210-01 - Math Mthd Phy Sci & Engin I
PHY 318-01 - Electricity and Magnetism

Psychology

PSY 150-01 - Abnormal Psychology
PSY 202-03 - Intro to Research Methods
PSY 267-01 - Moral Psychology

Religion

REL 214-01 - Women in the Bible

Fall 2024: December 16–17, 2024

Scheduled examinations are given in courses when slides, dictation or listening comprehension are required. Such examinations are administered during the regular examination period at the end of the semester and may be taken only at the scheduled time.

If the schedule creates a conflict with another scheduled examination, students should notify the registrar’s office immediately.  

Students who become too ill to write an examination should report to Health Service before the examination is scheduled to begin. If a student becomes ill during an examination, the student should leave the incomplete examination materials with the instructor and go directly to Health Service, not to their house. Health Service will notify the registrar and class dean of the student’s illness. 

Course, Section(s) Start Time Location
CHI 110 01,02  9 a.m. Ford 240
JPN 110 01,02,03 9 a.m.  Stoddard G2
KOR 101 01,02   9 a.m. McConnell 103
KOR 101 03   9 a.m. McConnell 102
CHI 301 01  2 p.m.  Ford 240
KOR 201 01    2 p.m.  McConnell 102

Course, Section(s) Start Time Location
CHI 220 01,02   9 a.m. Ford 240
FMS 242 01   9 a.m. Stoddard G2
JPN 220 01,02   9 a.m. McConnell 103
CHI 120 01           2 p.m.  Ford 240
FMS 150 01,02,03  2 p.m.  Stoddard G2

Take-home exams are administered by the instructor. All take-home examinations are "open book" with no restriction on writing time except for the submission deadline set by the instructor. Take-home exams may be distributed to students at any time but the deadline for submission cannot be during the pre-examination study period or after the last day of the examination period.

All take-home examinations will be accompanied by examination guidelines. Both the deadline and the place or method of delivery must be specified on the take-home examination and in the guidelines.

Placement Exams

AP Scores & Placement Exams

Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on most Advanced Placement examinations will be notified by the registrar’s office regarding the credits recorded and ways they can be used. These scores can be used to aid you and your liberal arts adviser in placing you at a course level appropriate to your background. The registrar’s office also evaluates International Baccalaureate, A-levels and college credit earned before matriculation at Smith. For further details, please see the Transfer Credit page. 

Full information regarding placement exams can be found on individual program pages.