Read the official policy

1. Fall and spring terms have 15 weeks of instruction (75 days of instruction excluding weekends) followed by a week of final examinations. Both fall and spring terms have six days for final examinations. The final examination period is two hours in length. Effective fall 2014 both the fall term and the spring term will have 6 days for final examinations.
2. The fall term final examinations must end no later than December 21 in order to have sufficient time for grade submission and transcript availability around the Christmas holiday.
3. The spring term final examinations usually end one week before Commencement, but must end at least one day before Commencement. When the normal Monday start of the term in January would result in having finals ending on the same day as Commencement, the Weekend College classes are scheduled to start on the Saturday two days before the Monday start of the term so that finals can end on Friday before Commencement on Sunday.
4. The summer term has 12 weeks of instruction (60 days of instruction excluding weekends); most summer classes are scheduled in one of two major summer sessions of 6 weeks each (30 days of instruction excluding weekends). The summer term begins on the Tuesday following the end of the spring term and has no special days for final examinations.
5. Lecture classes offered for 3 units must meet for a minimum of 2,250 minutes excluding the final examination. During fall and spring terms, 3 unit lecture classes meet either twice a week (on Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday) in 75-minute classes (2,250 minutes), or once a week (on Monday through Thursday evenings or Fridays during the day) in a 160-minute class (2,400 minutes including a 10-minute in-class break during each meeting).
6. Each day of the week meets an equal number of times during the fall, spring and summer terms.
   1. The fall term will begin on a Monday to accommodate the fall break (Monday and Tuesday) scheduled in mid-October. Thanksgiving break begins on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving and runs through Sunday of that week. Fall classes will end on a Monday to accommodate the Labor Day holiday (Monday).
   2. The spring term, which begins on a Monday, ends on a Monday to accommodate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday (Monday).
   3. Effective summer 2017: The summer term begins on a Tuesday and ends on a Monday. During first summer session, the Memorial Day classes are made up on the last Tuesday of the session; during second summer session, the July 4th classes are made up on the last Monday of the session. Change approved: IFC Executive Committee (December 2015).
7. Classes do not meet on Labor Day, Memorial Day, or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
8. Fall break is scheduled on a consecutive Monday and Tuesday in October following the first eight weeks of the term and prior to the beginning of the second eight weeks of the term.
9. Thanksgiving break begins after the last class on Tuesday before the holiday, classes resume on the Monday after the holiday.
10. Spring break (Monday through Sunday) is scheduled after the ninth week of the spring term.
11. Classes do not meet on the Fourth of July when the holiday falls during the week. Classes do not meet on Friday, July 3rd when the holiday falls on Saturday; classes do not meet on Monday, July 5th when the holiday falls on Sunday.

Approved: APPC (Nov, 2012); Academic Affairs (Nov, 2012)