The following regulations ensure consistency and transparency by guiding the creation of the academic schedule. Continuing Education offering are excluded from the Academic Schedule.

1. Terms

1.1 The MacEwan University academic year runs from September 1 to August 31 and is divided into 3 equal 4-month terms as follows:

1.1.1 Fall Term: September to December
1.1.2 Winter Term: January to April
1.1.3 Spring/Summer Term: May to August

1.2 Each term ends on the last University working day of the term.

2. Fall and Winter Term

2.1 The first day of classes for the Fall term will be the Wednesday following Labour Day. 2.2 The first day of the Winter term will not be before January 3.
2.3 The last day to drop or add regular session term classes shall be the 8th day of classes.
2.4 The last day to pay regular session fees without penalty shall be the last working day of the first month of the term.
2.5 The last day of the regular session instructional period is the last day to withdraw from regular session classes without academic penalty. Clinical, field and performance placements may continue into the exam period if necessary.

3. Spring/Summer

3.1 Spring/Summer term short sessions will have an instructional period of either 3 or 7 weeks in length, followed by a 1- or 2-day exam period, respectively.
3.2 The 3-week sessions shall be contained within a single calendar month.
3.3 The 7-week sessions shall begin in May and July.
3.4 The last day to drop or add shall be the third day of classes for a 3-week short session, and the fifth day of classes for a 7-week short session.
3.5 The last day to pay fees shall be the fifth working day of the session for the 3-week short session, and the tenth working day of the session for the 7-week short session.
3.6 The last day of the short session instructional period is the last day to withdraw from the respective short session classes without academic penalty.

4. Contact Hours

4.1 A standard course is defined as a course with instruction equivalent to a course offered one hour a day, three times a week, over 12 or 13 weeks.
4.2 Standard courses shall have no less than 36 scheduled hours of instruction followed by an exam period of 8 or 9 days for the Fall and Winter terms, and 1 to 2 days in the Spring/Summer term.
4.3 Neither instructional breaks of 3 or more consecutive days (e.g. Reading Week) nor statutory holidays shall be counted towards the scheduled hours of instruction.
4.4 The difference in contact hours between standard courses will be minimized and not exceed three hours.

5. Term Breaks

5.1 Fall and Winter terms shall have reading breaks.
5.2 Fall Reading Break shall coincide with the November 11 statutory Remembrance Day holiday. Thus, Fall Reading Break shall constitute the statutory holiday plus 4 weekdays in the same week, creating a reading break of 5 weekdays in total.
5.3 Winter Reading Break shall coincide with the Alberta provincial Family Day holiday. Thus, Winter Reading Break shall constitute the holiday plus the following 4 weekdays, creating a reading break of 5 weekdays in total.

6. Grades

6.1 Faculty will have at least 5 calendar days after the final exam, not ending on a weekend, to submit final grades, unless the time from the final exam to the end of term is less than 5 days, in which case article 6.2 applies.
6.2 In any case, the last day to submit grades will be on or before the end of term, as defined in 1.2.

7. Approval of the Academic Schedule

7.1 The Office of the University Registrar (OUR), drafts, reviews and recommends academic schedules, which represent significant academic deadlines and events (e.g. first day of regular session classes, last day for regular session registration, last day to submit grades, convocation dates).
7.2 Deans’ Council will provide consultation and feedback on the draft academic schedule.
7.3 The Committee on Academic Standards, Curriculum, and the Calendar (ASCC) shall present the academic schedule for the next academic year to General Faculties Council (GFC) for final approval, and it will also present tentative schedules for an additional three years.
7.4 Once final approval has been received from GFC, other than to correct typos or grammatical errors, the academic schedule cannot be changed without 30 days’ notice and GFC’s approval.
7.5 The tentative academic schedules serve to guide future planning and as notice of schedules which will, in turn, be presented for final approval. The OUR shall, within these regulation and due consideration to stakeholder input as well as academic and administrative needs, adjust tentative schedules in anticipation of final approval or presentation.

Approved by General Faculties Council September 23, 2019 (Motion GFC-05-09-23-2019)

Updated by General Faculties Council June 17, 2022 (Motion GFC-05-17-06-2022)

Updated by General Faculties Council October 28, 2024 (Motion 2 Amended #GFC-03A-1028-2024/2025)