Navigating Oakland University's Academic Calendar: A Guide to Semester Dates, Deadlines, and Policies

Planning your academic journey at Oakland University requires a clear understanding of the university's academic calendar. This article provides a comprehensive overview of important dates, deadlines, and policies related to semesters, application submissions, graduation, and examinations, drawing on official university information.

Application Deadlines and Admission

Oakland University welcomes applications from prospective students seeking graduate degrees or certificates. To ensure a smooth application process, it is crucial to adhere to the specified deadlines and requirements.

General Guidelines:

This is a general guide for submission of application materials.
Some programs have earlier application deadlines and may not admit for all semesters.
Applicants should check the specific admission terms, application deadlines, and application requirements for the program they wish to enter at www.oakland.edu/grad.

International Students:

International applications undergo review for both fall and winter admissions. To allow sufficient time for processing, international applicants should complete their applications at least six months before their intended enrollment date. The following deadlines apply to international applications:

Fall Admission: All application materials must be submitted by May 1.
Winter Admission: All application materials must be submitted by September 1.

Special Graduate Classification:

Individuals seeking a graduate degree or certificate who are unable to meet the standard application deadlines may request Special Graduate temporary admission. To be considered, applicants must:

Submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study.
Provide a transcript as evidence of a bachelor’s degree.
Submit any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department.

Students admitted under the Special Graduate classification can earn up to 12 credits.

Graduation Procedures

As you approach the completion of your degree requirements, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the graduation procedures.

Students must submit an online Application for Graduation for the term in which they will complete degree requirements.
A graduation audit is conducted during that semester to verify that the student has met all academic requirements for the degree.
*Subject to change.

Final Examination Policy

Oakland University has a policy in place to ensure a fair and consistent final examination period for all students.

Key Provisions:

Final exams are generally held in the regular classroom, but at different times. Plan ahead for finals.
If a student chooses to move the last of the three (or more) examinations, they should arrange an alternative time with the professor at least one week prior to the final exam week.
Faculty members are prohibited from giving in-class or online examinations or tests that are in-lieu of final examinations during the last 7 calendar days prior to the start of the final examination period of any fall or winter semester, the last 3 calendar days of any seven-week session, and an appropriately adjusted number of days for other parts-of-term.
This policy also covers quizzes if the particular quiz accounts for more than 10% of the course grade.
Homework assignments, term projects, presentations, laboratory exams or reports, and short quizzes (quizzes worth less than or equal to 10% of the course grade) are not covered by this policy.

Policy Enforcement:

Violation of this policy will be first referred to the Dean of the academic unit that offers the course.
A student may contact the Academic Affairs Office if the issue is not resolved by the academic unit.

University Closures:

If the university should close due to inclement weather or other emergency, any missed examination periods or days will be made up in sequence on the first day or days after the end of the originally scheduled final examination period.
Rescheduled exams will take place at the same times and in the same places as originally scheduled.