UNC Charlotte Academic Policy: Academic Calendar

I. Executive Summary

The academic calendar is an official list of dates and deadlines, based on regulations from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. It specifies the dates for semesters and terms, enrollment periods, examination periods, holidays, periods classes are not in session, and commencement.

II. Policy Statement

The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina has enacted regulations (UNC Policy Manual, Chapter 400.1.6) for the minimum number of weeks of instructional time per semester and academic year. All UNC campuses must ensure that every course offered for academic credit adheres to the standard minimum requirements of instructional time for the semester and academic year. The time may include required examination periods, but not Reading Day. Required activities (e.g., lectures, exams, quizzes, field trips, etc.) are prohibited on Reading Day.

Based on the UNC Policy Manual, Chapter 400.1.6, UNC Charlotte requires a fifteen-week semester or the equivalent. The fifteen-week period includes a week for final examinations.

When unplanned university closures result in UNC Charlotte falling below the minimum number of contact hours required by North Carolina law (See Academic Credit Hour Policy), the instructor must make up for the lost time. Instructors will use their judgment as to the best method to make up the lost class period and will make arrangements (e.g., an asynchronous class session) as appropriate.

III. Definitions

  • Academic calendar – An official list of dates and deadlines found at the beginning of the Undergraduate Catalog and on the website for the Office of the Registrar. The academic calendar specifies the dates for semesters and terms, enrollment periods, examination periods, holidays, periods classes are not in session, and commencement.
  • Credit/semester hours – A credit/semester hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. UNC Charlotte adheres to the Carnegie unit, which is a nationally recognized equivalency that consists of not less than:
    1. 750 minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of 1500 minutes of out of class student work for one semester hour of credit. Each credit hour corresponds to 50 minutes per week of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of 100 minutes of out of class work per week for a 15 week semester, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, whether instruction is delivered face to face, or in a hybrid or distance mode and regardless of the type of academic work leading to the award of credit hours, such as lecture, seminar, internship, practica, studio, to name a few. Regardless of the length of term, the standard of 750 minutes of contact minutes and 1500 minutes of out of class work for each credit hour remains the same.
    2. 1500 minutes of direct faculty instruction for one semester hour of credit for a lab course.
  • Reading Day – Reading Day is to guarantee that students have one day between scheduled classes and the first final examination day. Per the Academic Calendar policy, faculty must not require student participation in any course-related activities on Reading Day.
  • Semester or Term – A period of study, usually a third of the academic year (i.e., Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters). Fall and Spring semesters generally include a period of study of one 15-week and two 7-week half terms. The Summer semester generally includes one eleven-week and two five-week half terms. UNC Charlotte offers courses for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, as well as varying term lengths associated with each semester.  For the definition of each term refer to the Office of the Registrar.

IV. Policy Contact(s)

V. History

  • Revised: March 24, 2011
  • Revised: February 23, 2012 [added statement “Required activities are prohibited on Reading Day”]
  • Revised: February 16, 2017 [Five-year review by FAPSC; approved by Faculty Council; provided examples of “Required activities are prohibited on Reading Day”]
  • Revised: December 17, 2020 [“minimum number of class days” changed to “minimum number of weeks of instructional time” in accordance with the UNC Code]
  • Reviewed: February 21, 2024 [Reviewed by FAPSC under five-year review]

VI. Related Policies, Procedures and Resources

VII. Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where is this policy referenced?
    The policy is published on the Provost website’s Academic Policies & Procedures webpage.
  • Does the Final Exam period count as instructional time? Yes, the final exam period is counted toward the necessary minimum instructional time required to earn academic credit for the course. If the published final examination period is not used for an exam, the class must nevertheless meet for oral presentations, discussion lectures, or other appropriate academic functions.
  • Do Reading Days count as instructional time?
    No — Reading Days, unlike final examination days, do not count as “class days” in this policy.