The UCI Chemistry Department offers a single Common Final exam for all students taking each chemistry class in the general chemistry series (1A, 1B, 1C). We are using this Common Final exam for several reasons, including:

  • The common final helps ensure that all students are taught and are responsible for material at the same level of rigor and are similarly prepared for subsequent chemistry courses.
  • The Common Final helps unify grading across different sections of courses, ensuring a fairer grading system for all students, not dependent on particular section enrollment.
  • The Common Final helps the chemistry department assess and redesign the chemistry courses to help aid student learning.

The Common Finals for the 2023/2024 academic season are scheduled as follows:

  • Chem 1A, Fall Quarter 2023: Sunday, December 10th, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
  • Chem 1B, Winter Quarter 2024: Sunday, March 17th, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
  • Chem 1A, Winter Quarter 2024: Sunday, March 17th, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
  • Chem 1C, Spring Quarter 2024: Sunday, June 9th, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
  • Chem 1B, Spring Quarter 2024: Sunday, June 9th, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm

The precise location and seat assignment for your exam will be released on eee later in the quarter. The exam will likely take place in a different classroom than your normally scheduled class. The common final exam is like any other final exam; the only difference is that all sections will have their exam on the same day, at the same time. Since all sections will be asked to take the same final exam at the same time, there is a single make-up exam policy for all students.

Make-up Final Exam Policy:

It is expected that students will make every effort to take their final exam at the scheduled time. However, requests for make-up final exams will be considered under the following guidelines:

  • A student will be granted a make-up if the Sunday final exam time violates the student’s religious creed.
  • A student may be granted a make-up exam at the discretion of the course facilitator if the exam time would result in loss of wages constituting financial hardship, need for child care resulting in financial hardship, inability to procure transportation or loss of employment.
  • A student may be granted a make-up exam at the discretion of the course facilitator if there is a verifiable emergency, which prevents the student from taking the final examination at the scheduled time. Such emergencies include, but are not limited to, serious illness, death of immediate family member, serious accident, or serious work-related issues.
  • During Fall, Winter and Spring, students registered with the Disability Services Center (DSC) will be taking the exam at DSC at Registrar’s Discretion at the same time of the regular exam. During the Summer, DSC students will have to request a make-up exam. (All such requests will be approved.)

In all cases, the petition for make-up final exam must be presented with verifiable evidence. Vacation plans will not constitute a legitimate excuse.

Make-up Exam Procedures:

To request a make-up exam, students must complete the Chemistry 1A-B-C Final Exam Make-Up Request and upload documentation. Your request will be reviewed by your course facilitator and you will be notified via email of the outcome. All requests must be received by Friday, of Week 7, except in the case of emergencies. A make-up exam request submitted after this deadline for a non-emergency reason, even if approved, will be accompanied by a 10% deduction from the score on the make-up final exam. Students are strongly urged to submit requests as soon as they know they have a situation requiring make-up exam.