Incompletes, Final Exams, and Grades
Incompletes
The College expects students to complete all course requirements as established by instructors, but in unavoidable circumstances (personal illness, family emergency, etc.) and with approval of the student’s dean and the instructor, a grade of Incomplete may be recorded." Incompletes are typically only approved in the last ten days of the semester due to an episodic event.
Students must initiate the incomplete grade process by contacting their student dean on or before the last day of classes each semester.
An Incomplete represents a formal agreement among the instructor, a dean, and the student for the submission of unfinished coursework under prescribed conditions. If approved, the Incomplete Agreement Form is signed by all necessary individuals, and a date is set by which time all unfinished work must be submitted. Additional details are available in the Catalogue.
See the Registrar's Calendar for each semester's dates and deadlines!
- All academic work is due on or before the last day of classes except for
- All final examinations/papers/lab reports/projects which are due at or before 5:00 pm on the last day of the final examination period
- Although instructors may set earlier deadlines, they may not set later deadlines.
- No work may be submitted after the last day of final exams without a formal Incomplete Agreement in place.
The "Bunching" Rule: students with three or more final exams in two consecutive days may reschedule one for a day mutually agreeable to the student and the instructor.
This policy, found in detail in the Bowdoin College Catalogue and Academic Handbook, only applies to final exams being held in-person during the scheduled final exam block; it does not apply to take-home exams, papers or projects, even if they are due in the exam block.