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The following guidelines are used in creating the Academic Calendar, University Calendar, or Campus Calendar each year.

Academic Calendar Guidelines – Final 2018.04.20 

Overall Guidelines

  1. The Valparaiso University academic calendar is comprised of fall, spring, and summer terms.
  2. The fall and spring terms shall be 17 calendar weeks in length, including a week break and the final exam period. This allows for 42 MWF instruction periods, plus a 2 hour (100 minute) final exam period for each three-credit course.
  3. The fall, spring, and summer terms shall span at least 16 instructional weeks. An instructional week is one containing at least one day of classes or exams.
  4. The first day of class in the fall and spring terms (a Wednesday) will be treated as if it were a Monday.
  5. Each term shall contain two mini-terms. During the fall and spring, the mini-terms will contain 21 MWF instructional days, and during the summer they will be six calendar weeks long. The final exam for any mini-term course will scheduled during the last regular period of the term.  (i.e. there will be no dedicated final exam sessions.)
  6. Final exams will be scheduled over four days, Monday through Thursday.


Fall Term Guidelines

  1. The fall term shall generally begin the Wednesday a week and a half before Labor Day.
  2. The Opening Convocation will be held on the Tuesday afternoon before classes begin.
  3. Classes shall not meet on Labor Day, which will also be a university holiday.
  4. There shall be a two-day fall break, typically a Thursday and Friday, immediately after the end of the Fall 1 mini-term (which will end on a Wednesday.)
  5. There shall be a one-week Thanksgiving break, Monday through Friday of Thanksgiving week.
  6. The last day for the fall final examination period shall be no later than December 18th.
  7. Fall commencement shall be held the Saturday or Sunday after the final examination period.


Spring Term Guidelines

  1. The spring term shall begin on a Wednesday no earlier than January 8th, ensuring a minimum three-week break after the fall term ends.
  2. Classes shall not meet on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Although attendance at events may be required of students, it is not counted as an academic day.  This day is not a university holiday.
  3. There shall be a two-week spring break, beginning the Monday immediately after the end of the Spring 1 mini-term (which ends on a Wednesday).
  4. Classes shall not meet on Good Friday, which is currently a university holiday.
  5. The last day of the spring final examination period shall be no later than May 10th.
  6. Spring commencement shall be held the Saturday or Sunday after the final examination period.


Summer Term Guidelines

  1. The summer term shall generally begin on or before the Thursday after Spring Commencement.
  2. Classes shall not meet on Memorial Day, which is currently a university holiday.
  3. There shall be a two-day academic break during the week containing Independence Day; there is no full week academic break during the summer term. July 4 will continue to be a university holiday.
  4. If desired, summer commencement may be held the Saturday or Sunday after the end of classes.



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