Academic Year 2015-2016

This calendar includes an addendum listing religious holidays for use in requesting excused absences according to University Policy 1.9. For religious holidays not listed, contact the Office of the Chaplain.

Graduate programs in the Cox School of Business, Perkins School of Theology and Dedman School of Law, and the Department of Dispute Resolution and Counseling within the Simmons School of Education and Human Development have different calendars.

Fall Term 2015

• April 6-24, Monday-Friday: Enrollment for fall 2015 continuing students for all undergraduates and for graduates in Dedman College, Lyle and Meadows.
• May, July, August -TBA: Academic Advising, Enrollment and Orientation (AARO) conferences for new first-year and transfer undergraduate students. Conference dates to be announced. More information about AARO is available from New Student Programs, Student Life Office, 214-768-4560,www.smu.edu/newstudent.
• August 22, Saturday: Residence halls officially open at 9:00 a.m.
• August 23, Sunday: Opening Convocation, McFarlin Auditorium.
• August 24, Monday: First day of classes.
• August 28, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record. Last day to file for graduation in December.
• September 7, Monday: Labor Day. University offices closed.
• September 9, Wednesday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options. Last day to request an excused absence for the observance of a religious holiday.
• September 25-26, Friday-Saturday: Homecoming Weekend.
• September 29, Tuesday: Early intervention grades due for first-year undergraduate students.
• October 12-13, Monday-Tuesday: Fall break.
• October 25, Sunday: Midterm grades due for first-year and sophomore students.
• October 26, Monday: Last day for continuing undergraduate students to change their majors before November enrollment.
• October 30-31, Friday-Saturday: Family Weekend
• November 2, Monday: 60 percent point of the term that federal financial aid has been earned if a student officially withdraws from SMU; prior to this date a partial calculated return to federal programs will be required.
• November 2-20, Monday-Friday: Enrollment for spring 2016 continuing students for all undergraduates and for graduates in Dedman College, Lyle and Meadows.
• November 6, Friday: Last day to drop a course.
• November 12, Thursday: Last day for December graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• November 20, Friday: Students should file for May graduation. The last day to file is January 22, 2016.
• November 24, Tuesday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• November 25, Wednesday: No classes.
• November 26-27, Thursday-Friday: Thanksgiving holiday. University offices closed.
• December 2-7, Wednesday-Monday: No final examinations or unscheduled tests and papers.
• December 3, Thursday: Last day for oral/written examinations for December graduate degree candidates.
• December 7, Monday: Last day of classes.
• December 8-9, Tuesday-Wednesday: Reading days.
• December 10-16, Thursday-Wednesday: Examinations. (No examinations scheduled for Sunday).
• December 17, Thursday: Residence halls close at 10:00 a.m. for winter break. (December graduates should contact the Department of Residence Life and Student Housing).
• December 19, Saturday: Official close of term and conferral of degrees. December Commencement Convocation.
• December 24-January 1, Thursday-Friday: University Closed.
• December 25, Friday: Christmas Day.

January Interterm 2016

Some areas of instruction offer selected courses during the January interterm, December 17-January 13.

• January 1, Friday: New Year's Day. University offices closed.

Dallas Jan Term

• January 4, Monday: First day of classes.
• January 5, Tuesday: Last day to declare pass/fail.
• January 12, Tuesday: Last day to drop/withdraw from the University.
• January 13, Wednesday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.

Jan Term at SMU-in-Taos

• January 2, Saturday: Wellness student travel/arrival.
• January 3, Sunday: Regular session travel/arrival.
• January 4, Monday: First day of classes.
• January 13, Wednesday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.
• January 14, Thursday: Departure of students.

Spring Term 2016

• November 2-January 22, Monday-Friday: Enrollment for spring 2016 continuing students for all undergraduates and graduates in Dedman College, Lyle and Meadows.
• January 9, Saturday: Residence halls officially open at 9:00a.m.
• January - TBA: Academic Advising, Enrollment and Orientation conferences for new first-year and transfer undergraduate students. Conference dates to be announced. More information about AARO is available from New Student Programs, Student Life Office, 214-768-4560, www.smu.edu/newstudent.
• January 1, Friday: New Year's Day. University offices closed.
• January 15, Friday: First day of classes.
• January 18, Monday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. University offices closed.
• January 22, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record. Last day to file for May graduation.
• February 2, Tuesday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first- year repeated course grading options. Also, last day to request an excused absence for the observance of a religious holiday.
• February 22, Monday: Early intervention grades due for first-year undergraduate students.
• March 7-13, Monday-Sunday: Spring break.
• March 22, Tuesday: Midterm grades due for first-year and sophomore students.
• March 25, Friday: Good Friday. University offices closed.
• March 27, Sunday: Easter Sunday.
• March 28, Monday: Last day for continuing undergraduate students to change their majors before April enrollment.
• March 29, Tuesday: 60 percent point of the term that federal financial aid has been earned if a student officially withdraws from SMU; prior to this date a partial calculated return to federal programs will be required.
• April 4-22, Monday-Friday: Enrollment for summer 2016 and fall 2016 continuing students for all undergraduates and for graduates in Dedman College, Lyle and Meadows.
• April 6, Wednesday: Last day to drop a course.
• April 8, Friday: Last Day for May graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• April 14, Thursday: Students should file for August or December graduation. Last day to file for August graduation is June 3. Last day to file for December graduation is the last day to enroll for fall 2016.
• April 18, Monday: Honors Convocation, 5:30 p.m. 
• April 22, Friday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• April 27-May 2, Wednesday-Monday: No final examinations or unscheduled tests and papers.
• April 28, Thursday: Last day for oral/written examinations for graduate students who are May degree candidates.
• May 2, Monday: Last day of classes.
• May 3, Tuesday: Reading Day.
• May 4-10, Wednesday-Tuesday: Examinations (No examinations scheduled for Sunday).
• May 11, Wednesday: Residence halls officially close for non-graduating students.
• May 13, Friday: Baccalaureate.
• May 14, Saturday: Commencement Convocation. Official close of term and conferral of degrees. 
• May 15, Sunday: Residence halls officially close for graduating seniors.

May Interterm 2016

Some areas of instruction may offer a limited number of selected courses during the May term, May 11–28. Each May term course may have unique start and end dates within the May 11–28 term to accommodate the particular needs of the course.

Dallas May Term 2016

Classes meet four hours per day, Monday through Friday.

• May 12, Thursday: First day of classes.
• May 13, Friday: Last day to add/enroll and to declare pass/fail/no credit or first-year repeated course grading options.
• May 24, Tuesday: Last day to drop/withdraw from the university.
• May 26, Thursday: Last day of classes, including examinations. 
• May 27, Friday: Official close of term and conferral of degrees.

May Term at SMU-in-Taos 2016

NOTE: The following dates are applicable only for SMU-in-Taos. Permission of SMU-in-Taos program required for all enrollments.

• May 11, Wednesday: Travel day and arrival of students, 2-6 p.m.
• May 12, Thursday: First Day of Classes.
• May 27, Friday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.
• May 28, Saturday: Departure of students.

Summer Term 2016

The summer term consists of three primary sessions: first session, second session and a full summer session. Each primary session has different deadline dates. There are also shorter and longer sessions to accommodate the particular needs of the various instructional units such as SMU Abroad, SMU-in-Taos, and Perkins School of Theology.

Full Summer Session

Note: Classes will meet 2 hours and 15 minutes twice a week or 1 hour and 30 minutes three times a week.

• May 30, Monday: Memorial Day. University offices closed.
• May 31, Tuesday: First day of classes.
• June 3, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record.  Last day to file for August graduation.
• June 9, Thursday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options.
• June 3, Friday: Last day to file for August graduation.
• July 4, Monday: Independence Day. University Offices closed.
• July 15, Friday: Last day for August graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• July 22, Friday: Last day to drop a course.
• July 28, Thursday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• August 3, Wednesday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.

First Session

Note: Classes meet two hours a day, Monday-Friday.

• May 30, Monday: Memorial Day. University offices closed.
• May 31, Tuesday: First day of classes.
• June 1, Wednesday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record.
• June 3, Friday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options. Last day to file for August graduation.
• June 22, Wednesday: Last day to drop a course.
• June 23, Thursday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• June 29, Wednesday: Last day of classes, including examinations.

Summer I Session at SMU-in-Taos

NOTE: The following dates are applicable only for SMU-in-Taos

• June 1, Wednesday: Travel day and arrival of students, 2-6 p.m.
• June 2, Thursday: First Day of Classes.
• June 3, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses and drop courses without grade record. Permission of Taos program required for all enrollments.
• June 29, Wednesday: Last day of classes, including examinations.
• June 30, Thursday: Departure of students.

Mini-June Term at SMU-in-Taos

NOTE: Taos will be having a Mini-June Term within the Taos Summer I Session. For more information, please see the Taos website http://www.smu.edu/taos

Second Session

Classes meet two hours a day, Monday-Friday.

• June 3, Friday: Last day to file for August graduation.
• July 4, Monday: Independence Day. University offices closed.
• July 5, Tuesday: First day of classes.
• July 6, Wednesday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop without grade record.
• July 8, Friday: Last day to declare Pass/Fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options.
• July 14, Thursday: Last day for August graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• July 26, Tuesday: Last day to drop a course.
• July 28, Thursday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• August 3, Wednesday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.

August Term at SMU-in-Taos 2016

Note: The following dates are applicable only for SMU-in-Taos. Permission of SMU-in-Taos program required for all enrollments.

• August 3, Wednesday: Travel day and arrival of students, 4-6 p.m.
• August 4, Thursday: First day of classes
• August 5, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses and drop courses without grade record.
• August 19, Friday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.
• August 20, Saturday: Departure of students.

Major Religious Holidays

August 2015-August 2016

Listing of religious holidays for use in requesting excused absences according to University Policy 1.9. For religious holidays not listed, the instructor or supervisor may contact the Office of the Chaplain.