Academic Year 2016-2017

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.

Offices of the University will be closed on September 5, November 24-25, December 23-30, 2016; January 2, January 16, April 14, May 29, and July 4, 2017.

Fall Term 2016

• April 4-22, Monday-Friday: Enrollment for fall 2016 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 20, Saturday: Residence halls officially open at 9:00 a.m.
• August 21, Sunday: Opening Convocation, McFarlin Auditorium.
• August 22, Monday: First day of classes.
• August 23, Tuesday: First day of  Taos classes.
• August 26, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record. Last day to file for graduation in December.
• September 5, Monday: Labor Day. University offices closed.
• September 7, 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 23-25, Friday-Saturday: Family Weekend.
• September 27, Tuesday: Early intervention grades due for first-year undergraduate students.
• October 5, Wednesday: Last day for continuing undergraduate students to change their majors for Spring 2017 enrollment.
• October 10-11, Monday-Tuesday: Fall break.
• October 23, Sunday: Midterm grades due for first-year and sophomore students.
• October 31, 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.
• October 31 - November 18, Monday-Friday: Enrollment for spring 2017 continuing students for all undergraduates and for graduates in Dedman College, Lyle and Meadows.
• November 4, Friday: Last day to drop a course.
• November 4-5, Friday-Saturday: Homecoming Weekend.
• November 10, Thursday: Last day for December graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• November 18, Friday: Students should file for May graduation. The last day to file is January 20, 2017.
• November 22, Tuesday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• November 23, Wednesday: No classes.
• November 24-25, Thursday-Friday: Thanksgiving holiday. University offices closed.
• November 30 - December 5, Wednesday-Monday: No final examinations or unscheduled tests and papers.
• December 1, Thursday: Last day for oral/written examinations for December graduate degree candidates.
• December 5, Monday: Last day of instruction.
• December 6-7, Tuesday-Wednesday: Reading days.
• December 8-14, Thursday-Wednesday: Examinations. (No examinations scheduled for Sunday).
• December 10, Saturday: Last day of Taos classes.
• December 15, Thursday: Residence halls close at 10:00 a.m. for winter break. (December graduates and residential students who need winter break housing should contact the Department of Residence Life and Student Housing).
• December 17, Saturday: December Commencement Convocation. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.
  December 23-January 2, Friday-Monday: University closed.
• December 25, Sunday: Christmas Day.

January Interterm 2017

Some areas of instruction offer selected courses during the January interterm, January 9-January 19, 2017.

• January 1, Sunday: New Year's Day. University offices closed.
• January 2, Monday: University offices closed.

Dallas Jan Term 2017

• January 9, Monday: First day of classes.
• January 10, Tuesday: Last day to declare pass/fail.
• January 16, Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. University offices closed.
• January 18, Wednesday: Last day to drop/withdraw from the University. 
January 19, Thursday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral date.

Jan Term at SMU-in-Taos 2017

• January 6, Friday: Wellness student travel day and arrival, 2-6 p.m.
• January 8, Sunday: Regular session travel day and arrival, 2-6 p.m.
• January 9, Monday: First day of classes.
• January 10, Tuesday: Last day to declare pass/fail.
• January 17, Tuesday: Last day to drop/withdraw from the University.
• January 18, Wednsday: Last day of class, including examinations.  
• January 19, Thursday: Departure of students.

Spring Term 2017

• October 31-November 18, Monday-Friday: Enrollment for spring 2017 continuing students for all undergraduates and graduates in Dedman College, Lyle and Meadows.
• 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, Sunday: New Year's Day. University offices closed.
• January 2, Monday: University offices closed.
• January - TBA: Residence halls officially open at 9:00a.m.
• January 16, Monday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. University offices closed.
• January 23, Monday: First day of classes.
• January 27, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record. Last day to file for May graduation.
• February 7, 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 27, Monday: Early intervention grades due for first-year undergraduate students.
• March 7, Tuesday: Last day for continuing undergraduate students to change their majors before Fall 2017 enrollment.
• March 13-19, Monday-Sunday: Spring break.
• March 27, Monday: Midterm grades due for first-year and sophomore students.
• April 5, Wednesday: 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 10–28, Monday–Friday: Enrollment for summer 2017 and fall 2017 continuing students for all undergraduates and for graduates in Dedman College, Lyle and Meadows.
• April 11, Tuesday: Last day to drop a course
• April 13, Thursday: Last Day for May graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• April 14, Friday: Good Friday. University offices closed.
• April 16, Sunday: Easter Sunday.
• April 17, Monday: Honors Convocation, 5:30 p.m.
• April 26, Wednesday: Students should file for August or December graduation. Last day to file for August graduation is June 8. Last day to file for December graduation is the last day to enroll for fall 2017.
• April 28, Friday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• May 3– 8, Wednesday–Monday: No final examinations or unscheduled tests and papers.
• May 4, Thursday: Last day for oral/written examinations for graduate students who are May degree candidates.
• May 8, Monday: Last day of instruction, follows Friday schedule.
• May 9, Tuesday: Reading Day.
• May 10–16, Wednesday–Tuesday: Examinations (No examinations scheduled for Sunday).
• May 17, Wednesday: Residence halls officially close for non-graduating students.
• May 19, Friday: Baccalaureate.
• May 20, Saturday: May Commencement.  Official close of term and conferral date.
• May 21, Sunday: Residence halls officially close for graduating seniors.

May Interterm 2017

Some areas of instruction may offer a limited number of selected courses during the May term, May 17– June 3. Each May term course may have unique start and end dates within the May 17–June 3 term to accommodate the particular needs of the course.

Dallas May Term 2017

Classes meet four hours per day, Monday through Friday.

• May 18, Thursday: First day of classes.
• May 19, Friday: Last day to add/enroll and to declare pass/fail/no credit or first-year repeated course grading options.
• May 29, Monday: Memorial Day Holiday. University offices closed.
• May 30, Tuesday: Last day to drop/withdraw from the university.
• June 2, Friday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral date.
• June 8, Thursday: Last day to file for August graduation

May Term at SMU-in-Taos 2017

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

• May 17, Wednesday: Travel day and arrival of students, 2-6 p.m.
• May 18, Thursday: First Day of Classes.
• June 2, Friday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral date.
• June 3, Saturday: Departure of students.

Summer Term 2017

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 29, Monday: Memorial Day. University offices closed.
• June 5, Monday: First day of classes.
• June 8, Thursday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record. Last day to file for August graduation.
• June 14, Wednesday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options.
• July 4, Tuesday: Independence Day. University offices closed.
• July 20, Thursday: Last day for August graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• July 27, Thursday: Last day to drop a course.
• August 2, Wednesday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• August 8, Tuesday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of the term and conferral date.

First Session

Note: Classes meet 2 hours a day, Monday-Friday.

• May 29, Monday: Memorial Day. University offices closed.
• June 5, Monday: First day of classes.
• June 6, Tuesday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop courses without grade record.
• June 8, Thursday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options. Last day to file for August graduation.
• June 27, Tuesday: Last day to drop a course.
• June 28, Wednesday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• July 4, Tuesday: Independence Day. University offices closed.
• July 5, 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 6, Tuesday: Student travel day and arrival, 2-6 p.m.
• June 7, Wednesday: First day of classes.
• June 8, Thursday: Last day to enroll, add courses and drop courses without grade record. Permission of Taos required for all enrollments.
• June 12, Monday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options.
• June 30, Friday: Last day of classes, including examinations.
July 1, Saturday: Departure of students.

Second Session

Classes meet two hours a day, Monday-Friday.

• June 8, Thursday: Last day to file for August graduation.
• July 4,Tuesday: Independence Day. University offices closed.
• July 6, Thursday: First day of classes.
• July 7, Friday: Last day to enroll, add courses or drop without grade record.
• July 11, Tuesday: Last day to declare pass/fail, no credit or first-year repeated course grading options.
• July 17, Monday: Last day for August graduation candidates to change grades of Incomplete.
• July 27, Thursday: Last day to drop a course.
• July 31, Monday: Last day to withdraw from the University.
• August 4, Friday: Last day of classes, including examinations.
• August 8, Tuesday: Official close of the term and conferral date.

August Term at SMU-in-Taos 2017

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

• August 2, Wednesday : Student travel day and arrival, 2-6 p.m.
• August 3, Thursday: First day of classes.
• August 18, Friday: Last day of classes, including examinations. Official close of term and conferral of degrees.
• August 19, Saturday: Departure of students.

Major Religious Holidays

August 2016-August 2017

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.