Carnegie Mellon University

Eberly Center

Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation

Late/Make-up Work Policy

In writing your own late/make-up work policies, consider the following questions:

  • Will you allow students to submit late work? If so, up until what point (e.g., 24 hours after the assignment is due? 1 week after the assignment is due?)? Will students lose credit for submitting work late, and if so how much?
  • Will you allow students to make-up in-class exams or work? If so, do students need to request a make-up before the exams/assignment occurs? Is there a deadline after which the exam/assignment cannot be made up (e.g., after you’ve returned the exam/assignment) to other students?
  • For late work or make-up work, do students need to produce documentation of their excuse (e.g., doctor’s note)? Must they submit this prior to missing the assignment or can they submit it afterwards?
  • Are there some assignments that can be submitted late (e.g., homeworks) and other that cannot (e.g., exams)?

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“Due dates for every assignment are provided on the course syllabus and course schedule (and posted in Canvas). Unless otherwise stated, assignments are due on those days. However, I recognize that sometimes “life happens.” In these instances, you may use your allotted two flex days. These days allow you to submit an assignment up to two days late without penalty. You can use these days for any assignment and for any reason. You do not need to provide me with the reason: simply email me and tell me how many of your flex days you would like to use.

Once you’ve exhausted your flex days, then point deductions will occur for any assignment submitted after the deadline. An assignment submitted 24 hours of the due date will only be eligible for 80% of the maximum number of point allotted. Assignments submitted more than 24 hours after the due date will not be accepted. If you experience extenuating circumstances (e.g., you are hospitalized) that prohibit you from submitting your assignments on time, please let me know. I will evaluate these instances on a case-by-case basis.”

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