Class Scheduling Policy

All-University Undergraduate Fall and Spring Semester Class Schedule Policy

Effective August 15, 2017

Lecture Classes

The Policy applies to daytime class sections with starting times between 8 a.m. and 4:25 p.m., Mondays through Fridays during Fall and Spring Semesters. For those departments with multiple disciplines, when possible, each discipline within a department should follow these requirements. This will insure that students have maximum class selection within a specific discipline, as well as within the department.

• A minimum of 90% of departmental, full-term onsite or hybrid lecture classes must occur within approved standard timeblock “ranges” which represent the maximum beginning and ending time of classes (e.g., a 10:05–11 class MWF is within the 10:05–11:25 “range”). Conversely, a maximum of 10% of full-term onsite or hybrid classes can occur outside of approved, standard ranges.
  • Within a timeblock range, class times may vary as long as there is a minimum of 15 minutes separating the adjoining timeblock range(s).
• A distribution across MWF and TR must be achieved.
  • A minimum of 50% of class section offerings must be on the MWF timeblock model; 4 and 5 day a week classes are included in this 50% minimum.
  • A maximum of 50% of class sections can be on the TR timeblock model.
  • Be aware of ramifications of too many MW and WF offerings which could result in student class conflicts and room utilization issues on Wednesdays.
• An even distribution of class sections across all six daytime timeblocks in both MWF and TR models must be achieved.
  • Timeblocks 1 and 2 can be replaced with a trio of back-to-back classes as long as all three or the first/third are utilized by a department or linked programs (e.g., cluster of studies); however the second class cannot be used without using the first and/or third.
  • To provide equal distribution throughout the day, timeblock #’s 1 through 5 must contain the same number of Monday and Friday meetings (e.g.: 10 MWF, 2 MW, 2 MF and 2 WF = 14 M and 14 F).
• Miami Plan classes must be offered during approved, standard timeblocks, and spread across all 12 timeblocks evenly.
• Other class offerings should be scheduled as evenly as possible across all 12 timeblocks.
  • To optimize student selection of sprint classes while reducing the overlapping of classes, sprint classes should be distributed as evenly as possible across MWF and TR as well as throughout the daytime timeblocks.
  • Daytime 1-day a week classes should adhere to common start times, overlapping as few timeblocks as possible.
• Evening class timeblocks may vary between locations.
  • Oxford evening classes or additional meeting times for daytime classes (e.g., group exams scheduled select evenings during the semester) should start on or after 6:30 p.m. to accommodate day classes which may not end until 6:15 p.m.
  • Regional Campuses evening classes can start on or after 4:25 p.m. to accommodate day classes which may not end until 4:10 p.m.

Laboratory, Studio, and Clinical Classes

The Policy recognizes the special scheduling needs of these classes which typically meet longer than lecture classes. Daytime class sections with starting times between 8 a.m. and the 2:50 p.m. starting time should follow these parameters:

• One-credit hour laboratory classes should use the approved lab timeblocks.
• As much as possible, laboratory, studio and clinical experience classes should utilize common start times while minimizing the overlapping of approved standard timeblock ranges. They are not calculated in the 10% of department/program class section offerings outside of approved, standard timeblocks ranges