See Also
- Log in for a Proctored Exam Form
Academic Policy and Exam Proctoring
In addition to the Extension School policies outlined in Exams, Grades, and Policies, the following policies and procedures apply to distance education students:
- Students are responsible for ensuring that they have the necessary computer hardware and software including any course-specific software needed to complete course assignments. Students must check the course website to determine if any special software is needed. Harvard University does not provide equipment or software. Students must have Internet access available to them throughout the term.
- Students must adhere to deadlines and due dates provided in the course syllabus and may not join distance courses after the end of registration.
- Recorded lectures for the distance education courses are available only to registered students; lectures are password-protected after the second week of class.
- Many distance courses have in-class hour, midterm, and final exams. Students whose primary residence throughout the term is in the 6-state New England area (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) are expected to take their exams on campus as scheduled. Students should call Academic Services, (617) 495-0977, if they have any questions about this policy. Students who do not live in New England should arrange to take their exams via proctors.
- Recorded lectures are not available to any students, including those who receive an extension of time for a course, after the end of the term.
Exam proctoring
Some distance education courses require on-campus examinations. Students enrolled in such courses who live outside of New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont) may choose to travel to campus for their exams; if they do not travel to campus, they must arrange to take their exams at an alternate location according to the following procedures.
Finding a qualified proctor
Students are responsible for finding a qualified proctor to administer each exam. The proctor must be a teacher, professor, or administrator in a nearby secondary school, college, university, or testing center. Proctors cannot be family members, friends, or co-workers. For assistance finding a proctor, students can contact a guidance counselor, an academic advisor, or the dean of students or registrar’s office at a nearby college, university, high school, or local testing center. The Consortium of College Testing Centers is an organization that has testing centers across the country and abroad that provide proctoring services to distance students near their homes. Centers are located in 44 states and Canada. Any fees incurred are the student’s responsibility.
Students submit their proctor information through online services no later than a week before the campus exam. Before doing so, students must confirm that their proctor has a business e-mail address, reliable access to the Internet, the ability to download MP3 files (some exams have audio components) and to download and print PDF documents, and access to a fax machine or scanner (for returning completed exams to the Extension School). Exam materials are not sent to proctors who do not have a business e-mail address.
Submitting the proctored exam form
Students must complete and submit a proctored exam form online for each exam (even if they use the same proctor) no later than 1 week before the on-campus exam date. Before submitting the form, students must find a qualified proctor (see above) with whom they have arranged the date, time, and location for their off-campus exam. Students who do not submit proctored exam forms, or who submit their forms late, may forfeit the opportunity to take their examinations and will be subject to the instructor’s make-up policies for mid-term exams and Extension School make-up policies for final exams.
Students and proctors receive an e-mail confirmation upon receipt of the proctored exam form. If confirmation is not received within 24 hours, students should send e-mail to distance_exams@dcemail.harvard.edu for assistance.
Proctored exam approval and procedures
When the proctored exam request has been approved, students and proctors receive a second e-mail that includes details about exam policies and procedures. Exam materials are available to proctors via a password-protected, secure website from noon Eastern standard time the day before the on-campus exam until midnight Eastern standard time on the exam day.
Students must complete exams no later than the on-campus exam date. Proctors are responsible for returning all exam materials by fax or e-mail (scanned materials) immediately following completion of the exam. Detailed instructions—including the secure web address, fax number, and return e-mail address—are included in the e-mail sent to proctors shortly before the date of the exam.
If students or proctors do not follow the exam procedures, the exam may be forfeited.
Information
For more information write, distance_exams@dcemail.harvard.edu anytime, or call (617) 495-0977 Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm Eastern standard time.