Attendance & Absences

Check the University Catalog

UD's Academic Catalog outlines the University Attendance Policies for Undergraduates.

The section Class Attendance discusses policies related to excused absences.

Absence Documentation Guidelines

The authority for excusing all class absences rests with the instructor of the course. If the professor is requesting confirmation of documentation, please reach out to your College Assistant Dean’s Office and provide official documentation based on the guidelines below.

The documentation must:

●     Come from a third-party professional on letterhead & signed, such as a health professional, professional counselor, legal professional, etc.

●     Confirm the specific dates you cannot attend class.

●     Be in English. If the document needs to be translated, it is the responsibility of the student to have it translated by an official independent source. Please click here for more information on translation services.

Please note: The Assistant Dean’s Office is only communicating the professional’s recommendation and not determining when a student is able to attend class.

Examples of documentation include but are not limited to:

●     Notes from doctors, therapists, lawyers, or hospitals

●     Family member’s doctor note/paperwork/hospital

●     Obituaries, funeral programs

●     Police reports

●     Jury or court summons

The Assistant Dean’s Office cannot accept the following:

●     Discharge summaries in which there are no dates for recommended recovery time

●     Medication prescriptions

●     Plane tickets

●     Pictures of funerals, injuries, x-rays, thermometers, COVID Test beds, etc.

●     Notes from family or friends

●     Celebration ceremony invitations, such as weddings, baby showers, graduations (These celebrations are outside of excused absence policy and must be discussed with the professor.)

Additional helpful information:

●     Students with ongoing health issues should contact the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) to discuss the feasibility of accommodations.

●     Please note that the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) does not offer, as an accommodation, for in-person courses to be converted to a virtual format. Therefore, it is to the discretion of the professor to approve based on the course structure as well as whether in-class participation and interactivity are fundamental elements of the class; some courses are not suited for remote instruction. In this case, it is best to take the course in a future semester when you can be in-person.

●     Students who are met with unforeseen circumstances that prevent completion of a course or courses, who have been participating the majority of the semester, may be granted an Incomplete upon their request. Approval for an Incomplete rests solely with the professor of the course(s) and depends upon the student’s standing in the course at the time of the request and how feasible it would be to recreate the classroom experience and assignments independently after the course has concluded.

Questions?   Contact your Assistant Dean's Office

If a student needs to contact their Assistant Dean's Office related to attendance or an absence, please see this contact list of Student Service / Assistant Deans' Offices.

University of Delaware Credit Hour Policy

For each credit hour in the classroom, it is recommended that a student spend a minimum of two hours on course-related work outside of the classroom. An equivalent amount of work is expected in lab, studio, independent study and online courses.

The academic year typically consists of two semesters that are 15 weeks, including a one-week exam period, and a five-week winter session (4-1-4). In a 15-week term, one lecture (taught), seminar (discussion), or online (taken) credit hour represents 1 hour per week of scheduled class/seminar time and 2 hours of student preparation time outside of class. A lecture, seminar, or online course awarded 3 credit hours represents 45 hours of class time and at least 90 hours of student preparation time over the term. Summer, winter and online program terms are typically less than 15 weeks, but adhere to the credit hour policy in terms of total meeting time and the total amount of work required. Thus courses that meet fewer than 15 weeks must include proportionately more in class time and out-of-class student preparation time per week.

One 15-week laboratory credit hour represents 1 hour per week of lecture or discussion time plus 1-2 hours per week of scheduled supervised or independent laboratory work, and 2 hours of student preparation time.

One credit hour for 15 weeks of visual or performing arts studio, supervised student teaching, supervised clinical rounds, field work, independent study, etc. represents 3-4 hours per week of supervised and/or independent practice. This in turn represents between 45 and 60 hours of work per 15-week semester.