The Yale College Faculty established reading period between the end of classes and the beginning of final examinations in order to provide a period during which students might conclude their coursework and prepare for final examinations. The instructor of each course determines whether the course will observe reading period. A course that does observe reading period is identified in Yale Course Search (YCS) by the phrase “Meets during reading period” found under the Additional Information heading.

The assumption underlying the faculty’s institution of reading period was that no additional assignments would be required during reading period in a course observing it, but that students would use reading period in their own way to consolidate and augment the work of the course. Such being the case, no final examination may be administered during reading period. A final examination in a course, whether or not the course observes reading period, must be administered during the final examination period. No take-home final examination may be due during the reading period.