The schedule of instruction, holidays, and key dates for a specific academic year at a private university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, provides students, faculty, and staff with a roadmap for the year. This typically includes information on registration periods, class start and end dates, final exam schedules, commencement ceremonies, and breaks. An example would be the listing of the fall semester beginning in late August and concluding in mid-December, with designated periods for Thanksgiving and winter breaks.
A clearly defined yearly timetable of academic activities is essential for successful academic planning. It allows students to organize their coursework, plan for extracurricular activities, and make arrangements for housing and travel. Faculty can use it to structure their syllabi and teaching schedules, while administrators rely on it for resource allocation and institutional planning. Historically, these schedules have evolved from simple printed documents to sophisticated online systems that integrate with other university platforms and provide real-time updates and notifications. This evolution reflects the increasing complexity of university life and the need for accessible and readily available information.