May 12, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Perkins School of Theology: Academic Calendar



Fall 2020

August

11–12, Tuesday–Wednesday: Intern orientation

13, Thursday: Lay Teaching Committee Orientation (Dallas)

15, Saturday: Houston Lay School (canceled)

21, Friday: New Student Orientation (Dallas)

20-21, Thursday–Friday: Late registration, 206 Kirby Hall, Registrar’s Office

21, Friday: Last day to withdraw from all classes without any tuition charge

24, Monday: First day of classes in Dallas

28, Friday: Last day to register, add courses or drop a course without grade record or tuition billing while remaining enrolled for the term

28, Friday: Last day to file for December graduation

31, Monday: New Student Orientation (Houston)

31-September 5, Monday-Saturday: Houston/Galveston courses will be moved to a 100% online format. Students should reserve original face-to-face meeting days/times for possible synchronous online sessions in each class.

September

1-2, Tuesday-Wednesday: Intern Orientation (Houston)

4, Friday: drop a course without academic record (tuition charges apply)/withdraw from university without academic record (withdrawal refund schedule applies)

7, Monday: Labor Day – Classes will meet. Some offices closed.

11, Friday: Faculty conference 

18, Friday: Inside Perkins in Dallas

18, Friday: Divisional meetings, 11:30 a.m.

21, Monday: Roy D. Barton Lecture, 7:00 p.m. (webinar)

October

5, Monday: Perkins faculty meeting, 9:30 a.m.

9, Friday: Divisional meetings, 11:30 a.m.

12, Monday: Mentor Pastor Colloquy

12-13, Monday–Tuesday: Perkins fall break (Canceled). Classes will meet. 

15, Thursday: Inside Perkins in Dallas

19, Monday: Faculty as Guild, 9:30 a.m.

November

2, Monday: 60 percent point of the term that federal financial aid has been earned if a student officially withdraws from SMU; prior to this date a partial calculated return to federal programs will be required

3, Tuesday: Last day to drop a class for fall term (grade of W)

9-14, Monday-Saturday: Houston/Galveston courses will be moved to a 100% online format. Students should reserve original face-to-face meeting days/times for possible synchronous online sessions in each class.

16, Monday: Fall Convocation

17, Tuesday: Inside Perkins in Dallas

25, Wednesday: Perkins Thanksgiving recess (no classes)

26-27, Thursday–Friday: Thanksgiving holiday – University holidays (no classes and offices closed)

30-December 1, Monday-Tuesday: No classes.

December

2, Wednesday: Last day to withdraw from the University (grade of W) (*updated* 11/4/2020)

2-4, Wednesday–Friday: Classes meet virtually/online only. No class meetings on campus.

3, Thursday: Advent worship service; online, 6:00 p.m.

3, Thursday: Inside Perkins in Dallas

4, Friday: Last day of classes in Dallas

7, Monday: Perkins faculty meeting, 9:30 a.m.

7-9, Monday-Wednesday: Reading and writing period

9, Wednesday: Last day for submission of all written work, 5:00 p.m.

10-16, Thursday-Wednesday: Final examinations in Dallas (virtual/online)

17, Thursday: Grades must be posted by noon

19, Saturday: Official University close of term and conferral of degrees

23-January 1, Wednesday–Friday: Winter break – University holidays (offices closed)

Interterm 2021

January

1, Friday: New Year’s Day – University holiday (offices closed)

4–15, Monday–Friday: Perkins January interterm for masters and doctoral programs

5, Tuesday: Last day to enroll and change classes for January interterm

6, Wednesday: Last day to drop a class or withdraw from the University for January interterm (grade of W)

7-9, Thursday–Saturday: United Methodist Studies Certification Course

10–15, Sunday–Friday: Specialized Certification Courses

11, Monday: 60 percent point of the term that federal financial aid has been earned if a student officially withdraws from SMU; prior to this date a partial calculated return to federal programs will be required

11–14, Monday–Thursday: Perkins School of Youth Ministry

13, Wednesday – Doctor of Ministry Information Session

15, Friday: Last day of instruction and class (includes exam)

15, Friday: Degree Conferrals

Spring 2021

(*updated* 10/23/2020)

January

14-15, Thursday–Friday: Late registration, 206 Kirby Hall, Registrar’s Office

15, Friday: New Student Orientation (Dallas)

15, Friday: Last day to withdraw from all classes without any tuition charge

18, Monday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day  – University holiday (offices closed)

21, Thursday: First day of classes in Dallas.

27, Monday: Last day to add courses or drop courses without grade record or tuition billing while remaining enrolled for the term

25, Monday: Last day to file for May graduation

25, Monday: Perkins faculty meeting, 9:30 a.m.

25-30, Monday-Saturday: Houston hybrid classes meet face to face at Houston Methodist Hospital and St. Paul’s UMC.

26, Tuesday: New Student Orientation (Houston), 1:00p.m.

February

3, Wednesday: Last Day to: drop a course without academic record (tuition charges apply)/withdraw from university without academic record (withdrawal refund schedule applies)

12, Friday: Inside Perkins in Dallas

12, Friday: Divisional meetings, 11:30 a.m.

15, Monday: Mentor Pastor Colloquy

March

1, Monday: Perkins faculty meeting, 9:30 a.m.

NOTE: Spring Break has been suspended for Spring 2021

19-20, Friday-Saturday: Perkins Summit for Faith and Learning (online)

19, Friday: Divisional meetings, 11:30 a.m.

19, Friday: Inside Perkins

29, Monday: 60 percent point of the term that federal financial aid has been earned if a student officially withdraws from SMU; prior to this date a partial calculated return to federal programs will be required

April 

1, Thursday: Easter recess (no classes)

2, Friday: Good Friday – University holiday (no classes and offices closed)

5, Monday: Perkins faculty meeting, 9:30 a.m.

5-23, Monday–Friday: Advance registration for Houston summer and fall terms

6, Tuesday: Last day to drop a class for spring term (grade of W)

10-23, Saturday–Friday: Advance registration for all summer and fall terms

12, Monday: Faculty as Guild, 9:30 a.m.

12-17, Monday-Saturday: Houston hybrid classes meet face to face at Houston Methodist Hospital and St. Paul’s UMC.

15, Thursday: Inside Perkins in Dallas

16, Friday: Divisional meetings, 11:30 a.m.

22, Thursday: Last day to withdraw from the University (grade of W)

30, Friday: Last day of classes in Dallas

May

3, Monday: Perkins faculty meeting, 9:30 a.m.

3-5, Monday-Wednesday: Reading and writing period (no classes)

4-5, Tuesday-Wednesday: New Mentor Pastor Institute

5, Wednesday: Last day for submission of all written work, 5:00 p.m.

6-12, Thursday-Wednesday: Last day of class (includes exam)

14, Friday: Grades must be posted by noon

15, Saturday: Commencement, 9:30 a.m., Moody Coliseum; a Celebration of Degrees and Academic Achievements, 2:00 p.m., Highland Park United Methodist Church; official close of term and date for conferral of degrees

Summer 2021

May

24–August 4, Monday-Wednesday: Perkins full summer session (Houston only)

27, Thursday: Last day to add courses or drop courses without grade record for Summer (Houston only)

31, Monday: Memorial Day – University holiday (offices closed)

June

1–August 4, Tuesday–Wednesday: Perkins full summer session (Main Campus and Immersion Courses)

4, Friday: Last day to add courses or drop courses without grade record for Summer (Main Campus and Immersion Courses)

4, Friday: Last day to file for August graduation

7–12, Monday-Saturday: Houston hybrid classes meet face to face at Houston Methodist Hospital and St. Paul’s UMC

7–18, Monday–Friday: Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Pastoral Music classes meet (Dallas)

15, Tuesday: Doctor of Ministry Information Session

July

4–August 13, Sunday-Friday: Course of Study School

5, Monday: Independence Day – University holiday (offices closed)

8, Thursday: 60 percent point of the term that federal financial aid has been earned if a student officially withdraws from SMU; prior to this date a partial calculated return to federal programs will be required (Houston only)

10, Saturday: 60 percent point of the term that federal financial aid has been earned if a student officially withdraws from SMU; prior to this date a partial calculated return to federal programs will be required (Dallas only)

12–17, Monday-Saturday: Houston hybrid classes meet face to face at Houston Methodist Hospital and St. Paul’s UMC

16, Friday: Last day to drop a class for session (grade of W, Houston only)

23, Friday: Last day to drop a class for session (grade of W, Dallas only)

22, Thursday: Last day to withdraw from the University for Summer (grade of W, Houston only)

29, Thursday: Last day to withdraw from the University for Summer (grade of W, Dallas only)

August

4, Wednesday: Official close of summer term and date for conferral of degrees

More information about the academic calendar for the Houston-Galveston program is available from the program’s office in Houston and online at www.smu.edu/Perkins/FacultyAcademics/housgal/schedules.

Major Religious Holidays

(August 2020 - August 2021)

Listing of religious holidays for use in requesting excused absences according to University Policy, Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities and Religious Holidays. For religious holidays not listed, the instructor or supervisor may contact the Office of the Chaplain.

Christian

Christmas: December 25, 2020

Good Friday: April 2, 2021

Easter Sunday: April 4, 2021

Easter Sunday (Orthodox): May 2, 2021

Hindu

Janmashtami: August 11, 2020

Dasera: October 25, 2020

Diwali: November 14, 2020

Jewish*

Rosh Hashanah: September 19-20, 2020

Yom Kippur: September 27-28, 2020

Sukkot/Simchat Torah: October 2-9, 2020

Hanukkah: December 10-18, 2020

Purim: February 26, 2021

Pesach (Passover): March 27-April 4, 2021

Shavuot: May 16-17, 2021

Muslim

Eid al Adha: July 30-31, 2020

Islamic New Year: August 19-20, 2020

Ashura: August 28-29, 2020

Mawlid an Nabi: October 29, 2020

Ramadan: April 13-May 12, 2021

Eid al Fitr: May 12-13, 2021

* All holidays begin at sundown before the first day noted and conclude at sundown on the day(s) noted.

Tuition and fees payment due dates are set for each term by the Office of the University Bursar.