The University of Washington Tacoma considers each applicant as they apply based upon their own merits, course work and documents. The admission process is both competitive and holistic, giving each applicant an opportunity for a comprehensive and individual review. Applicants who apply early have the best chance for full university and program consideration.

Graduate admission is managed by individual academic programs and processed through the UW Graduate School. Requirements vary by academic program, but all applicants must hold an undergraduate degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution for the last 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits from a baccalaureate degree (for a Master's, doctoral, or professional degree, the total cumulative average may be used). Proficiency in English is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Therefore event applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English Language Proficiency Requirements. Some graduate programs may require additional admission requirements, including a higher grade-point-average. Inquire with the academic program for further information.

Applicants must simultaneously be admitted to the UW Graduate School and an academic program at UW Tacoma. For detailed graduate admissions information, see the individual graduate school sections.

For most aid programs, financial need is defined as the difference between what it costs to attend school and what the student can afford to pay. The amount a student should be able to pay is determined by a standard, federally mandated need-analysis method. The method establishes whether a student is considered dependent or independent for financial aid purposes. Student who are considered dependent for financial aid purposes must provide parent information when applying for financial aid.

There is no income standard or other simple method of determining whether a student will qualify for need-based financial aid. Any student who thinks they need help should apply.

To qualify for federal financial aid, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or other eligible non-citizen
• Be admitted to the university in an approved program and meet minimum enrollment requirements (most distance learning, correspondence, and non-matriculated students do not qualify for financial aid)
• Not be in default on a previous student loan or owe a repayment on a grant or loan for which the student was not eligible
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress based on federal, state, and institutional requirements.
• Provide financial information (including parents’ information, where required)

Eligible students are considered for funding based on three things: need, class level, and state residency status. Need determines priority for those programs within the class level. Students with the fewest resources are given first priority for all aid funds.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the basic application for most types of financial aid.

Students must complete and submit their FAFSA information directly to the federal processor online. Students must apply for a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID in order to complete the online FAFSA. An FSA ID can be obtained by registering through fsaid.ed.gov. To access FAFSA on the Web, go to https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

A student who wishes to apply for financial aid to support study during the summer quarter must submit a separate summer application (in addition to the FAFSA or WASFA) in their MyUW accounts (available April 1 for the upcoming summer quarter).

*Students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA due to their immigration status may still be eligible to apply for state and institutional aid by completing the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA).

For first priority consideration for most aid programs, the FAFSA must be received by the federal application processor by the university's annual priority application date. Students who submit their FAFSAs after the priority date, fifth-year students, and part-time students may be eligible to borrow funds through the Federal Stafford Loan or the Federal PLUS Loan Programs. Undergraduates may qualify for a Federal Pell Grant.

For students eligible to file a WASFA, that application must also be received by the processor by the university's annual priority application date.

Students who apply for financial aid should remember to keep copies of financial documents used in completing the FAFSA or WASFA, continuously monitor their UW email account for official correspondence from the Office of Student Financial Aid, and notify the Office of the Registrar of any change in address.

UW Tacoma students will occasionally need to enroll at a community college to complete admission deficiencies. The credits at the community college may be counted toward the student’s total quarter enrollment credits using a financial aid consortium agreement. Both UW Tacoma and the community college must approve consortium agreements. If approved, consortium agreements enable the student to receive financial aid based on the total credits being taken at both institutions. Agreements must be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid no later than three weeks prior to the start of the quarter. Students may also qualify to receive aid if enrolled in the UWT-TCC Dual Enrollment program.

Consideration for need-based scholarships is given based on information received on the FAFSA or WASFA. Scholarship lists are available through the Office of Student Financial Aid and at websites listed later in this section.

UW Tacoma offers several scholarships available to fund study only at UW Tacoma. For information regarding scholarship opportunities, visit our Financial Aid website.

Student Fiscal Services monitors student tax information at the University of Washington. This information includes data for use in claiming educational tax credits and deductions that you have paid for tuition and fees. In addition, the UW provides information to help you determine if your scholarships, fellowships, grants, or tuition reductions are taxable. The UW cannot provide individual tax advice. If you have questions, you should consult your tax advisor about your specific circumstances.

Scholarships, fellowships, grants, and tuition reductions are not considered taxable income if they are used solely for qualified educational expenses. Any amount used for personal or non-qualified expenses is subject to tax. For more details, refer to the IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education.

Go to f2.washington.edu/fm/sfs/tax to find links to the following topics:

• Education tax credits and tax deductions (IRS Form 1098T)
• Print your 1098T information
• Nonresident alien student tax (IRS Form 1042S)
• Employees’ tuition exemption tax withholding
• Canadian tax information

For questions, please email taxquest@uw.edu or call 206-221-2609 for assistance.

Washington College Grant

The nationally recognized Washington College Grant (formerly the State Need Grant) makes education and training beyond high school affordable. Amounts vary based on income, family size, and the school or program attended. Recipients must meet program requirements and attend an approved institution or program. Eligibility tables and award amounts are available at the Washington State Achievement Council (WSAC) website.

There is no separate application for the Washington College Grant. Students should complete a state or federal financial aid application, which colleges will use to determine eligibility and make awards.

Washington State's Guaranteed Education Tuition

Washington State's Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program is a 529 college savings program named for the section of the IRS code that defines these types of plans. This program allows individuals to prepay for students’ college educational expenses. Funds from the GET program are used to reduce qualified educational expenses. The amounts used to pay these expenses are not taxable or reported to the IRS on the 1098T forms that the UW provides students for filing their tax returns.

Core Learning Community

The Core Learning Community introduces first-year students to the excitement and challenges of post-secondary education through a series of theme-based courses organized around the Core "Areas of Inquiry."

Throughout their Core experience, students will work collaboratively with their peers and UW Tacoma faculty while gaining familiarity with the skills required to succeed across the curriculum. In pursuit of this goal, all Core courses are designed to cultivate and refine our campus-wide learning goals, which include communication and self-expression; civic engagement; critical inquiry; global understanding; cultural competence; and problem solving.

Summer Bridge Program

Summer Bridge provides incoming freshmen with tools for success as they navigate a new academic environment and face the personal and intellectual challenges of being a first-year student.

Undergraduate Student Showcase

Each quarter, OUE sponsors a student showcases that provides undergraduate students an opportunity to present their quarterly projects to the UW Tacoma campus community. It also provides an open forum for students to discuss their work and connect with faculty and peers from across the curriculum.

Testing

The Office of Undergraduate Education provides Math placement, Spanish Proficiency testing and makeup tests for individual students upon faculty requests.

Undergraduate Education Academic Council

The Undergraduate Education Academic Council (UEAC) oversees curriculum issues pertaining to undergraduate education and plays an important role in elevating the profile and quality of the undergraduate academic experience at UW Tacoma.

Learning Community

Core courses are designed to prepare first-year students for success both in college and beyond. The challenges we face today are complex, and they require educated citizens capable of understanding issues from multiple perspectives. Consequently, many Core courses adopt an interdisciplinary approach to their particular field of study.

In their first year, Core students meet many of their general education graduation requirements in classes with a student-to-faculty ratio of 25 to 1. Discussion, lectures, reading, writing, and project assignments are designed to broaden students' perspectives--not only about what they are studying, but also about how what they are learning resonates within the world in which they live.

Having sampled the scope of UW Tacoma's curricular offerings through their Core experience, first-year students are better prepared to select courses each quarter from a range of electives that will allow them to explore and prepare for potential majors.

While the faculty that teach Core curriculum courses come from a variety of academic programs on campus, they teach to a common set of student learning objectives with a developmental approach that emphasizes the foundational skills necessary to succeed in college courses. Faculty collaborate in the Core Learning Community to design and teach classes that build on these objectives while introducing students to academic writing, the sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities.

As the foundation of a student’s academic career at UW Tacoma, Core strives to foster the following learning objectives:

Sample Course Descriptions

Below are sample course descriptions. Core courses change based on the faculty teaching each quarter. For information on Core courses currently being offered, check the online Time Schedule.

T CORE 101 Introduction to Academic Writing (C)

Service Learning for Social Justice.

Students will explore the theme of social justice through service learning. Along with writing on particular topics related to this theme, they will do research about the issue of volunteerism and civic responsibility in conjunction with the particular project they pick, such as working with Habitat for Humanity. The goal of the class is to put academics into action, so that students will understand that what they learn can be applied in the real world.

T CORE 102 Introduction to Science (NW)

Where the Water Meets the Road: Examining the Environmental Impacts of Urbanization on Aquatic Ecosystems.

How do your actions impact the aquatic organisms living in Puget Sound? As the human population continues to climb, more and more people are migrating to urban areas. This in turn imposes greater stresses on adjacent water bodies and other natural resources. This class seeks to explore the growing urban centers around the world and their associated environmental impacts on neighboring aquatic ecosystems. We will also address practices that promote sustainable living in urban areas.

T CORE 103 Introduction to Social Sciences (l&S)

'I'm Batman': Intersections of Pop Culture and Identity.

As consumers of popular culture, most of us are guilty of defending our favorite TV shows long after they've been cancelled, arguing about the likability of a hero in a film, or even debating the merit of trash TV. In an era where you can take Buzzfeed quizzes to determine which superhero or cartoon character you most resemble, it is important to question why our relationship with such cultural texts matters. This course will interrogate the relationship between popular culture, representations of identity, and its consumers. We will examine texts ranging from commercials to award-winning television shows in order to question how and why these texts create meaning for viewers. By writing about texts that we may not easily consider "academic," we will practice skills of interpretation and reflection in order to ask "Why do these texts matter to us?"

T CORE 104 Introduction to Humanities (VLPA)

Listening Outside the Box: Concert Music in the 21st Century.

With only ten weeks to explore the world of "classical music", we will immerse ourselves in a multitude of listening experiences, to include live concert attendance and in-class performances by local musicians. Building on this foundation, we will explore the impact of today's global society on this musical tradition: to what extent have new technologies, increased communication and the ensuing democratization of music impacted the ways in which we relate to "concert music"? Does this music still have relevance in our lives? How have other cultures embraced this tradition, and how has the music of other cultures influenced composition and performance in this genre?

The University of Washington Tacoma reserves the right to drop students who have not attended class during the first week of the quarter to make space for other students waiting to enroll. However, a student should not assume that they will be automatically dropped from a course if they do not attend. It is the student's responsibility to drop the course through MyUW. Students who are registered for a course section but do not attend will be assigned a failing grade by the instructor.

Restrictions on Attending Classes

No person, other than a faculty member attending informally with the approval of the instructor, may attend a UW Tacoma course in which that person has not been registered. An instructor may allow a student to attend their class only if the student's name is on the official class list from the Office of the Registrar. An unregistered student may attend through the fourteenth calendar day of the quarter.

Auditing a Course

Attendance in courses as an auditor is by consent of the instructor and only as space permits. Permission to audit is ordinarily granted for lecture classes only. Students who intend to audit a course must first register for the class through MyUW, then seek permission from the instructor and complete a Registration Transaction Request form to elect to use the audit grade option. The form including the approval is submitted to the Office of the Registrar. The deadline to change to audit status is listed on the Academic Calendar each quarter on the registration website. A $20 fee may be imposed depending on the timing of the transaction. Standard tuition and fees apply.

Auditors may not participate in discussion or laboratory work and the auditor’s registration may be canceled at the discretion of the instructor. No record of audited courses is kept.  To receive credit for an audited course, the student must register for the class for credit and complete the course requirements in a subsequent quarter.

To be classified as a full-time student by UW Tacoma, an undergraduate student must register for and complete at least 12 credits per quarter. A graduate student must register for and complete at least 10 credits per quarter.

To be classified as a half-time student by the University, an undergraduate must register for and complete at least six credits per quarter. A graduate student must register for and complete five credits per quarter.

Please note that financial aid and tuition rates do not necessarily correspond to the above credit requirements.

A student’s initial class standing is determined by the total number of transfer credits awarded by UW Tacoma, not by the number of years of college study or completion of an associate degree. The following table lists the required credits for each class.

Students should note that satisfying UW Tacoma graduation requirements depends not only on the number of credits completed (a minimum of 180) but also on completion of all program requirements.

Undergraduate students who have completed a quarter at UW Tacoma, may take the following quarter off and remain eligible to register during Registration Period I for the subsequent quarter without re-enrolling as a returning student. Any quarter from which a student has completely withdrawn does not constitute a completed quarter. Summer quarter enrollment is not required to maintain continuous registration eligibility. The quarter-off policy is not available for graduate students; graduate students must apply for On-Leave Status.

Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and post-baccalaureate students enrolled at UW Tacoma may register for courses at another UW campus (Seattle or Bothell) beginning in Period 2 registration via MyUW.

All students may cross-register during the summer quarter and they may register during Period 1 registration. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and post-baccalaureates must complete the required number of home-campus credits first.

Visit the Office of the Registrar website for details on cross-campus registration.

Eligibility

• A maximum of 15 credits per academic year (autumn through summer quarter) may be taken on a campus other than the home campus.
• A maximum of 45 credits taken through cross-campus registration may be counted toward the degree.

Policy reference for information in this section may be found in the UW Policy Directory in the following sections: Student Governance and Policies.

With the approval of the academic department offering the course, a student may repeat a course once with both the original grade and the second grade computed in the grade point average. However, credit will be allowed only once.

A second repeat (taking a class for a third- or greater-time) cannot be done using MyUW. Grades in the third or subsequent takings will not be included in the grade-point average (GPA).

Veterans receiving benefits must receive approval from the veteran coordinator in the Veteran and Military Resource Center before a course is repeated.

To protect the student's investment of educational effort and the value of the degree, UW Tacoma will not award credit for classes that repeat work done elsewhere. It is the responsibility of students who have earned credit at other colleges to determine whether courses they plan to take at UW Tacoma would duplicate any previously earned credit. Duplicate credit will not be awarded for a course that is equivalent to courses previously passed. Students who are in doubt should consult with an academic advisor before registering.

Withdrawal for Military Service

Students who are called to active military duty may withdraw through the end of the seventh week of instruction and receive a full refund but no academic credit. A copy of the student’s military orders is required. If a student withdraws after that date, the student may receive either a full refund or academic credit and no refund. Students who withdraw for military reasons will be allowed to return to the university without having to pay another application fee. Documentation in the form of military orders will be required. Please consult with the Office of the Registrar for complete details.

Complete Withdrawal for a Registered Quarter

Dropping all courses for the quarter

It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from all courses if they are unable to attend. Students may withdraw on MyUW through the Unrestricted Drop Period. Official withdrawals must be submitted through the Advisor-Assisted Current Drop process prior to the final day of instruction.

Tuition owed will be based on the date the complete withdrawal is received. Withdrawals are not accepted after the last day of instruction for the quarter.

The tuition forfeiture schedule for complete withdrawal from the university is as follows:

• Students who withdraw on or before the seventh calendar day of the quarter do not pay tuition.
• Students who withdraw after the seventh calendar day through the 30th calendar day continue to owe one-half of their tuition.
• Students who withdraw after the 30th calendar day continue to owe full tuition.

The following principles apply to complete withdrawal from the university:

• Courses dropped as part of a complete withdrawal from the university during the first two weeks of a quarter are not recorded on the student’s UW transcript; however, the date of the complete withdrawal is recorded.
• A recipient of veteran benefits should immediately notify the Veteran and Military Services Resource Center of withdrawal.
• A student with a scholarship or loan awarded through the university should notify the Office of Student Financial Aid of withdrawal.

Former Quarter Drop

Students may petition to drop courses for a former quarter using the Former Quarter Drop process. The Registrar will grant such a petition if, in their judgement, the student was unable to complete the course in question. Approved drops will be annotated on the student’s transcript as an RD (Registrar Drop).

General Education requirements represent the foundation of a UW education and will support the advanced learning students will do the rest of their life. The objective is to introduce students to many new ideas, rather than training them in one specific subject, so that they are in a position to create linkages across a wide expanse of different topics and disciplines. Areas of Inquiry (AoI) are meant to allow students to embrace the exploration of new ideas and work diligently to make connections, especially where none seem to exist.

English Composition courses emphasize how to organize and express ideas effectively. In composition courses, students will refine their skills by rewriting papers after receiving feedback on them.

A minimum of 180 college credits must be completed (with more required in some programs) and include a total of 40 academic credits in the following areas:

The S and R designations appear on the Time Schedule and transcript. The S designation which  will signal to employers and professional and graduate programs that students have chosen community engaged learning experiences in their undergraduate education, while the R designation indicates that they have chosen undergraduate research experiences in their undergraduate education.

Declaring a Minor

A minor is an optional program of study (usually 25 to 35 credits) built around a particular subject or discipline. Minors can be helpful by allowing students to focus their degree by choosing a minor related to their major or to broaden their degree by taking an unrelated but complementary minor. The minor appears on the student’s transcript.

Students who are working on their first baccalaureate degree and are in a major with at least 45 credits can declare a minor by meeting with their academic advisor. Minors do not have prerequisites and do not require any additional application materials.

Students are eligible to complete as many as three minors while earning their first undergraduate degree. Post-baccalaureate students are not eligible to earn a minor(s).

Completion of a Minor

A student cannot major and minor in the same discipline. A minor must be awarded at the same time the student’s first bachelor’s degree is awarded. This means:

• A student who does not graduate cannot be awarded a minor.
• A student cannot earn a minor after graduation.

Global Honors Program

The Global Honors Program is the UW Tacoma's interdisciplinary campus honors program, adding distinction to the bachelor's degree. It offers curricular pathways in Global Leadership and Global Citizenship and a Minor in Global Engagement. The program oversees major-integrated honors, connecting them to high impact global learning practices through the Institute for Innovation and Global Engagement.

School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences Honors

The School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences currently offers honors designations in four majors:

• Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in History
• Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Law and Policy
• Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Politics, Philosophy and Economics
• Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Economics and Policy Analysis

School of Engineering & Technology

The School of Engineering & Technology currently offers honors designation for the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Computer Science and Systems.

President's Medal

Each year the UW Tacoma President's Medalist is selected from graduating seniors with the most distinguished academic record and recognized at the commencement ceremony. Candidates must be in the top 2% of the graduating class in their academic program and have either graduated (in autumn or winter quarter) or submitted a graduation application to graduate (in spring or summer quarter) during the respective academic year.

Review the Eligibility and the Selection Process.

Chancellor’s Medal

Each year a student receiving an undergraduate degree is recognized by the chancellor at the commencement ceremony for their extraordinary achievement as a student at UW Tacoma. Nominees must have above a 3.0 cumulative grade point average or above and are earning a degree in autumn, winter, spring or summer of the respective academic year. The award recognizes an individual who has been a consistent source of inspiration for faculty and fellow students alike, and has overcome significant obstacles in order to complete a degree. The Chancellor’s Medal is conferred at Commencement.

Review the Eligibility and the Selection Process.

At the graduate level, instructors may report grades from 4.0 to 1.7 in 0.1 increments. Grades below 1.7 are recorded as 0.0 by the Registrar and do not count toward residency, total credit count, or grade and credit requirements. A minimum grade of 2.7 is required in each graded course that is counted toward a graduate degree. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation. Numerical grades may be considered equivalent to letter grades as follows:

Definitions for the following letter grades that may also be used:

X Grade

 An instructor may submit a grade of "X" for a student if the student's grade is not available when grades for the classes are submitted. The student does not receive credit for the course until a passing grade is turned in. In addition, if an instructor has not turned in any grade by the time grade reports are printed or at any time after, an "X" will be recorded until the grade is submitted. The GPA is not affected and no credit is granted.

The cumulative GPA includes credits granted for courses taken in residence at all campuses of the University of Washington and those with a “DL” (Distance Learning) offered when fully online. The UW transcript also reflects grades for other Continuum College courses that are not residence credit and grades for credit by examination. Credits by exam grades do not affect the student’s UW cumulative GPA.

Computation of GPA

The grade point average for graduation is computed by dividing the total cumulative grade points by the total credits attempted for courses taken in residence at the university. Grade points are calculated by multiplying the number of credits by the numeric value of the grade for each course. The sum of the grade points is then divided by the total credits attempted. Courses elected on an S/NS basis are counted as follows: Satisfactory grades are printed on the permanent record as an S and do not count in the quarterly or cumulative grade point average, but they do count as credits earned toward graduation. Not-satisfactory grades (NS) do not count in the quarterly and cumulative grade point averages and do not count as credits earned toward graduation.

Examples of How to Calculate your GPA:

Change of Grade

Except in case of error, an instructor may not change a grade that they have submitted to the Registrar. A student who finds administrative omissions or errors in a grade report must make application for review no later than the last day of the student’s next quarter in residence. Grades used to meet graduation requirements cannot be changed after the degree has been granted. Students are not automatically notified of grade changes posted after the first of the quarter.

Changing or Appealing Final Grades

Except in case of error, no instructor may change a final grade(1) that they have turned in to the Registrar. Grades used to meet graduation requirements cannot be changed after the degree has been granted.

Written Appeal of Grade Error

If a student believes that the instructor made an error in the assignment of a grade, or believe a grade recording error or omission has occurred, the following procedures are required to resolve the matter:

• The student must first discuss the matter with the instructor before the end of the following academic quarter.
• If they are not satisfied with the instructor’s response, the student may submit a written appeal that must include documentation⁽²⁾ to the director or the dean of the program⁽³⁾ that offered the course, with a copy of the appeal to the instructor. This must be done no later than 10 class days after your discussion with the instructor. The director or dean will consult with the instructor to ensure that the evaluation of your performance was fair and reasonable or whether the instructor's conduct in assigning the grade was arbitrary or capricious. Should the dean or director believe the instructor's conduct to be arbitrary or capricious⁽⁴⁾ and the instructor declines to revise the grade, the director, with the approval of the voting members of his or her faculty, shall appoint an appropriate member, or members, of the faculty of that program to evaluate your performance and assign a grade. The vice chancellor for academic affairs and the provost will be informed of this action.

Once the student submits a written appeal, this appeal, any supporting documentation, and all subsequent actions on this appeal may be maintained and/or recorded in written form for deposit in a department, school or college file. 

_{(1) Final grade means the grade received in the course and reported to the Office of the Registrar.}

_{(2) Documentation means all materials relevant to the grade determination and to the grade appeal process. Examples include grade reports, graded work, syllabus, student/faculty correspondence, etc.}

_{(3) Director or Dean means the administrator responsible for the respective school or program offering the course, which is under appeal.}

_{(4) Arbitrary or Capricious means in a manner deemed to be inappropriately subjective or otherwise inconsistent.}

Undergraduate and graduate students may amend their original grading options for courses during Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters (ECQ). Review the Extraordinary Circumstances Quarter website for specific information about the following terms that have been deemed an Extraordinary Circumstances Quarter. Students may continue to move between numeric to S/NS grading or from S/NS to numeric for grades earned only in Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters until their degree has been posted. A change of registration fee is assessed for each change of grading option made, except for changes to Spring 2020 courses. Satisfactory (S) grades will count toward degree and graduation requirements.

The university requires students to declare a major by the time they have earned 105 credits. Students are urged to meet with an advisor to determine a major. A registration hold is placed on students who have reached 105 credits and not declared a major. In rare cases, a student who has met with an advisor will be granted a pre-major extension.

Students who have completed 165 or more credits, completed eleven or more academic satisfactory progress quarters and who do not have a graduation application or graduation plan on file will receive a registration hold and must meet with their advisor to start planning for graduation. In order to remove the hold, the student must submit a graduation application or a graduation plan.

The university’s satisfactory progress policy requires that students complete their undergraduate degree within 30 credits beyond the minimum required for the degree. Because most degrees require 180 total transfer and UW credits, students generally must complete their programs by the time they earn 210 credits.

Undergraduates who have completed more than 210 credits will be notified by the end of the third week of the quarter that a block is being placed on their registration due to lack of satisfactory progress. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisors to prepare a graduation plan or complete a graduation application.

Academic Warning

An undergraduate student whose grade point average falls below 2.00 in their first quarter at the university receives an academic warning. If a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 for courses earned in residence at the university is not achieved by the end of the next quarter, they are placed on academic probation.

Probation and Dismissal for Low Scholarship

An undergraduate student is placed on academic probation at the end of any quarter (except for the first quarter at the university, when an academic warning is issued) in which their cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00. Once on probation, the student must attain at least a 2.00 for each succeeding quarter’s work until the cumulative grade point average is raised to a 2.00 or the student is dropped for low scholarship.

Senior in Final Quarter

A senior who has completed the required number of credits for graduation, but whose work in what would normally be their final quarter places them on probation, does not receive a degree until removed from probation. A senior who has completed the required number of credits for graduation, but whose work during the last quarter results in being dropped for low scholarship, does not receive a degree until readmitted and removed from probation.

An undergraduate student who has been dropped for low scholarship will be readmitted to the university only at the discretion of the pre-major reinstatement committee or if in a major, the student’s academic program. In most cases, a student may be required to sit out one quarter. A student readmitted after being dropped under these rules reenters the university on academic probation. The student’s GPA is the same as when dropped from the university, and the student may not use grades from other colleges or universities to raise their UW grade point average. A readmitted student is dropped if they fails to attain either a 2.00 grade point average for the following quarter’s work or a cumulative UW grade point average of 2.00 at the end of that quarter. The student is removed from probation at the end of the quarter in which a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better is reached. The Petition for Reinstatement form is available online through the Office of the Registrar. To be considered, the reinstatement petition must be submitted to an academic advisor three weeks prior to the start of the quarter.

Please note: The University of Washington transcript is comprised of course work and grades from all three campuses. Students who are dropped for low scholarship from one campus and reinstated at another will remain on academic probation until their cumulative grade point average reaches 2.00.

The student must make an appointment with their advisor to complete an application for graduation. The application may be filed as early as three quarters before the expected date of graduation. The absolute deadline for filing an application is the Friday of the third week of the quarter in which the student intends to graduate.

Students who will complete their degree requirements in summer quarter but wish to participate in the preceding spring commencement must adhere to the spring deadline.

It is the student’s responsibility to apply for a degree; degrees are not automatically awarded when requirements have been satisfied.

If a student declared a minor but it does not appear on the graduation application, the graduation specialist in the Office of the Registrar will remove it. On the other hand, if a student lists a minor on the degree application, the student must complete that minor or drop it officially, otherwise they will not graduate. This protects the student from being graduated when the actual intent is to continue in order to complete the minor.

Adding minors after applying to graduate

A student who wants to add a minor after the graduation application has been submitted must see their advisor, who will update the application and notify the graduation specialist in the Office of the Registrar.

Formal Commencement exercises are conducted at the end of spring quarter. Programs also hold separate hooding ceremonies for their master’s degree graduates. Information on participating in these ceremonies is posted on the UW Tacoma commencement website.

Students who graduated during the previous autumn or winter quarters and those who anticipate graduating in spring or summer quarters of the current year are eligible to participate in an in-person event if they have filed a graduation application. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for graduation by the deadline, please see Filing a Graduation Application.

Diplomas are mailed three to four months following graduation. The Office of the University Registrar in Seattle will send graduated students an email with a link to a form where students can indicate a desired diploma name and mailing address. The diploma name does not need to match the student record name. The form may be used to indicate a preferred name, hyphens, spaces, lower/upper case letters, accents, or other special characters. If a student does not complete the form, or misses the deadline provided in the email, the diploma will be printed using the student record name and mailed to the permanent address per UW records.

The diploma will list a student’s name, degree, and any applicable honors. Majors and minors are not listed on UW diplomas.

Students do not receive their diploma at the Commencement ceremony.

The Graduate School normally allows six years to complete requirements for a master’s degree. Periods spent on leave or out of status are included. UW Graduate Non-matriculated credits used toward the total credits are also counted in the six years.

The Graduate School normally allows ten years to complete all work for the doctoral degree. This includes quarter spent on leave or out of status as well as applicable work from the master's degree from the UW or a master's degree from another institution, if applied toward one year of resident study.

Graduate courses numbered in the 500s through 800s are intended for and ordinarily restricted to either students enrolled in the Graduate School or graduate non-matriculated students who meet the requirements of Policy 3.3.

Graduate courses should be presented at a level that assumes enrolled students bring to the class a background at least equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the field or a related interdisciplinary field. Graduate courses must not be used to correct deficiencies in the student’s undergraduate work; courses normally expected to be part of undergraduate preparation for graduate study must be identified by undergraduate course numbers.

Some courses at the 300 and 400 levels are open to graduate students; see Policy 1.1 for using these courses for graduate degree requirements. 

In addition to the requirements listed under Policy 1.1.1 that apply to all graduate degree programs:

• Master’s degree requirements must include a minimum of 36 credits. A master’s program may require more than this minimum.
• A student must complete all work for the master’s degree within six years from the time of first enrollment. Periods spent on leave or out of status are included in these limits. Exceptions to time to degree will be made at the program level.
• A master’s program generally should require a final culminating or integrated experience, with the exception of applied professional programs where a coursework-only program can be thoroughly justified in the program proposal (e.g., a coursework-only program is the standard in the field).

1.1.2.1     Coursework that may be applied towards master’s degree requirements

A maximum of 6 quarter credits of graduate-level coursework taken at another recognized academic institution may be transferred and apply to UW master’s degree requirements, when acceptable to the graduate program and the Graduate School.

No more than 12 credits derived from any combination of GNM credits and transfer credits may be applied towards the total degree requirements.

1.1.2.2     Thesis Programs

The master’s thesis provides evidence of the graduate student’s ability to carry out independent investigation and to present the results in clear and systemic form.

A thesis program must include a minimum of 9 thesis credits (700).

Thesis credits (700) will not apply to requirements for a non-thesis master’s degree.

See Policy 4.2.1 for any thesis that will include human or animal subjects.

1.1.2.3     Final Examination

If a master’s program requires a final examination, it may be either oral or written. A majority of the supervisory committee must approve for satisfactory completion, and all members of the supervisory committee must certify examination results. If the examination is not satisfactory, the committee may recommend to the Dean of the Graduate School that the student be allowed to take another examination after a period of further study.

The Graduate School defines minimum degree requirements for all University of Washington graduate programs. Individual graduate programs may have degree requirements that exceed the Graduate School minimum requirements.

The Graduate Faculty with oversight of a graduate program have primary responsibility for assuring that students recommended for graduation have satisfactorily fulfilled the degree requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.

A student must satisfy the requirements for the degree that are in force at the time the degree is to be awarded. Exceptions may be made for programs that have undergone changes to degree requirements.

Learn more about the Graduate School’s Graduate Degree Requirements and Policy 1.1

Master’s Degree Request Schedule

The academic department may require an earlier request submission date; students should consult with their department.

For all quarters, the deadline to file a Master’s request is the last day of the academic quarter (the last day of finals week).

Completing the Master’s Degree Request

• When completing the master’s degree request, the program will automatically run a degree audit to inform the students of any unsatisfied Graduate School requirements.
• Students will receive an email confirming receipt of their master’s degree request and the program will be notified through the MyGrad Program that a request has been submitted.
• Authorized departmental users enter department contingencies into MyGrad Program and can elect to send an email to the students to notify them of the departmental contingencies. Authorized departmental users will print the master’s degree warrants and the warrants will be routed to the students’ master’s committees in a manner determined by the department.
• By signing the master’s degree warrants, the students’ committees certify that the students have met all departmental requirements for the degree (except the thesis if one is required) and the warrants must be placed in the students’ department file.
• Once the warrants have been signed, the authorized departmental users will recommend whether or not the students are to graduate that quarter and these recommendations are conveyed to the Graduate School through MyGrad Program following the end of the quarter. Emails are sent to the students notifying them that their departments have made a recommendation on their request.
• Once the Graduate School receives the degree request recommendation, a final transcript audit and a review to determine if all Graduate School and department contingencies are met, will be completed by Graduate School staff.
• The Graduate School enters the final graduation decision into MyGrad Program, email notifications are sent to the students informing them of their graduation status, and authorized department users can view their quarter graduation list in MyGrad Program.

Commencement

Formal commencement exercises are conducted at the close of spring quarter. Academic programs also hold separate hooding ceremonies for their master’s and doctorate degree graduates in early June. Information on participation in these ceremonies is posted on the UW Tacoma Commencement website at tacoma.uw.edu/commencement.

Diploma Distribution

Diplomas are produced approximately three to four months after the end of the quarter in which they are earned and are mailed to the student's address on file with the University.

For Master’s and Educational Specialist degrees:

• A maximum of 6 quarter credits of graduate-level coursework taken at another recognized academic institution may be transferred and apply to UW degree requirements, when acceptable to the graduate program and the Graduate School.
• No more than 12 credits derived from any combination of GNM credits and transfer credits may be applied towards the total degree requirements.

For Doctoral degree other than Practice Doctorate:

• With the approval of the graduate program and the Graduate School, a master’s degree in a relevant field of study from an accredited institution may substitute for up to 30 of the required 90 credits. No other transfer credits are allowed for doctoral programs.
• With the approval of the graduate program, any number of credits applied to a UW master’s degree in the same program may be counted towards doctoral degree requirements.

For Practice Doctoral degrees:

• With the approval of the graduate program and the Graduate School, a Ph.D. or a master’s degree in a relevant field of study from an accredited institution may substitute for up to 30 of the required 90 credits.
• With the approval of the graduate program, any number of credits applied to a UW master’s degree in the same program may be counted towards doctoral degree requirements.
• A maximum of 10 quarter credits of graduate-level coursework taken at another recognized academic institution may be transferred and apply to UW practice doctorate degree requirements, when acceptable to the graduate program and the Graduate School.
• No more than 12 credits derived from any combination of GNM credits and transfer credits may be applied towards the total degree requirements.
• No more than 30 credits derived from any combination of GNM, transfer, and substituted credits may be applied towards the total degree requirements.

More information may be found in the Graduate School’s Policy 1.1.5.1

University of Washington students who are within six credits of completing their undergraduate work and who have met the requirements for admission to the Graduate School may register the quarter immediately preceding admission to the Graduate School for up to six credits in 500-level courses in addition to the last six credits they require of undergraduate work. For example, a student admitted for autumn quarter may take graduate credits during the preceding spring quarter.

This registration and these arrangements must be approved by the graduate program that the student will enter. However, students so enrolling are not reclassified as graduate students until the baccalaureate degree has been granted and after their official admission. At that point, it is necessary to petition to permit the six credits to apply toward the master’s degree. Only under these circumstances may graduate work taken as an undergraduate be applied toward an advanced degree. Further registration for graduate work is contingent upon completion of the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

A Graduate Non-matriculated student is a post-baccalaureate student who wishes access to a limited number of graduate courses, but who has not been admitted by the Graduate School to a degree program. These Graduate Non-matriculated students must not be enrolled in any courses where they would displace admitted degree-seeking graduate students. This status is not appropriate for international students on F-1 visas.

Applicants for GNM status must meet Graduate School minimum admission requirements and must be evaluated for acceptance by the academic unit according to the typical criteria for admitting students to the unit’s graduate programs.

Tuition and fees charged GNM students for graduate level courses cannot be less and may be more than those charged to graduate students.

Acceptance as a GNM student confers no guarantee or priority for later admission to a graduate degree program.

More information may be found in the Graduate School’s Policy 3.3

Visiting Graduate Student status allows certain students to take University of Washington coursework without being admitted to a University of Washington graduate degree program.

All applications for Visiting Graduate Student status are processed by the Graduate School’s Graduate Enrollment Management Services (GEMS) office. All documentation submitted by the applicant must be in English or official translations into English accompanied by the original foreign language document.

If a student with Visiting Graduate Student status later applies for admission to the Graduate School in order to pursue a graduate degree, the student must formally apply and submit complete credentials as outlined in Policy 3.1.

Not all graduate programs accept visiting graduates, so please contact the program before you apply.  You may find contact information in the graduate program listing.

More information may be found in the Graduate School’s Policy 3.4

Graduate students are required to maintain graduate status during their program of study. Failure to maintain this status requires reinstatement to the University of Washington. Students who desire to take a quarter or quarters off without going through the reinstatement process must apply for on-leave status for each quarter they do not register. Learn more about Policy 3.5: On-Leave Policy to Maintain Graduate Student Status.

On-leave Eligibility

• Must be a graduate student in good standing.
• Must have been registered or on-leave the previous quarter.
• Must satisfy any graduate program policies pertaining to going/remaining on-leave.
• Must have registered for at least one quarter of graduate study at UW and have approval from their graduate program.
• Must request this leave on a quarterly basis.
• Students on F-1 & J-1 visas should review International Student Services’ webpages on Time Off to ensure they understand the enrollment requirements and exceptions related to their visas.
• Pre-registered students must officially withdraw via MyUW or the Registration office prior to the first day of the quarter. Registered students are not eligible for on-leave status.

Procedure for Requesting Leave

Students requesting on-leave status must submit an online Request for On-Leave Status via MyGrad Program. For a given quarter, students can submit the request as early as two weeks prior to the first day of instruction and must submit payment of the non-refundable fee no later than 5 p.m. on the last day of the quarter.

Leave is granted on a quarterly basis, though the following students may request up to four consecutive quarters of leave at one time: Peace Corps Master’s International (PCMI) students, military personnel with deployment orders, and some UW Fulbright grantees (with the exception of military personnel with deployment orders, these students will be required to pay the fee for each quarter of leave requested). All students pay for on-leave, with the exception of military personnel on deployment orders (deploying students must still log onto MyGrad to “Pay” after receiving the departmental approval email, but they will be exempted from payment at the last step).

A matriculated student previously registered in the Graduate School who has failed to maintain graduate student status (on-leave status or registration) but who wishes to resume studies in their previous graduate program must submit a reinstatement request to the Graduate School. Students approved to reinstatement must pay a $250 reinstatement fee to process their reinstatement and return to active student status.

Reinstatement Eligibility

• Must be an inactive matriculated graduate student wishing to return to their previous degree program. Non-matriculated, undergraduate, or active graduate students are not eligible for reinstatement.
• Must have been registered for at least one quarter of graduate study at UW.
• Must have approval from the graduate program to reinstate.
• Must satisfy any additional graduate program policies pertaining to reinstatement.
• International students must have confirmation from the International Student Services office that an I-20 can be issued in time to meet registration deadlines.
• Original admission date was less than six years ago (for master’s students) or ten years ago (for Doctoral students). The Graduate School normally allows six years to complete requirements for a master’s degree and ten years for a doctoral degree. Periods spent on-leave or out of status are included.

Students who do not meet these requirements are not eligible for reinstatement without a petition from their graduate program. Ineligible students should instead submit a new application for admission after consulting with their graduate program. Please note that students who meet reinstatement requirements but instead submit a new application for admission will have their application fee refunded and be assessed the $250 Reinstatement Fee.

For questions regarding on-leave status, please contact your graduate program advisor or Graduate Enrollment Management Services at uwgrad@uw.edu or 206-685-2630

The Doctoral Degree other than Practice Doctorates

• In addition to the requirements listed under Policy 1.1.1 that apply to all graduate degree programs, the following requirements apply to all doctoral degrees other than practice doctorates. For the composition and responsibility of the doctoral supervisory committee, see Policy 4.2.
• Doctoral degree requirements must include a minimum of 90 credits beyond the baccalaureate. A doctoral degree program may require more than this minimum.
• Doctoral programs require a culminating experience, with PhD programs requiring original research reflected in the dissertation.
• All work applied to the doctoral degree must be completed within ten years, including credits counted from a master’s degree at UW. Periods spent on leave or out of status are included in these limits. Exceptions to time to degree will be made at the program level. Additional Doctoral Degree requirements may be found in the Graduate School policy 1.1.4

The Practice Doctoral Degree:

• A practice doctorate is intended as preparation for professional practice at the frontiers of existing knowledge (see Policy 1.7.2).
• In addition to the requirements listed under Policy 1.1.1 that apply to all graduate degree programs:
• • Practice doctoral degree requirements must include a minimum of 90 credits beyond the baccalaureate.
  • The practice doctorate requires successful completion of 12 credits of dissertation, project or capstone credit (801 Practice Doctorate Dissertation/Project/Capstone).
  • There is no formally recognized candidacy status for practice doctoral students. Requiring a general exam or other milestones is at the discretion of the program and is not reported to the Graduate School.

Active-duty military personnel stationed in the state of Washington, their spouses and dependent children are eligible for resident (in-state) tuition. An exemption to Washington residency is allowed for many veterans and their families, based on state law, who would otherwise not qualify due to the 12-month physical presence requirement. Please review all of the options available to veterans, active military and their families. Consult the Veteran and Military Resource Center for further assistance.

All students who are enrolled on any of the three University of Washington campuses (Tacoma, Seattle, or Bothell) are held accountable to the Student Conduct Code. The Student Conduct Code outlines both the expectations for behavior and the procedures for handling violations of the conduct code.

The University has also developed two companion policies, Student Governance Policy, Chapter 209 and Chapter 210, which explain how student conduct proceedings work and a student’s rights in the process.

• Chapter 209 – Academic misconduct, alcohol and drug violations, computer abuses, bullying and other prohibited conduct.
• Chapter 210 – Sexual assault, discriminatory and sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, stalking and other prohibited conduct.

Contact Office of Student Conduct & Academic Integrity for additional support.

Academic Misconduct

Admission to the University of Washington carries the expectation that students will conduct themselves as responsible members of the academic community. All students assume responsibility to observe standards of conduct that will contribute to the pursuit of academic goals and to the welfare of the academic community. This responsibility includes practicing high standards of academic and professional honesty and integrity, and complying with the rules, regulations, procedures, policies, standards of conduct, and orders of the university and its schools, colleges, and departments.

Behavioral Misconduct

Students must respect the rights, privileges, and property of other members of the academic community and visitors to the campus, and refrain from any conduct that would interfere with university functions or endanger the health, welfare, or safety of other persons. Students should be familiar with the Student Conduct Code.

Off-Campus Misconduct

The University shall have the authority to hold students accountable under the Student Conduct Code for certain off-campus behavior (i.e., behavior that does not occur on university premises or in the context of a university-sponsored event or activity) that directly affects an University interest, or has continuing adverse effects or may create a hostile environment on University premises or in the context of a University-sponsored program or activity.

Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedure

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, pregnant or parenting status, and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) identity. Sexual violence and harassment is a form of discrimination.

Students, staff and faculty members and other users of university services who have a concern or complaint regarding sexual harassment should contact the Title IX Office. The Title IX Office provides options for reporting sexual violence and harassment, and resources and support for victims of sexual violence and harassment.

Computer Use and Software Copyright Policy

All faculty, staff and students are responsible for using university computer resources in an ethical and legal manner. For example, it is not appropriate to share computer accounts or use them for commercial purposes, to send unwanted email, or to distribute copyrighted software, music or images. Those who do not follow the rules could lose their UW computing privileges. For detailed information, see the UW Information Technology website.

Release of Student Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) protects the privacy of student educational records. However, the following information is considered public or directory information and may be released to anyone unless the student requests otherwise: name, street address, email address, telephone number, date of birth, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, major and minor field(s) of studies, class, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, and for students who are members of intercollegiate athletic teams, weight and height.

If a student chooses not to authorize release of directory information, they can restrict this information using MyUW. Except under provisions of the USA Patriot Act of 2001 or a lawfully-issued subpoena, no information will be released on students who have restricted release of directory information, including degrees awarded and dates of attendance.

Currently enrolled students may submit a one-time request for their own education records to be provisioned to themselves. The one-time records request is submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

Complete details regarding FERPA and students’ rights concerning educational records are available from the Office of the Registrar.

Student Education Records

As a general rule, the University will not release a student’s education records to a third party without the written consent of the student. This includes tuition account information. The complete university policy on student education records and the location of such records may be found in the Washington Administrative Code under WAC 478-140-024.