Complete Policy Index – UW Graduate School Skip to content

Complete Policy Index

The Graduate School maintains the following policies covering the academic, policy, and administrative matters related to the admission, continuation, dismissal, and completion of graduate students (UW Executive Order 4.3.E) as well as content and level of programs leading to graduate degrees (Executive Order VII).

1.0 Graduate Programs

These policies outline the various elements of developing, managing, and changing graduate programs, including program structure and requirements. They also serve as a resource for students to understand graduate school degree requirements.

This policy establishes the Graduate School requirements for all graduate degree programs.

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This policy establishes the Graduate School requirements for all graduate certificates and includes information on review and approval of graduate certificate programs.

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This policy defines the relationship between a graduate degree or certificate program and the transcripted credentials associated with it.

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This policy establishes the Graduate School requirements for a stacked graduate degree and includes information on review and approval of stacked degree programs.

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This policy establishes the general policies for formal and informal concurrent degree programs and includes information on admissions and program requirements.

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This policy establishes the guidelines for a Combined Undergraduate/Graduate (CUG) Degree.

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This policy defines the graduate degree at the University of Washington and provides information on proposing a new graduate degree program.

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This policy describes oversight and responsibility for the academic program review process.

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This policy establishes the guidelines for suspension of admissions for a graduate program.

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2.0 Graduate Courses

These policies provide guidance on graduate courses. 

This policy defines the graduate course and the numbering and titles used.

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This policy establishes the procedures for an academic unit not authorized to offer a graduate degree or certificate to offer graduate courses.

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3.0 Student Lifecycle & Student Classifications

These policies provide information on various processes that pertain to the lifecycle of a graduate student (application through graduation) and are useful for navigating graduate education at the University of Washington. 

This policy establishes the Graduate School requirements for admissions to graduate study at the University of Washington.

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This policy establishes the Graduate School requirements for English Language Proficiency for all students admitted to graduate study at the University of Washington.

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This policy establishes the Graduate School requirements for offering graduate school courses to graduate non-matriculated (GNM) students, including admissions, enrollment, and credits towards a later graduate program.

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This policy establishes the Graduate School requirements for visiting graduate student status, including Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTA).

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This policy establishes the on-leave requirements for graduate students taking a leave to maintain graduate student status.

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This policy establishes the Graduate School requirement for continuous enrollment through graduation and eligibility to pay the graduate registration waiver fee in the final quarter of study.

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This policy establishes the Graduate School requirments for the academic performance and progress of graduate students and includes guidance on appropriate process for cases where student academic performance does not meet program expectations.

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This policy establishes the academic grievance procedure for graduate students.

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This policy establishes the procedure for awarding a graduate credential posthumously.

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This policy establishes the classifications assigned to graduate students and postdoctoral appointees on the basis of their advancement toward or completion of graduate degrees.

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4.0 Faculty Roles & Program Administration

These policies define the roles of Graduate Faculty, Graduate Program Advisor (GPA) and Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) as well as provide guidance on supervisory committees for graduate students.  

This policy establishes eligibility requirements and expectations for members of the Graduate Faculty.

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This policy establishes the requirements for supervisory committees for graduate students.

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This policy establishes the roles and requirements for the Graduate Program Coordinator and Graduate Program Advisor.

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This policy establishes the requirements for establishing and maintaining interdisciplinary committees and degree-offering groups housed within the Graduate School.

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5.0 Graduate Student Appointments

These policies contain information on Graduate School guidelines for graduate student appointments.

This policy establishes departmental responsibilities regarding instruction by teaching assistants.

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This policy describes the conditions of appointments for teaching assistants who are not native speakers of English.

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Oversight and Policy Changes

The policies are managed in close coordination with the Graduate School Council and other members of the UW graduate community. The Graduate School’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs leads operational oversight of graduate policies and their interpretation, with guidance from the Graduate School Council Policy Committee. To request a new Graduate School policy or revision to an existing policy, please write the Office of Academic Affairs (gsacad@uw.edu). See the Process Overview for Graduate School Policy Changes and the full Policy Change Process.