Policy Audience: Certificate Students - Page 2

Policy 2.1: Graduate Course Numbers, Titles, and Audience

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.

2.1.1 Course Numbers and Titles

In order to maintain as much breadth as possible in the course offerings of a graduate unit, graduate level courses normally will carry the prefix designation of the academic unit authorized to offer the graduate program, e.g., English, Drama, Education, etc. However, in certain fields identification of specializations in graduate courses may be necessary or desirable. To propose special designation, the faculty in that unit may transmit to the Dean of the School or College the request to identify the field of specialization in the prefix. Special designation, if approved by the Dean of the College and the Registrar, may be established.

The following standardized course numbers and course titles have been established for graduate courses in all disciplines numbered 600, 601, 700, 800. Courses numbered 801 may have alternate course titles. Descriptions for all courses below are at the discretion of the proposing unit.

600 – Independent Study or Research: Used for individual readings or study, including independent study in preparation for doctoral examinations, research, etc. Prerequisite: permission of Supervisory Committee Chair, Graduate Program Coordinator, or Graduate Program Coordinator’s designee.

601 – Internship: Used for Internships. Prerequisite: permission of Supervisory Committee Chair, Graduate Program Coordinator, or Graduate Program Coordinator’s designee.

700 – Master’s Thesis: Used for research for the master’s thesis, including research preparatory and/or related thereto. Limited to graduate students who have not yet completed the master’s degree in the student’s program of enrollment at the University of Washington. Prerequisite: permission of Supervisory Committee Chair, Graduate Program Coordinator, or Graduate Program Coordinator’s designee.

750 – Educational Specialist Capstone: Used for the culminating capstone experience for Educational Specialist degree programs (see Policy 1.1.3). Course title may vary to reflect the specific nature of the capstone.

800 – Doctoral Dissertation: Used for research for the doctoral dissertation, including research preparatory and/or related thereto. Limited to those who have completed the master’s degree or the equivalent and have been admitted into a doctoral degree program, or candidate-level graduate students. Pre-master students initiating doctoral dissertation research should register for 600. Prerequisite: permission of Supervisory Committee Chair, Graduate Program Coordinator, or Graduate Program Coordinator’s designee.

801 – Practice Doctorate Project/Capstone: Used for the culminating project/capstone experience for practice doctorate degree programs (see Policy 1.1.5). Course title may vary to reflect the specific nature of the project/capstone (e.g., project, practicum, portfolio, applied dissertation, clinical work, etc.).

2.1.2 Course Delivery Location

Graduate courses are offered on campus except for courses where all of the following conditions are satisfied:

The course is equivalent in quality to courses offered in residence at the University, as judged by consideration of course content, assignments, examinations, performance expected from students, grading practices, assignment of graduate faculty, etc.
It is designed for and presented mainly to students who have been admitted to and are enrolled in the Graduate School of the University of Washington or who have been enrolled by units as graduate non-matriculated students.

2.1.3 Course Enrollment

Under certain conditions, qualified graduate non-matriculated students may be enrolled in graduate courses and earn credit later applicable towards a graduate degree. These conditions are outlined in Policy 3.3.

Postbaccalaureate students, undergraduate students, and non-matriculated students who do not meet Graduate School admission requirements may enroll in 500-level courses provided that permission has been obtained in advance from the faculty member who will teach the class, and from the unit Chair/Director or designated representative. Permission should be granted only when the student appears to be exceptionally well prepared for entrance into the course so that the tempo and quality of the graduate instruction is not adversely affected. Such students should not constitute more than 20% of the total number enrolled in the class.

2.1.4 Parallel 400-500 Courses

Units that expect regular graduate enrollment in an undergraduate 400-level course should propose a 400-500 parallel course.

There must be significant differences between the undergraduate and graduate courses that are reflected in areas such as course content, grading practices, learning outcomes, readings and assignments, exams, and performance. Student evaluation criteria for the 500-level course should be established such that graduate students completing only 400-level assignments, or completing assignments only at the level expected of an undergraduate would receive a grade of less than 2.7.

2.1.5 Ungraded courses (CR/NC and S/NS)*

For CR/NC courses, submission of a CR grade indicates that the student has met course expectations at a level such that the course may be applied towards graduate degree requirements.

For S/NS courses, an S grade indicates that the student has met course expectations at a level such that the course may be applied towards graduate degree requirements. A graduate program may restrict S courses from counting towards program requirements.

*these clauses were moved verbatim from Policy 1.1 in Winter 2026

Policy 2.1 revised: August 2021; December 2022; January 2025; November 2025; February 2026;

Policy 1.4: The Stacked Graduate Degree

A “stacked degree” is a master’s or practice doctorate program that requires students to complete one or more graduate certificates along with additional requirements to earn the degree, distinguishing it from degree programs in which any certificate completion is optional. Stacked degrees and the graduate certificates they are comprised of will appear as credentials on the student transcript.

1.4.1 Stacked Graduate Degree Program Requirements

1.4.1.1 Alignment with degree and certificate requirements

The combination of graduate certificates and additional requirements that comprise the stacked degree must ensure that students meet coursework/credit requirements (e.g., course levels, minimum credits, minimum graded credit, culminating experience) described in Policy 1.1 for each degree type.
All graduate certificates must follow the policies outlined in Policy 1.2.
Graduate certificates that are part of a stacked degree may be earned independently or combined to apply towards degree requirements

1.4.1.2 Curricular coherence

The title of a stacked graduate degree must clearly reflect the academic focus of the degree program.
A stacked degree with a stated goal of integrating curriculum across disciplines (such as those including “interdisciplinary” or “multidisciplinary” in their degree title) must establish an interdisciplinary curriculum oversight committee that includes at least one representative from the administrative home of each certificate that can count towards the degree.
Stacked degree programs that allow students to complete different combinations of graduate certificates to earn the same credential must ensure consistent learning outcomes and/or competencies for all students in the degree program and result in a coherent body of study.
For degree programs that involve certificates in different colleges or schools (cross-college stacked degrees), courses listed for one credential may not appear in the curriculum of any other credential within the stacked master’s degree.
[NOTE: The graduate certificates that can apply toward a stacked degree must be established in the program proposal. The addition of graduate certificate options to stacked degree program requires a program change proposal.]

1.4.1.3 Coursework that may be applied towards stacked degree requirements

6 credits of previous graduate work, including transfer and graduate non-mariculated (GNM) credit, may be applied toward each certificate per Policy 1.2. The total number of such credits applied toward the stacked degree are limited to 12, per Policy 1.1.

1.4.2 Continuous enrollment and time to completion

The Graduate School does not mandate continuous enrollment for stacked credentials. Re-entry policy is described in SGP 102.7.F
Time to stacked degree completion requirements will be made at the program level and described in the program proposal and student handbook. In the absence of program level policy, the time period to complete the stacked degree will align with those described in Policy 1.1 for each degree type.
Program guidelines and/or student handbooks must address:
- Program expectations regarding performance and progress requirements.
- Key academic milestones and expected timelines, as defined by the program.
- Time limits for specific coursework or graduate certificates to apply towards stacked degree requirements, considering that some content may become outdated if time to completion requirements are especially long.

1.4.3 Admissions

Students must be admitted to the relevant graduate certificate program before, or at the same time as, their admission to the stacked degree program for which the certificates are required.
Admission into each certificate program must be based on the certificate’s stated admissions criteria; an application to a stacked degree program may not be used as a primary factor in certificate admissions decisions. Certificate programs that consider a student’s stated plans to pursue a stacked degree must disclose this in their published admissions materials.

Policy 1.4 created: July 2022; revised: December 2022; April 2024; January 2025; March 2025; March 2026

Policy 1.2: Graduate Certificates

A graduate certificate program is a small coherent body of graduate-level study that culminates in a capstone or equivalent unifying experience. Graduate certificates are intended to enhance the education of matriculated graduate or professional students beyond their regular course of study, to provide students access to graduate education as a standalone graduate credential or serve as components of a stacked master’s degree [See Policy 1.4]. Graduate certificates are not open to undergraduate students.

[Note: Completed graduate certificates are recorded on the student’s UW transcript. UW also offers certificates that are not recorded on the UW transcript, for example certificates offered by UW Continuum College. These non-transcripted certificates are distinct from graduate certificates and are not under purview of the Graduate School.]

1.2.1 Requirements

1.2.1.1 General

Students who are admitted to the University of Washington through a graduate certificate are matriculated graduate students and must meet the admission standards described in Policy 3.1.

The curriculum must constitute a coherent body of study that culminates in a capstone or equivalent unifying experience.

Time-to-completion limits should be established at the program level and clearly communicated to all newly enrolled students. In the absence of program-level limits, the Graduate School’s default policy is that all work applied to the certificate must be completed within six years from the time of first enrollment in a class applied toward the certificate. Periods spent on leave or out of status count toward this time. Students nearing or past the program’s limit should be placed on Academic Alert (potentially leading to Final Academic Alert and Academic Drop; Policy 3.7.3). Extensions of time to degree limits can be made at the program level.
- Within the time-to-completion limit, graduate certificates can be awarded even if a student has not maintained registration.
- Programs must petition to award graduate certificates past the time-to-completion limit.

1.2.1.2 Coursework

A graduate certificate must include a minimum of 15 credits, nine of which must be earned in courses numbered 500 and above, and nine of which must be from numerically graded courses.
Courses at the 300 level and 400 level may be part of a student’s course of study and applied toward graduate degree requirements when confirmed by the Graduate Faculty with oversight of a graduate program to have a level of rigor and depth appropriate to the graduate program and to have a subject matter closely aligned with the graduate certificate’s learning outcomes. Coursework at the 300 level may not be applied towards the minimum 9 graded credits.
A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 is required for courses applied to a graduate certificate, and a minimum of 2.7 is required in each course that is counted toward a graduate certificate.  Courses at the 300 level are not included in the calculation of the GPA. .

1.2.2 Coursework that may be applied towards graduate certificate requirements.

1.2.2.1 Credit sharing

There are no restrictions on credit sharing between a graduate certificate and a graduate degree program. However, the culminating experiences of each certificate and degree must be distinct. Applying credits from a previously earned degree toward a certificate requires approval from the graduate program offering the certificate.
No credit sharing is allowed between graduate certificates.

1.2.2.2 Transfer Credits

With program approval and confirmation of policy compliance by the Graduate School:
- A maximum of 6 applicable Graduate Non- Matriculated (GNM) or graduate-level transfer credits may be applied towards a graduate certificate.
- A maximum of 6 credits of 400-level or 500-level coursework, taken as a senior while an undergraduate at the University of Washington, may be applied towards graduate certificate requirements.
Credit taken while enrolled as a non-matriculated student or while matriculated as a post-baccalaureate student at the University of Washington may not be applied towards graduate certificate requirements.
Credit by independent study or advanced credit examination is not transferable.

Policy 1.2 created: March 2008. Revised: June 2012, July 2022, January 2026.

Policy 1.2.1 revised November 2023