Policy 3.10: Graduate Student Classifications

The following classifications are assigned to graduate students and postdoctoral appointees on the basis of advancement toward or completion of graduate degrees:

Premaster: A Premaster has been admitted to the Graduate School, but has not yet completed a master’s degree or the equivalent.
Post-Master: A Post-master has completed the master’s degree or equivalent, but has not yet had a doctoral Supervisory Committee appointed.
Precandidate: A Precandidate has had a doctoral Supervisory Committee appointed, which signifies admission into a doctoral program, but has not yet completed the Graduate School General Examinations.
Candidacy: A student in candidacy status has completed the General Examination, but has not yet completed the dissertation and final examination.
Postdoctoral: A Postdoctoral appointee has completed a doctoral degree and is engaged in research or scholarly work in residence at the University, but is neither an enrolled student nor a member of the faculty.

When a student is first admitted to the Graduate School, the student is placed in the appropriate classification which recognizes the highest academic degree which the admitted student holds in the field of the proposed graduate work at the University of Washington. When a graduate student officially completes the master’s degree, or has a doctoral Supervisory Committee appointed, or completes the General Examination, the classification is changed accordingly.

Every quarter each graduate program advisor reviews the graduate student list and informs the Graduate School of any changes needed.

Policy 3.10 revised: November 1977; July 2015

Policy 3.9: Posthumous Degrees

The University of Washington Graduate School follows the guidelines outlined by the University for awarding posthumous degrees, which can be found on the Procedure for Awarding Posthumous Degrees at the University of Washington (Seattle) page.

The University of Washington Graduate School recognizes the sense of loss that the student’s family and the university community feel when a student dies. One means of expressing gratitude for an advanced student’s life and work and/or sympathy for the surviving family and friends is to support the nomination of that student for a posthumous degree. The following policy is designed to allow such an award.

Please note: the nomination must be accompanied by a request from the deceased student’s family and does not necessarily mean that the degree will be awarded.

A graduate degree may be awarded to a student who is deceased prior to but nearing formal completion of all degree requirements of the program being pursued.

3.9.1 Requirements for Consideration of a Posthumous Degree

Request is made by a family member(s);
Faculty from the student’s supervisory committee, or equivalent, support the awarding of the posthumous degree;
Student was within two quarters of graduating;
The student was in good academic standing at the time of death. Good standing is defined as not being academically deficient (warn, probation, final probation, drop);
For graduate students in thesis/dissertation programs, significant coursework should have been completed, and the student must have been admitted to candidacy and made tangible progress toward completion of approved research. For example, the student should have produced a dissertation in at least draft form or some other product that was acceptable to the student’s supervisory committee as indicating the expected mastery of material and independent capability in research.
The department chair and the dean of the student’s college/school recommend to the dean of the Graduate School the awarding of the degree.
If the recommendation is denied, the dean of the student’s college/school will notify the family and include a letter of explanation.
The Dean of the Graduate School approves the awarding of the degree.
The Dean of the Graduate School may consider cases that do not meet the above criteria when extraordinary circumstances prevail.

3.9.2 Process

The family makes a request to the university (typically through the student’s faculty/department) for a posthumous degree.
If the student record is not marked as “deceased” in the student database (SDB), the family should provide documentation of the student’s passing (The department can contact Graduate Enrollment Management Services for confirmation of whether or not the student record is marked as “deceased.”).
The student’s department (including the student’s supervisory committee) collects the appropriate documents and reviews the student’s work to make a determination on recommendation of a posthumous degree. The Director of Graduate Enrollment Management Services manages the process for the Graduate School and will create a secure folder for supporting documents to be placed for review by all parties. Documents submitted by the academic unit include:
- Completed Posthumous Degree Request form.
- A copy of the student’s degree audit and/or a copy of the student’s transcript.
- Letter of support from the student’s faculty/supervisory committee articulating the details of the student’s scholarship and recommending the awarding of the posthumous degree.
If the recommendation is supported by the department chair, it is forwarded to the college/school dean.
The dean of the student’s college/school reviews the recommendation and if supported, submits the recommendation and supporting documents to the dean of the Graduate School for formal approval.
The Graduate School will forward the approved request and supporting documentation to the Office of the University Registrar per the instructions on the Posthumous Degree Request form for degree posting and issuing of the diploma.

Policy 3.9 created: December 2022

Policy 3.8: Academic Grievance Procedure

3.8.1 Application

Graduate students who believe they have been subjected to unfair treatment in the administration of academic policies may, except as noted below, seek resolution of the student complaint under this Academic Grievance Procedure. Policy 3.8 applies to the application of departmental, college, or Graduate School policies, as well as deviations from stated grading practices (but not individual grade challenges).

3.8.1.1 Exceptions

Students contesting individual grades or academic evaluations should refer to the Change of Grade Procedure contained in the University Handbook, Vol. Four, Part III, Chapter 11, Section 2.
Students who believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran should refer to the Resolution of Complaints Against University Employees Procedure contained in University of Washington Administrative Policy Statement 46.3.
Student disciplinary proceedings for misconduct, including plagiarism and cheating, fall under the provisions of the Student Conduct Code contained in the University Handbook, Vol. Three, Part III, Chapter 1 and Chapter 478-120 WAC.

3.8.1.2 Timing

Students seeking resolution of the student complaint under this policy must initiate either an informal conciliation or file a formal complaint within three months of the complained of incident. Former students may also utilize this procedure, subject to this same time limit.

Specified time limitations within Academic Grievance Procedure policy refer to the academic year, September through June. If a student presents a grievance in June or the complained of incident allegedly occurred during the summer months, the time calculation may be suspended between the end of the academic year and the opening of the following academic year in September. Such suspension may be required if it is impossible to constitute a committee. In addition, time limitations do not include official University holidays or other closures during the regular academic year. The term “days” refers to days when the University is open for business.

3.8.2 Informal Conciliation

The student is encouraged to attempt to resolve a grievance initially with the faculty or staff member(s) most directly concerned. If the student attempts informal conciliation, the student must initiate this process within three months of the complained of incident by requesting one of the following persons to conciliate the grievance: director/ chair of the unit or the appropriate college dean.

If discussion with the faculty or staff member(s) concerned, facilitated by the director/chair of the unit or the appropriate college dean, does not resolve the grievance, the student may request The Graduate School to assist in an informal resolution. In such a case, the dean of The Graduate School shall designate an associate dean as the informal conciliator for The Graduate School. The associate dean may either facilitate conciliation directly or involve the Office of the Ombudsman. If the associate dean attempts informal conciliation directly, the associate dean may not be involved in a subsequent formal complaint.

If the informal conciliation process has not adequately addressed unfair treatment in the administration of academic policies, the student may submit a formal complaint with the dean of The Graduate School as described below.

3.8.3 Formal Complaint

3.8.3.1 Filing

Within three months of the complained of incident or, if informal conciliation was attempted, within 10 days of the conclusion of the attempted informal process, a student may file a formal complaint with the dean of The Graduate School. The complaint must be initiated by a written statement that indicates the action(s) being appealed and the date(s) the action(s) occurred; the academic policies upon which the appeal is based, and the relief requested. The statement should also include a description of the results of any unit level process or informal conciliation, as well as any background information that the student deems pertinent to the complaint.

Graduate School Associate Deans will review the complaint and recommend to the Dean whether the formal complaint process is warranted. If a formal grievance process is initiated, any Associate Dean involved in this preliminary review and recommendation will not be part of the formal grievance. Evaluation criteria will be whether the complaint centers on unfair treatment in the application of academic policies. This includes departmental, college, or Graduate School policies, as well as deviations from stated grading practices (but not individual grade challenges). The question of whether the grievance has been addressed at the unit level will also be considered and, if appropriate, the grievance may be referred back to the department or college for further review. The Dean will notify the student whether the formal complaint will proceed within 10 days of submission of the formal complaint by the student.

If the decision is made by the Dean of the Graduate School to move forward with the formal complaint, the following processes will be followed.

3.8.3.2 Chair of the Academic Grievance Committee

The dean of The Graduate School shall designate an associate dean of The Graduate School as Chair of the Graduate School Academic Grievance Committee (‘Committee’). If the associate dean attempted to facilitate informal conciliation directly in a particular case, then the dean of The Graduate School shall appoint another associate dean or a graduate faculty member as Chair of the Committee in that case.

3.8.3.3 Graduate School Academic Grievance Committee Pool

Prior to the first day of the autumn quarter, the dean of The Graduate School shall create a pool of at least 20 members of the graduate faculty. At the time the formal complaint is filed, all registered graduate students shall constitute a pool from which at least 20 full-time graduate students who are in good academic standing shall be randomly selected by computer. From these pools, the Committee chair shall appoint a Committee to provide a fair and impartial hearing on the formal complaint filed with the dean of The Graduate School.

3.8.3.4 The Graduate School Academic Grievance

A formal grievance is referred to the chair of the Committee who shall, in a timely manner, designate two faculty and two student members from the pool to serve as Committee members for a hearing. The Committee chair or chair’s designee shall act as chair. The student and the faculty or staff concerned shall each have the right to exercise one preemptory challenge against the Committee members, other than the Committee chair, within five days after notification of the names of the members. If a challenge is made, the Committee chair shall designate another faculty or student member to replace the member challenged. All members of the Committee shall be present for the hearing and shall have the right to vote upon any matter that may come before the Committee. No member of the Committee shall be from the department of any of the parties to the grievance. There shall be no ex parte communications between any of the parties and any member of the Committee.

3.8.3.5 Hearing Preparation

The Committee chair shall distribute a copy of the formal complaint to the faculty and staff concerned, the dean of the college or school, the chair/director of the department/program and the graduate program coordinator of the department/program, and members of the Committee. The Committee chair shall establish a time and place for a hearing to be held no later than 20 days from the date of final determination of the Committee membership, unless for good reason stated in writing to the complainant and other concerned parties the Committee chair schedules the hearing for a later specified date. The Committee chair shall announce the time and place of the hearing to the student, the faculty and staff concerned the dean of the college or school, the chair/director of the department/program, the graduate program coordinator of the department/program and include a list of persons so notified, who shall comprise the ‘mailing list.’

At least seven days before the Hearing, the parties must submit to the Committee chair any documentary or any other physical evidence to be presented at the Hearing and a list of witnesses to be called. Additional evidence from witnesses will not be accepted after this time or at the hearing.

3.8.3.6 Hearing

Hearings are conducted, with the Committee chair presiding, in closed session except when and to the extent mutually agreed upon by the student and faculty or staff concerned. All parties may present evidence and testimony. Only evidence timely submitted to the Committee chair is considered in determining the validity of the complaint. Hearings are conducted with reasonable dispatch and terminated as soon as fairness to all parties involved permits.

While the student may be accompanied by an associate or companion, the presence of an attorney is neither necessary nor recommended. The Graduate School Academic Grievance Committee described herein operates as part of an academic hearing, not a judicial proceeding. However, if the student elects to have counsel present, the University’s attorney must also be afforded an opportunity to attend. Accordingly, the student must notify The Graduate School, in writing, at least seven days prior to the Hearing if the student intends to have an attorney present. The attorney(ies) presence at the Hearing does not change the proceeding. Examination of witnesses, questioning of parties or direct participation in the proceeding by the attorney(ies) is not permitted. An attorney may speak in an unobtrusive manner with the attorney’s client in an advisory capacity.

Within 15 days after the Hearing adjourns, the Committee shall present to the dean of The Graduate School its report, including findings, conclusions, and recommendations for action. The report is simultaneously transmitted to the student and to the faculty and staff member(s) concerned. A written summary of the proceedings and an audio recording of testimony are retained for at least one year.

The dean of The Graduate School, within 10 days after receipt of the Committee report, shall issue the dean’s decision as to the action to be taken on the grievance. The decision shall include an evaluation of the validity of the grievance and a statement of the action to be taken. Copies of the decision shall be transmitted to the student, the faculty and staff member(s) involved, the dean of the college or school, the chair/director of the department/program, and the graduate program coordinator of the department/program.

The decision of the dean of The Graduate School shall become final at the close of the seventh day after issuance, unless the student or any other party directly involved files a written request for consideration of the findings by the Provost, whose review will be limited to the hearing record.

3.8.3.7 Disability Accommodations

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the grievance process students should contact the Office of Academic Affairs at gsacad@uw.edu at the same time as the formal grievance is filed. Faculty and staff participating in the hearing may also request disability accommodation upon receipt of the grievance.

Policy 3.8 revised November 2000; May 2007; February 2023

Policy 3.8.3.7 revised August 2023

Policy 3.7: Academic Performance and Progress

This section articulates policies for the academic performance and progress of graduate students, including guidance on appropriate process for cases where student academic performance does not meet program expectations.

3.7.1 Communicating Performance and Progress Requirements

A student admitted to the Graduate School may continue graduate study and research at the University of Washington as long as the student maintains satisfactory performance and progress toward completion of the student’s graduate degree. The definition of satisfactory academic and professional performance and progress may differ among graduate programs. Each graduate program is required to document and distribute performance and progress requirements to each of its graduate faculty and graduate students upon student enrollment. Documentation shall include the following information:

General expectations for graduate student performance and progress within the program that includes, but is not limited to, required coursework, research, scholarship, professional behavior relevant to the program, fieldwork, practicum requirements, and length of time allowed for completion of various phases of the program.
Performance and progress measures including:
- key academic and professional milestones, as defined by the program.
- expected timelines
- evaluation of progress and milestones by faculty

Performance issues that would lead to warn, probationary, or drop status, as outlined below.
Consequences of not meeting a milestone or expectations, including process and timing for managing repeated attempts at a milestone if graduate program policy permits.
Procedures for appealing program decisions.

3.7.2 Reviewing Performance and Progress

Faculty should assess student progress using a variety of professional behavior and academic metrics to determine if a student has completed sufficient work at reasonable performance levels. It is acceptable to compare a student’s performance and progress relative to that of other students in the program or to individually negotiated schedules if consistently used. The following elements may be considered when evaluating a student’s performances and progress:

Performance and progress in the fulfillment of degree program requirements as outlined in the graduate program’s documentation distributed to students upon enrollment.
Maintenance of a minimum cumulative and quarterly 3.0 grade point average (GPA) while the student is enrolled in the UW Graduate School. A program may petition the Graduate School to consider exceptions to the 3.0 GPA minimum requirement for graduation if the student demonstrates steady and consistent progress.

Program faculty, the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC), Graduate Program Advisor (GPA), or an advisory/supervisory committee designated by the graduate program, are responsible for regular reviews of student performance. At doctoral candidate level, the doctoral supervisory committee reviews student progress and does so, in consultation with the GPC as needed.

The graduate program faculty should review a student’s performance and progress at least annually.
The GPC and GPA should provide ongoing advising of students.
For accelerated or shorter term graduate programs that are six quarters or fewer, student performance and progress should be reviewed quarterly. Unsatisfactory performance may require mid-quarter reviews and interventions.
Students not meeting milestones, including those whose cumulative or quarterly grade point average (GPA) falls below a 3.0, should be reviewed quarterly.
Students not meeting milestones should be provided with a written explanation of performance expectations, clear descriptions of performance benchmarks and outcomes that would demonstrate improvements, and a timetable for demonstrating progress or achievement of these benchmarks.
For students in the research or fieldwork phase of a graduate program, program faculty should review student progress at least annually, with greater frequency as determined by program expectations and student performance.

3.7.3 Unsatisfactory Performance and Progress

The following three status levels are used to indicate unsatisfactory performance, to communicate clear expectations to the student, and consequences should those expectations not be met in the time indicated. The goal of each step is to establish clear expectations and outline a path to return to satisfactory progress.

Warn: This is an early status for a student who has failed to meet expectations for performance or progress. Warnings are optional in the probation process and are managed internally by the program with a goal of resolving problems before escalating to probation. The program may issue multiple warning letters to the student and the Graduate School is not notified. The Graduate School recommends that programs use the warning status prior to a probation status.
Probation: This status is used for a student who has failed to resolve problems with student performance or progress that the program has previously documented and communicated to the student. Programs send a probation recommendation to the student with a copy to the Graduate School no later than the 10th business day of the probation quarter. The Graduate School does a post review of probation letters sent to students by the department. At least one quarter of probation must be issued prior to final probation. Two additional quarters of probation may be issued at the program’s discretion and the Graduate School must receive documents supporting a probation recommendation each quarter. All probation letters must cite:
- the reason for the probation
- steps the student must take to remove the probation
- the consequences the student will face if steps were not taken to remove the probation
Final Probation: This status is used for a student who has failed to resolve the documented problems in the student’s probation status as submitted to the Graduate School. Programs send a final probation recommendation to the student with a copy to the Graduate School no later than the 10^th business day of the final probation quarter. The Graduate School will review the final probation letter and, if accepted, the Graduate School will send an additional letter from the Dean of the Graduate School to the student informing the student of final probation status. The graduate program must issue one quarter of final probation prior to a drop from the program, except in clearly documented situations as discussed below. A program may request an additional quarter of final probation in extenuating circumstances. The Graduate School must receive documents supporting this recommendation and will send letters to the student informing the student of final probation status. All final probation letters must cite:
- the reason for the final probation
- steps the student must take to remove the final probation
- the consequences the student will face if steps were not taken to remove the final probation

A graduate program may recommend a student be placed on probation status while the student is on leave. The program may not change a student’s probationary status while the student remains on leave. The student must apply for leave status each quarter which is then approved by the department (see Policy 3.5).

Additional considerations as described in the graduate program policy provided to students may result in an immediate recommendation to drop a student without progressing through Probation and Final Probation. The most common examples of this are unsatisfactory performance in the following:

Qualifying or Preliminary Examinations: As defined in a graduate program policy.
Doctoral General Exam or Final Exam performance: if graduate faculty determine the student did not pass the general or final exam, the graduate faculty may indicate on the committee signature form that the student is recommended to be dropped from the program. See Policy 1.1 for general exam and final exam requirements.
Fieldwork or professional performance: As defined in a graduate program policy.

To request a change to student status, the GPC must send a letter to the Graduate School with supporting documentation. A status change is recorded in the student record but does not appear on the student transcript.

A student in a probation status who is not on an approved On-Leave status may submit a request
for reinstatement. If reinstated, the department will determine if the student will be reinstated
with the probation status in place when the student left the university based on the program’s
internal academic performance and progress policy. See Policy 3.5 for leave policy to maintain graduate student status.

3.7.4 Drop

Drop is an official action that terminates a student’s enrollment from a graduate program because either the student has failed to resolve documented problems in the student’s final probation status, or the student has one of the performance issues as outlined above. Graduate programs should submit drop recommendations to the Graduate School prior to the start of the quarter but no later than the fifth business day of the drop quarter. The Graduate School approves the drop, and drop status will appear on the student’s official transcript. Drop letters are sent to the student from the department and from the Dean of the Graduate School. When dropped, a student is not eligible to complete the program or return later to complete the degree. A student dropped from one graduate program may apply to and enroll in a different graduate program if accepted.

3.7.5 Appeals

Appeals must follow the process outlined in Policy 3.8 for the Academic Grievance Procedure.

Policy 3.7 revised: October 2021

Policy 3.6: Graduate Registration Waiver

A student must maintain registration as a full-time or part-time graduate student for the quarter the degree or certificate is conferred. However, certain eligible students may be allowed to graduate the following quarter without being required to register by paying the Graduate Registration Waiver Fee.

3.6.1 Eligibility

The student must have been registered for the previous quarter and meet one of the two following criteria:

A thesis or dissertation student has completed all Graduate School and graduate program degree requirements (courses, examinations, etc.), the thesis or dissertation has been approved for submission by the student’s committee, and the student needs additional time for formatting the document.
A non-thesis master’s student has completed all Graduate School and graduate program degree requirements (courses, examinations, etc.), but missed the master’s degree request deadline.

3.6.2 Process Requirements

The thesis or dissertation must be submitted in the UW ETD Administrator Site no later than 14 calendar days following the last day of the quarter in which all degree requirements were met.

Thesis master’s students must submit a new master’s degree request within the first week (5 weekdays) of the quarter in which the student will graduate.
Non-thesis master’s students must submit a new master’s degree request by the last day of instruction for the quarter in which the student will graduate
All students must pay the Graduate Registration Waiver Fee by the last day of instruction for the quarter in which the student will graduate.

3.6.3 Exclusions

The following do not meet eligibility requirements for the Graduate Registration Waiver

Students with unfinished capstone or culminating project requirements with the exception of the thesis or dissertation formatting
Students with Incomplete coursework
Students who were on leave the previous quarter
Thesis or dissertation students requiring content revisions to the document

3.6.4 International Students

F-1 and J-1 students who are planning to remain in the U.S. after completing degree requirements must notify International Student Services (ISS) of the student’s new expected degree conferral date and that the student is using the Graduate Registration Waiver. ISS may need to update I-20 or DS-2019 documents to reflect the completion of degree requirements.

Policy 3.6 created: December 2022

Policy 3.5: On-Leave Policy to Maintain Graduate Student Status

To maintain graduate status, a student must be enrolled on a full-time, part-time, or official on-leave basis from the time of first enrollment in the Graduate School until completion of all requirements for the graduate degree. (Summer quarter on-leave enrollment is automatic for all graduate students who were either registered or officially on-leave during the prior spring quarter.) Failure to maintain either continuous enrollment or on-leave status constitutes evidence that the student has resigned from the Graduate School.

A student who has registered for a quarter may not submit a petition for on-leave status for that specific quarter unless the student officially withdraws from all courses before the first day of that quarter. Students who have been registered for even one day of a quarter are deemed to have status for the quarter and will be eligible to register for classes or apply for on-leave for the following quarter (spring enables registration for summer or autumn); the student’s email account will be active for the quarter, but library privileges will not be maintained once courses are dropped.

If a student who is in on-leave status registers in any other status, i.e. Non-Matriculated or Graduate Non-Matriculated, it will terminate the student’s official on-leave status for that quarter, even if the student subsequently drops those courses.

3.5.1 On-Leave Eligibility

To be eligible for on-leave status, a student must meet all of the following:

Be in good academic standing unless on an official probation status as described in Graduate School Policy 3.7.
Be registered or on leave as a graduate student at the University of Washington the quarter immediately prior to going on leave
Not be registered the first day of the quarter the student goes on leave.
Satisfy any graduate program policies pertaining to going/remaining on-leave
Eligible international students will be required to consult with International Student Services regarding the student’s immigration status prior to final approval
Request leave on a quarterly basis and pay a non-refundable, quarterly fee

3.5.2 Access to University Resources While on Leave

On-leave students are entitled to the following:

use of the University libraries
access to student email accounts
use of the Hall Health Primary Care Center on a pay-for-service basis
pay for use of the IMA

On-leave students are not entitled to the following:

extensive faculty and staff counsel
examinations of any type (except for language competency)
thesis/dissertation filing
appointments as Academic Student Employees
University housing
student insurance
any form of financial assistance

3.5.3 Reinstatement to the Graduate School if On-Leave Status was Not Secured and Registration Not Maintained

Students previously registered in the Graduate School who have failed to maintain graduate student status but wish to resume studies within the same degree program must file a request for reinstatement to the Graduate School. Requests will first be reviewed and approved by the department. Once the department has approved the request and the Graduate School has confirmed students’ eligibility for reinstatement, students will be notified to pay a non-refundable reinstatement fee before registering for the requested quarter of reinstatement.

3.5.4 Time to Degree and Limits for On-Leave Status

See Graduate School Policy 1.1 for limitations on time to degree and relationship to on-leave status.

Policy 3.5 revised: November 2021; December 2022

Policy 3.4: Visiting Graduate Student Status

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.

3.4.1 Enrollment for Visiting Graduate Student Status

There are two pathways to enroll with Visiting Graduate Student status, described below.

3.4.1.1 Enrollment by Graduate Students in Good Standing at Another Institution

Graduate students who are actively pursuing a graduate degree (Master’s, Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.) at another college or university may be hosted by the University of Washington as visiting graduate students. Visiting Graduate Student status allows these students to take graduate courses at the University of Washington without pursuing a University of Washington graduate degree. Visiting graduate student status does not confer priority for later admission to a graduate program. The length of enrollment is determined by the number of quarters approved by the home institution and the University of Washington graduate program that hosts the visiting graduate applicant. Visiting graduate students may hold this status in only one graduate program at a time and may not hold any other student status while enrolled as a visiting graduate student.

Admissions criteria for visiting graduate student applicants in good standing at another institution:

The student must have been admitted to a recognized domestic or international graduate school, be in good standing, and actively pursuing a graduate degree at that institution.
The student must be approved by a University of Washington graduate degree granting department/program and the University of Washington Graduate School.
Students who are non-native English speakers must meet Graduate School Policy 3.2.

3.4.1.2 Enrollment by Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTA)

Fulbright FLTA (Foreign Language Teaching Assistants) may also be hosted by UW departments in Visiting Graduate Student status at the University of Washington. Visiting Graduate Student status allows these students to take graduate courses at the University of Washington without pursuing a University of Washington graduate degree. It is the department’s and the FLTA student’s responsibility to ensure the student meets enrollment requirements of the FLTA program.

Admissions criteria for Fulbright FLTA applicants:

There are no University of Washington Graduate School admissions criteria for native speakers of English who have been accepted into the FLTA program.
Students who are non-native English speakers must meet Graduate School policy on English Language Proficiency Requirements and Conditions of Appointment for TAs who are not Native Speakers of English.

3.4.2 Performance Expectations

In order to continue in Visiting Graduate Student status, students must maintain the standard minimum Graduate School cumulative grade point average of 3.0.

Policy 3.4 created: March 2022

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.

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.

Policy 2.1 revised: August 2021; December 2022

Policy 1.6: Sequential Combined Undergraduate/Graduate (CUG) Degrees

Graduate programs may create a sequential combined undergraduate/graduate (CUG) degree program according to the following guidelines. The program must submit a proposal to the Office of Academic Affairs and Planning in the Graduate School for each degree combination.

View the guidelines for proposals →

The intent of a CUG program is to allow exceptional University of Washington undergraduate students a seamless transition from undergraduate education into graduate education at the University of Washington. The CUG allows students to identify and plan a graduate course of study during junior year as an undergraduate, in consultation with the student’s program advisor(s). In addition, CUG programs may allow a defined amount of graduate-level coursework that was completed as an undergraduate to count toward the graduate degree, as detailed below.

1.6.1 Admissions

The CUG program is responsible for creating a CUG program admissions process. Admission will occur no earlier than when a student has junior standing. The admission processes for students applying to the CUG while still in their undergraduate course of study is managed by the CUG program and does not include a Graduate School application until students are ready to transition into the graduate program. The specific timeline and CUG admissions criteria will be outlined by the specific program the student is applying to, and application to the CUG program will be open to all students meeting the published CUG program admissions criteria. The qualifications for admission to the CUG program must assure that students have the appropriate background to successfully complete the program. The student is responsible for applying to the Graduate School and meeting the minimum Graduate School admissions requirements before being allowed to enroll as a graduate student.

Students will not be registered simultaneously as both an undergraduate and a graduate student. Until the undergraduate degree is awarded, students are considered undergraduates with regard to all policy and tuition considerations. Undergraduate degree and credit requirements must be fully satisfied, at which point the bachelor’s degree will be awarded and the student will officially enter the graduate program. The program will create clear set of minimum requirements for CUG continuation.

The graduate program may design different admissions criteria to the graduate program for CUG students, for example waiving the GRE requirement. No more than one year may elapse between undergraduate degree completion and enrolling in the graduate program. The program may set a shorter limit.

1.6.2 Credit Applied toward the Graduate Degree

The graduate program will define a policy regarding the amount and type of previously approved, 400-level and 500-level coursework taken as an undergraduate that can be applied toward the graduate degree, with a maximum of 12 credits allowed. These credits must be taken as an undergraduate student, but after admission to the CUG program, and must fulfill the specified graduate degree requirements. Courses numbered 600 (Independent Study or Research), 601 (Internship), or 700 (Master’s Thesis) may not be taken before the student is registered as a graduate student.

1.6.3 Time Limits

Students must comply with the regular time limits for completion of the graduate degree, beginning from the time of entry to the Graduate School (6 years for a master’s program; 10 years for a doctoral program).

1.6.4 Graduate Student Appointments

Students may be appointed as an Academic Student Employee (ASE) in a graduate student service appointment as soon as enrolled as a graduate student. The student may hold an undergraduate ASE appointment until that time.

1.6.5 Advising

Upon the student’s acceptance to the CUG program, the unit is responsible for providing coordinated advising and for creating clear documentation about the plan of study. Both student and advisor must sign off on a written plan, to be included in the student’s record (kept on file by the program).

Policy 1.6 created March 2008. Revised: January 2015; October 2021

Policy 1.6.1 revised February 2024

Policy 1.5: Concurrent Degree Programs

Concurrent programs are defined as a pair of programs that may be pursued at the UW by a post baccalaureate student resulting in completion of the requirements for either two graduate degrees or a graduate and a professional degree as defined in Executive Order VII. Rather than sequentially completing first one degree and then the other, the student’s time and the University’s resources may be conserved by arrangements that permit the student to proceed in a coordinated way toward completion of the degree programs. Graduate School policy allows for both formal and informal concurrent degree programs, as described below. A student may also pursue other options to combine study in two or more fields.

Concurrent enrollment in two or more degree programs may have significant impact on student tuition and fees. See Student Fiscal Services for more information on tuition and fees when students are concurrently enrolled.

1.5.1 Formal Concurrent Degree Programs

Graduate School policy defines a formal concurrent degree program as a curriculum established by two participating academic units resulting in completion of two graduate degrees or a graduate and a professional degree. Formal concurrent degree programs must be reviewed and approved by the Graduate School, and students in formal concurrent degree programs are designated by unique program codes.

There are two types of formal concurrent degree programs: Graduate/Graduate Concurrent Degrees and Graduate/Professional Concurrent Degrees.

1.5.1.1 Graduate/Graduate Concurrent Degrees

The Graduate School allows formal concurrent degree programs which lead to the awarding of two graduate degrees. The Graduate Program Coordinators in the two programs involved are the primary representatives and are responsible for providing information and assistance to students engaged in concurrent programs.

1.5.1.1.1 Admission

An applicant who is not currently a student at the University of Washington must submit an application and fee for each program. Both programs must offer admission before admission into the concurrent degree program is granted.

Students who are currently enrolled must submit an application and fee for the second program, indicating on the application that the intent is to complete both degrees rather than to transfer to the second program.

1.5.1.1.2 Registration

After initial registration, a student must maintain continuous enrollment by (1) registering as a full-time or part-time student each quarter or (2) applying for on-leave status.

1.5.1.1.3 Requirements

To earn two master’s degrees in a formal concurrent degree program, a student must complete the equivalent of two Graduate School minimum degree requirements of 36 credits each for a minimum total of 72 credits. If one or both of the participating programs require more than the minimum of 36 credits, those additional credits may be “shared” and applied to both degrees. Further, a maximum of 12 credits from one master’s program, earned beyond the 36 credit minimum, may be applied in the second master’s program towards the Graduate School minimum of 36 credits required. In this case, the minimum number of additional credits for the second degree, with the 12 approved credits, is 24. In all cases the total minimum required credits remains 72. For formal concurrent degree programs, both programs must approve the shared credits counting toward both degrees. A formal concurrent degree program may allow a shared thesis as described within the formal concurrent degree proposal. The proposing programs should follow the best practices guidelines developed by the Graduate School Council (Concurrent Degrees Shared Thesis Best Practices) and articulate these in the proposal sent to the Graduate School.

For formal Ph.D./master’s degree concurrent programs, up to 12 credits earned toward a Ph.D. degree may be counted toward a master’s degree in another program with the approval of both degree offering units.

It is the responsibility of the student to submit a written list of courses which apply toward each respective degree at the time the student files an application for the master’s degree or schedules the general examination. This list must be approved by both programs.

1.5.1.2 Graduate/Professional Concurrent Degrees

The Graduate School allows formal concurrent degree programs which lead to the awarding of a professional degree and a graduate degree. The professional degrees referred to in this section are those defined in Executive Order VII: the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.); Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S); Juris Doctor (J.D.); and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.).

The Graduate Program Coordinators are the primary representatives of the professional schools and the graduate-degree offering units. The Graduate Program Coordinator is responsible for providing information and assistance to the student engaged in a concurrent program. Another source of information may be the Graduate Enrollment Management Services Division of the Graduate School.

1.5.1.2.1 Admission

An applicant who is not currently a student at the University must apply for admission to both the professional school and the Graduate School.

A student currently in a professional program at the University of Washington must submit a Graduate School Application and fee.

A current graduate student must submit an application and fee for the professional program as required by that program.

1.5.1.2.2 Registration

After initial registration, a student must maintain continuous enrollment by (1) registering as a full-time or part-time student each quarter or (2) by applying for on-leave status.

1.5.1.2.3 Requirements

All graduate program and Graduate School minimum requirements must be met by appropriate graduate courses. It is the responsibility of the student to submit a written list of courses which apply toward the graduate degree at the time the student applies for the graduate degree. This list must be approved by both programs.

1.5.2 Informal Concurrent Degree Programs

Students may pursue two degrees from different departments simultaneously in an informal concurrent degree program. These programs have not been approved as formal concurrent programs and do not have unique program codes, but students have flexibility to ‘share’ coursework, given the approval of both programs.

1.5.2.1 Admission

Current graduate students wishing to pursue an informal concurrent degree program must go to the Graduate School online application and submit an application and fee for the second program.

1.5.2.2 Registration

After initial registration, a student must maintain continuous enrollment by registering as a full-time or part-time student each quarter, OR applying for on-leave status.

1.5.2.3 Requirements for students first enrolling prior to Autumn Quarter 2023 and maintaining continuous enrollment

To earn two master’s degrees, a student must fulfill Graduate School degree requirements for each degree for a minimum of 72 credits. If one or both of the individual programs require more than the minimum of 36 credits, those additional credits may be ‘shared’ and applied to both degrees. However, the total number of credits must be at least 72 and both programs must approve the shared credits counting toward both degrees. Theses and thesis credits may not be shared.

With the approval of both degree-offering units, up to 12 credits earned toward a PhD degree may be counted toward a master’s degree in another program.

1.5.2.4 Requirements for students first enrolling Autumn Quarter 2023 or later

To earn two master’s degrees, a student must fulfill the existing degree requirements for each degree. If one or both of the individual programs require more than 36 credits, up to 12 of the credits beyond 36 may be ‘shared’ and applied to both sets of degree requirements. The total number of credits must be at least 72 and both programs must approve the shared credits counting toward both degrees. Theses and thesis credits may not be shared.

With the approval of both degree-offering units, up to 12 credits earned toward a PhD degree may be counted toward a master’s degree in another program.

Policy 1.5 revised: June 1996; April 2022; January 2023

Policy 1.5.1.1 revised January 2023

Policy 1.5.1.2 revised January 2023