Our Academic Regulations

1. To be eligible for admission to Washington State University, an applicant must be a high school graduate or its equivalent, or have completed a more advanced transferable credential from a regionally accredited college or university (e.g., a transferable Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree).
2. The total number of new students admitted for any one semester will be based on the number of students for whom facilities can be made available.
3. Appeal of admission decisions may be made only to the Admissions Subcommittee of the Academic Affairs Committee or its designee.
4. Anyone seeking admittance to the Graduate School must follow procedures in the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual available in the Graduate School.
5. The university reserves a limited number of spaces in the incoming class for the admission of students with exceptional talent. Refer to the admission of students with extraordinary talents component of the Admissions policies section of the university catalog.

Freshman applicants are considered for admission based on required high school courses completed, grade point average and the results of the Washington Pre-College Test (WPCT), if taken prior to June 1, 1989, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or the American College Test (ACT), and personal statement. On the basis of these criteria, the most qualified applicants are offered admission. Applicants are required to submit a high school transcript showing completion of the following:

Applicants from unaccredited high schools may be required to pass validating examinations.

1. Applicants who have completed a transferable Associate’s degree from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution will be admitted as space allows.
2. Applicants without a transferable Associate’s degree, but with at least 27 semester (40 quarter) hours of transferable credit from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution normally may be admitted as space allows provided they have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average. Applicants whose cumulative grade point average is lower than a 2.5 will have their academic record reviewed more comprehensively to determine admission eligibility.
3. Applicants with fewer than 27 semester (40 quarter) hours of transferable credit will be considered for admission if they also meet the freshman requirements. Applicants whose cumulative transfer grade point average is lower than a 2.5 may have their academic record reviewed more comprehensively to determine admission eligibility.
4. In evaluating admission credentials of students with transfer work whose cumulative transfer grade point average is below a 2.00, all of the post-secondary transfer credit from a previous institution may be disregarded, provided the work was completed not less than four years before the time of enrollment at Washington State University. Application of this policy is contingent upon the evidence of extenuating circumstances that present a significant probability of future academic success. The Faculty Admissions Subcommittee or its designee in the Office of Admissions will consider these admission requests. After the student has completed 15 semester hours of satisfactory work at WSU, the student may petition to restore the credits previously withheld. All credit earned in courses graded C or better will be considered for restoration and, if approved, only the courses and credit (not grades or grade points) will be restored.

(See Rule 114)

1. Colleges and universities must be regionally accredited for transfer credit to be awarded.
2. Ninety semester hours shall be the maximum allowed by transfer toward a four-year degree, and 120 semester hours shall be the maximum amount allowed by transfer toward a five-year degree.
3. The maximum combined lower-division transfer credit allowed from regionally accredited institutions, CLEP (College Level Examination Program), AP (Advanced Placement), IB (International Baccalaureate), and military credit shall be 73 semester hours toward a baccalaureate degree irrespective of when those hours were earned.
4. Two full years of credit and completion of lower-division University Common Requirements (UCOREs) normally will be granted to students who have been awarded the Direct Transfer Associate (DTA) degree from a Washington community college. The Associate of Arts—Oregon transfer degree from an Oregon community college guarantees completion of the lower-division University Common Requirements (UCOREs), but does not guarantee junior standing or 60 semester credits. Certain approved Associate’s degrees from Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Idaho may also be considered to have fulfilled the lower-division University Common Requirements (UCOREs) for graduation, but do not guarantee junior status (60 semester credits). For details on specific degrees consult the Office of Admissions.
5. Students who have completed at least 70 transferable quarter credit hours toward completion of an approved AA degree may complete the Direct Transfer Associate (DTA) degree from a Washington or Oregon two-year college after their initial enrollment at WSU.
6. Students who have completed the Associate of Science Transfer (AST) degree from a Washington community college will receive the same priority consideration for admission to the baccalaureate institution as they would for completing the direct transfer associate degree and will be given junior status. Additional University Common Requirements, cultural diversity, and/or world language requirements, as required by Washington State University, must be met prior to the completion of a baccalaureate degree. Students are responsible for checking specific major requirements in the year prior to transferring.
7. Completion of lower-division University Common Requirements (UCOREs) will be granted to students who have completed all of the lower-division general education curriculum at another regionally accredited Washington baccalaureate institution, provided the sending institution so certifies.

Students entering with advanced standing must earn twice as many grade points for graduation as the number of hours which they have enrolled in this or any other institution.

Students who have taken college-level, academic work at institutions that are not regionally accredited but are nationally accredited may petition for transfer of appropriate credits. Petitions may be filed after the student has completed a minimum of one semester (minimum of 15 credits) of satisfactory work at Washington State University. To receive credit, a student must have earned a minimum grade of C in the course for which he or she is requesting transfer credit. Petitions are reviewed and approved first by the Department Chair and then by the College Dean from the unit that offers courses in that discipline. The Vice Provost or designee reviews and approves petitions in cases where there is no equivalent WSU unit. Following approval by the Department and College (or Vice Provost or designee), the petition is then forwarded to the Chair of the Admission Subcommittee for review and approval. Students may contact the Office of Admissions for more information.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATIONS. Subject to standards established in consultation with academic departments concerned, credit may be granted to entering or enrolled undergraduate students via various means including external examinations, institutional examinations, and approved military service schools. WSU does not accept credit by exam granted by other institutions. Credits by examination shall yield no grade points. Such credits may partially fulfill University Common Requirements (UCOREs) for graduation. External examinations will include but not be limited to:

Advanced Placement (AP) Program examinations of the College Entrance Examinations Board; general and subject College Level Examination Program (CLEP); and the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Students may request to take a course at WSU for which they have been awarded AP, IB, or CLEP credit.  Prompted by the request, the AP, IB, or CLEP credit is removed from the overall credits awarded by WSU.  Only the subsequent enrollment in the WSU course will contribute to the total hours earned and grade point average; the AP, IB, or CLEP credit cannot be reconsidered for credit for the same course again.  Students submit the request to ask for the WSU course to be allowed and for the AP credit to be omitted to the Registrar's Office. 

(a) Advanced Placement Program. Credit for AP examinations will be granted in an amount equal to the 100-200-level course or courses in the particular discipline tested, as approved by the specific academic department. The acceptable score for receiving credit is published online at http://www.wsu.edu/future-students/admission/advanced-placement.html.

(b) College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

(1) Students with university junior standing (60 semester credits or more) are not eligible for credit through CLEP examinations. Contact the Office of Admissions for specifics.

(2) General and Subject Examinations:  Credit for CLEP will be granted if the examination is passed with scores established by the department concerned in consultation with the Director of Admission. Credit will be granted for scores at the 50th percentile or above. Credit will be granted for the comparable Washington State University course, or elective credit may be granted. Not more than 6 semester hours of credit will be granted for each examination.

(c) Challenge Examinations. Matriculated students currently registered at Washington State University, with permission of their advisor or department chairperson and of the chairperson of the department offering the course, may take challenge examinations for university credit in courses in which they are not registered. Students may not take challenge examinations in courses which they have audited, or in which they have received a final grade. Upper-division students may not receive credit by challenge examination in lower-division courses in their major field. Undergraduate students may not receive credit by challenge examination in any course prerequisite to a course in which they are enrolled or have received a final grade. The maximum credit for challenge examinations is 30 semester hours unless permission is obtained from the student’s academic dean. The fee for all challenge petitions is $409 per course.

(d) Military Credit. Lower-division elective credit only will be granted for satisfactory completion of:

(1) Military service schools in the amount recommended by the American Council of Education in the publication, Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces.

(2) United States Armed Forces Institute correspondence courses (under the rules applicable to other correspondence work).

(3) DANTES Credit: Elective credit for DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs) will be granted for college-level academic subjects (non-vocational/technical courses) using the minimum score and credit amount recommendations of the American Council on Education.

(e) Peace Corps and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) Credit for training in the Peace Corps or VISTA will be granted for having completed specific courses, under regular catalog course numbers, as shown on a regular transcript from an accredited college or university.

(f) Other Test Programs. Credit for other testing programs such as the Washington Pre-College Test Program and WSU departmental placement examinations will be granted in accordance with policies established by the university and academic departments.

An auditor is a class visitor permitted on a space-available basis to observe class discussions but not take examinations or consume the instructor’s time. Attendance in class beyond three visitations requires official approval on the Request for Permit to Audit card. Students may seek permission, after the start of classes, to audit a lecture course by securing the approval of the class instructor. Those wishing to audit or change from credit to audit must pay the appropriate fee and submit the signed audit card to the Office of the Registrar before the end of the fourth week of instruction in the semester. An enrollment change from audit to credit is limited to the first two weeks of instruction. A maximum of two audits are allowed for any semester or term. A registration fee per audit hour is charged for any semester or term for other than regularly enrolled full-fee-paying students. Senior citizens are exempt from this fee under the provisions of RCW 28B.15.540, provided the prescribed eligibility requirements are met. Personnel who have received authorization for the faculty/staff fee waiver are exempt from the audit fee up to 6 hours (including audits) in any one semester or 4 hours (including audits) in the summer session. Said limitation includes any combination of credit and audit hours. Audit fee is non-refundable.

No university credit will be allowed for auditing courses, nor may students apply for or take special examinations for university credit in courses which they have audited. Students may not take challenge examinations (see Rule 15c) in courses they have audited. (Audit enrollments will be recorded on the student’s permanent record by listing the departmental prefix, course number and the statement, “OFFICIAL AUDIT NO CREDIT.”)

The presence of our one-day holidays in the academic calendar leads to fewer days of instruction for certain classes. Instructors have authority to require students to make-up lecture and laboratory contact hours, including scheduling such hours on evenings and Saturdays, whenever university holidays create unequal opportunities and time demands for students enrolled in the course. The make-up hours for a given course or section must be identified in the WSU Schedule of Classes and also in the course syllabus.

Freshman Standing —below 30 semester hours; Sophomore Standing—30 to 59 1/2 hours; Junior Standing—60 to 89 1/2 hours; Senior Standing—90 and above hours.

Academic credit is a measure of the total minimum time commitment required of a typical student in a specific course. For the WSU semester system one semester credit is assigned for a minimum of 45 hours. The expected time commitment may include: 1) time spent in scheduled course activities organized by an instructor (lectures, discussions, workbooks, videotapes, laboratories, studios, fieldwork, etc.); 2) time spent in group activities related to course requirements; and 3) time spent in reading, studying, problem solving, writing, and other preparations for the course. The minimum in-class time commitment, based on a 15-week semester and a traditional format, should follow these guidelines: 1) lecture—1 hour of lecture per week for each credit hour; 2) laboratory—3 hours of laboratory per week for each credit hour; 3) studio—2 hours of studio work per week for each credit hour; 4) ensemble—4 hours of ensemble work per week for each credit hour. The minimum time commitment for independent study is 3 hours of work per week for each credit hour. Courses taught in different time frames than the 15-week semester or in a different format need to define how the time commitment leads to the achievement of stated course goals. Achievement of course goals may require more than the minimum time commitment.

High school students may enroll at Washington State University provided they are admitted to the university and pay the appropriate fees. Such enrollments may be for high school or university credit or both. For fall and spring semesters, all eligible high school students enroll through Running Start. For Summer Session, special fees may apply.

No university credit shall be given for work from high schools or vocational business colleges. Recognized exceptions are College Board Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB), for which official score reports are required to award credit. Students are awarded transfer credit for Running Start (RS), College in the High School (CHS) and similar programs only when official college transcripts are presented. Credit is not granted on the basis of the high school transcript.

Washington State University encourages students to complete rigorous college preparatory courses in high school, or to take college courses while in high school if they have adequate preparation. In some cases college credit may be awarded when consistent with the following criteria.

1. High School Courses: Some high schools may offer instruction at the college level, and when consistent with university and academic department policies, college credit will be awarded if student achievement is validated by an approved national examination such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate, or a review or examination administered by the university.
2. Running Start Program:
   1. Credit will be awarded for college courses taken prior to high school graduation when such courses are completed through the state of Washington’s Running Start Program.
   2. Courses offered by Washington State University to high school students participating in Running Start will have an enrollment of at least 70% of regularly admitted students in each course section.
3. Other Courses: College credit may be awarded for courses taken in high school when consistent with the following conditions:
   1. The course must also be currently available on the campus of the regionally accredited college or university and must be listed in the college or university catalog. The course, regardless of setting, must use the college or university curriculum.
   2. Students interested in credit must register and pay fees at the beginning of the term and would be subject to the same grading and tuition refund policies as students on the campus of the regionally accredited college or university.
   3. The faculty teaching the course in high school must carry a regular or adjunct faculty appointment at the regionally accredited college or university.
   4. The students taking the course in the high school must be assessed and graded in the same manner as students taking the course on the campus of the regionally accredited college or university. Student work, whether completed for the course offered on-campus or at the high school, must be graded and evaluated by the same standards.

Students may repeat a course in which they have received a grade of C- or below, or a withdrawal (W), or when a course may be repeated for additional credit. Students may enroll more than once in the same course in any given term (fall, spring, or summer) provided that the particular periods of enrollment do not overlap and that other conditions for allowed repeats are met.

1. Repeating courses graded C- or below. To attempt to improve the cumulative grade point average, a student may repeat courses in which a C- or below was received. When such a course is repeated, only the last grade contributes to the grade point average and total hours earned. Students may repeat a course graded C- or below one time at WSU.  Additional repeats are allowed at WSU by special permission of the academic unit offering the course.  Repeats are allowed as transfer credit from another institution.  However, the series of repeats and grades is retained on the student’s academic record.
   1. Only courses identified as acceptable equivalents according to the appropriate department, the Transfer Guide, or the Admissions Office are treated as repeats. If courses deemed equivalent in content differ in credit hours, the credit hours of the repeat course supersede the credit hours of the original course.
   2. Once a student has graduated from WSU, repeated courses cannot change the pre-degree transcript.
2. Repeating for additional credit.
   1. Some courses have been approved for repeat credit, i.e., the student may re-enroll in the course during a subsequent term and credit may be accumulated. Such courses are designated in the WSU catalog as “May be repeated for credit” and will list the maximum credit limitation.
   2. Courses which have been approved for repeat credit, such as topics, may offer multiple sections of a course during any one term. Students may enroll in more than one section of these courses in any one term provided that the specified particular topics and titles differ.

Washington State University expects students to maintain academic standards of excellence and make satisfactory academic progress toward their degree objectives.  Undergraduate students are in good academic standing if both their current WSU semester and cumulative grade point averages are 2.00 or above, and/or they are eligible to be enrolled.  Students not meeting the criteria above are considered academically deficient.

Undergraduate students whose semester (excluding summer session) or cumulative grade point average drops below a 2.0 for the first time must apply for reinstatement to continue their enrollment at Washington State University.  Students are placed on probation after reinstatement.  Certified majors on academic probation may be decertified by the academic department.

Undergraduate students are dismissed from the University after the third semester (excluding summer session) in which the cumulative grade point average is below 2.0.  Individuals who are dismissed from the University may not enroll in courses at WSU, including on-line and branch campus courses, for two full academic semesters.  Dismissed individuals will also not be able to seek status as a 'non-degree seeking student.'

Former students may seek reinstatement after two semesters by completing the academic reinstatement process.  Former students petitioning for academic reinstatement must, as part of the reinstatement petition process, provide documentation that demonstrates potential for academic success at WSU.  If seeking reinstatement after more than two semesters, former students must also apply for readmission to the University through the Office of Admissions.  All academic coursework from other institutions completed during dismissed status must be documented and official transcripts submitted to the Office of Admissions.

An undergraduate student who has been reinstated after becoming deficient under Rule 38 or 39 will be on academic probation. The specific conditions of enrollment for students who are on official probation will be determined by the interviewer or Review Board. Students on probation who fail to comply with the conditions of their probationary enrollment will be dismissed from the University.

Students enrolled in professional programs (e.g., clinical courses in nursing) that involve human health care may be subject to more stringent requirements in grading, repeating course work, and retention provided the more stringent requirements are approved through Faculty Senate channels and are published and are made available to students prior to certification. Students are referred to the nursing and pharmacy offices for specific requirements.

Former WSU students, dismissed under any academic deficiency rule, who have not been enrolled at WSU for four years or more may request at the time that they apply for readmission and reinstatement that all previous WSU work be disregarded. This includes all credits and grade points earned. Once the student is officially enrolled following the first day of the term, the student’s transcript will be marked to indicate that the previous work is not considered as credit earned. After completion of 15 semester hours of course work with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher at WSU, the student may petition to restore credits earned in courses graded C or better. If approved, only the courses and credit, not grades or grade points, will be restored. Requests for reinstatement and petitions for credit restoration for former WSU students will be considered by the Review Board in the Center for Advising and Career Development on the Pullman campus, WSU Online, or designated office on other campuses.

Washington State University is guided by a commitment to excellence embodied in a set of core values. The university aims to create an environment that cultivates individual virtues and institutional integrity in the community. The mission of the university is supported when students uphold and take responsibility for the full scope of these values. The university’s core values are identified in its strategic plan. Under the terms of enrollment, students acknowledge the university’s authority to take disciplinary action for conduct on or off university property that is detrimental to the university’s core values. Students who violate the university Standards of Conduct are subject to discipline, which may include temporary or permanent removal from the university. (See the Standards of Conduct for Students.)

Cases of academic dishonesty shall be processed in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy, as printed in the Student Handbook and the Faculty Manual and as available from the Office of Student Standards and Accountability.

All students will be required to take the regulation placement tests as a prerequisite to enrollment in appropriate courses.

Pass, fail options are available for undergraduate and graduate students. The advisor’s approval is required for undergraduates. No courses designated as meeting University Common Requirements (UCOREs) may be taken pass, fail by any undergraduate. No more than two courses may be taken on a pass, fail basis during any given semester. Two courses is the limit for summer session.

A total of six courses may be taken on a pass, fail basis by students initiating and completing work for a baccalaureate degree at Washington State University. Students in the College of Veterinary Medicine with advisor approval may enroll for a total of six courses in the professional curriculum on a pass, fail basis, subject to the regulations listed above. University Honors College courses may be taken on a pass, fail basis only with the permission of the Honors College Dean.

Class 5 (except those working on second baccalaureate degree) and Class 6 (graduate) students are eligible to take courses on a pass, fail basis, but such work cannot be in the student’s official degree program or used for removal of a specific undergraduate deficiency. Credit hours earned under pass, fail are counted toward assistantship minimum hour requirements. There is no limit on the number of hours a graduate student may take on a pass, fail basis.

A student may change a pass, fail enrollment to a regular letter-graded enrollment, or vice versa, during the first three weeks of classes in a semester. After the third week and through the last day of instruction in a semester (end of the 15th week), only a pass, fail enrollment can be changed to a letter-graded enrollment.

The P (pass) grades earned by pass, fail enrollees will not be included in computing the grade point average; however, F grades earned by pass, fail enrollees will be included in grade point average computations. Departments and programs may deny their majors permission to take, on a pass, fail basis, courses in their major field or courses needed to meet departmental requirements. Departments have the prerogative of requesting, from the Office of the Registrar, the letter grade for courses a prospective major has taken on a pass, fail basis. Departments and programs may refuse to accept courses needed to meet the above requirements if the courses were completed on a pass, fail basis before the student was accepted into the department or program.

All prerequisites shall be satisfactorily completed before the student may register in a course. The instructor may waive the prerequisite in the case of a student who has demonstrated competence or who has had academic experience equivalent to that represented by the prerequisite.

The undergraduate major is the in-depth field of study leading to the degree and includes a set of core courses that has been approved by the academic unit offering the major, as well as the college, and the Faculty Senate.  The major represents approximately one-third of the credit hours required for the undergraduate degree, though some majors require a higher percentage of the total credit hours.  While most majors lead to a degree that shares the same name, some majors lead to a degree with a broader title (e.g., an Accounting major leads to the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration).

Certification requirements:  Upon completion of 24 semester hours, and meeting department, program, or school certification requirements, a student may certify in an academic major with the approval of the appropriate academic department, program, or school, and upon notification to the Center for Advising and Career Development.  Departments, programs, or schools may require additional criteria beyond the minimum 24 hours for certification and a grade point average higher than the minimum of 2.00. Typically, students with 60 or more semester hours should be certified into a major. 

Consult the catalog for specific major and certification requirements.

An undergraduate or professional student who has completed 60 semester hours and is certified in a major may certify a minor or second major with the approval of the department offering the minor or second major. The student should consult with the department concerning hours and grade point requirements and an approved schedule of studies to meet such requirements. No student shall be required by their major to complete a minor, though the department may encourage students to complement the first major with a certificate, minor, or second major. Once requirements for the minor or second major are met and the student's first undergraduate degree has been conferred and posted to the transcript, the student's transcript will be updated to show these additional academic awards.

An undergraduate minor requires a minimum of 16 semester hours, 9 of which must be in upper-division work and taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses.

A second major requires completion of departmental requirements for the major, exclusive of University Common Requirements (UCOREs). Note that second degrees have additional requirements. See Rule 118.

A student may change from one department to another only on approval of the chairpersons of the departments or deans concerned.

A certified major who becomes academically deficient under Rules 38 or 39 and is decertified by the major department or program will be eligible to recertify, on a space-available basis, when the cumulative and major grade point averages are at or above the minimum level required for certification into the department.

A certified major who falls below the minimum departmental requirements (approved by Faculty Senate) may be decertified by the department after two semesters of falling below that minimum. The department must notify the student at the end of the first semester and establish conditions in writing that must be met the second semester. If conditions are not met at the end of the second semester, documentation must be provided to the Center for Advising and Career Development along with the request to decertify a student.

Students may, with the payment of a service fee, petition for exceptions to the academic calendar deadlines (e.g., withdrawal after the deadline) or petition for withdrawal from an individual course after the student has used the maximum number allowed. Petitions are considered only in the case of extraordinary circumstances such as a medical emergency and require supporting documentation. Withdrawal also may be granted for a course if the withdrawal is recommended by the Director of Health and Wellness Services, the Director of Counseling Services, the academic dean of the unit in which the course is taught, or the academic Vice Chancellor or his or her designee because of illness or other documented extenuating circumstances.

Undergraduate and professional students may petition through the Registrar's Office or Office of Student Services. Graduate students may petition through the Graduate School. Requests for exceptions to the calendar deadlines must be made within two years of the date of enrollment in the course. Petitions for exception to the withdrawal limit must be filed by the end of the term in which the course was taken.

A student may not register after the second week of any session, except with the permission of the Registrar.

A student who does not enroll before classes start or pay fees on or before the due date will be assessed a service charge. A charge of $100.00 will be assessed to late registrations that occur after the tenth day of classes. Late payment fees will be assessed those who pay tuition and fees after the due dates.

Students may add course enrollments through the fifth day of the semester. (NOTE: If the course is being added pass, fail the approval of the student’s faculty advisor is also required.)

After the fifth day of the semester, students may add course enrollments only with the permission of the instructor.

A student may drop a course without record up to the end of the 30th day of the semester in which the course is offered or according to a prorated schedule for shorter academic terms.

Students who wish to withdraw from the institution and disenroll from all of their classes initiate the cancellation through the Registrar's Office website, cancel.wsu.edu. Students seeking to cancel their enrollment after completing one or more courses may petition for an exception to the academic calendar deadlines in the event of extraordinary circumstances (see Rule 57).

1. Students canceling their enrollment during the first four weeks of the semester will have their permanent records marked "withdrew (date)." (Individual course enrollments will not be recorded.)
2. Students canceling their enrollment after the fourth week through the last day of instruction (end of the 15th week) will have their permanent records marked "withdrew (date)," and a grade of W will be recorded for each course enrollment.
3. Students on academic probation during the semester of their cancellation must obtain permission of the Center for Advising and Career Development to re-enroll.

Related Link: Tuition Refund Adjustment Policy

Instructors shall not permit a student to be enrolled in a class or admit a student more than three times as a visitor without an official enrollment notice.

Students who have not attended class and laboratory meetings during the first week of the semester may be dropped from the course by the department. Students should not assume that they have been dropped without verification from the department or Registrar’s Office.

Students who believe that they have extenuating circumstances which prevent their attendance during the first week should notify the Dean of Students or Student Services. That office will notify instructors of the absence and the reason for it. Instructors shall determine whether to accept the excuse, waive the absence, and permit make-up work.

Absences impede a student’s academic progress and should be avoided.

1. UNIVERSITY SPONSORED. Any student who is required to participate in off-campus, university-sponsored activities such as field trips, musical performances, judging teams, intercollegiate athletic events, etc., should obtain an official Class Absence Request form from the faculty or staff member supervising the off-campus activity. The form must contain specific information concerning the activity and date, be signed by the supervising faculty or staff member, and be submitted by the student at least one week in advance to the individual instructors of the student’s classes. It is requested that a student not be penalized for absence from class provided a properly signed Class Absence Request form has been filed with the instructor prior to the absence. These university sponsored absences are subject to an instructor’s attendance policy and are not intended to imply additional acceptable absences. In all instances, it is the student’s responsibility to make up all work missed. Problem cases should follow the Academic Complaint Procedures, Rule 104.
2. MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS. Students who are members of the National Guard or a reserve branch of a military service are occasionally required to miss class for weekend drills, active duty, and related responsibilities. In such a case, instructors should not penalize students for the absences and should work with the student/s to make-up the missed assignment or examination. In each instance, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of the duty before the absence and complete the missed work as soon as reasonably possible.
3. OTHER EXCUSED ABSENCES. Students must sometimes miss examinations or other academic obligations affecting their grades because of illness, personal crises, mandated court appearances, parental responsibilities, and the like. As long as such absences are not excessive, it is recommended that the instructor provide and document reasonable accommodation. The instructor may require the student to submit a written explanation of the absence, but written excuses from health care personnel should not be required since these requests frequently put the health care personnel in untenable positions. A student who is dissatisfied with the instructor’s accommodation may follow the Academic Complaint Procedure, Rule 104. It is recommended that the instructor explain the procedures for excused absences early in the semester, preferably in a written syllabus distributed to all students in each class. Once announced, these procedures should be scrupulously followed unless extraordinary circumstances require an exception. Students who attempt to gain advantage through abuse of this policy (e.g., by providing an instructor with false information) may be referred to the Office of Student Standards and Accountability for disciplinary action.

The final examination week for each fall and spring semester will span five days, from the Monday through the Friday immediately following the 15th week of the semester. Special examinations will be scheduled for the Saturday following the Friday of final examination week. Summer Session final exams will be confined to the designated class meeting times scheduled for the course or lab.

The final examination schedule will be determined before the start of each semester and published in the semester WSU Schedule of Classes by the Registrar based on previous enrollment for that semester. After publication, the schedule cannot be altered except as provided.

Undergraduate (100-400-level) courses having an enrollment of at least two percent of the total student body or courses with multiple lecture sections may schedule not more than three examinations each semester at the periods of 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. and 8:30 to 9:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the exception of Monday morning and Friday evening. The actual test-taking time may not exceed the regularly scheduled lecture time (50 or 75 minutes)—however, instructors may require that students arrive up to 15 minutes early to check in. If permission is to be granted for a large group exam, all sections of the course must give the exam on the same day and within the same time block unless given during the regular scheduled class time. One class lecture period shall be omitted to compensate for each hour of examination. A class lecture period lost to Labor Day, Veterans Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and/or Presidents Day holiday(s) may be counted toward this compensation for an evening exam. Proposed examination dates must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office no later than the first week of each semester.
(NOTE: Officially approved and scheduled night examinations have priority over all other academic and non-academic evening activities.)

During examination week time will be allowed to large courses for special examinations of the entire group. The privilege of giving such special examinations is necessarily limited in terms of periods available for such tests. The courses having the greatest number of students will be given first opportunity to utilize the special examination periods available.

During final examination week, if the scheduled arrangement results in students having three or more examinations scheduled for any one day, any one of their instructors is authorized to excuse the students from the regularly scheduled examination and give a final examination to the students during the special exams time blocks.

In cases of difficulty in arriving at a solution, students shall refer the matter to the chairpersons of their departments or to their academic advisors.

No examinations or quizzes (other than laboratory examinations, make-up examinations and make-up quizzes) may be given during the last week of instruction.

A student will not be granted special examinations for the purpose of leaving the institution before the close of the semester.

All regular examinations in undergraduate courses during the regular 15 weeks of instruction, except for common morning/evening examinations and take-home examinations, will be confined to the designated class meeting times scheduled for lecture, studio, laboratory, independent student or ensemble. Summer Session exams will be confined to the designated class meeting times scheduled for the course or lab.

Washington State University is committed to providing people of diverse religious backgrounds access to education. In addition, law requires reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs and practices. Because religious observances do not always conform to state and university holidays, tests or examinations that fall on these religious observances require reasonable accommodation. The university will provide reasonable accommodation consistent with the fair, efficient and secure administration of its programs. When tests or examinations fall on one or two days objectionable to a student because of religious beliefs, the student shall provide the instructor written notice 14 calendar days prior to the holiday. The written notice shall specify the date(s) and the reasonable accommodation requested. If the request appears to be made in good conscience, the instructor shall make alternate arrangements for administration of the examination or test, considering the integrity of the testing process and fairness to all the students. The instructor shall inform the student of the decision in writing within seven calendar days of the receipt of the request.Any student who believes that she or he has not been appropriately accommodated under this policy may seek review of the decision by sending a written request to the chairperson of the department offering the course, as soon as possible and no later than seven days after learning of the instructor’s decision. After the chair’s decision, the student or the instructor may appeal to the dean’s office. Appeals to the dean’s office must be presented in writing within seven calendar days of the chair’s decision. The decision of the dean or associate dean shall be made within seven calendar days and is final. The University Ombudsman is available at any stage for advice or assistance in resolving requests for accommodation. Students should understand that fairness in the examination process is an important consideration in the educational process and that they do have a duty to cooperate in making alternate arrangements.

Washington State University is committed to providing access to education for all of its students. In addition, federal law states that academic requirements must be modified on a case-by-case basis to afford qualified students with handicaps an equal educational opportunity. The nature of certain disabilities may necessitate accommodation of these disabilities in the administration of exams. It is the policy of the university to provide reasonable accommodation consistent with the fair and secure administration of its programs.

A student with a disability who may require special accommodation should contact the Access Center (or Office of Student Services) when he or she arrives on the WSU Pullman campus. On the branch campuses a student should contact the Office of Student Services. A file documenting the disability will be established, and an accommodation form initiated. The instructor may ask for verification of a disability when a student requests an accommodation for an examination. The Office of Student Services or Access Center provides the student with a disability with an accommodation form verifying a disability and specifying the appropriate testing accommodation designed to fit the individual needs of that student. If the instructor disagrees with the arrangements as presented in the form, the instructor and/or student should seek the assistance of the Access Center (or Office of Student Services), department chair, cognizant dean or Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, in that order. The student and instructor may also contact the University Ombudsman or Office for Equal Opportunity.

Midterm grades will be submitted for students enrolled in undergraduate courses by 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday of the eighth week of the fall and spring semesters.

The assessment should not be interpreted as a formal grade, but rather as an indication of the student’s progress to date.

Midterm grades are advisory and do not appear on the student’s permanent record, the WSU transcript.

Final grades will be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on the second working day after the close of finals week. (Final grades for Summer Session will be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on the second working day following the last day of Summer Session. Departments may be requested to submit final grades for summer courses earlier than the official submission deadline to facilitate grade reporting to students.)

Washington State University uses letter grades and the four (4) point maximum grading scale. The grade A is the highest possible grade, and grades below D are considered failing. Plus (+) or minus (-) symbols are used to indicate grades that fall above or below the letter grades, but grades of A+ and D- are not used. For purposes of calculating grade points and averages, the plus (+) is equal to .3 and minus (-) equals .7 (e.g., a grade B+ is equivalent to 3.3 and A- is 3.7). A student’s work is normally rated in accordance with the following definitions:

90a. A. Student work demonstrates consistently excellent scholastic performance; thorough comprehension; ability to correlate the material with other ideas, to communicate and to deal effectively with course concepts and new material; reliability in attendance and attention to assignments.

90b. B. Student work demonstrates superior scholastic performance overall, reliability in attendance, and attention to assignments; may demonstrate excellence but be less consistent than the work of an A student.

90c. C. Student work demonstrates satisfactory performance overall, as well as reliability in attendance, and attention to assignments.

90d. D. Student work demonstrates minimal, barely passing performance overall; limited knowledge of subject matter.

90e. F. Student work demonstrates unsatisfactory performance and comprehension or unfulfilled requirements. The grade is failing.

90f. S. (Satisfactory.) Grade given upon satisfactory completion of courses numbered 499, 600, 700, 702, 800, special examinations (Rule 15) and other courses duly authorized for S, F grading by the Faculty Senate. (Courses approved for S, F grading are footnoted in the Schedules of Classes.) A, S, or F grades only are used to report physical education activity grades. S, M (marginally satisfactory), F grades only are used to report grades for designated courses within the College of Veterinary Medicine. Courses approved for S, F grading may also be graded S at midsemester indicating satisfactory progress.

90g. P. (Passing.) A satisfactory grade for a course taken under the pass, fail Grading Option. Instructors will turn in regular letter grades for all students enrolled in courses under the pass, fail option but grades will appear on the student’s permanent record as P (Passing) or F (Failure).

90h. I. (Incomplete.) An incomplete is the term used to indicate that a grade has been deferred. It is for students who for reasons beyond their control are unable to complete their work on time. All outstanding incomplete work (including grades of I, X, and blank/no grade) must be completed and posted to the official transcript prior to the conferral of the degree. It is strongly recommended that students who are granted an Incomplete limit their total number of credits to 18 credits (including credits for the Incomplete course and any new courses) during the semester when they are finishing an Incomplete.  Students who receive an I grade have up to the end of the ensuing year to complete the course, unless a shorter interval is specified by the instructor. If the incomplete is not made up during the specified time or the student repeats the course, the I is changed to an F. (See Rule 34.) Faculty are required to submit an Incomplete Grade Report (IGR) to the departmental office with every I given. The IGR must specify conditions and requirements for completing the incomplete, as well as any time limitations less than one year.

90i. W. This is the term to be used if the student has filed, in the Registrar’s Office, official notice of a withdrawal from the course prior to the end of the ninth week, or withdrew passing in accordance with Rule 69, or withdrew from the university in accordance with Rule 70.

90j. X. Denotes continuing progress toward completion of special problems, research, thesis, doctoral dissertation (i.e., 499, 600, 700, 702, 800), or flexible enrollment courses; X grades are converted to S or to a letter grade upon satisfactory completion. All outstanding incomplete work (including grades of I, X, and blank/no grade) must be completed and posted to the official transcript prior to the conferral of the degree. An X grade may also be used when no final grade is reported due to instructor’s illness or absence.

90k. U. (Unsatisfactory.) Student work demonstrates unsatisfactory performance, failed examination, or unfulfilled requirements in courses numbered 700, 702, and 800.

Class grade records (the records from which final grades for a given class are determined) are university records which must be maintained for five years after the end of the term. Department chairs or directors are responsible for identifying appropriate storage location, which may include the instructor’s campus office. Both the chair or director or their designees and the instructor shall have ready access to these records.

Final examinations, final projects, and final papers are university records which must be maintained for one year after the end of the term, unless they are returned directly to the student. Department chairs or directors are responsible for identifying appropriate storage location, which may include the instructor’s campus office. Both the chair or the director or their designees and the instructor shall have ready access to these final examinations, final projects, and final papers.

An instructor may not change a grade after it has been filed with the Registrar, except in the case of clerical error, which the instructor may correct by so certifying to the Registrar. Such change must be approved (signature required) by the chairperson of the department in which the course was offered. Grade corrections must be processed within one year of the end of the term for which the original grade was given. In extenuating circumstances, exceptions to the one-year limit for correction of grade errors may be considered by petition to the Registrar’s Office.

On a program leading to an advanced degree, graduate students must attain a minimum grade point average of 3.00 on their graduate programs and a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in all 300-400-level and graduate courses. No grade below C is accepted in any course for graduate credit.

A student’s scholastic average is determined by adding the grade points earned in all WSU course work and dividing by the total number of hours in which the student has been enrolled at WSU. I, W, S, P, U, and X grades are disregarded.

Group averages, honor rolls, eligibility lists for honorees, and similar lists are calculated on the basis of grades received in the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. two working days following the last day of final examinations.

a.) University Academic Integrity Hearing Board. If an allegation of academic dishonesty is not resolved between the instructor and the student, then the case is referred to the University Academic Integrity Hearing Board. The case must be referred to the board within one semester (excluding summer term). The University Academic Integrity Hearing Board shall have jurisdiction over decisions of any faculty member on matters of grading related to academic dishonesty cases. The decision of the board is final and not subject to further appeal.

b.) University Grade Appeals Board. If a chair, dean, Graduate School Dean, Academic Vice Chancellor or designee, or ombudsman finds that a change of a final grade is warranted for any reason other than academic dishonesty, any one of them may refer the case to the University Grade Appeals Board for review within one semester of the posting of the grade (excluding summer term). Students may not take a grade appeal directly to the Board. In the case of graduate students, the Dean of the Graduate School may refer a case to the board upon completion of the Graduate School appeal process, as published in the Graduate School Bulletin. The University Grade Appeals Board shall have jurisdiction over decisions of any faculty member and/or administrator on matters of University course grading appeals. The decision of the board is final and not subject to further appeal.

Application for a bachelor’s or DVM degree should be made at the Registrar’s Office near the end of the junior year. The Registrar will furnish candidates with records of their grade points and the hours completed to date, and lists of major and University Common Requirements (UCOREs) yet to be completed. The chairperson of the department is held responsible for checking all departmental requirements, including prerequisites for all courses and the courses required in other departments. A graduation fee must be paid at the time of application.

Together with the advisor, the student plans the program of study each semester. However, the written curriculum requirements described in the bulletin and catalog supplements are binding, and no advisor may waive or alter them. The student has the ultimate responsibility for meeting university, college and departmental graduation requirements.

Students may petition for a change in graduation requirements by obtaining the signatures of their department chairperson or director and dean on the appropriate form available in the undergraduate degree office of the Registrar’s Office.

1. The four-year degree (BA, BS, B FA, B Lib A, B Mus)
   1. Meet the University Common Requirements (UCOREs) for Graduation.
   2. Earn twice as many grade points as the number of hours enrolled in graded course work, in this or any institution for which a grade has been received.
   3. Earn twice as many grade points in the major subject as the number of hours enrolled graded course work in that major.
   4. Complete any of the four-year programs.
   5. Complete the senior year under the direction of the college in which the degree is to be granted. If any portion of the final year’s work is to be completed at another institution, advance approval must be obtained, in writing, from both the department chairperson and the dean of the college.
   6. Earn a minimum of 120 semester hours of credit, no more than 8 of which may be PEACT (Physical Education Activity) courses. (At least 30 must be WSU hours; see Rule 6.)
   7. Earn a minimum of 40 semester hours of credit in 300-400-level courses; 500-level courses will count toward the 300-400-level requirement, but an undergraduate may not be required to enroll in or complete a 500-level course as a requirement for the baccalaureate degree.
   8. The award of a degree is conditioned upon the student’s satisfaction of all University graduation requirements.
   9. The award of a degree is conditioned upon the student’s good standing in the university and satisfaction of all University graduation requirements. “Good standing” means the student has resolved any unpaid fees or acts of academic or behavioral misconduct, and complied with all sanctions imposed as a result of the misconduct. The University shall deny the award of a degree if the student is dismissed from the University based on his or her misconduct. (See Rule 45 and the Standards of Conduct for Students.)
   10. All outstanding incomplete work (including grades of I, X, and no/blank grade) must be completed and posted to the official transcript prior to the conferral of the undergraduate or professional degree. Once an undergraduate or professional degree is conferred and posted to the official transcript, no changes will be allowed on the academic record that predates the undergraduate or professional degree.
2. The five-year degree (B Arch, BS Cst M, B Phar):
   1. Meet requirements 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10 listed under (a) above.
   2. Complete any of the five-year programs.
   3. Complete the fifth year under the direction of the college in which the degree is to be granted. If any portion of the final year's work is to be completed at another institution, advance approval must be obtained in writing, from both the department chairperson and the dean of the college.
   4. Earn a minimum of 150 semester hours of credit, no more than 10 of which may be from PEACT (Physical Education Activity) courses. (See Rule 6.)

1. Complete the four-year professional program.
2. Meet requirements 9 and 10 listed under Rule 114 (a) above.

1. The Graduate School has no residency requirement.
2. Earn not less than 30 semester hours of credit with a minimum of 21 semester hours of course work for a thesis degree program or 26 semester hours of course work for a nonthesis degree program.
3. Earn a minimum grade point average of 3.00 on a graduate program in all upper-division and graduate course work completed for the master's degree.
4. Earn a minimum grade point average of 3.00 for all course work taken as a graduate student.
5. Successfully complete graduate examinations.
6. All outstanding incomplete work (including grades of I, X, and no/blank grade) must be completed and posted to the official transcript prior to the conferral of the degree.  Once a degree is conferred and posted to the official transcript, no changes will be allowed on the academic record that predates the degree.

1. The Graduate School has no residency requirement.
2. Earn not less than 72 semester credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree to include the minimum requirements as listed in the Graduate School's Policies and Procedures and as established by the academic program.
3. Earn a minimum grade point average of 3.00 on a graduate program and in all 300-400-level and graduate course work completed for the doctor's degree.
4. Earn a minimum grade point average of 3.00 for all course work taken as a graduate student.
5. Successfully complete graduate examinations.
6. All outstanding incomplete work (including grades of I, X, and no/blank grade) must be completed and posted to the official transcript prior to the conferral of the degree.  Once a degree is conferred and posted to the official transcript, no changes will be allowed on the academic record that predates the degree.

One four-year undergraduate degree from WSU requires a minimum of 120 semester hours.  For each additional undergraduate degree, the student must complete an additional 30 semester hours, as well as to satisfy all requirements of the college and the second degree program. The first bachelor’s degree from WSU is understood to fulfill all University requirements for graduation with the second undergraduate degree, including the 300-400-level requirements, University Writing Portfolio, the minimum hours for the first degree (120), as well as the University Common Requirements (UCOREs).

The first bachelor’s degree from another regionally accredited institution is understood to fulfill all University requirements for graduation, provided that the general education curriculum and major program course patterns at the other institution approximate those at WSU. 

Credit earned during summer sessions may be applied toward the fulfillment of requirements for baccalaureate and advanced degrees in the same manner and subject to the same rules as credit earned during semesters of regular academic years.

Students will be recommended for their degrees at the end of the semester or term in which they complete their requirements. Diplomas will be dated the Saturday following the last day of final examination week for the fall semester, the day of commencement for the spring semester, and the Saturday following the last day of instruction for summer session.

An undergraduate will be named to the President's Honor Roll under either of the following conditions:

1. By achieving a grade point of 3.75 while enrolled in at least 9 graded hours in a single semester at Washington State University.
2. By achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 based on at least 15 cumulative hours of graded work at Washington State University, provided that the semester gpa is a 3.0 or better.

Candidates for baccalaureate degrees who have completed at least 30 hours of graded work (grades in which grade points are awarded) at Washington State University will graduate summa cum laude if the cumulative grade point average for work completed at Washington State University is 3.90 or better, will graduate magna cum laude if the minimum cumulative grade point average is 3.70 but less than 3.90, and will graduate cum laude if the minimum cumulative grade point average is 3.50 but less than 3.70.

The appropriate Latin phrase will be printed on the diploma and on the final transcript. Qualified students electing to participate in the Honors College who complete its requirements satisfactorily, regardless of whether they qualify to graduate summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, will receive a certificate of completion and a printed notation on the final transcript.

Computation of graduation honors will be done prior to the end of the final semester to allow for publication of the appropriate honors in advance of graduation. However, following the student’s final semester, the Registrar will recompute the student’s gpa including the last semester’s work, and only this computation will determine official graduation honors.

No agent, solicitor, or university individual or group shall be permitted to canvass or solicit faculty members during office hours in the interests of business, charity, or any other purpose not directly connected with university interest or official duties.