BSEE Satisfactory Progress Policy
Because of its limited resources and the need to maintain high program quality, the Department cannot accommodate all students wishing to study electrical engineering. Therefore, the Department has instituted a Satisfactory Progress Policy so that it can best use available resources and serve the most deserving students.
The BSEE program is not intended for part-time students. As an EE student you are expected to engage in full-time study. To complete the BSEE degree requirement of 180 credits in 4 years (12 quarters) you should plan on taking about 15 credits toward the degree each quarter. In addition, you are required to maintain certain levels of academic performance to continue in the program. The following standards and procedures make up the Satisfactory Progress Policy of the Department. These are in addition to the policies of the University and the College of Engineering.
Basic Standards
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- You must satisfactorily complete 12 or more credit hours applicable toward your degree program each academic quarter in residence except summer quarter. If you have not completed your English as a Second Language (ESL) requirements, you must satisfactorily complete at least one ESL class each quarter starting with your first quarter in the BSEE program. You must take an ESL course each quarter until you have completed all your ESL requirements. You are required to complete 10 additional credits/2 classes each quarter toward the BSEE degree in addition to your ESL course.
- In exceptional circumstances, you may request to take fewer than the 12 credit minimum requirement per quarter. If your request is granted, you must satisfactorily complete at least two courses that apply to your degree every quarter in residence (except summer). You must submit your part-time request no later than the first day of the applicable quarter. The Department reserves the right to limit the number of students who are allowed to take fewer than 12 credits. See your adviser for more information. Part-Time Request Form.
- You must take courses in the appropriate sequence. You must complete all prerequisites before you register for a course, unless you obtain permission from the instructor.
- Students must complete the EE core classes (EE 215, 233, and either 235 or 242) within the first year of admittance to the BSEE program.
- The minimum passing grade for any individual EE course is 2.0. The minimum passing grade for any non-EE course is the UW minimum of 0.7.
- You must maintain an overall EE GPA, a cumulative GPA and a quarterly GPA of at least 2.0. If you take a course more than once, each grade will be used in computing grade point averages.
- You must file a graduation application with the ECE Advising Office in accordance with University regulations, to ensure that you graduate once you have satisfied all requirements.
- If you withdraw from the University without prior written approval of the Department, or are dropped because of non-payment of fees, you lose your place in the program. You must petition for readmission to the program; if you are readmitted, you must fulfill all the requirements that are in effect when you are readmitted.
Review of Progress: Departmental Academic Probation and Dismissal
Your academic progress is reviewed at the end of each quarter. If you fail to meet the standards for satisfactory progress as described above, the Department will email a letter to your University of Washington email address, explaining that you will be placed on probation your next quarter in residence. You will also be asked to contact the ECE Advising Office (undergradece@uw.edu) within 10 days.
If you fail to meet the standards for satisfactory progress for two consecutive quarters in residence, you may be dismissed from the program. In addition, if you accumulate three probationary quarters while enrolled in the Department, you may be dismissed from the program. We will send a letter informing you that you will be dismissed to your last address on record.
Appealing Departmental Academic Probation or Dismissal
If you are placed on probation or dismissed under this policy, you may file a written appeal with the Department. You must submit your appeal within 15 days after the probation or dismissal letter was postmarked. Your appeal should state all of the facts that you believe justify reconsideration, and include all supporting documentation. The Chair (or a designated faculty representative) will review the facts and give you a decision within 15 days after your appeal is received.
Double Major / Double Degree Policy
Due to similarities in content and capacity constraints, certain double major or double degree pairings are not permitted. Specifically, students pursuing the BSEE degree may not earn a double degree in (COMP E) computer engineering. Students may petition for a double degree with (C SCI) computer science as long as the student is not pursuing the Embedded Systems concentration.
Note that current UW College of Engineering policy does not permit students to earn more than one degree from the College. However, even if the College changes this policy, we would still not permit the pairings mentioned above.