Undergraduate policies for the College of Arts & Sciences are listed in the sections below.

Additional policies related to academics are listed in the University Policies and Undergraduate Policies sections of this Bulletin. Students are expected to be familiar with policies listed throughout the Bulletin; this reminder is intended as a courtesy.

Academic Standing (Process)

Students are expected to maintain the highest level of scholarship during their time at Washington University and to make continuous progress toward degree completion. To remain in good academic standing, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits per semester (unless officially approved for reduced course load with a minimum semester GPA of 2.0. Each student's semester GPA is computed as the total grade points earned during the semester divided by the total letter-graded credits attempted. At the same time, the cumulative GPA is computed as the quotient of the cumulative total of grade points divided by the cumulative total of letter-graded credits attempted. The computations are made on the basis of the grade point scale indicated in the Credits and Grades section above. Courses taken on a Pass/No Pass basis are not included in these calculations.

Students are also expected to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and/or align with expectations for scholarships and financial aid from Student Financial Services.

In addition, students are expected to make steady progress toward completing degree requirements within a typical eight‑semester timeframe and to pursue a viable program of study that supports timely degree completion, which includes thoughtful course selection, appropriate enrollment patterns, and ongoing engagement with advising to ensure that academic goals remain attainable. Patterns such as delayed progress in major requirements, repeated course withdrawals or non‑completion, or enrollment decisions that limit forward progress may be considered as part of the overall review of academic progress.

Following the grading deadline each semester, the Committee on Academic Progress conducts a comprehensive review of undergraduate academic records. The review considers credits earned, semester and cumulative GPA, course completion patterns (including Incompletes and Withdrawals), and overall progress toward degree completion. Insufficiencies in one or more of these areas may result in placing the student on academic action, including Academic Concern, Academic Notice, or Academic Time Away. For students already on an academic action, the committee may remove, reduce, retain, or escalate the action based on the semester review. In all cases, the College will work with students to develop a plan for improvement and/or returning to satisfactory academic progress.

Academic actions apply to the specific semester under review and are determined by the student's academic record as it exists at the conclusion of the official grading period. Any required academic support programs, agreements, or conditions apply to subsequent enrollment periods as specified.

Upon completion of their semester review, the Committee on Academic Progress will notify students of changes in academic standing, resulting expectations, and required follow-up actions via their official WashU email account. Students are responsible for monitoring and responding to their official WashU email account.

For all students, active engagement in the academic and community environment aligns with student success. Therefore, failure to attend class, complete assignments on time, or follow recommended improvement strategies may lead to the termination of enrollment for that specific semester or consideration for future semester academic actions.

Additional information about academic expectations, support resources, processes, and opportunities to strengthen academic progress are available on the Arts & Sciences Student Progress & Academic Success webpage.

Academic Concern

Academic Concern is a proactive notification that additional support or attention may be needed to maintain satisfactory academic progress. A student on Academic Concern remains in good academic standing. This status is not noted on the official transcript or enrollment verifications.

Academic Concern may be applied when a student meets one or more of the following criteria:

  • A semester or cumulative GPA in an early-risk range (approximately 2.0-2.5)
  • One unsatisfactory or failing grade (e.g., D, F, or NP) in a course
  • One unresolved grade of Incomplete (I)
  • A pattern of course withdrawals
  • Completion of fewer than 12 credits (without prior approval for reduced course load)
  • Academic difficulty in foundational degree or major-related coursework

Students placed on Academic Concern are connected to various academic success program(s), including academic skills assessments and workshop referrals.

Academic Notice

Academic Notice indicates that a student is not meeting minimum academic standards and requires structured intervention. Students on Academic Notice are not in good academic standing. Academic Notice is not noted on the official transcript but is included in enrollment verifications requesting confirmation of academic standing. Students on Academic Notice are not permitted to participate in university athletics and may be ineligible to hold certain student group or university leadership positions.

Academic Notice may be applied when a student demonstrates significant or repeated academic difficulty as indicated by one or more of the following criteria:

  • A semester or cumulative GPA below 2.0
  • More than one unsatisfactory or failing grade (e.g., D, F, or NP)
  • Two unresolved Incomplete grades (I)
  • Repeated course withdrawals across one or more semesters that substantially affect timely degree completion
  • Completion of fewer than 12 credits (without prior approval for reduced course load)
  • Failure to meet minimum grade requirements in major-related coursework
  • Failure to meaningfully address concerns identified by prior academic action

Students placed on Academic Notice are required to complete an academic agreement and participate in assigned academic success program(s). Continued Academic Notice may occur when, after being on Academic Notice, a student makes progress that is nonetheless insufficient to return to good academic standing.

Academic Time Away

Academic Time Away is a required break in enrollment intended to allow the student time and space to address academic, personal, or structural barriers that significantly hinder academic progress. Students on Academic Time Away are not in good academic standing. This status is noted on the official record.

Academic Time Away may be applied when the student meets one or more of the following criteria:

  • Earning no academic credit in a semester, including complete withdrawal from coursework
  • Unsatisfactory or failing grades (e.g., D, F, or NP) in the majority of attempted coursework
  • Three or more unresolved Incomplete grades (I)
  • Academic difficulty while already on Academic Concern or Academic Notice
  • Failure to participate in required academic support programs
  • Persistent non-engagement with coursework or advising

Students placed on Academic Time Away must take a minimum one-semester break from the university and request reinstatement to return. University housing, activities, and other privileges are paused during this period.

Academic Dismissal

Academic Dismissal reflects a determination that continued enrollment in the College of Arts & Sciences is not academically viable, even with structured support and prior opportunities to address barriers to progress. Students on Academic Dismissal are not in good academic standing. This status is noted on the official record.

Academic Dismissal may be warranted due to one or more of the following circumstances:

  • Repeated interruptions in enrollment, including multiple periods of Academic Time Away, Leave of Absence, Medical Leave of Absence, or multiple semesters of non‑registration
  • Repeated need for academic intervention, as evidenced by prior academic standing actions and required academic support programs
  • Inability to demonstrate sustained academic progress following reinstatement, despite opportunities for structured support
  • Persistent failure to earn credit toward the degree or to complete degree requirements
  • Determination that the student is unable to complete degree requirements within a reasonable timeframe, even with supports offered by the College

Appeals

Students may appeal decisions of Academic Time Away and Academic Dismissal in accordance with College procedures. Decisions of Academic Concern or Academic Notice are not eligible for appeal.

Appeals are intended to allow the Committee on Academic Progress to consider new or materially clarifying information that was not reasonably available at the time of the original review or to address a procedural error that may have affected the decision. Appeals are not a reevaluation of academic performance or a reconsideration of information already reviewed.

In reviewing an appeal, the committee evaluates whether the student has realistically demonstrated readiness for productive full-time enrollment, considering factors such as:

  • The nature and documentation of circumstances that contributed to the academic difficulty
  • The student’s reflection on those circumstances, including acknowledgment of responsibility and insight into contributing factors
  • The presence of a specific, coherent, and feasible academic recovery plan aligned with degree requirements and enrollment expectations
  • Evidence of meaningful engagement with academic and/or personal support resources, as appropriate
  • Indicators that the student is prepared to meet full‑time enrollment expectations and make sustained progress toward timely degree completion

Appeals may result in:

  • Denial of the appeal with the original decision upheld
  • Approval of the appeal with conditions designed to support academic success
  • Modification of the original academic standing when warranted by the information provided

Instructions, required materials, and submission deadlines for appeals are communicated via the student’s official WashU email account at the time of notification. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee reversal of a decision.

Reinstatement and Continued Academic Progress

Students returning from Academic Time Away or Leave of Absence must complete the reinstatement process and demonstrate readiness to return to productive full‑time enrollment.

Reinstatement decisions consider:

  • Academic readiness and skills development
  • Understanding of prior barriers to progress
  • A realistic and coherent academic plan supporting sustained progress
  • Ability to meet full‑time enrollment expectations and academic standards

Students who experience repeated breaks in enrollment may be required to participate in ongoing academic support programs and to meet other conditions of reenrollment. These measures are designed to support continued academic success and timely degree completion. Students who do not meet these requirements may be subject to Academic Dismissal.

Appeal Processes

If a student receives a grade they believe to be unjustified, whether for a single assignment or for the course grade as a whole, they have the right to discuss any grade(s) with their instructor and to appeal the grade(s). (Students considering appealing their grades are encouraged to consult first with their four-year advisor; they may also contact the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Faculty-Student Mediator. Neither the four-year advisor nor the mediator may make any decisions with regard to the appeal, but they can inform students about possible options for approaching the appeal.)

Grounds for Appeal

Sufficient grounds for appeal include clerical or mathematical errors in calculating the grade; inequitable use of the syllabus’s grading rubric or policies; and grading impacted by issues beyond the course content.

Students should be aware that an appeal may include a complete review of the student’s work in the course as a whole, which may result in a grade being either raised or lowered.

Students may not appeal to raise their grade by completing additional assignments (i.e., "extra credit") or by submitting late work except in the case of an official Incomplete.

If a student believes that the grade is the result of identity-based discrimination, they should make a report to the Office of Institutional Equity rather than file a grade appeal through this process. Additionally, grades that are a result of sanctions for a violation of Academic Integrity (as determined by the Academic Integrity Board) are not eligible for appeal through this process.

Timing of Appeals

Grade appeals must be initiated within 30 days of the grade being posted and must be addressed by the instructor in a timely manner. Grade appeals in the semester prior to the student’s graduation must be raised immediately and addressed on an expedited timeline so that the appeal may be resolved prior to the conferral of a degree and the sealing of the student’s transcript. A grade appeal submitted after a student graduates will not be reviewed as grade changes cannot be made following degree conferral.

Appeals Process

  • The student must first appeal the grade with the instructor. The appeal must be in writing, reference this grade appeal policy, and outline the reasons for the appeal. The instructor must reply to the student in writing within two weeks of the student’s request, providing detailed justification for retaining the assigned grade or confirming that the grade will be changed in light of the student’s appeal.
  • If the student’s written concerns have not been met by the instructor’s justification, they may raise the grade appeal to the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) in the appropriate department or program (based on the department or program that owns the course and not on the student’s program of enrollment) within one week of the instructor’s response. The subsequent appeal must be submitted in writing, and it must reference this grade appeal policy, respond to the instructor’s detailed justification, and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. Disagreement with the instructor’s professional judgement is insufficient grounds for further appeal, and appeals to the DUS that merely reiterate a student’s initial concerns will not be considered. The DUS will review the appeal and provide a written response to the student within three weeks.
  • In the rare instance that the student believes further appeal to be necessary, the student may direct a final appeal to the Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs. If a student wants to pursue a grade appeal at this level, the appeal must be in writing and be submitted within one week of the written response from the DUS. The student’s statement should acknowledge both the instructor’s and the DUS’s responses and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. Disagreement with the instructor’s or DUS’s professional judgement is insufficient grounds for further appeal. The Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs must respond in writing within four weeks of the student’s appeal. The decision of the Vice Dean is final.

Attendance

Successful education at the college level depends, to a large extent, on regular attendance at classes and laboratories. The College of Arts & Sciences has no fixed rules for "cuts" or "excused absences" but leaves the number of absences of any kind a student may have and still expect to pass a course to the judgment of each department or instructor. Each instructor should give reasonable consideration to unavoidable absences and to the feasibility of making up missed work. The student is expected to explain the reasons for such absences to instructors and to discuss the possibility of completing missed assignments with instructors.

Washington University has a policy for absences related to religious holidays (PDF).

Credits and Grades

The grading system used at Washington University assumes that evaluation is useful to effective learning and that grades provide an indicator of accomplishment to the student, advisors, and the College Office; graduate and professional schools; and employers to whom the student chooses to submit their grades. Grades are symbols of achievement in a particular endeavor and should not be confused with achievement itself or with personal worth.

Grades are important, particularly for students with pre-professional interests, but the student whose concern for grades is primary may lose sight of the total educational process.

Grades earned in physical education courses are not included when calculating the student's grade point average.

Courses initially taken as Pass/No Pass and in which the student earned a No Pass may be retaken for a letter grade. However, courses initially taken for a letter grade and in which the student earned a grade that may be retaken (i.e., earned a B- or lower) must be retaken for a letter grade.

Audit

In any semester, a full-time student may register for one course as an auditor, which entitles the student to all of the privileges of a regularly enrolled member of the class; however, courses taken for audit do not earn credits and thus do not count toward the degree. Consult the instructor regarding the requirements of a successful audit as unsatisfactory performance results in a grade of Z. A successful audit results in a grade of L.

Incomplete Grades

Students who are not making satisfactory progress in a course should withdraw from the course prior to the published withdrawal deadline. However, should a student experience medical or acute personal challenges after the withdrawal deadline that make the satisfactory completion of coursework difficult or unlikely, they may be eligible for a grade of Incomplete. In extreme circumstances, students may want to discuss a Medical Leave of Absence with their advisor.

To request a grade of Incomplete (I) from one or more instructors, students must take the following steps with each instructor:

  1. The student should meet with the instructor before the final examination or due date for the final paper/project to request the Incomplete.
  2. If the instructor grants the Incomplete, the student and instructor should agree on the scope of the work remaining to complete the course and a date when it will be submitted. This date should be within 120 days of the last day of the semester in which the course is being taken. The instructor should confirm with the student, in writing, the details of the work with respective deadlines.

Whether or not to grant an Incomplete is at the instructor’s discretion. When determining whether to do so, the instructor should consider whether the student has consistently attended and engaged with the course (for example, whether the student has submitted all assignments except the final assignments/assessments) and made satisfactory progress in the course. Incompletes should not be granted unless the student has completed at least two thirds of the assignments/assessments for the course.

If sufficient work has not been completed, the grade of Incomplete will not be feasible. In such situations, the instructor will submit whatever final grade the student has earned. The student may retake the course at a later time if they choose. (For information about retaking a course, see below.)

If an Incomplete is granted, the work should be completed in the time frame agreed upon with the instructor. However, this time frame should not extend more than 120 days from the last day of the semester in which the Incomplete is granted/the course for which the Incomplete is granted is taken.

Failure to submit completed work and for the earned grade to be posted within 120 days of the last day of the semester in which the Incomplete was granted will result in the grade of Incomplete being automatically changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course being taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Furthermore, students cannot have a grade of Incomplete on their transcripts when their degrees are conferred. Thus, students who are expecting to graduate at the end of the semester in which the course being considered for an Incomplete was taken should not request or be granted a grade of Incomplete.

Any student who does have an Incomplete on their transcript at the time of certification and degree conferral will have the Incomplete changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course being taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Grades cannot be changed after the conferral of a student's degree.

Note: If an Incomplete is granted, students cannot be added to the Canvas shell of a subsequent offering of the course in order to complete the previous enrollment. Instead, at the instructor’s request, the student can be given access to the original course shell, and the instructor can reopen assignments within that course shell. All work for an Incomplete should occur within the original course’s Canvas course shell or outside of Canvas entirely.

By action of the faculty of the College of Arts & Sciences and the ArtSci Council, the College limits the number of accrued grades of Incomplete (I). The policy is intended to protect the student from building an overwhelming burden of unfulfilled coursework. The regulation reads as follows: "Students who accrue three or more Incompletes will not be permitted to enroll for any subsequent semester until the number is reduced to two or fewer." Should students have too many Incompletes, they will be declared ineligible for subsequent semesters until they have complied with the regulation. Compliance is normally achieved by the posting of grades, but it also may be achieved by the instructor(s) confirming to the College Office that the student has turned in all requisite assignments for the relevant class(es).

Online Courses

Online courses are not applicable to Arts & Sciences degree programs. Therefore, students may not enroll in online courses offered by schools at Washington University (with the exception of approved courses offered online during Summer Session and courses offered online through approved 3-2 programs) nor attempt to transfer courses, taken at other institutions, that were delivered online.

Pass/No Pass

To encourage students to enroll in courses they might not otherwise take, the faculty has established the Pass/No Pass option under which a student may register for courses and receive a grade of Pass (P) or No Pass (NP). During any semester, a full-time student may elect to enroll in one course, typically 3 credits, under the Pass/No Pass option; courses offered only as Pass/No Pass do not count toward this maximum. Regardless of whether a student elects to take a course Pass/No Pass or a course is offered only as Pass/No Pass, at least 96 units of credit must be earned via Quality Graded Units (i.e., letter-graded) to earn the BA degree.

No more than 12 of the 24 credits allowed for the Pass/No Pass option may be applied to area distribution requirements.

No change into or out of the Pass/No Pass option may be made after the end of Week 12.

With very few exceptions, courses taken Pass/No Pass cannot count for majors or minors. For more details, please consult the Major Fields of Study and Minor Fields of Study sections of the College of Arts & Sciences page of this Bulletin.

It is the student's responsibility to discuss what constitutes a successful Pass in a particular course with the faculty member. Although the Pass mark is generally a C-, instructors have the discretion to set the Pass mark higher in their individual courses.

The first-year writing course, the writing-intensive course, the applied numeracy course, and courses in the major and minor are excluded from the Pass/No Pass option. Pre-professional and prospective graduate students should also seriously consider the strong probability that professional schools may seek more definite grades than P in courses that are required or strongly recommended for admission to professional or graduate study.

A few courses, particularly designated by departments, may require enrollment on a Pass/No Pass basis. When courses are designated as Pass/No Pass, students are permitted to elect an additional course to be taken as Pass/No Pass but should carefully consider the consequences of that choice. In addition, credits earned in courses with required Pass/No Pass grade options are counted toward the maximum of 24 Pass/No Pass credits that may be applied toward the BA degree.

Quality Grades

Students should view the Degree Requirements section of this Bulletin for details about which courses should be taken for quality (letter) grades.

Interschool Transfer

Students in other traditional undergraduate schools may apply to transfer to the College of Arts & Sciences. To learn more, visit the Policies & Procedures section of the Arts & Sciences website.

Pre-Matriculation Credit

Students may earn pre-matriculation credit for college-level courses completed before enrollment at Washington University as a first-year student. Sources for pre-matriculation credit include Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, British Advanced (A) Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB), and college credit earned after the sophomore year of high school that was not applied to high school graduation. Although all accepted pre-matriculation work is noted on the transcript so that the student may go directly into advanced courses, the maximum number of pre-matriculation units of credit awarded is 15. Students who do not have 15 units of pre-matriculation credit may also earn course credit through Proficiency by Exam and/or Proficiency Documented up to the maximum of 15 pre-matriculation credits. Regardless of its source, pre-matriculation coursework does not fulfill distribution requirements, but it may fulfill requirements for majors and minors. If a student enrolls in and completes a course equivalent to that for which pre-matriculation credit has been granted, the pre-matriculation units for the course in question will no longer count toward the student's record. For more information, please refer to the Pre-Matriculation Credit Units section on the Admissions Procedures page of this Bulletin.

Registration in Special Programs

Military Training

Army and Air Force ROTC programs are available at Washington University.

ROTC courses numbered MARM 3010 Adaptive Team Leadership, MARM 3020 Applied Team Leadership, MARM 4010 Adaptive Leadership, and MARM 4020 Leadership in a Complex World and AFROTC courses numbered MAIR 3010 Leading People and Effective Communication 1, MAIR 3020 Leading People and Effective Communication 2, MAIR 4010 National Security Affairs/Preparation for Active Duty, and MAIR 4020 Preparation for Active Duty will be granted full credit toward the BA degree for a total of 12 credits. The courses do not count toward the 90 minimum Arts & Sciences credits required for the BA degree and are categorized in the 30 maximum credits that students may earn in courses taken from the McKelvey School of Engineering, the Olin Business School, the Sam Fox School, or WashU Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS). These courses are letter graded and count toward the GPA, as do courses from the schools listed above.

ROTC courses numbered MARM 1010 Introduction to Leadership I, MARM 1020 Introduction to Leadership II, MARM 2010 Innovative Team Leadership, and MARM 2020 Foundations of Tactical Leadership and AFROTC courses numbered MAIR 1010 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force 1, MAIR 1020 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force 2, MAIR 2010 Team and Leadership Fundamentals 1, and MAIR 2020 Team and Leadership Fundamentals 2 will be granted 1 credit each for the Physical Training component, as is commensurate with performance courses currently receiving credit toward the BA degree, including courses listed under Physical Education. Such courses do not count toward the GPA.

WashU Continuing & Professional Studies Courses

Students in the College of Arts & Sciences may not enroll in online coursework offered by WashU Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS). However, students in the College of Arts & Sciences may enroll in one in-person CAPS course per semester with a maximum total of 24 credits allowed. Any credits earned through CAPS are subject to the degree requirement stipulating that a maximum of 30 credits from Washington University schools other than Arts & Sciences may be applied to the Bachelor of Arts degree. CAPS courses do not fulfill distribution requirements and may only count for a major or minor with approval from the relevant department.

Transfer Credit

School Policy or Process

With preapproval, courses from accredited colleges and universities can be transferred to Washington University and will count toward the student's 120 credits required for the Bachelor of Arts degree; such courses may also serve as prerequisites to advanced courses and may count, with prior departmental approval, toward a student's major or minor. Transfer credits do not, however, substitute in Integrations or count toward other Arts & Sciences distribution requirements.

A maximum of two courses, typically 6 credits, may be transferred per academic period (i.e., summer). In order to transfer the course, it must be taken for a quality grade with a minimum grade of C. However, grades earned at other institutions are not calculated in the Washington University GPA. No transfer credit will be accepted for courses taken while a student is suspended from Washington University for violations of the University Student Judicial Code or Academic Integrity Policy.

For further information pertaining to transfer credit, matriculating first-year students should visit the Pre-Matriculation Credit section of this Bulletin; transfer students should visit the Transfer Students section of this Bulletin.

Online Courses

No transfer credit will be accepted for courses taken online.

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