Attendance

Each professor in the McKelvey School of Engineering decides how many absences a student may have and still pass the course. Professors are expected to give reasonable consideration to unavoidable absences and to the feasibility of making up work that has been missed. Students are expected to explain to their professors the reasons for any absences and to discuss with them the possibility of making up missed assignments.

Units and Grades

A credit unit is the equivalent of one recitation or lecture hour a week for one semester or one laboratory of two and one-half hours a week for one semester. A student's work is rated in terms of the following system of grades and grade points:

Grade/Points per Unit

Grade	Points per Unit
A or A+	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
D-	0.7
F	0.0
P#	Pass
F#	Failing
S	Satisfactory
U	Unsatisfactory
I	Course work incomplete
X	No final exam taken
W	Withdrawal
WLA	Withdraw leave of absence
R	Retaken course
L	Successful audit
Z	Unsuccessful audit
N	No grade submitted

Auditing a Course

A student may register for some courses as an auditor. The criteria for a successful audit are determined by the course instructor, and the student should work with the instructor to ensure that these criteria are understood. Generally speaking, the completion of homework and the taking of exams are not required. The grade L signifies a successful audit, and the grade Z signifies an unsuccessful audit. Neither grade affects a student's grade-point average, and the course's units do not contribute to the student's total cumulative degree-seeking units. Audit courses do not count toward any degree, nor do they count toward full-time status determination. They do count toward the 21-unit cap per semester, and audit units are charged at the standard full-time or part-time per-unit rate. Class attendance is normally required to earn a grade of L; unsatisfactory attendance will result in a grade of Z. Computer science courses do not allow students with auditor status.

Incomplete Grades

The grade I (incomplete) indicates that the work of a student has been generally acceptable but that extenuating circumstances led to certain requirements not having been met. The grade of X is recorded when a student is absent from a midterm or final examination because of illness or other unavoidable reason, provided the work has been otherwise satisfactory.

Grades of X and I must be removed no later than the close of the next full semester a student is in residence. On failure to make up an X or I grade, the student will not receive credit for the course, and the grade will be changed to F unless the student has been explicitly excused by the associate dean.

A student should not re-enroll in a class to complete an I grade. Enrolling in the class a second time invokes the Course Retake Policy.

Course Retake Policy

If an engineering student repeats a course at Washington University, only the second grade is included in the calculation of the GPA. Both enrollments and grades are shown on the student's official transcript. The symbol R next to the first enrollment's grade indicates that the course was later retaken. Credit toward the degree is allowed for the latest enrollment only.

If an engineering student repeats a course elsewhere (i.e., as a preapproved transfer course from another university), the student must take the course for credit and earn a C- or better for the units to transfer to Washington University. After an official transcript showing the final grade for the repeated course is received, the symbol R next to the first enrollment's grade indicates that the course was later retaken. The original grade will no longer figure into the student's GPA, nor will the transfer course grade figure into the GPA. The grade for the transfer course does not display on the student's Washington University record, but the units for the transfer course will count toward the degree program.

Course Descriptions

The McKelvey School of Engineering is subdivided into five academic departments: Biomedical Engineering (E62); Computer Science & Engineering (E81); Electrical & Systems Engineering (E35); Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering (E44); and Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science (E37). Each department may offer courses leading to one or more bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees.

The courses of instruction are numbered according to the following system:

• 100 to 199 are primarily for first-year students.
• 200 to 299 are primarily for sophomores.
• 300 to 399 are primarily for juniors.
• 400 to 499 are primarily for juniors and seniors, although certain courses may carry graduate credit.
• 500 and above are offered to graduate students and to juniors and seniors who have met all stated requirements. If there are no stated requirements, juniors and seniors should obtain permission of the instructor.

One unit of credit is given for each hour of lecture, and one unit is given for each two and one-half hours of laboratory. Each course description shows the course's credit. A table of all engineering courses (PDF) and, for each course, the division of its topics units is available and frequently updated on the school's website.

Definition of Class Levels

For classification purposes, a student's undergraduate class level is defined according to the year in which they intend to graduate.

Pass/Fail Option

All undergraduate engineering students are eligible to register each semester for up to 6 units with the pass/fail option, for up to a maximum of 18 units attempted. Some departments require students to take certain courses pass/fail; credits in these courses do not count toward either the semester limit of 6 units or the cumulative limit of 18 units. Other than these courses, only elective courses may be taken with this option, including courses in other divisions of the university but that are still contingent upon and subject to departmental requirements. Humanities, social sciences and some technical electives specifically allowed by individual engineering programs, as well as some engineering courses (both undergraduate and graduate that are not specifically required for the student's major program), may be taken with the pass/fail option. Some programs do not allow any courses (either required or elective) to be taken with the pass/fail option. Graduate courses taken on a pass/fail basis cannot be transferred later for credit toward a graduate degree.

Changes from the regular grade basis to pass/fail or vice versa may not be made after the last dates specified in the current Course Listings. The normal regulations for withdrawal or change to auditor status also apply to pass/fail courses.

It is the student's responsibility to discuss with the faculty member what constitutes a pass in a particular course. Although the general pass mark is a C-, instructors have the discretion to set the pass mark higher in their course(s).

A final grade of P# (pass) will earn degree credit where applicable. A final grade of F# (fail) will not earn degree credit. Neither P# nor F# will affect the GPA.

Academic Standing

This policy applies to all McKelvey undergraduate degree-seeking students. Students who enter as Dual Degree 3-Year Option (3/3) students pursue a McKelvey undergraduate degree for two years and then a McKelvey master's degree during the third year. While pursuing the undergraduate degree during the first two years, this policy is applied to these students. McKelvey graduate academic standing rules are applied during the third year, when these students are primarily pursuing master's degree requirements.

A fundamental requirement for all students is to make sufficient academic progress toward degree completion. In order to make sufficient academic progress, students must earn adequate grades and complete enough units in order to satisfy degree requirements in a timely manner. 

The following key performance indicators are used to determine whether a student pursuing an undergraduate degree in McKelvey remains in good academic standing at the end of each fall and spring semester: 

• Minimum semester GPA of 2.0
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
• Completion of 12 units with passing letter grades (D- or higher) or “pass” with the pass/fail grade option
  • Course units that will not count as being successfully completed include the following:
    • Courses with an incomplete grade
    • Courses taken for audit credit
    • Courses receiving a failing course grade
    • Courses withdrawn (“W”)
    • Courses without any final grades posted

An inability to maintain each indicator above will result in a student being placed into one of the three academic standing categories described below, which is a signal that minimum standards for graduating are in danger of not being met. Unless a student demonstrates improvement, thereby indicating their ability to fulfill degree requirements within a reasonable time period, the student may be dismissed from the university.

If a performance indicator contributing to the status of an academic standing category is raised above the threshold (e.g., by the resolution of an incomplete grade or the change of a final grade), then that academic standing may be reconsidered if the student has not yet graduated. However, repeating a course which then results in the first grade earned in the course to no longer count in a GPA will not result in a past academic standing status to be reconsidered.

Academic Concern

Any of the following performance indicators at the end of a semester will cause the student's standing to be reviewed and may cause the student to be placed on Academic Concern: 

1. Receiving an incomplete final course grade (first occurrence and all subsequent occurrences)
2. Earning a semester GPA of less than 2.0 (first occurrence) 
3. Earning fewer than a total of 12 units in a regular semester (first occurrence) 

When a student qualifies for Academic Concern in more than one semester by earning a semester GPA of less than 2.0 (1.b. above) and/or by earning fewer than a total of 12 units in a regular semester (1.c. above), then the second (or additional) Academic Concern qualification will immediately convert to Academic Notice or Academic Time Away as described below. Academic Concern is noted only the first time that a student qualifies for an academic action based upon a semester GPA of less than 2.0 and/or earning fewer than 12 units.

Example: In semester A, Justin earns less than a 2.0 semester GPA and is placed on Academic Concern. In semester B, Justin earns fewer than 12 units and is placed on Academic Notice.

After an incomplete grade is changed to a grade, the semester GPA and cumulative GPA for that semester may be reevaluated in a future semester to determine if the student has become eligible for a different academic action for the semester the incomplete grade was changed. If a different academic standing category is identified, the student will be notified of the new academic standing category.

Example: In semester A, Bailey earns an incomplete grade and is placed on Academic Concern. The incomplete work was not submitted, so the incomplete grade is converted to a failing F grade, which changed the semester A GPA to less than 2.0. Bailey would be notified that they are placed on an academic action (Academic Concern, Academic Notice, or Time Away, as appropriate) due to semester A GPA being less than 2.0.

While a student placed on Academic Concern remains in good academic standing, this status is a signal to the student that academic performance is below minimum standards and, if continued, will likely cause the student to fall out of good standing. This status is not noted on the official transcript. Because it does not cause the student to fall out of good standing, it will not be incorporated into enrollment verifications requesting confirmation of academic standing. 

Academic Time Away 

Any of the following performance indicators at the end of a semester will cause the student’s standing to be reviewed and may cause the student to be placed on Academic Time Away, which is a pause in enrollment at Washington University:

1. Any third time a student becomes eligible for Academic Notice
2. Any second sequential semester a student becomes eligible for Academic Notice
3. Any semester in which a student was enrolled in courses but earns no degree credit that semester (e.g., fails all courses)

Academic Time Away status indicates that a student is not in good academic standing. Because this status is marked by a break in enrollment, this status is noted on the official transcript.

Academic Time Away is not viewed as punitive. Rather, it is an academic pause applied when it is clear that something is interfering with a student's ability to complete degree requirements. It is not in a student's best interest to continue with their studies unless changes are made that will enable successful and consistent academic progress toward graduation.

Students placed on Academic Time Away are given the option to appeal. Students choosing to appeal must follow a prescribed appeal process within provided specific deadlines. Students who successfully appeal their Academic Time Away will be allowed to continue their enrollment and their academic status category will change to Academic Notice. Students deciding not to appeal, or if their appeal is unsuccessful, will have their registration cancelled for the upcoming semester and their academic record will be closed. When this occurs, it is possible for the student to request reinstatement with McKelvey at a future time. Students in this situation will need to show that they have successfully completed challenging coursework at a different institution (normally, at least for one year), or be employed in a paid position (normally, at least for one year), or a combination of the two (school and work). Students who have been placed on Academic Time Away will be allowed to return when it appears that they are genuinely ready to successfully complete coursework at Washington University.

Dual-Degree Students

A student who enters as a Dual-Degree 3-Year Option (3/3) student pursues a McKelvey undergraduate degree for two years and then a McKelvey master’s degree the third year. While pursuing the undergraduate degree during the first two years, undergraduate academic standing rules are applied to the student. McKelvey graduate probation and suspension rules are applied during the third year, when the student is pursuing the master's degree.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Title IV Financial Aid

Federal regulations require that students receiving federal Title IV financial aid maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). The minimum GPA requirements needed to maintain eligibility for SAP are dictated by the specific program of study. In each case, per the requirements of 34 C.F.R. 668.34(a)(4(ii), the federal student aid program requires a minimum of a C average to maintain eligibility for aid, but an individual degree or certificate program may have a higher minimum GPA for federal SAP.

SAP is evaluated annually at the end of the spring semester. In order to maintain SAP and thus be eligible for federal financial aid, a student must maintain minimum requirements for cumulative GPA (>2.0 for undergraduates, >2.70 for master's students, and >3.0 for doctoral students). A student must also maintain minimum requirements for pace (credit earned for at least 67% of the credits attempted). In addition, the degree must be completed within the maximum time frame allowed for the program (defined as 150% of the required credits). Students who are not maintaining SAP will be notified by the McKelvey Registrar and, barring an approved appeal, are ineligible for aid for future semesters. 

More information about Satisfactory Academic Progress is available from Student Financial Services.

Full-Time and Part-Time Enrollment

Engineering undergraduate degree programs are full-time programs. All undergraduate students are automatically charged full-time tuition each semester. Full-time enrollment is 12 to 21 units of credit per semester. Courses taken in audit status do not count toward full-time enrollment status. Students may not enroll in more than 21 units without special permission. An additional per-unit tuition charge is assessed for enrolled units exceeding the 21-unit limit in a semester. 

Part-time enrollment is not allowed unless it is formally approved by Disability Resources or Habif Health and Wellness Center. Students approved for part-time status may enroll in 1 to 11 units and are charged part-time tuition, along with all standard undergraduate fees. Each semester, these students should contact the Engineering Registrar and request to have their tuition adjusted to reflect their part-time enrolled units. Financial aid may not be available for part-time enrollment, so students should contact Student Financial Services to discuss their specific situations.

Seniors who need to enroll for an extra semester in order to graduate may request part-time enrollment and part-time tuition charges for that additional semester of study. These students will not have full-time student status if they are enrolled in less than 12 units. For students who enrolled as first-year students, part-time enrollment may be requested after their eighth academic semester of study. For dual-degree undergraduate students, part-time enrollment may be requested after their fourth academic semester of study. Prior to the add/drop deadline for the semester, these seniors may petition the Engineering Registrar to have their tuition adjusted to reflect their part-time enrolled units. Students approved for reduced tuition will have their bills adjusted after the add/drop deadline has passed. Summer sessions are not counted as academic semesters.

Leaves of Absence

Engineering students may petition to take a leave of absence. For a leave of absence, students in good standing are assured re-enrollment within the next two years. Before returning, the student is to notify the McKelvey School of Engineering and submit a reinstatement form at least six weeks prior to the beginning of the appropriate term. A student wishing to take a medical leave of absence must have a recommendation for the medical leave of absence from Habif Health and Wellness Center submitted to the appropriate dean in the McKelvey School of Engineering prior to leaving and prior to re-enrollment. The dean will decide whether or not to grant the request for the medical leave of absence and re-enrollment upon reviewing the recommendations from the Habif Health and Wellness Center and the student's file.

Tuition Refunds

All full-time undergraduate students in Engineering are assessed tuition at a full-time tuition rate and do not receive refunds for dropping individual courses. Students who officially withdraw from the university (drop all semester courses) will receive a tuition refund as outlined on the Undergraduate Tuition & Fees page of this Bulletin. After the date of the first class meeting, refunds are not granted for short courses, which run less than the full semester length.

Transfer Credit

A student must get prior approval before taking a course at another university. After completing the course, the student must have an official copy of the transcript sent to the McKelvey School of Engineering for evaluation. If the credit is accepted, the course will appear on the transcript with the units but not the grade. Only units of credit for courses with a grade of C- or better will transfer. No transfer credit will be accepted for courses taken while a student is suspended from Washington University for violations of the University Student Conduct Code or the Academic Integrity policy. The transfer course approval process is outlined on the McKelvey School of Engineering website.

Transfer credit is never accepted for online courses.

School of Continuing & Professional Studies Courses

Engineering students may receive credit for a limited number of School of Continuing & Professional Studies courses that have been approved by the Engineering Undergraduate Studies Committee. The approved courses listed below will display on official transcripts and the course units will count toward engineering degree requirements, but the grade will not be calculated in the students' GPAs. Approved courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must earn a minimum grade of C- for the course units to count toward engineering degree requirements.

Current approved courses, which may be needed by students seeking admission into medical school, include the following:

• U29 Bio 4170 Endocrine Physiology
• U29 Bio 4241 Immunology

Eligibility to Enroll in Other School of Continuing & Professional Studies Courses

School of Continuing & Professional Studies courses that do not appear on the approved list above may be taken under certain circumstances. The courses will display on official transcripts, but the units will not count toward engineering degree requirements, and the grade will not be calculated in the students' GPAs. Eligibility is restricted as outlined below: 

1. First-year students may take U03 GS 125 College Success Seminar, but the course will not count toward engineering degree requirements.
2. Undergraduate engineering students may enroll in School of Continuing & Professional Studies biology courses (U29), but only the above-listed courses will count toward engineering degree requirements.
3. Undergraduate engineering students in their final year of study may enroll in one School of Continuing & Professional Studies course each semester. Again, these courses will not count toward engineering degree requirements. 

Exceptions

Exceptions to the above rules may exist for a student's declared degree program when working toward a non-Engineering minor or a joint-degree program.

Military Training

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

A student in the McKelvey School of Engineering who takes an ROTC course will have the course name, number, credit units and grade entered on their official transcript. If the course is numbered 100 through 299, the course's units and grade will not apply toward the student's degree requirements; if the course is numbered 300 through 499 and the grade is D- or better, the course's units will apply toward the student's degree requirements (as a free elective), and the grade will be counted in the student's cumulative and semester GPAs. Credit may be awarded for no more than one course per semester, for a maximum of 16 units. The last course in the sequence, MILS 4020, will count for EN:S credit.

Course descriptions for Air Force ROTC and Army ROTC can be found in the appropriate sections of this Bulletin.

Sever Institute Courses

Sever graduate courses are allowed to count as general units and in the GPA for all undergraduate and graduate McKelvey students. The units earned in Sever graduate courses will count as general units needed to satisfy any McKelvey degree, and they will count toward the general Washington University residency requirement for undergraduate degrees. However, they will not count toward the engineering (“E” course) residency requirement for McKelvey undergraduate degrees. The GPA earned in Sever graduate courses will count toward the cumulative GPA, the semester GPA, the Dean’s List, the class rank, and Latin honors. Unless approved by the McKelvey department offering the student's degree program, Sever graduate courses will not satisfy any course requirement (core or elective requirement) for any McKelvey undergraduate degree, graduate degree, second major, minor, or certificate program.

Online Courses

Online courses taken by engineering undergraduate students will not count toward graduation requirements. Exceptions include only those courses with “E” course numbers offered by McKelvey and "L" course numbers offered by Arts & Sciences.

Academic Integrity

All students in the McKelvey School of Engineering are expected to conform to high standards of conduct. Undergraduate Students should refer to the Washington University Undergraduate Student Academic Integrity Policy for an overview of expectations. To review our school statement on academic integrity as well as our process, visit the McKelvey Academic Integrity webpage.

Academic Calendar

In addition to the university's academic calendar, McKelvey maintains an Engineering Academic Calendar with dates and deadlines that are specific to McKelvey students. This calendar includes course information, which is also helpful for non-McKelvey students taking engineering courses.

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