Policies & Procedures

To receive credit for AP test scores, we must receive your scores directly from the College Board. Details on how to send your scores can be found on the College Board site. Washington University’s College Code is 6929.

To receive credit for IB or A-Level tests, please submit your test scores to: college@wustl.edu using the email subject “IB Test Score Request” or “A-Level Test Score Request”. If you have any questions, please call 314-935-6800.

The AP, IB, and A-Level policies are listed below.

Advanced Placement Policy

International Baccalaureate Policy

A-Level Policy

Students who place into and satisfactorily complete higher-level courses at Washington University may be eligible to earn units of Back Credit for preceding courses per the department's review and approval.  Credit is not awarded twice if a student has already earned the Back Credit units from transfer credit or AP scores. 

Back-Credit Policy

For courses taken at WashU prior to matriculation (e.g., through the High School Summer Scholars Program), students may request that these credits be applied to their B.A. Students should make this request in writing from their WashU email by contacting artsciregistrar@wustl.edu. 

For courses taken at a different college/university prior to matriculation, the College of Arts & Sciences permits the of credit earned at other colleges and universities while in high school if: 

1. The course is an actual college/university course for which college/university credit would normally be awarded
2. The course was taken after the sophomore year in high school
3. The course was taken at a fully accredited college/university
4. The course was taught on a college/university campus (NOTE: For Summer 2020, courses delivered online or via remote platforms will be considered if all other conditions are met. For admitted students on an Admissions-approved gap year for AY2020-2021, online or remote courses taken during the academic year will also be considered if all other conditions are met.) 
5. The course was taught by a college/university faculty member
6. The course was enrolled primarily by matriculated college/university students (i.e., high school graduates)
7. The course was not listed on the high school transcript, did not count toward the high school diploma/graduation requirement, and was not part of a high school/college dual credit program

All conditions must be satisfied in order for a course to qualify for credit.  If any one condition is not satisfied, the College of Arts & Sciences will not award credit. 

The maximum total of transferable credits from Prematriculation Credit is 15 units. Sources for Prematriculation Credit units include AP, IB, A-Level, Proficiency Credit (Back Credit), and college/university course credit earned after the student’s sophomore year in high school and prior to full-time college matriculation.

Required Documentation 

The following documents must be received prior to credit evaluation. 

1. Completed Request for Washington University Credit: Complete the Part I of the form and ask the Registrar at the college/university where you took the courses to complete Part II. If the college/university course(s) appears on your high school transcript, your high school must complete Part III.
2. Course Description: Provide course description or course syllabus for each course. 
3. Transcript: Submit an official college/university transcript bearing the Registrar's seal or its equivalent to Washington University. 

Please send all documentation listed above to: college@wustl.edu using the email subject “Prematriculation Request." If you have any questions, please call 314-935-6800 or email college@wustl.edu.

Arts & Sciences students wishing to earn credit for coursework taken at another institution need approval from the College Office before they are eligible to receive credit. 

The following exceptions require direct contact with the Office of Overseas Programs to overseas@wustl.edu:

• Coursework being taken through a WashU study abroad program. 
• Coursework through another U.S. organization's study abroad program. 
• International students who plan to take summer coursework in a country that is not your country of citizenship or parents’ residence. 

These policies apply to non-WUSTL courses: 

• Online or other distance learning courses will not be granted transfer credit. Exception: Due to COVID-19, courses taken online during Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, or Summer 2021 will be considered for transfer credit. 
• Students may transfer a maximum of two courses (typically 6 units) per summer or per semester of Leave of Absence. Exceptions will be made for STEM sequences that require enrollment in a separate, companion lab course.
• You must take the course for a letter grade and earn a grade of C or better to be eligible for transfer credit. 
• Grades earned at other institutions will not be included in your WUSTL gpa. 
• Non-WashU course work may not be used to satisfy Arts & Sciences distribution requirements; courses may count towards major/minor credit only with department pre-approval.  
• Upon receipt of an official transcript from the non-WashU school, approved credit will be awarded. 

Basic Instructions: 

1. Download the PDF form and follow the instructions.
2. If the course is in Chemistry or Physics please use these links for additional important information. 
3. After successfully completing your course(s), please arrange to have your official transcript sent to: bcummings@wustl.edu.

Additional Instructions for International Students who are: 

• Arts & Sciences WashU undergraduate students studying on a student visa or whose parents have full-time residency outside of the U.S. 
• Planning to take summer coursework at a recognized institution of higher education in their country of residence or country of parents’ residence, if different.

Additional Steps 

1. Submit the Approval for Non-WashU Course Credit form to the College Office and make sure you share translated copies, as needed, if any documents are written in another language. 
2. After submitting your form to the College Office, you must register your plans on the Office of Overseas Programs' Global Opportunities website. The deadline to register is July 15. 
3. Once you receive approval from the College Office for your coursework, you must upload a copy of the completed and approved form to the Global Opportunities website.
4. Students who do not complete both the course approval and registry process by the deadline will not be eligible for credit. 
5. Make sure an official copy of your transcript is sent to the College of Arts & Sciences (do NOT send transcripts to Admissions, your academic advisor, or the Registrar's Office). You may hand deliver the transcript to the College Office in 104 Cupples II, in a sealed envelope from the institution. If necessary, please provide a certified translation of the transcript.

You can gain academic credit (Pass/Fail) for an internship if the following criteria are met:

• You must complete a Learning Agreement signed by the faculty sponsor and site supervisor no later than two weeks after the first day of the internship. All signatures must be digitally verified or physical.
• You must work the following number of hours per credit:
  • One credit = 45+ hours over six weeks or more
  • Two credits = 90+ hours over six weeks or more
  • Three credits = 135+ hours over eight weeks or more

To receive credit, follow these steps:

• Some departments offer internship credit. Before applying for General Studies credit, please consult this list for eligibility criteria. If your internship meets the listed requirements, contact the appropriate Department Internship Coordinator about application, enrollment, & evaluation.
• Fill out the A&S Internship Credit Intake Form. You will receive direct communication from the College Office regarding your eligibility & next steps.
• If your internship is deemed eligible for credit, complete the learning agreement from the academic year currently in progress (i.e., AY 2022-2023 for a summer 2023 internship). Completed & signed learning agreements must be received no later than two weeks from your start date. Applications for retroactive credit will not be considered.
• Once enrolled and upon fulfilling your internship role, complete a reflection paper and site supervisor evaluation, along with any other work required by your faculty sponsor.

Please note the following limits on internship credit:

• You can earn up to three credits per internship and complete only one internship during a semester or summer.
• You can count up to six credits for internships toward your total credits for graduation.
• For General Studies Credit, faculty sponsors must be full-time members of Arts & Sciences (i.e., Tenure-Track or Senior Lecturer). Their work does not need to relate to the student’s work for the internship.
• International students must consult with their academic department and the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) before applying for credit.
• Students receiving pay associated with their internship in the form of wages, fellowships, grants, stipends, or participation in special programs are eligible to apply for academic credit; however, Arts & Sciences does not guarantee credit for paid General Studies internships.

Questions about internship credit? Contact artsci-internships@email.wustl.edu.

To encourage students to enroll in courses they might not otherwise take, the faculty has established the credit/no credit option under which a student may register in courses and receive a grade of credit (CR) or no credit (NCR). In any semester, a full-time student may enroll in one course under the credit/no credit option. A maximum of 24 units earned under this option may be applied toward the A.B. degree. Students must designate which course is to be taken under the credit/no credit option each semester at the time of registration. No change into or out of the option may be made after the dates designated in the calendar of the College of Arts & Sciences, published each semester. 

In rare circumstances, a student may benefit from registering for a course as an auditor.  Full-time students may audit one course per semester, which entitles them to all of the privileges of a regularly-enrolled member of the class.  Not all courses allow auditors, and courses taken for audit do not earn credits and thus do not count toward the degree, including toward distributions or toward majors or minors.  Students are also advised to consult the instructor regarding the requirements of a successful audit, as unsatisfactory performance results in a grade of Z.

No more than 12 of the 24 units allowed for the credit/no credit option may be applied to area distribution requirements. Please note that due to COVID-19 interim policy amendments, units taken credit/no credit in the Spring 2020 semester will not be counted toward either of the above maximums.   

It is the student's responsibility to discuss with the faculty member what constitutes a successful pass/credit in a particular course. Although the general pass mark is 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 credit/no credit option. (N.B. Due to COVID-19 interim policy amendments, these credit/no credit exclusions do not apply to courses taken Spring 2020.) Pre-professional and prospective graduate students should also consider seriously the strong probability that professional schools may seek more definite grades than CR 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 credit/no credit basis. When so required, students are permitted to elect an additional course to be taken credit/no credit but should consider carefully the consequences of that choice.

If a student believes a grade they have received – whether referring to a single assignment or to the course grade as a whole – is inappropriate, arbitrary, or assigned for non-academic reasons, they have the right to discuss any grade(s) with their instructor and to request a change of grade(s). (Students wanting to discuss the possibility of appealing their grades are encouraged to first speak with their four-year advisor. They may also connect with the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Faculty-Student Mediator. Neither the four-year advisor nor the mediator may consider the merit of the appeal nor make any decisions with regard to the appeal, but they can inform students about possible options for approaching the appeal.)

Grade appeals should be filed as soon as possible after the grade is assigned and must be addressed in a timely manner. Grade appeals are not allowed after one semester has passed since the grade has been awarded. Grade appeals in the semester prior to the student’s graduation must be raised immediately and addressed on a truncated timeline from what is outlined below in order for the appeal to be addressed prior to the conferral of a degree and the sealing of the student’s transcript. If a grade appeal is submitted after a student has graduated, it will not be reviewed as no grade changes will be made to the academic record following conferral of a degree. Additionally, grades that are a result of sanctions for a violation of Academic Integrity (as determined by the Academic Integrity Committee) are not eligible for appeal through the following process.

The below steps outline the grade appeal process:

• The student must first request the grade change from the instructor. The request should be in writing and outline the reasons the grade change is being requested. The instructor must respond to the student in writing with detailed justification for the grade given within two weeks of the student’s request.
• If the student is not satisfied by the instructor’s justification for the grade, they may appeal the grade in writing to the appropriate department chair or program director (based on the home department or program of the course and not on the student’s program of enrollment) within one week of the instructor’s response. The student’s statement should respond to the instructor’s detailed justification and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. The appropriate chair or director will review the appeal and provide a written response to the student within three weeks.
• An undergraduate student’s last opportunity for appeal is to the Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs. If a student wants to purse a grade appeal at this level, the appeal must be in writing and be submitted within one week of the written response from the chair. The student’s statement should acknowledge both the instructor’s and the chair’s responses and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. The Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs must respond within four weeks of the student’s appeal, and the response must be in writing.

If a student believes that the grade is the result of identity-based discrimination, they should make a report through the Bias Report and Support System.

During your time at Washington University in St. Louis, you may experience life situations, medical conditions, or psychological conditions that significantly impair your ability to function successfully or safely as a student. In these instances, time away from the university for treatment and recovery can often restore your functioning to a level that will enable you to participate fully in academic coursework and the university community.

A student wishing to take a Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA) must have a recommendation from WashU Cares and a completed MLOA request submitted to the appropriate dean in the College Office. Upon reviewing the recommendations from WashU Cares and the student's file, the appropriate dean in the College Office will decide whether to grant the request for the MLOA and/or re-enrollment. The required forms for an MLOA and reinstatement after an MLOA are available through WashU Cares.

From time to time students want to take time away from their studies at Washington University. When you take a Leave of Absence (LOA) from the University you have the option to return at a later date. Undergraduates in good standing at the completion of a semester are eligible to take a Leave of Absence (LOA) by completing an LOA request. Newly admitted students who have not yet matriculated are not eligible for Leave of Absence but may request a gap year deferral from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website to learn more about deferring enrollment. 

Complete the Leave of Absence Request Form.

All Art & Sciences students who wish to take a leave from Washington University to study abroad with a program not approved by WashU need to complete a Leave of Absence Request through Overseas Programs. 

If you are an undergraduate who has transferred to another college or university, please complete the Request to Withdraw from Washington University. 

Reinstatement from an approved Medical Leave of Absence must be requested through WashU Cares. If you are applying to return for a fall semester, applications must be received between June 1-July 1. For a spring semester return, applications must be received between November 1-December 1.

Before you submit a formal request for reinstatement, it is important that you have all the relevant information regarding your options and their implications to help you make an informed decision. Depending on your situation, we encourage consulting with one of more of the following areas:

• Your academic and/or program advisor regarding your academic standing and progression upon return
• Current health care providers (on campus or in the community), who may be able to offer guidance regarding your current functioning and recommended treatment
• Disability Resources to discuss potential accommodations that might be available to you upon return
• Explore dining and housing options as you prepare to return to campus
• Student Financial Services, as each student’s financial situation and impact of a leave can be different
• If you are an international student, please contact the OISS Office to discuss how a leave will impact your immigration status

Once ready, please submit the Reinstatement Request Form for consideration. Your request will be reviewed and evaluated. Once a decision is made, you will receive notification via WashU/wustl.edu email address of the decision. This process can take  several weeks. Applications for reinstatement for the Fall 2024 semester are due by August 1, 2024, and for Spring 2025 semester are due by December 1, 2024.

In order to transfer to the College of Arts & Sciences from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Olin Business School, or the School of Engineering & Applied Science, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher and be in good academic standing. Students not meeting these criteria will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Each student's record should also support the conclusion that they will be able to complete an Arts & Sciences major as well as Arts & Sciences degree requirements within a typical time frame. All transfers must be requested by the last day of final exams of the semester before the effective semester. For Fall 2020 only, the deadline is the last day of classes (not the later date of the last day of final exams).

To request a transfer, log in to WebSTAC and select "Academics/Change WU School." This process requires meeting with and receiving approval from the transfer deans of Arts & Sciences and the incoming school. Contact information for the deans is provided during the request process at WebSTAC.

In order to transfer to the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Olin Business School, or the School of Engineering & Applied Science, students in the College of Arts & Sciences should meet with a dean or academic advisor in the school to which they are considering a transfer to review all academic requirements. Students are encouraged to consult their Arts & Sciences four-year advisor for additional support. All transfers must be requested by the last day of final exams of the semester before the effective semester. For Fall 2020 only, the deadline is the last day of classes (not the later date of the last day of final exams).

To request a transfer, log in to WebSTAC and select "Academics/Change WU School." This process requires meeting with and receiving approval from the transfer deans of Arts & Sciences and the incoming school. Contact information for the deans is provided during the request process at WebSTAC.

All undergraduates are governed by the Undergraduate Student Academic Integrity Policy. For information specific to the College of Arts & Sciences please refer to the A&S Academic Integrity webpage.

At the end of each semester, in recognition of exceptional scholarship, the College Office compiles a list of those students whose work has been particularly worthy of commendation. Students will be cited on the Dean’s List if they complete a minimum of 14 units of graded work while achieving a grade point average of 3.6 for the semester. No incomplete or "N" grades may be outstanding as part of the semester record. All work must be completed and grades posted by the first day of the following semester in order to be considered for Dean’s List. For Spring semester courses, all work must be completed by the beginning of Summer Session II (typically mid-June).

Upon assessment by the College Office, the A.B. with College Honors will be awarded to students who achieve college-wide academic excellence as measured by a cumulative grade point average of 3.6 or better throughout eight semesters, but who do not receive Latin Honors.

Latin Honors are determined on the basis of a student’s performance throughout eight semesters in the college. To be eligible for such honors, the student must have maintained a 3.65 grade point average through the sixth semester and must be accepted for candidacy by the relevant department or area committee. Latin Honors candidates must enroll in such courses as their department or interdisciplinary committee may require, satisfactorily complete a significant project appropriate to the nature of the discipline, and pass such written and/or oral examinations as the department or area committee may set. 
 
Upon certification by the department that the Honors program has been satisfactorily completed, the student may be awarded the A.B. cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude according to the following proportions: the top 15 percent in overall grade point average of Latin honors candidates who complete the necessary requirements of their major departments will graduate summa cum laude; the next 35 percent magna cum laude; the next 50 percent cum laude. 
 
To be eligible for Latin Honors, transfer students must have earned a minimum of 48 letter-graded Washington University units prior to the final semester. Grades earned at other institutions do not figure in the calculation of minimum averages required for eligibility for Latin Honors.

The best chance for resolution of a concern is through conversation; we strongly encourage students wherever possible to raise their concern directly with the relevant faculty member. If the concern is not addressed, the student can raise the issue to the chair of the department in which the course is offered. Any remaining unresolved problems can be referred to the Arts & Sciences Student-Faculty Mediator.

You may also report concerns anonymously through this webform. Please understand our ability to follow up on anonymous complaints is necessarily limited; however, the College Office will investigate your concerns wherever possible.

This form is intended to gather concerns regarding academic issues. Matters involving bias in the classroom should be reported through the BRSS, and any concerns touching on sexual violence, harassment, or discrimination should be reported through the Title IX office. 

Washington University is committed to assuring that appropriate options are available to students with grievances against faculty members, including grievances involving discrimination and/or discriminatory harassment.  For full information, visit the Grievance Policy and Procedures page.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects student information. For full information, visit the Office of the University Registrar.

 

The university is committed to ensuring the success of all military personnel and veterans in their pursuit of attitudes, skills and habits of lifelong learning and leadership. For full information about support for military personnel and veterans, view the Veterans and Military page.

A student may receive no more than a total of two majors and one minor or one major and two minors.

Students whose performance in a course has not met their expectations are permitted to retake the course, receive a second grade, and have the symbol R, denoting the retake, placed next to the grade for the first enrollment. The course should be retaken for the same grade option as that for which the course was originally taken. All registrations will show on the transcript; however, only the grade and units of the final enrollment will be used to calculate the GPA. 

Please note: This procedure is not pedagogically sound and should be avoided in all but serious cases, such as a grade of D in a course required for the major. 

If the first enrollment was for a letter grade, the second and subsequent enrollments must be for a letter grade in order for the retake policy to be invoked. Except in the case of a retake of an unsuccessful audit, the retake policy will not be invoked if the grade option for any of the enrollments is audit. 

To retake a College of Arts & Sciences course in University College, either during the summer or during the regular academic year, requires the department to certify in advance the course’s equivalence to the College of Arts & Sciences course.

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 course work. 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 online, but it also may be achieved by a note from the professor(s) to the College Office confirming that the student has turned in all requisite assignments for the relevant class(es). 

If a student experiences medical or personal problems that make satisfactory completion of course work difficult or unlikely, s/he may request a grade of Incomplete (I) from one or more instructors. In such a situation, the student should take the following steps: 

1. Meet with the instructor before the final examination or due date for the final paper to discuss the request. 
2. If the instructor consents, agree on the work remaining to complete the course and on a date when it will be submitted. 

If these steps are not followed, the instructor is under no obligation to award a grade of I. Failure to submit completed work by the last day of classes of the next full semester will result in the I grade being changed automatically to a grade of F.  For spring semester courses, this will be the last day of summer classes, typically mid-August.

Students in the College may enroll in course work offered by WashU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (CAPS) as long as they do not exceed one course a semester and a maximum total of 24 units. CAPS courses are subject to the degree requirement that stipulates only 30 units from any of the other schools of the university may be applied to the Bachelor of Arts degree. CAPS courses do not fulfill distribution requirements and can only count for a major or minor with approval from the relevant department. Students in the College of Arts & Sciences do not receive credit for online courses offered by CAPS. Exception: due to COVID-19, Arts & Sciences students successfully completing online CAPS during Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, or Summer 2021 will receive credit for such courses.

Yes, undergraduates are allowed to register for graduate level courses. However, these courses are designed for students pursuing graduate degrees. If you are interested in a specific course, be sure to contact the instructor first to ensure your enrollment will be approved.

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 to the judgment of each department or instructor the number of absences of any kind a student may have and still expect to pass a course. The faculty expects each instructor to give reasonable consideration to unavoidable absences and to the feasibility of making up missed work. The student is expected to explain to instructors the reasons for such absences and to discuss the possibility of completing missed assignments.

For a list of all ArtSci policies, visit the Bulletin.

At times students may wish to request an exception to certain College of Arts & Sciences policies.

Complete the Policy Exception Form for this request.