General Comments
| Subject | Years Required |
|---|---|
| ENGLISH | 4 years |
| MATHEMATICS | 3 years |
| SOCIAL SCIENCES | 3 years |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGE | 2 years |
| LAB SCIENCE | 2 years |
| FINE, VISUAL, OR PERFORMING ARTS | 0.5 years |
| ACADEMIC ELECTIVES | 0.5 years |
Because these are admission requirements, all college academic distribution requirements must be satisfactorily completed before the first quarter of enrollment at the UW.
Almost all applicants will have satisfied these requirements through high-school course work, which is generally defined as that completed in grades 9-12. There are, however, several ways to satisfy these requirements at the college level. In general, five quarter credits (or three semester credits) at the college level equals one year of high-school study. If you completed a portion of the college academic distribution requirements in high school, you can supplement high school courses with college course work.
Example
- High School: 3 years of English
- Community college: 5-credit English composition or literature course (counts as 1 high-school year)
GRADING RESTRICTIONS
In general, you must attain at minimum a passing grade (including 'D') to satisfy a college academic distribution requirement. Also acceptable is a grade of 'Pass' in a course taken on a 'Pass/Not Pass' basis. However, if you are completing a college academic distribution requirement through college course work, you are strongly encouraged to choose a letter or numerical grade, because you may later want to apply such courses towards requirements for your major or University or college graduation requirements, for which grading restrictions pertain.
Applicants using a college course to satisfy the mathematics requirement: specific restrictions on grading apply. See the Mathematics section.
English Composition / Literature
IF TAKEN IN HIGH SCHOOL
Four years of study are required, at least three of which must be in college-preparatory composition or literature.
- One of the four years may be satisfied by courses in drama as literature, public speaking, debate, journalistic writing, business English, or English as a Second Language (ESL).
- Courses that are generally not acceptable include those identified as remedial or applied (e.g., acting, basic English skills, developmental reading, library, newspaper staff, remedial English, review English, vocabulary, yearbook/annual).
IF MADE UP THROUGH COLLEGE COURSE WORK
College course work must be at the 100 level or higher. For the composition/literature component, generally any course with an English or Writing prefix is acceptable.
- One of the four years may be satisfied by a college course in speech, drama as literature, journalistic writing, business English, ESL, or engineering/technical writing.
- Courses such as developmental or speed reading, vocabulary, or remedial English are not acceptable.
- English courses are considered equivalent to ESL unless taken in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the U.S.
GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH
There are several options for U.S. citizens, permanent residents or refugees
- whose first language is not English or,
- who attended school in a non-English speaking country.
English-speaking countries are defined as Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the U.S.
Please consult Alternative English Requirements for more information.
Applicants Whose First Language is not English
ALTERNATIVES TO THE ENGLISH REQUIREMENT FOR ADMISSION
If you have questions after reading this, please contact the Admissions counseling staff.
The English subject requirement for admission applies to all freshmen and transfer applicants and cannot be waived. It may be satisfied by coursework completed in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom, countries where English is recognized as the primary language of instruction. Additionally, the options presented below are acceptable alternatives for students whose first language is not English – whether immigrants, refugees, U.S. permanent residents, or U.S. citizens – and whose K-12 education has NOT been entirely in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. In all cases, high school and/or college course work equivalent to 4 units (years) of high school English are required.
ALTERNATIVE ONE
Option for students with ACT or SAT test scores.
To fulfill the English subject requirement for admission under this alternative, both A and B must be satisfied.
A: Test Score Requirement
Submit one of the following official test scores by the application deadline:
- SAT Critical Reading 430
- ACT English 17
A test score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Michigan Language Test (MLT) cannot be used to meet this requirement.
B: Course Work Requirement
A total of four years of study are required.
- Composition or literature courses in the student's first language may satisfy up to three units (years) of the requirement.
- English composition or literature courses taken in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the U.S. may satisfy up to four units (years) of the requirement.
- These courses may satisfy no more than one unit (year) of the requirement:
- English, if taken outside of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the U.S.
- ESL taken in the U.S.
- Courses in drama as literature, public speaking, debate, journalistic writing, or business English that were completed in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the U.S.
ALTERNATIVE TWO
Option for students with 60 or more transferable college quarter credits
To fulfill the 4 unit high school English subject requirement for admission under this alternative, each of the following sections (A, B, and C) must be satisfied.
A. Credit level Requirement
A minimum of 60 transferable quarter credits from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or from an accredited college or university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom must be completed at the time of application. Transcripts showing 60 completed credits must be submitted by the application deadline.
B. English Composition Course Work Requirement
Two units of the requirement must be satisfied by two college-level English composition courses for a minimum total of eight quarter credits. These courses must be taken at a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S., or from an accredited college or university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. All college-level English composition courses must be completed with a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 (B).
C. Additional English Course Work Requirements
The remaining two units of the requirement may be satisfied by any combination of course work from among the following options:
- Up to two units may be satisfied by high school English composition or literature courses from high schools where the primary language of instruction is English.
- Up to two units may be satisfied by composition or literature courses in the student’s first language (when the first language is not English) for coursework completed in educational systems other than the U.S., Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom.
- Only one unit (year) of the requirement may be satisfied by one of the following:
- English courses taken in countries where English is NOT recognized as the primary language of instruction.
- ESL courses taken in the U.S.
- Courses in drama as literature, public speaking, debate, journalistic writing, or business English that were completed in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the U.S.
- Up to two units may be satisfied by additional college-level English composition or English literature courses from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S., or from an accredited college or university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. (5 quarter or 3 semester credits = 1 high school unit)
Useful Link: English Language Proficiency Requirement .
Mathematics
IF COMPLETED IN HIGH SCHOOL
Three years of study are required, at least at the level of algebra, geometry, and second-year algebra.
- An algebra course completed in the last year of junior high school may partially satisfy the requirement if the second-year algebra is completed in secondary school.
- Arithmetic, pre-algebra, business math, and statistics will not count toward the requirement.
IF MADE UP THROUGH COLLEGE COURSE WORK
If your high school preparation in mathematics was insufficient, you must complete one of the courses listed below:
- A course in intermediate algebra - At UW Extension, as well as at many community colleges in Washington, MATH 098 is the necessary course. The course must be completed with a grade of 'C' (2.0) or better, even though it does not transfer to the UW as college credit and the grade earned in the course is not used in computing the transfer GPA.
- MATH 104 (Trigonometry) or its equivalent - The course must be completed with a grade of 'C' (2.0) or better.
- MATH 107 (Mathematics: A Practical Art) or its equivalent - The course must be completed with a grade of 'C' (2.0) or better.
- Mathematics courses with intermediate algebra as a prerequisite (except statistics courses) - This includes any higher-level math courses such as elementary functions, calculus, and beyond.
Social Science
IF COMPLETED IN HIGH SCHOOL
Three years of study are required in history or in any of the social sciences, e.g., anthropology, contemporary world problems, economics, geography, government, political science, psychology, sociology.
Credit for religion courses, consumer economics, student government, or community service will not count towards the requirement.
IF MADE UP THROUGH COLLEGE COURSE WORK
Courses in the social sciences—e.g., anthropology, economics, ethnic studies, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology-will count toward the requirement.
Foreign Language
IF COMPLETED IN HIGH SCHOOL
Two years of study are required. The two years must be completed in the same language.
- The foreign language requirement will be considered satisfied for applicants who complete their education through the seventh grade in school(s)
- where English was not the language of instruction and
- in countries other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the U.S.
- International applicants who entered the U.S. education system prior to the 8th grade must satisfy the foreign language requirement.
- Art, art history, cinema/filmmaking, dance, music, or photography;
- Any course in drama except drama as literature courses.
- Courses in architecture are generally not accepted, except for those in architectural history.
Any natural language that has been formally studied may be used to satisfy this requirement, including American Sign Language (ASL, the language of the deaf community), and languages no longer spoken, such as Latin and ancient Greek. However, neither computer 'languages' nor forms of deaf signing aside from ASL are acceptable.
A foreign language course taken in the eighth grade may satisfy one year of the requirement if the second-year course is completed in high school.
IF MADE UP THROUGH COLLEGE COURSE WORK
For purposes of admission, each quarter of language in college is considered equivalent to one year in high school. Applicants who have never studied a foreign language will need to complete ten quarter credits of a single foreign language. However, an applicant who studied French for one year in high school needs to complete only the second quarter (e.g., FREN 102) or the second semester of a first-year language sequence. Of course, you may prefer to begin with 101 to refresh your memory.
Science
IF COMPLETED IN HIGH SCHOOL
Two years of science are required. Applicants must complete one full year- both semesters in the same field-of the basic principles of biology, chemistry, or physics, with a laboratory experience. The second year of science may be completed in any course that satisfies your high school's graduation requirement in science.
Two years of agricultural science are equivalent to one year of science.
IF MADE UP THROUGH COLLEGE COURSE WORK
College science courses with a lab will count toward the laboratory science portion of the requirement. Any course in astronomy, atmospheric science, biological structure, biology, botany, chemistry, environmental science (but not environmental studies), genetics, geology, oceanography, physical anthropology, physical geography, physics, or zoology will count toward the second-year requirement, as will introductory courses in biological or physical science.
Fine, Visual, or Performing Arts
IF COMPLETED IN HIGH SCHOOL
One-half year or one trimester of study is required in the fine, visual, or performing arts, to be chosen from art appreciation, band, ceramics, choir, dance, dramatic performance and production, drawing, fiber arts, graphic arts, metal design, music appreciation, music theory, orchestra, painting, photography, print making, or sculpture.
Courses generally not accepted include architecture, color guard, creative writing, drafting, drill team, fashion design, foreign languages, interior design, sewing, speech, web design or graphics, woodworking, and yearbook.
IF MADE UP THROUGH COLLEGE COURSE WORK
Two quarter credits (or 2 semester credits) chosen from any of the following subjects will satisfy the requirement:
Academic Electives
IF COMPLETED IN HIGH SCHOOL
Academic electives are courses in any of the six core subject areas — English, Mathematics, Social Science, Foreign Language, Science, and the Arts — beyond the minimum number of years specified. An additional half-year of study is required.
IF MADE UP THROUGH COLLEGE COURSE WORK
Three quarter credits (2 semester credits), chosen from any of the six subject areas, satisfy this requirement.