Undergraduate Policies & Petitions

All students should refer to University of Washington Bothell policies on undergraduate grading, student education records, and academic standards.

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Policies

Petitions

SES Policies

Add Code Policy

Students seeking add codes to B EDUC courses must submit a request via the form linked above and seek course instructor approval to register for the course. Students must complete the form and provide course information as well as documentation (screenshot, copy of email) of course instructor approval. Requests without instructor approval will not be considered. Students can expect a decision in 1-2 business days.

Add Code Request Form

Course Repeat Policy

Students are able to take Educational Studies courses twice without advisor assistance. Students who wish to retake an SES course for a third or more time must complete the Course Repeat Request Form. If or once a student is enrolled in the course, they will be required to meet with an SES Advisor to develop a support plan for their academic success.

Course Repeat Request Form

Teacher Certification Methods Course Repeat Policy

Elementary Education Option and Elementary Education Post-Baccalaureate policies and teacher certification requirements can be found in the Elementary Education Cohort Canvas Hub.

Students at the University of Washington Bothell in the School of Educational Studies teacher certification program are required to take a series of courses to earn a teaching certificate. Faculty in the School continuously revise and update course syllabi to reflect current research about teaching and learning. Additionally, teacher certification programs are subject to changes in state and national regulations that shape course experiences and certification requirements.

If a student needs to take a leave of absence and is in good standing with the program (cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher in all UW coursework), the program will issue a leave of absence memo that indicates the student may return to the program within two years of the last completed methods course(s) and resume their course of study, beginning at their point of departure. A student returning to the program within two years will have the program coursework previously successfully completed apply toward their course of study, and will still be subject to any additional courses, modifications, or certification requirements in state or national regulations.

If a student extends their leave of absence beyond two years, the following restrictions on their return to the program will apply:

  • If extending a leave of absence beyond two years, the student will be required to retake content area methodology coursework.
  • If extending a leave of absence beyond two years, the student will still be subject to any additional courses, modifications, or certification requirements in state or national regulations.
  • If a student graduates having not completed the Elementary Education Option’s coursework and requirements, they have the opportunity to apply to the Elementary Education Post-Baccalaureate.

Students who plan to return to the program must indicate their return at least one quarter in advance (e.g. if a student plans to return for Spring quarter, they must notify the School in Week 1 of Winter quarter). Students returning in Autumn Quarter must notify the School of Educational Studies by Week 1 of the preceding Spring Quarter.

Grade Appeal

The School of Educational Studies (SES) is committed to an ethic of care for its students, staff, faculty and community members. Our grade appeal policy and process supports students in resolving concerns related to course grading. The SES Grade Appeal Policy is aligned with UW Scholastic Regulations Ch. 110 Section 2B Written Appeal of Grade Error.

What is a Grade Appeal?  

A grade appeal is UW’s process for students to dispute a course grade. A grade appeal may be appropriate if the student has evidence (or they believe evidence exists) that: 

  • They were improperly graded based on criteria outlined in the syllabus
  • A grade recording error or omission occurred
  • The instructor’s grading was arbitrary and capricious

Complaints regarding the issues below have specific protocols which should be followed instead of or in addition to the grade appeal process. Information about these specific issues and their protocols are linked in the following list:

SES academic services staff are available to assist students in understanding and navigating the grade appeal process and identifying the best way to proceed. All conversations relating to grade appeals will be treated as confidential. 

Grade Appeal Process

Before a student raises a concern about their grade, they first must carefully review the course syllabus and any instructions or information related to specific assignments and grades. Additionally, students should be aware that Canvas may not contain all information related to final grades.

Before submitting a grade appeal, students must attempt to resolve grade concerns directly in a face-to-face conversation (in-person or video conference) with the course instructor before the end of the following academic quarter (not including Summer Quarter). Most questions about grades can be resolved at this stage.  

If the instructor is not responsive to a student’s request for a meeting, the student should contact an SES advisor. The advisor will then bring the issue to the SES Student Support Team. 

Circumstances may warrant an exception to this step, in which case the student can, when necessary, directly advance to Step 3: Preparing a Grade Appeal.

In cases where a student and the instructor cannot come to an agreement about the grade issue and the student has evidence (or they believe evidence exists) that they were improperly graded, the student may submit a grade appeal no later than ten business days after the student’s discussion with the instructor. 

Submitting a grade appeal will not impact a student’s academic record. Information recorded on the Grade Appeal Form will be treated as confidential and will be retained in the student’s advising file once the appeal is resolved.

Within ten business days of receiving the grade appeal, the Dean will review the appeal and consult with the instructor to determine whether the evaluation of the student’s coursework was fair and reasonable, or if the instructor’s conduct in assigning the grade was arbitrary or capricious. The Dean may also request a meeting with the student and/or instructor to gather additional information. The Dean will inform the student if the appeal has been denied, or if next steps are necessary to move forward with the review. This timeline may be extended by the Dean in exceptional circumstances. 

Should the SES Dean believe the instructor’s conduct to be arbitrary or capricious and should the instructor decline to revise the grade, the Dean will refer the student’s case to at least two of the three members of the elected faculty council (in the case that one of the EFCs members is the instructor in question) to evaluate and assign a grade. The VCAA will be informed of this action.

Grade Appeal Form

Graduation Application

Post-Baccalaureate teacher certification students do not need to submit a graduation application.

Undergraduate students must meet with their advisor to submit an online application to graduate and receive their diploma. At your Graduation Application appointment, you and your advisor will:

  • Confirm your intended graduation quarter
  • Review remaining UW and SES major requirements
  • Review policies for graduating seniors

Students are responsible for completing remaining UW and SES requirements after submitting their Graduation Application. Degrees are awarded after all UW and SES requirements are complete and a student’s Graduation Application is on file with the Office of the Registrar.

When to Submit Graduation Application

Students should submit their Graduation Application three (3) quarters before their anticipated graduation. Students who submit their application in advance may be eligible for Graduating Senior Priority registration. The final deadline for submitting the graduation application is the third Friday of the quarter in which the student intends to graduate.

Graduation QuarterApplication Submission
Autumn Quarter (December)Prior Winter Quarter
Winter Quarter (March)Prior Spring Quarter
Spring Quarter (June)Prior Summer Quarter
Summer Quarter (August)*AND attend CommencementPrior Autumn Quarter*No later than 3rd Friday in Spring Quarter 

Grievance Policy

The School of Educational Studies (SES) is committed to an ethic of care for its students, staff, faculty and community members. Our grievance policy and process support our community in resolving concerns related to academic, School, or university policies or processes. The SES Grievance Policy is aligned with UW Executive Order No. 58 Student Academic Grievance Procedures and the UW Graduate School Policy 3.8: Academic Grievance Procedure. 

What is a Grievance?

A grievance is an allegation of unfair treatment, inappropriate behavior, or substantive injustice in the conduct of academic or university policy, practice, or business. A grievance could be a complaint regarding: 

  • An SES academic policy or process 
  • Difficult communication with an SES faculty member, staff member, cooperating teacher, or field instructor  
  • SES faculty, staff, cooperating teacher, or field instructor performance or behavior 
  • Course content or teaching methodology 
  • Academic advising or placement coordination 

Complaints regarding the issues below have specific protocols which should be followed instead of or in conjunction with the grievance process. Information about these specific issues and their protocols are linked in the following list:

SES academic services staff are available to assist students in understanding and navigating the grievance process and identifying the best way to proceed. All conversations relating to grievances will be treated as confidential. 

Grievance Process

Students are encouraged to resolve concerns or difficulties informally and directly in a face-to-face conversation with the person(s) concerned. Most conflicts can be resolved at this stage. 

Students should follow the appropriate process: 

  • Undergraduate & Post-Baccalaureate students: either the student or the person(s) involved may request another person to be present during this discussion. Persons appropriate to this intermediary role could include a faculty member, an academic advisor or staff member, or a field instructor or cooperating teacher. All parties must be notified by email a minimum of two business days in advance if an intermediary will be present. 
  • Graduate students: students must initiate informal resolution within three months of the incident and the student should request that the SES Director or Dean conciliate the grievance.

Additionally, undergraduate and graduate students may request assistance through the UW Office of the Ombud. The Office of the Ombud has been established to assist in the protection of the rights of all members of the UW community. To facilitate early and informal resolution of grievances, the ombud will be available, at the request of any party concerned, to act as an impartial conciliator. The Office of the Ombud may be called upon to intervene at any stage of the grievance process. 

Circumstances may warrant an exception to the Informal Resolution step, in which case the student can directly advance to Step 2: Preparing a Formal Grievance when necessary. 

If attempts at informal resolution are unsuccessful, or if circumstances make discussion inappropriate with the person(s) most directly involved, then students should proceed to filing a formal grievance. 

When filing a formal grievance, students should follow the appropriate process: 

  • Undergraduate & Post-Baccalaureate students: a student should submit the SES Grievance Form. Submissions will be directed to the SES Student Academic Grievance Committee, an ad hoc committee comprising faculty, staff, and students appointed by the Dean.
  • Graduate students: a student should submit a formal complaint with the dean of the Graduate School, following UW Graduate School Policy 3.8: Academic Grievance Procedure 

Submitting a formal grievance will not impact a student’s academic record. Information recorded on the Grievance Form will be treated as confidential and will be retained in the student’s advising file once the grievance is resolved. 

When SES receives a student’s grievance, the student will be contacted in writing and informed that a hearings process will begin within 10 business days. The Student Academic Grievance Committee will obtain, in writing or via face-to-face meetings (in-person or virtual), all information relevant to the grievance. In undertaking this hearings process, the Student Academic Grievance Committee may request information from all involved parties, as well as any individuals believed to have information considered relevant to the situation, including students, faculty, staff, field instructors, cooperating teachers, and/or placement school administration.  

All reasonable measures will be taken to finalize the hearings process as soon as practicable. The Student Academic Grievance Committee should normally complete the hearings process and submit an advisory recommendation to SES Dean within 45 days. 

The SES Dean will complete a review of the grievance, information obtained by the Student Academic Grievance Committee, and the Committee’s advisory recommendation and issue a decision on the complaint. The student will be informed in writing what steps have been or will be taken to address the grievance, the outcome, the reasons for the decision, and further avenues for appeal if applicable. 

Students may appeal the grievance decision by submitting, in writing, a letter of appeal to the UW Bothell Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs (VCAA) no later than 10 business days after the grievance decision is received. The appeal letter should clearly outline why the student believes the decision was incorrect or unjust and suggest an alternative solution or outcome.  

Upon receiving a written letter of appeal, the VCAA will complete a review of the grievance and the grievance decision and will issue a final decision. 

Grievance Form

Independent Study Policy & Proposal Form

An independent study provides Educational Studies majors, Elementary Education Option students, or SES minors with opportunities to broaden and deepen their knowledge of academic subject matter through creative, self-directed projects as guided by SES faculty.

An independent study may be taken for 1- 5 credits, based on this formula:

  • 30 hours of work = 1 credit
  • 60 hours of work = 2 credits
  • 90 hours of work = 3 credits
  • 120 hours of work = 4 credits
  • 150 hours of work = 5 credits

Proposal Process

Students are encouraged to work with SES faculty to create a proposal that takes into consideration the breadth and depth of the chosen topic as well as a realistic expectation of hours for accomplishing the study. Students should carefully consider the development of the proposal because the completed study will be evaluated according to the evidence of learning strategies and goals listed in the learning contract.

Students must speak with their chosen faculty member to determine whether they are available and willing to sponsor their independent study the subsequent quarter. A conversation about the topic of study and possible resources may occur before a specific learning contract is developed. During the quarter when the study is conducted, students should be ready to commence the agreed upon work.

Independent Study Proposal Form

Petitions

Reinstatement Petition

The School of Educational Studies (SES) is committed to an ethic of care for its students, staff, faculty, and community members. Our reinstatement policy and petition provide SES undergraduate students who have been academically dropped with a pathway to potentially return to their SES major at UW Bothell. The SES Reinstatement Policy is aligned with UW Bothell policies on reinstatement. 

An undergraduate student is placed on academic warning at the end of any quarter in which their cumulative GPA falls below 2.00 (except for the first quarter at the University, when an academic alert is issued). The student remains on academic warning until the cumulative GPA is raised to at least 2.00. If this requires more than one quarter’s work, the student must maintain a quarterly GPA of at least 2.00 each succeeding quarter or the student is academically dropped. You can find the full Academic Alert & Warning Policy here.

This petition should only be used by SES undergraduates who have been academically dropped from UW Bothell for low scholarship. Situations below have specific protocols which should be followed instead: 

  • Students who took time off from UW Bothell for two consecutive quarters (excluding Summer Quarter), but who were not dismissed should submit the Returning Student Request Form. 
  • Students who were in a different major and who hope to be reinstated to that major, should reach out to their School for more information on their School’s reinstatement process.  
  • SES students who hope to return and pursue a different major OR students who were in a different major and who hope to return to pursue an SES major should review the process outlined here.  
  • Graduate students who have failed to maintain graduate status but wish to be reinstated into the same degree program must submit a reinstatement request to the UW Graduate School. Reinstatement Requests can be submitted here.

Petition Timeline  & Deadline

  • Students academically dropped will be invited to meet with an SES advisor to review the Reinstatement Petition and discuss their academic options.  
  • SES strongly recommends that students begin the reinstatement process at least three months before the start of the quarter that they intend to return to UW Bothell. A reinstatement petition started less than three months in advance may result in challenges related to course registration, student teaching placements, or access to financial aid. 
  • Reinstatement Petition Submission Deadline: No later than two months before the start of the quarter in which the student intends to enroll 
    • Example: student intends to return to UW Bothell for Spring Quarter – reinstatement petition must be submitted two months before the first day of Spring Quarter. 

Petition Components 

  • Academic Plan – academic planning worksheets co-developed with the student’s academic advisor 
  • Unofficial Transcripts – from all colleges or universities the student has attended. The student must submit official transcripts to UW Bothell Admissions if reinstated. 
  • Responses to essay prompts – the SES Reinstatement Petition requires students to respond to the following prompts. Responses must be 100-250 words each.
    • Identify and reflect on the barriers to your academic success as an SES and UW Bothell student. Please be as specific as possible, though you are not required to divulge any sensitive or traumatic information. 
    • What are the circumstances and/or behaviors that you have already changed or that you plan to change so that your academic success improves? What support from SES, UW Bothell, and/or community resources will you need and seek out (you can find a list of UW Bothell and Cascadia College resources here)? Please be as specific as possible. 
  • Former Quarter Drop – if the student has applied for or plan to apply for a Former Quarter Drop Petition, the student must indicate which quarter(s), along with which course(s) they are requesting to drop.

Petition Steps

SES academic advisors are available to help students understand and navigate the reinstatement process and identify the best way to proceed. Students seeking reinstatement to UW Bothell must first connect with their academic advisor (through an in-person or virtual appointment) to: 

  • review the reinstatement policy and process 
  • discuss the timing of the petition and strategies for a successful return to SES 
  • co-develop an academic plan, including connecting student to student teaching placement coordinator(s), if needed 
  • identify administrative or financial issues that may need to be addressed before reinstatement (e.g., Former Quarter Drop, financial aid, registration holds, visa issues, residency issues, etc.) 

The student should submit the SES Reinstatement Petition no later than two months before the start of the quarter in which they intend to enroll. Once submitted, the Reinstatement Petition will be directed to the SES Reinstatement Committee, which is coordinated by the SES Student Support Team, for review.

Submitting a reinstatement petition will not impact a student’s academic record. Information submitted to the Reinstatement Petition will be treated as confidential and will be retained in the student’s advising file once the petition is processed. 

Members of the Reinstatement Committee will review the Reinstatement Petition and will base their decision on the self-reflection, planning, and specific examples presented by the student in their petition. The Committee decision will be communicated through email to the student, and to the UW Bothell Registrar within three weeks of the petition’s submission.

If a student’s reinstatement petition is approved, the student must work with their academic advisor to complete the following: 

  • Submit the Returning Student Request Form if the student has not completed courses at UW Bothell for two consecutive quarters (excluding Summer Quarter). Reinstated Elementary Education Teacher Certification Post-Baccalaureate students must resubmit the Post-Baccalaureate application. 
  • Complete all pre-registration tasks, including submitting any required vaccination documentation and completing UW training modules. Teacher certification students will be expected to update fingerprinting and Pre-Residency Clearance as needed. 
  • Register for courses in Registration Period II using course planning worksheets as a guide. 
  • Explore on-campus resources available to UW Bothell and Cascadia College students. 
  • Maintain GPA requirements to leave Academic Probation 
    • Reinstated students return to UW Bothell on Academic Probation 
    • The student remains on probation until the cumulative GPA is raised to at least 2.00. If this requires more than one quarter’s work, the student must maintain a quarterly GPA of at least 2.00 each succeeding quarter or the student is dropped for low scholarship. 

If a student’s reinstatement petition is declined, SES encourages the student to take time away from UW Bothell, seek community resources as needed, and consider potentially enrolling at a community college to complete transferable courses.

University policies that guide the SES Reinstatement Policy and Procedure

Reinstatement Petition Form

SES Course Petition

SES students may submit an SES Course Petition to request that alternate coursework satisfy an SES major or minor requirement. Course petitions must explain why the alternate course should satisfy SES major or minor requirements and reflect on how assignments, readings, and activities completed in the alternate course align with SES major or minor learning goals.

SES Petition requirements:

  • Students must be a declared SES major or minor to submit a petition
  • SES majors can petition up to 10 credits of SES coursework
  • Students must submit a petition for each individual request or requirement

SES course petitions may take up to two weeks to be processed by SES staff and faculty.

SES Course Petition

NES & WEST-E Petition

Students who take, but do not pass the NES or WEST-E are eligible to submit an NES & WEST-E Petition, also called Case-By-Case, to request an alternative assessment of their Elementary Education, ESOL, or Special Education content knowledge. The NES & WEST-E Petition allows SES to review teacher candidates’ content knowledge using multiple forms of evidence.

Petition Timelines

NES Petitions are reviewed by SES faculty in Winter Quarter, with decisions sent to students in mid-March. A second round of petition reviews, for both NES and WEST-E tests, occurs at the end of Spring Quarter, with decisions sent to students in mid-July.

SES alumni and returning students may submit an NES & WEST-E Petition and should plan to follow the petition timeline outlined above. Please contact uwbses@uw.edu to be sent the petition form.