Certificate Student Handbook

• Overview
• Registration
• Credit Certificate Policies
• Noncredit Certificate Policies
• Certificate Completion
• Refunds & Withdrawals
• International Student Eligibility

Online Student Handbook

• Overview
• Getting Started
• Registration
• Fees & Finances
• Materials
• Assignments
• Examinations
• Grades & Transcripts
• Incompletes & Withdrawals
• Netiquette

Course Guide

• Overview
• Credit Course Fees
• Credit Course Policies
• Credit Course Registration & Enrollment
• Credit Course Grading
• Credit Course Refunds & Withdrawals
• Credit Course Important Dates
• Noncredit Course Policies
• Noncredit Refund & Withdrawal Policies

Advising FAQ

• Choosing a Certificate Program
• Applying to a Certificate Program

General Information

• Fees, Aid & Payment
• Student Services
• UWPCE Policies
• Getting Around
• Important Forms

• How do I get started?

  Look through the available courses on this site. Read the course description, and if you have any questions, contact us.

  Once you register, you'll receive an email welcoming you to the course and information about how to access your online course syllabus through your online MyUW account. In addition, you'll be mailed a Transaction Summary from UW Educational Outreach Registration Services. The Transaction Summary serves as your receipt. On the Transaction Summary you will find your course name and registration number, your instructor's name, the start and end dates of your course and a description of fees and payments received.

• What kinds of courses do you offer?

  We offer undergraduate credit courses in a wide range of subjects in the arts and sciences. We also offer certificate programs in business and management, computer programming, construction and facility management, education, library and information science, Internet and Web technologies and more. Some certificate programs consist of credit courses, some are noncredit. Individual courses within many of the certificate programs are offered as noncredit courses. In addition, we offer online master's degrees in nursing, public health, engineering, information science and homeland security.

  An online learning course can be offered as group-start or individual-start. In a group-start course, students start on the same date and progress through the course together, submitting assignments on the date set by the instructor. In an individual-start course, students start at different times, work at their own pace and submit assignments as they complete them.

  Your course can be credit/group-start, noncredit/group-start, credit/individual-start or noncredit/individual-start. If you are unsure as to which category your course falls into, please contact the online learning support staff  for clarification.

• When does my course start and end?

  Individual-start courses begin the day you register. The start date is not tied to the university's quarter system (winter, spring, summer and fall start dates).The duration of the course is three months. The minimum completion time for individual-start courses is two months. Course cannot be completed in less than two months. It is recommended that you contact the instructor before you enroll if you plan to complete the online course in less than three months.

  Group-start courses may have start and end dates that coincide with academic quarters.

  For both individual- and group-start courses, the start and end dates are found on your Transaction Summary (mailed to you when you register) and also located on your online MyUW Course Web page (you receive the link when you register). For information about start and end dates for a particular course before you register, please email the online learning staff.

• Will my online course require any classroom meetings?

  Some group-start courses require one or more classroom meetings. The course introduction specifies if classroom meetings are held. To see the course introduction, browse to the course description, where you'll find a link to the introduction.

  Be sure to review the Transaction Summary you receive when you register for dates of any classroom meetings.

• How many online courses can I take at one time?
  Three. If you wish to take more than three online learning courses at the same time, you must request special permission from advising. For some suggestions on how to determine what number of credits is an appropriate course load for you, see course load information. Please note: If you are a UW student enrolled in a degree program, there is a limit to the number of online learning credits that you can apply toward a degree, considering both number of credits and the timing of those credits. Please consult with your academic adviser about those limits.
• How do I purchase my textbooks?

  You can purchase your textbooks through the University Book Store. The main branch is located at 4326 University Way NE, Seattle. See the University Book Store Web site for locations of other branches. You can order:

  • Online: Visit the bookstore's Online Learning Textbooks page (also found underneath Campuses in the site's left-hand navigation) and fill in one of the search fields to find and order your books.
  • In person: Online learning textbooks can be found on the shelves marked Online Learning. These are the series of shelves closest to the check out registers in the textbook side of the basement. Please note, a course title identical to yours may be found on shelves in other areas of the bookstore. These are campus courses and will use different textbooks than those required for your online course. If you seek help from a staff member, please specify that you're enrolled in an online learning course.
  • By phone: The University Book Store's phone numbers are 800-335-7323 and 206-634-3400. If you call, please specify that you're enrolled in an online learning course.

  Textbooks may also be available through an online vendor and are usually shipped within seven days of your order.

• What is a UW NetID and how do I set one up?
  Your UW NetID is your personal network identification. After registering for an online learning course, you will receive a letter providing your private access code (PAC). This code can be used to establish your UW NetID. (If you already have a UW NetID, you won't have to establish another one.) Once your UW NetID is established, you may connect to MyUW to view your registration schedule and access information about university resources and activities.
   
• What are matriculated and nonmatriculated students?

  Matriculated students: These are students who have been formally admitted to the University of Washington and are working on a degree through the UW Evening Degree Program or other UW degree program. Matriculated students must fulfill all the university requirements for graduation as outlined in the UW General Catalog.

  Nonmatriculated students: These are students who, for any number of reasons, are not admitted into a UW degree program but wish to complete credit courses. They may take credit courses to meet licensing requirements, to develop an educational background leading to matriculation and a degree, to change careers or for personal enrichment. Credit accrued as a nonmatriculated student does not guarantee admission to the university, but may count toward graduation and fulfill requirements if the student is later admitted. For academic advising, contact advising.

• Can I earn an undergraduate degree with UW Online Learning?

  You cannot earn an undergraduate/graduate degree from the University of Washington through online learning alone. However, you can apply certain UW Online Learning credit courses toward your degree (see below). In addition, many UW Online Learning undergraduate credit courses fulfill prerequisites for admission to graduate programs. Note that while you cannot earn an undergraduate degree online, you can earn a master's degree online through one of the several degree programs offered.

  If you are interested in completing an undergraduate degree at another institution without fulfilling a residence requirement (known as an external degree program), the following directories may be helpful: External Degree Programs, Regents' College, State University of New York and Campus-Free College Degrees, Thorson's Guides. These reference books are available at public and college libraries in the reference section.

  You will find more information about University of Washington degree requirements in the Student Guide and in the UW General Catalog.

• Can I use an online learning course to complete my undergraduate degree at the University of Washington?

  All online learning credit courses are acceptable for university general education and major requirements and electives. Matriculated students may apply a maximum of 90 UW credits earned through online learning toward the credits required for graduation. Note: Enrollment in a course offered through online learning does not constitute admission to the UW, but these courses can help students prepare for UW admission.

  Forty-five of the final 60 credits of a student's undergraduate degree program must be UW residence credits. Residence credits are those earned at the UW campus (Seattle, Tacoma, Bothel) granting the degree. Students are allowed to include up to 15 credits of nonresidence credit, including UW online courses, in their final 60 credits.

  In many cases, online learning courses do not count for residence credit. However, some UW schools and colleges allow exceptions. Consult your major department or adviser to determine the applicability of UW Online Learning credits to your particular degree program.

• Will my online course affect my UW GPA?

  If your course is offered for credit, it will affect your UW GPA.
  

• Are University of Washington online courses accepted by other institutions?

  The University of Washington has no control over acceptance of online learning credits by other schools. Before you enroll in an online learning course with the expectation of applying the credits toward a degree at another institution, you should communicate with that institution to determine whether it will accept the credits.
  

• Can online students use the UW libraries and other campus resources?

  Yes. The following services are available to all online students:

  • From your home computer, you can access the UW library catalog and any of the hundreds of research databases maintained by UW libraries.
  • You can borrow books, journals or copies of articles and request that they be mailed to you for a nominal fee.
  • You can ask research questions of UW librarians by email, chat or phone.
  • You can use the campus computing centers.

  Matriculated online students have access to all other UW services. However, nonmatriculated online students are not eligible to receive other campus services such as financial aid or access to the Intramural Activities building.

  All online students are provided with a wealth of online resources – links to writing guides, a research tutorial and dictionaries and encyclopedias specific to their subject area.

• How do online students access library resources from off campus?

  See information about connecting to the library from off campus.

• Are online learning courses accessible to students with disabilities?

  We strive to make our online courses accessible to everyone. We specifically consider design features that make our courses accessible to individuals with disabilities, including those using assistive technology for computer access. If you find a feature/course inaccessible to you, please contact Online Learning Technical Support .
  

• What are the technology requirements for online courses?

  Our online courses are designed to be viewed with Internet Explorer 6.0 and above, Netscape 6.2 and above and Firefox 1.0 and above, using Windows or Macintosh operating systems. We cannot ensure that our courses can be viewed with other browsers and we do not have the resources to troubleshoot problems that may arise with Linux or other operating systems. A modem speed of 56K (for dial-up connections) or a broadband connection (DSL or cable) is required.

  In addition to the basic requirements, for some courses you may need PowerPoint, Flash 6.0, Adobe Acrobat 5.0 or higher, Visio, Windows Media Player or Real Player. Technical courses may require specialized software. If a course relies on software that is beyond the basic technology requirements, the software will be described in the course introduction. To see the course introduction, use our Program Finder and browse to the course description, where you'll find a link to the introduction.

• How do I report a change of address?
  If you need to report a change of address, contact Registration Services. Please note that you cannot use the Change of Address function of MyUW to change your address with UWEO.