For New Students

We’re thrilled to welcome you to UW Bothell and are excited for you to begin your journey with us! During Orientation, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with your advisor. Please be aware that this page provides introductory information, and your orientation session will delve into these topics in greater detail. If you haven’t yet completed orientation, please visit the orientation website for more information.

Student Advising Tools

MyUW

MyUW is your personal gateway to the UW Bothell web resources you will use the most. Through this site you can get course information, email your professors, locate classrooms on a map, find and purchase textbooks and access course websites. Links to almost all of the resources in this section can be found on MyUW.

Time Schedule

The Time Schedule is the listing of course offerings each quarter. UW Bothell’s Time Schedule is available only online; there is no printed version. Much of the information in the Time Schedule is also available through MyPlan. The Time Schedule for a particular quarter is available about a month before Registration Period 1 (current student registration) begins.

Register.UW

Register.UW is the new registration app from the UW that replaces the old Student Personal Services Registration page, which you may also know as the SLN Registration page or MyUW Registration page. Register.UW will allow you to do the same things you previously used the SPS/SLN/MyUW Registration page for, but with an improved UI and new features that will improve the registration experience.

Using Register.UW you can:

• Take care of all pre-registration steps prior to registration opening
• View any notices and messages related to or blocking registration
• Register for courses
• Drop courses from your registered schedule
• Change grading options for your registered courses
• Update your intended major

Choosing Course Basics

Full Time vs Part Time Status

To be considered a “Full Time” student, students must enroll in a minimum of 12 credits. The typical course load for a student is three courses, 5 credits each for a total of 15 credits. If you are on financial aid, or are an international student, you must register for at least 12 credits to be considered full-time. Students taking 11 or less credits will be considered Part Time.

Sample Schedule

For new students, a normal course load is usually three courses: two 5-credit courses, plus a third course that ranges from 2 credits to 5 credits. Examples of a few typical first year schedules:

Sample Schedule Three represents a student who wanted to start their Chemistry sequence. Since B CHEM 143/144 total 6 credits, the student will be registered for 16 credits.

Choosing courses based on intended major

If you have a major identified, take a look at the Degree Maps and start working on prerequisites and required class sequences. This is especially crucial in the majors with long sequences, like science and engineering majors. If you have interest in several majors, take introductory courses to try them out. If you’re not sure of your major, explore your interests by taking a course or two in possible majors of interest. If you’re thinking at all about a science major, consider taking a math or introductory science course. Also, work on general education requirements like English Composition, Writing courses, and the Areas of Inquiry.

If you think you have a schedule figured out but still have doubts, feel free to meet with your advisor to plan for the current quarter and beyond.

Placement Surveys for Math and English

You should complete the Directed Self-Placement if both the following are true:

• You have never taken a math class at UW Bothell
• You have never passed a Calculus I course at a college or university

For more information, please visit the Placement Survey Website.

Grades

UW Bothell Numerical Grading

UWB uses numerical grades, starting with 4.0 as the top grade and 0.0 the lowest. We also have pass-fail options. The following website describes the UW Bothell Grading System.

Instructor Grading Methods

Each professor determines what standards to use in a particular class. Some professors may give a 4.0 grade to all students they think have done excellent work in the class, even if that’s a substantial percent of the entire class. Other professors grade on a bell curve, which means that more students end up with a grade in the middle, while a smaller percent receive either a very high or very low grade. The course syllabus, an outline of what’s assigned and expected for the quarter, should be distributed the first week, and will include information on grading standards in the course.

Plan for Success

If your intended major is a competitive major, like Computer Science & Software Engineering, grades can be especially critical in processing your application. If you aren’t sure whether or not your major is competitive, meet with an advisor. They can also help you assess your transcript and other factors to see how competitive your application would be. If you plan to attend graduate or professional school, you’ll need strong grades (among other things) to get into competitive programs.

Grade Posting

Your grades will appear in MyUW about a week after your final examinations. Some professors may post grades early, but no grades are final until the grading deadline.

Minimum Grade Requirements

Students must maintain at least a 2.00 GPA, to avoid academic warning and/or academic drop. Always feel free to reach out to your advisor for questions and/or additional support. For further information about what happens if your GPA does fall below 2.00, see the Office of the Registrar’s page on Academic Standards.

Resources for Academic Support

UW Bothell offers many kinds of academic assistance, including the Writing & Communication Center, the Quantitative Skills Center, Academic Success Coaching, and the Open Learning Lab.