Though Seattle Pacific University makes every effort to provide students with effective academic advising, the final responsibility for meeting all academic and graduation requirements rests with each individual student.

• The Undergraduate Catalog under which the student is admitted to SPU serves as the official record of admission, general academic, and general graduation requirements, with the exception of standards governing the completion of a major and/or minor.
• The quarter in which a student is accepted into a major or minor by the school or department offering the major or minor will determine the Undergraduate Catalog from which the major and/or minor requirements will be applied.
• Advising by University personnel inconsistent with published statements is not binding.
• Reasonable substitutions for specific requirements may be requested through petition to Student Academic Services in DH 120. (Read more information about student academic appeals and exceptions to academic policy.)
• Degrees are awarded and posted to transcripts based on the date all degree requirements have been fulfilled. Degrees are posted within one quarter after the last quarter of enrollment.

Degree Requirements
Most undergraduate students entering Seattle Pacific University during the 2014-15 academic year follow the same general education curriculum to complete their undergraduate degrees. This curriculum includes:

• The Common Curriculum (including the University Seminar, University Core, University Foundations, and Senior Capstone courses)
• The Exploratory Curriculum (including Ways of Knowing and Ways of Engaging courses)

Transfer students who have completed an associate degree through a community college in Washington, Oregon, or California should refer to the Transfer Student Information in the Admissions section of this catalog for information about how the particular degree may apply toward fulfillment of SPU's competency requirements, Common Curriculum and Exploratory Curriculum.

Once a student has begun classes at SPU, the student should never enroll in a course at another institution without consulting a faculty advisor and an academic counselor, and completing a Study Away Approval form (PDF).

Policies governing transfer credits are found in the Admissions section of the catalog. Items 3-14 under Students Entering From Regionally or ABHE Accredited Colleges and Universities apply to continuing SPU students taking courses at other institutions, as well as to transfer students just entering the University.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

2014-15 Graduation Requirements Checklist (PDF)

2014-15 Graduation Requirements Checklist (University Scholars) (PDF)

2014-15 Graduation Requirements Checklist (Curriculum for Special Programs) (PDF)

All students completing a first bachelor's degree at Seattle Pacific University are governed by the following policies and requirements:

1. A minimum of 180 college-level, quarter credits.
2. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses applicable to the degree.
3. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses taken at SPU.
4. At least 60 credits earned in courses numbered 3000–4999.
5. At least 45 college-level credits earned in residence as a matriculated student. (Credits earned by examination do not satisfy the residence requirement.)
6. At least 25 of the final 45 credits for the degree must be earned from SPU.
7. With the exception of courses from pre-approved study abroad programs, no more than 20 credits may be earned from another institution after a student has matriculated at SPU.
8. Students may not take courses concurrently from SPU and another institution during the regular academic year (autumn through spring quarters) unless participating in an approved study abroad program.
9. “Pass” grades do not fulfill requirements in the major or minor, in the Exploratory Curriculum, in University Seminar, in University Foundations, in University Core, in the General Education, or in the University Scholars curriculum.
10. Satisfactory completion of an academic major. (See specific standards regarding completion of a major and standards regarding completion of a minor below.)
11. Achievement of satisfactory scores on the writing competency analysis, demonstration of competency through an approved alternative means, or completion of required English writing coursework.
12. Demonstration of competency in a foreign language, either through coursework or one of the means outlined under the Foreign Language Competency section below.
13. Students who enter SPU with freshman or sophomore standing are required to complete 8 credits in writing ("W") courses prior to graduation; those who enter as juniors are required to complete 5 credits; and students who enter SPU as seniors are required to complete 3 credits. (See the section on Writing Courses below.)
14. All degree requirements for a major or minor are determined by the Undergraduate Catalog in effect when the student is accepted to the major or minor. For example, a student accepted to a major in Winter Quarter 2016 is subject to all major requirements listed in the 2015-16 Undergraduate Catalog.
    • Students are expected to apply to a major by the start of their junior year. Application forms for a major or minor (PDF) are available here and in the school or division office.
    • A transfer student with junior or senior status at entrance must apply for acceptance into a major after completing 15 SPU credits or as soon as admission criteria for the major are met.
• Students will be contacted by Student Academic Services if they have not been accepted to a major but have completed 105 or more credits.
15. Policies and procedures related to application for graduation and degree posting:

• Students must be accepted into a major prior to applying for graduation.
• Students are responsible for applying for graduation. Application is accomplished through the Banner Information System by selecting Student Menu then Graduation Menu. For application deadlines, see the Graduation section of this catalog.
• Students may change their application for graduation and should notify their undergraduate academic counselor of the change at least one quarter in advance of the previous intended quarter of graduation.
• Degrees will not be posted to student academic transcripts nor diplomas ordered until all requirements are completed, including any outstanding I and N grades.
• The official record of degree completion is the official SPU academic transcript.

 

COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS AND MATH PLACEMENT

All undergraduate students must fulfill three areas of competency to receive a bachelor’s degree from Seattle Pacific University:

• Demonstrate English writing competency early in their career at SPU, and as a condition of graduation
• Foreign language competency
• Meet "W" writing requirements before a degree is awarded

These required competencies may be fulfilled in a variety of ways.

NOTE: Unless stipulated by the student's major or minor, post-baccalaureate students are not required to fulfill competency requirements.

Writing Competency
Prior to their first quarter at SPU, students coming directly from high school will have a writing score assigned them based on pre-college indicators. English composition credits awarded for AP, CLEP, and IB exams will exempt students from having a writing score assigned, as will credit awarded for a college composition course in which a grade of at least C (2.0) is earned.

Transfer students who have not already taken and passed, with a grade of C (2.0) or better, a college-level composition course (or received English composition credit for AP, CLEP, or IB exams) must take the English Placement Test. To do so, they may contact the English Department to arrange testing. Students will not be permitted to register for their second quarter at SPU until the English Placement Test has been taken.

Students whose scores indicate that they are well-prepared for college writing tasks are not required to complete an English writing course to meet the Writing Competency Requirement.

Students whose scores indicate that they can write minimally at the college level but need a writing course in order to succeed in college will be required to take ENG 2201 English Writing.

Students whose score indicates they do not yet write on the college level will be required to enroll in ENG 2201 English Writing and simultaneously to work with a tutor in the Writing Center.

All required coursework in writing must be completed by the end of a student’s first four quarters at SPU.

Foreign Language Competency
For many students, the general education foreign language competency requirement will be met by taking a one-year series of courses. However, several alternative ways of meeting this requirement are listed below:

1. Show by your high school transcript that you have completed a third-year course in a foreign language (grades 9–12) with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in the final year or a minimum grade of C (2.0) in the final course.
2. Be a native speaker of a language other than English.
3. Attain a minimum grade of C (2.0) or a “pass” in the third quarter of the elementary level of an SPU foreign language course (with the exception of THEO 1203), or a higher level course, in a language other than modern English.
4. Complete a travel-study program (minimum 10 weeks) with a significant language-study component (minimum 5 credits in a single language; minimum grade C) in a non-English-speaking country.
5. Obtain a professional reference attesting to proficiency in a language other than English. For example, a student who has lived for years in another culture might request a reference from a professional who has lived among or worked with the same language/culture group.
6. Transfer a course equivalent to, or more advanced than, 1103 (the third quarter in an elementary-level SPU course) in a language other than English. The course must have been taken at an accredited post-secondary institution whose credits are accepted for transfer by SPU. The grade in the transferred course must be C (2.0) or better, or a "pass," provided the institution's minimum achievement level for a "pass" grade is a "C" (2.0) or higher.
7. Take a proficiency test and achieve a “passing” rating (equivalent to #3 above) in a language other than English. The test should be administered by a qualified testing center such as a college or university and the results sent to Student Academic Services. If the test is not administered by SPU, a description of the test with the criteria for achieving a passing rating should accompany the results.
8. Enter SPU with Advanced Placement test credits (awarded based on a minimum score of 3) in a language other than English.
9. Take a CLEP test in a language other than English and attain a score equal to or above the minimum score recommended by CLEP for awarding credit for the exam.
10. American Sign Language (ASL) may be used to fulfill the SPU foreign language requirement if the time spent in classroom instruction is equal to the 15-credit requirement. No other forms of sign language satisfy the requirement.
11. Prior to matriculation at SPU, earn an approved direct transfer degree from a Washington, Oregon, OR California community college, or an associate degree from Central Christian College of Kansas. A degree earned in Califonia must be accompanied by full completion of the IGETC curriculum. Information about approved degrees is available in the Admissions section of this catalog.

Foreign Language Substitution Policy for Documented Disability
Qualified students with current professional documentation of less than five years, which specifically certifies that the student possesses a disability, and clearly indicates the inability to successfully complete the study of a foreign language, may be able to utilize the Foreign Language Substitution Policy as the means to satisfy the general education foreign language requirement. For more information, contact Disability Support Services in the Center for Learning.

Writing (“W”) Courses
Courses designated as writing courses (3000- and 4000-level) offer a substantial component of writing designed to reinforce students’ earlier work in writing. At the same time, they provide instruction in the technical and stylistic requirements of writing appropriate to a particular discipline.

In these courses, students are expected to write at least two papers and a minimum of 3,000 words or about 12 pages of final-draft prose. Faculty members spend at least one class period providing instruction in writing, and they evaluate written work for both content and form — not only for what is said, but also for how it is said. These courses normally provide opportunities for revision as well.

Students who enter SPU with freshman or sophomore standing are required to complete 8 credits in writing ("W") courses prior to graduation; those who enter as juniors are required to complete 5 credits; and students who enter SPU as seniors are required to complete 3 credits.

Mathematics Placement

Students without transferred college credit (or credit awarded for AP, IB, or CLEP exams) to fulfill the Exploratory Curriculum Ways of Knowing in Quantitative Reasoning (WKQR) requirement will place into one or more of the following mathematics courses:

• MAT 0144, 0145, 1110, 1221, 1234, 1300, 1521, 1560, 2360, or 2700
• BUS 2700
• CSC 1521
• EDU 2600
• PSY 2360
• SOC 2360

Appropriate placement depends upon the student’s intended major, as well as eligibility criteria.  Eligibility can be demonstrated through an SAT or ACT math score, the Washington state General Math Placement Test (MPT-G), or transfer of a college course. (The MPT-G is given to high schools throughout the state or at college testing centers. See the Math Department for availability of the test at SPU.)

Other departments may also require one of the Mathematics Placement Levels listed below as a prerequisite for courses in their major. 

Mathematics Placement Level 0

A placement level of zero indicates one of two things:

• The student has not yet taken the MPT-G,
• or the student does not meet any of the criteria for Mathematics Placement Level A and should begin by enrolling in MAT 0144. 

Mathematics Placement Level A

To be eligible to enroll in MAT 0145, MAT 1521, MAT 1560, or CSC 1521, a student must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Score 580 or above on the math portion of the SAT exam.
• Score 25 or above on the math portion of the ACT test.
• Score 145 or above on the MPT-G (the Washington state General Math Placement Test).
• Complete MAT 0144 with a grade of C- or better, OR complete an approved course in intermediate algebra at another college or university with a grade of C- or better.
• Students admitted to SPU in 2009-10 or earlier may complete the Mathematics Competency Requirement.

Mathematics Placement Level B

To be eligible to enroll in MAT 1300, MAT 2360, MAT 2700, MAT 1110, BUS 2700, EDU 2600, PSY 2360 or SOC 2360, a student must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Score 580 or above on the math portion of the SAT exam.
• Score 25 or above on the math portion of the ACT test.
• Score 150 or above on the MPT-G (the Washington State General Math Placement Test).
• Complete MAT 0145 with a grade of C- or better, OR complete an approved course in Intermediate Algebra at another college or university with a grade of C- or better.
• Students admitted to SPU in 2009-2010 or earlier may complete the Mathematics Competency Requirement.

Mathematics Placement Level C

To be eligible to enroll in MAT 1221 or MAT 1234, a student must achieve a passing score on the SPU's online Calculus Placement Test prior to registering for the course.

Students planning to take MAT 1234 who do not achieve a passing score on the test must first complete MAT 1110 with a grade of C- or better. Students planning to take MAT 1221 who do not achieve a passing score on the test must first complete MAT 1010 with a grade of C- or better.

College Readiness Mathematics

The courses MAT 0144 and MAT 0145, College Readiness Mathematics I and II, are designed for students who do not have adequate mathematical backgrounds to succeed in college-level coursework in mathematics.

Students needing to take course with prerequisites of Mathematics Placement Level A will need to take MAT 0144 if they do not meet any of the other conditions listed. Students needing to take courses with prerequisites of Mathematics Placement Level B may need to take both MAT 0144 and 0145.

The three Mathematics Placement levels are summarized in the table below. To be eligible to enroll in a course listed at a particular placement level in the following table, a student must meet at least one of the criteria in the corresponding row.

* A grade of C- or better is required in prerequisite coursework. Courses may be transferred. 

** Students planning to take MAT 1221 or 1234 must achieve a passing score on the online Calculus Placement Test prior to registering for the course.

THE COMMON CURRICULUM

The Common Curriculum is at the heart of a liberal arts portion of an education at Seattle Pacific University, and includes eight required courses spread over four years. Those classes begin with the University Seminar and include University Core courses and University Foundations courses. The eighth course is the required capstone in every student’s major.

Note: Students admitted to special programs or University Scholars follow a different curriculum specific to their programs.

University Foundation Requirements

Students who enter SPU with junior or senior standing (90 transferable credits or more) are required to take only UFDN 3001 and UFDN 3100 to fulfill University Foundations requirements.

Students who enter with freshman or sophomore standing must complete UFDN 1000, UFDN 2000, and UFDN 3100.

THE EXPLORATORY CURRICULUM

Note: Students admitted to special programs or University Scholars follow a different curriculum specific to their programs.

THE MAJOR CURRICULUM

Specific Standards Governing Completion of a Major

1. A major requires a minimum of 45 credits, although most programs require more. A minimum of 23 credits is required in courses numbered 3000–4999, although some programs require more. No more than 75 credits may be required or controlled by a school in designating requirements for a major without review and approval of the university Curriculum Committee.
2. A student must complete a major to earn either a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree.
3. At least 15 of the required upper-division credits in a major must be earned at Seattle Pacific University.
4. Major requirements must be met in full. These requirements of proficiency in depth and breadth are specified in the sections of the Undergraduate Catalog assigned to the various schools or departments of the University. These requirements state total credits, upper-division credits, prescribed courses, supporting courses, and non-credit requirements.
5. No grade below C- (1.7) will count toward any major at SPU, and some majors require grades higher than C- (1.7) for courses within the major. Refer to department pages in this catalog for specific requirements.
6. Coursework with a P grade may not be applied to a major, with the exception of clinical practicum classes in the Nursing program and performance practicum courses in the Theatre major.
7. The student must apply for a major and be accepted by the school or department in which he or she plans to complete a major. The acceptance date determines the Undergraduate Catalog under which major requirements will be applied.
8. The school or department in which a student completes a major must certify to Student Academic Services that he or she has satisfactorily met the evaluative and proficiency standards for such a major.
9. A student may simultaneously complete a double major. Both majors may be in a BA category, or two majors in a BS category, or one in a BA category and one in a BS category. All requirements for each major must be completed prior to the granting of the bachelor’s degree.

Specific Standards Governing Completion of a Minor

1. Students are not obligated to complete a minor area of study in order to receive the BA or BS, except in the case of students majoring in professional studies. However, a student must also complete a major in order to earn a minor.
2. Acceptance into a minor is determined by the academic school or department. A minimum GPA is noted in the Academic Program section. If not specifically noted, the GPA for acceptance into the minor is the same as the minimum GPA required for acceptance into the corresponding major. 
3. A minor requires a minimum of 30 credits but may not require more than 45 credits. A minimum of 15 credits is required in courses numbered 3000–4999. Requirements for specific minors may be found in the school or department sections of this Undergraduate Catalog.
4. Students must earn a minimum of 15 credits toward their minor at SPU, including 10 upper-division credits.
5. No grade below C- (1.7) will count toward any minor at SPU, and some minors require grades higher than C- (1.7) for courses within the minor.  Refer to department pages in this catalog for specific requirements.
6. Coursework with a P grade may not be applied to a minor, with the exception of performance practicum courses in the Theatre minor.
7. In all cases it is necessary to apply for, and be accepted into, the minor field. The date of formal acceptance into a minor program determines the Undergraduate Catalog under which minor requirements will be applied.
8. The school or department in which a student completes a minor must certify to Student Academic Services that he or she has satisfactorily met all requirements for the minor.
9. If a student is pursuing a minor, all requirements for the minor must be completed prior to the awarding of the bachelor’s degree.

Limitations on Credit Applicable Toward a Degree

• Seattle Pacific University may accept up to 90 credits combined total from community colleges, junior colleges, unaccredited institutions, and AP/CLEP/IB exams toward a baccalaureate degree. See limits under Credit by Exam.
• With the exception of courses earned through a pre-approved study abroad program, a student may earn no more than 20 credits from other institutions after matriculating at SPU.
• Except when participating in approved study abroad, students may not take courses concurrently from SPU and another institution during the regular academic year (autumn through spring quarters).
• A student may earn up to 10 credits toward a baccalaureate degree in skills courses approved by the university Curriculum Committee.
• Students may enroll in 5000-level courses but they will not apply to undergraduate degree program requirements at SPU, nor are these courses eligible for financial aid.
• Credits in excess of 45 taken as a non-matriculated student will not apply toward a first undergraduate degree.
• Credits in excess of 15 credits taken as a non-matriculated student may not be applied to a post-baccalaureate degree.

Standards Governing Completion of a Second Bachelor’s Degree

An additional degree is distinguished from multiple majors within a single degree. For information regarding completion of multiple majors within a first bachelor’s degree, see item 8 listed under Specific Standards Governing the Completion of a Major.

A second bachelor’s degree may be earned upon completion of a minimum of 45 credits as a matriculated student at Seattle Pacific University subsequent to the granting of a first bachelor's degree. The student must be accepted into a major, and the date of acceptance determines the Undergraduate Catalog under which major requirements will be applied. A second degree is subject to the following conditions:

If the first degree was earned at SPU:

• At least 15 of the 45 credits for the second degree must be taken at SPU after matriculation as a post-baccalaureate student..
• At least 15 upper-division credits in the major must be earned at SPU.
• No more than 15 credits taken as a non-matriculated student may apply toward the additional bachelor's degree.
• Of the 45 credits required for the second degree, up to 15 credits may be earned prior to the granting of the first degree, provided the credits are in excess of the minimum (usually 180 credits) required for the first degree. In such a case, a student may be required to complete fewer than 45 credits for the second degree, but no fewer than 30 credits.
• All specified requirements for the second degree must be fulfilled, including all requirements in the major.

If the first degree was earned at another institution:

• A student who has not previously matriculated at SPU must earn at least 45 credits toward the second degree at SPU.
• A student who at some prior point matriculated at SPU must earn at least 30 of the required 45 credits at SPU.
• No more than 15 credits taken as a non-matriculated student may apply toward the additional bachelor’s degree.
• At least 15 upper-division credits in the major must be earned at SPU.
• 5 credits in Christian Scriptures or Christian Theology must be completed at SPU.
• All specified requirements for the second degree must be fulfilled, including all requirements in the major.

Graduation Checklist
Students are encouraged to track their progress toward graduation by viewing their Degree Status Check found in Banner under Student Menu/Grades and Transcripts Menu/UG Degree Status Check.

Students may wish to transfer information from the online degree status check to the appropriate graduation requirements checklist.