Matriculated students
Matriculated students are those who have fully met the requirements for admission and have registered for courses in the quarter for which they were admitted. Undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate definitions assume that students have been admitted to the University. Matriculated students are classified at the beginning of each quarter according to the following designations:
Undergraduate students
- Freshman: 1–44 earned credits, including SPU credits and accepted transfer work.
- Sophomore: 45–89 earned credits, including SPU credits and accepted transfer work.
- Junior: 90–134 earned credit, including SPU credits and accepted transfer work.
- Senior: Minimum 135 earned credits, including SPU credits and accepted transfer work. (Senior status does not necessarily ensure graduation with the senior class of students.)
Post-baccalaureate students
Students who have already received a baccalaureate degree and are seeking a second bachelor’s degree or initial teacher certification are considered post-baccalaureate students. Admission to this classification is by application only.
Graduate students
Graduate students are master’s or doctoral candidates. Admission to this classification is by application only. Seattle Pacific offers a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees.
Non-matriculated students
Students not seeking a degree who are allowed to attend SPU without submitting the credentials required for admission with regular status are non-matriculated. The maximum credit load per quarter is 18 credits.
No more than 45 credits taken as a non-matriculated student may apply toward an undergraduate degree, and no more than 15 such credits may be applied to a post-baccalaureate degree, nor can more than 9 such credits apply toward some graduate degrees. A later decision to work on a degree or certificate program will necessitate formal application and admission to the University as a matriculated student.
Non-matriculated students who are not native speakers of English must meet stated criteria or prove English proficiency before enrolling.
For more information about policies governing non-matriculated students, see Registration.