CWUP 5-90

General Academic Policies

• 5-90-010 Academic Policy
• 5-90-020 Undergraduate Admission
• 5-90-030 Acceptance of Transfer Credit
• 5-90-040 Academic and General Regulations
• 5-90-050 Graduation Requirements for Bachelor's Degrees
• 5-90-060 Consultation on the Creation, Reorganization, or Renaming of Academic Units
• 5-90-070 Interdisciplinary Programs

CWUP 5-90-010 Academic Policy

(1) Academic policy will be established and monitored by the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee (AAC).

(2) The AAC shall be concerned with the study and improvement of academic standards, academic policies and regulations, and academic organizational structures.  The committee shall review and recommend changes to academic policy (5-90 of the CWU Policies and Procedures manuals).  It shall perform other duties as maybe requested by or approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.

(3) All academic policies that change the requirements for degree conferral should follow the catalog deadlines for the next academic year and go in effect the fall quarter following publication of the official electronic catalog.

(4) Policy changes to degree requirement(s) are not retroactive; the student is bound to the catalog the student became matriculated into, and to the catalog the student was admitted to the major program(s).

(5) The AAC works closely with the Dean of Student Success, the Provost Council, Registrar, Director of Admissions, and others as appropriate.

(6) When questions of interpretation of academic policy arise, the AAC will consult with appropriate stakeholders and make recommendations to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.

[07/2009; Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Provost/VP for Academic & Student Life; Reviewed/Endorsed by Provost’s Council 04/29/2014: Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 06/04/2014; 2/20/2019; 06/17/2020; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUP 5-90-020 Undergraduate Admission

(1) Admission

(A) Applicants must submit an application for admission.

(B) Applicants must pay a non-refundable application processing fee. Application fee waivers may be granted by the Office of Admissions.

(C) For initial admission, applicants must meet minimum standards as established by the State (see RCW 28B.77.020(7)(a)) and CWU (see CWUP 5-90-020(2)). The Academic Affairs Committee may recommend more stringent standards as well as standards for automatic admission. Standards for initial admission will be established by the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate in consultation with the Dean of Student Success and the Associate Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment. Adherence to established standards of admission will be monitored by the Academic Affairs Committee.

(2) First Year Applicants

(A) First Year applicants are either:

1. Those who will graduate from high school and enroll the summer or fall immediately following high school graduation, regardless of number of college credits earned while in high school through Running Start, College in the High School, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), etc. or

2. Those who have earned fewer than 40 quarter hour college credits from an accredited two-or four-year college or university after high school graduation.

(B) First year applicants who meet the following Admissions criteria will be considered for admission. Note: ACT/SAT scores are not required.

1. The minimum level of preparation in the College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADR) course subject areas as defined by the Washington Student Achievement Council (as per RCW 28B.77.020(7)(a)).

2. At least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all high school and any applicable college work.

a. Applicants with a 3.00 cumulative GPA or higher who have satisfied the State of Washington CADR requirements will be admitted. A personal statement is not required.

b. Applicants with a 2.00–2.99 cumulative GPA who have satisfied the CADR requirements will be evaluated through the comprehensive review process that considers factors such as a personal statement, grade trends, and the rigor of the courses completed. A personal statement is required.

(C) Students denied admissions may submit an appeal. Appeals are reviewed as per CWUR 2-90-020(8) Admissions Appeals.

(D) First year applicants deficient in any of the CADR areas up to, but not exceeding 3 Distribution Requirements, may be considered through the alternate admissions standards (CWUP 5-90-020(6)). Students considered for admission through the alternate admissions standards will be subject to the comprehensive review process and are required to submit a personal statement.

(3) Transfer Applicants

(A) Applicants who have completed a transferable associate’s degree from an accredited post-secondary institution will be admitted as space allows.  The registrar’s office determines which out-of-state degrees are transferrable. Students may petition the registrar’s office to have their associate degree reviewed.

(B) Applicants without a transferable associate’s degree, but with at least 40 quarter (27 semester) transferrable credits from an accredited post-secondary institution may be admitted as space allows provided they have at least a 2.50 cumulative GPA in transferable courses is lower than 2.50 will be evaluated through the comprehensive review process (see CWUP 5-90-020(7)). A personal statement will be required.

(C) Applicants with fewer than 40 quarter (27 semester) transferable credits will be considered for admission if they also meet the first-year requirements. (See CWUP 5-90-020(2)(B))

(D) Students with a cumulative transfer GPA below a 2.00 may be admitted through the comprehensive review process (see CWUP 5-90-020(7)). For students with a cumulative transfer GPA of less than 2.00, college-level credits earned below a 2.00 may be disregarded for admissions purposes only, provided the work was completed at least four years before the time of enrollment at CWU. Application of this policy is contingent upon both evidence of extenuating circumstances and evidence of future academic success.

(4) Applicants Without High School Diplomas (including alternatively graduated applicants).

(A) Applicants who have not earned a high school diploma may be offered admission to the university under the alternative admissions process outlined in CWUP 5-90-020(6).

(5) International Students

(A) International students must meet the following minimum requirements for admission purposes:

1. Evidence of completion of the academic course work and national examinations that would qualify them to apply to colleges and universities in their native country.

2. Normally, if English is not the first language, competency in English demonstrated in one of the following ways:

a. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum score of 525 paper-based, 195 computer-based and 71 internet-based

b. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum score of 6.0

c. Completing two English department approved composition courses each with minimum grade of 3.0 or equivalent rating from a regionally accredited U.S. college, university, or an approved university partner.

3. If English is the first language, the foreign language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree can be fulfilled by completing the basic skills foreign language requirement, passing the CLEP®, passing a foreign language course challenge exam, or obtaining approval from the Chair of World Languages.

4. Applicants transferring from U.S. institutions must have a minimum grade point average in transferable courses as established by the Academic Affairs Committee or DTA associate degree from an accredited Washington State community college (or approved out-of-state associate degree).

5. Adequate financial support for the student’s intended studies. Financial support will be judged based on applicant’s confidential financial statement and a current bank letter or guaranteed source of funding.

6. If all of the above conditions are met, the student is recommended for admissions by the international admissions counselors, and the Office of International Studies and Programs may issue the INS certificate of eligibility for F-1 status (Form 1-20).

(B) Exceptions to the above admissions requirements must be approved by the admissions review committee in consultation with the Assistant Vice President of International Studies and Programs.

(6) Alternative Admissions

(A) Applicants who do not meet admission criteria in CWUP 5-90-020(2)(B) may be considered for admission by the Admissions Review Committee through an alternative admissions pathway. Such applicants include, but are not limited to, applicants who have been home-schooled; persons who are 18 or older and have neither completed high school nor 40 credits of college work elsewhere but have earned the GED; applicants deemed deficient in high school course requirements; and applicants who are 25 or older who have poor academic histories and who have not attended school recently. Applicants considered through the alternative admissions pathway will be subject to the comprehensive review process and are required to submit a personal statement.

(B) Applicants without an associate degree must satisfy the foreign language admission requirement prior to completing a total of 135 credits.

(7) Comprehensive Review

(A) Under certain situations, a comprehensive review of an applicant’s academic performance may be performed to ascertain whether the applicant has a high likelihood of success at CWU. A comprehensive review may include the following aspects, high school grade trends, rigor of coursework in an applicant’s senior year of high school, or a personal statement.

(8) Admissions Appeals

(A) Appeals to admissions decisions are occasionally granted for students in unusual situations who demonstrate potential for success at CWU.

[06/2002; Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Provost/VP for Academic & Student Life; Reviewed/Endorsed by Provost’s Council: 04/29/2014; 01/26/2021; Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 06/04/2014; 02/21/2018; 02/20/2019; 03/31/2020; 04/14/2021; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

(Back to the Top)

CWUP 5-90-030 Acceptance of Transfer Credit

(1) Transfer Credit

(A) In general, it is the university's policy to accept credits earned through college and university-level courses at institutions fully accredited by their respective regional accrediting association.

(B) A student may transfer no more than 135 credits, including a maximum of 105 lower division credits to be applied to the 180-credit minimum toward graduation. Test credits (Advanced Placement, Cambridge, International Baccalaureate, College Level Examination Program), military credits, and non-traditional credit contributes to the 105 lower division credit limit.

(C) Only official transcripts and official test score results will be used to evaluate credits for degree requirements.

(D) No more than 45 total quarter credits through Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, Military or other sources of non-traditional credit may apply toward graduation requirements.

(E) Students who would like to petition their transfer equivalency may request a substitution through their academic department for major/minor requirements or file a general education petition through the Office of the Registrar.

(2) Transfer Credit from Four-Year Institutions

(A) A student may transfer no more than 135 credits, including a maximum of 105 lower division credits to be applied to the 180-credit minimum toward graduation.

(B) Students who transfer from a regionally-accredited four-year institution after completing the general education at their prior four-year institution, will not be required to complete the CWU general education requirement. Students must submit evidence of prior general education completion to the Office of the Registrar upon admission.

(3) Transfer Credit from Community Colleges

(A) The university will accept a maximum of 105 community college credits. Course work exceeding that amount may be used to satisfy specific requirements but no additional credits will be accepted.

(B) A student cannot earn an associate degree and bachelor degree in the same quarter.

(C) Associate of arts degrees from a college accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in the state of Washington approved by the Intercollege Relations Commission (ICRC) as a direct transfer agreement (DTA) associate degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 will have satisfied the general education and the foreign language requirements of a bachelor’s degree.

(D) Associate of science transfer degrees (AS-T Track 1 or 2) with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 which are part of direct transfer agreements between CWU and Washington community colleges must meet additional general education requirements for a CWU bachelor’s degree, but will not be required to complete the foreign language requirement. (See CWUR 2-90-030(2)(D))

(E) Associate degrees that are not part of the direct transfer agreement, such as applied career and technical degrees, will not automatically satisfy the general education requirements at CWU.

(F) Academic transfer associate degrees with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 from an accredited college outside the state of Washington may meet the general education and foreign language requirement of a bachelor’s degree. Review of the content/distribution of the associate degree is completed by a designee of the Office of the Registrar and recommended approval by the general education committee.

(G) Transfer students with an Associate of Applied Science degree who enter a Bachelor of Applied Science program will be considered to have met the foreign language requirements for graduation.

(4) Other Forms of Credit

Other Forms of Credit: e.g. Advanced Placement (AP); College Level Examination Program (CLEP); International Baccalaureate (IB); Cambridge International.

By policy, undergraduate elective credit is granted by the university for scores of three (3) or higher on the Advanced Placement Exam and for scores of four (4) or higher on Standard-Level and Higher-Level IB Exams.

Determination of the specific course credit awarded for AP, IB, and Cambridge coursework is made by the appropriate academic department or program. Credit is granted according to the evidence-based assessment of published student learning outcomes from the course for which credit is sought. A list of transfer credit equivalencies is kept by the Office of the Registrar, reviewed by biennially, and published in the CWU course catalog. Should a specific CWU or general education course equivalency not be granted, students may request a written rationale for such decision.

Acceptance criteria and processes for advanced placement considered by CWU are as follows:

(A) Advanced Placement Credit. The University will grant, at a minimum, elective credit for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams completed with a score of three (3) or higher. Credit for advanced placement is recorded with a grade of S (satisfactory). Students must request that their official AP test scores be sent to the Office of the Registrar at CWUCentral. Standards of acceptance of AP credit will be established by appropriate academic departments or program and listed in the official catalog.

(B) College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Students will be awarded college-level quarter credits with a grade of S for each score at the 40th percentile or greater on the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) humanities, social science/history and natural sciences examinations. These credits will meet the general education requirements in the appropriate areas. Students may also be awarded credit for subject examinations as determined by appropriate academic departments at the time of application for credit.

(C) International Baccalaureate. Central recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) program as a coherent and challenging course of study and responds individually to each participant’s IB transcript for award of college credit. The university will grant, at a minimum, elective credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level exams completed with a score of four (4) or higher. Standards for acceptance for specific courseof IB credit will be established by the appropriate academic departments and listed in the official catalog. CWU recognizes the International Baccalaureate Diploma and awards up to 45 quarter credits (30 semester credits). With the receipt of a Diploma, credit will be awarded for 3 courses (15 quarter credits) and distributed evenly among the three general education breadth or knowledge areas. These credits will not be applied to lab or writing courses. An additional 30 quarter credits (20 semester credits) may be awarded in the areas of the students’ higher level subject exams with a score of  4 or higher.

(D) Cambridge International, Pearsons (Edexcel), Assessment and Qualifications Alliance and Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR). Once students have submitted the original exam certificate directly from the exam agency, they will be awarded up to 15 quarter credits for each A-level exam with a passing grade. Up to 7.5 quarter credits will be granted for each AS-level exam with a passing grade. A satisfactory (S) grade will be posted for A-level or AS-level exams.

(E) Military Credit

1. Matriculated students seeking to use Veterans Affairs Educational benefits must submit official military transcripts (Joint Services Transcript or Community College of the Air Force) for evaluation.

2. Students may receive up to 30 credits, counted toward the 45 credits described in CWUP 5-90-030(1)(D), for completion of military educational experiences as recommended by the American Council on Education. Basic training and Military Occupational Specialty courses are excluded.

3. Military credit recommendations that are direct equivalents to CWU course offering may be articulated to that specific course with departmental approval. If direct course equivalents do not exist, elective credit will be awarded when possible.

4. DANTES. Credit for DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs) will be awarded for college-level academic subjects using the minimum score and credit amount as recommended by the American Council on Education and approved by the academic department.

(F) Credit will be accepted from non-U.S. institutions of higher education when:

(1) Linked to CWU either by a bilateral or consortial agreement or verified by the Office of the Registrar as a legitimate, recognized institution of higher education (tertiary level) within a particular country, if the student has received a passing grade recognized by the institution, and

(2) When an official record or transcript has been received by the university.

(G) Credit will not be granted for:

1. College or universities not regionally accredited;
2. Non-credit courses and workshops;
3. Developmental or college preparatory courses;
4. Sectarian religious studies;
5. Vocational/technical courses.

Consideration for an exception to CWUP 5-90-030(4)(G) 1, 4, or 5 may be made by written petition to the dean of the appropriate college after the student has earned a minimum of 45 credits at Central with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

(5) Reverse Transfer Agreement

(A) Students transferring to Central Washington University from a Washington state community or technical college (WA CTC) before earning a WA CTC associate’s degree will be able to apply academic credits they earn at CWU toward completion of an associate degree from their former WA CTC.

i. The decision to pursue a reverse transfer rests solely with the student.

ii. It is the responsibility of the student to notify their WA CTC of their intent to apply for a reverse transfer and to send their CWU transcripts to thei5r WA CTC in order to earn the associate’s degree.

iii. It is the responsibility of the student to provide CWU with a transcript from their WA CTC upon conferral of their WA CT associate’s degree.

(B) Eligibility

1. Eligible students are all students who, prior to transferring to CWU, have earned at least 60 transferable quarter credits, including 30 or more credits completed at one or more WA CT.

2. The CWU Office of the Registrar will electronically notify eligible transfer students that they qualify to pursue reverse transfer after their first quarter of enrollment at CWU.

[Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Provost/VP for Academic & Student Life; Reviewed/Endorsed by Provost’s  Council 09/29/2015; 06/05/2018; 01/26/2021; Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 10/7/2015; 06/13/2018; 02/20/2019; 02/16/2020; 11/04/2020; 04/14/2021; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

5-90-040

Academic and General Regulations

5-90-050

Graduation Requirements for Bachelor's Degrees 

5-90-060 Consultation on the Creation, Reorganization, or Renaming of Academic Units

(1) Initiation of a proposal to create, reorganize, or rename an academic unit or units.

(A) This policy applies to the creation or reorganization of units that affect the delivery of academic programs, and to renaming of all academic units. Academic units include but are not limited to colleges, schools, and academic departments. For instance, this policy applies to proposals for the creation of new academic colleges or schools; reorganization of existing academic colleges or departments including the shifting of departments or programs from one college/school/department to another; the partial or complete merger of two or more departments; creation of new departments; dissolution of departments; and changes of college, school and department names.

(2) Principles guiding consultation on the creation, reorganization, or renaming of academic units.

(A) The organization of academic units should support the mission and strategic plan of the university. Although the administration maintains management rights in cases of establishment, modification, or reorganization of programs (CBA Article 3.23), Central Washington University is dedicated to shared governance and recognizes the importance of faculty consultation in academic decision making. Therefore, all proposals should formally solicit and consider the input of the affected faculty and other academic staff.

(B) Proposal initiators should actively solicit feedback from affected faculty, staff, and students in the preliminary planning stages of proposals, and should give these groups notice, information, and time to enable them to evaluate those proposals and make their concerns known.

(C) In extreme cases (e.g., financial exigency as defined in the CBA Article 25 or other financial crisis), the university may decide to reduce or discontinue academic programs. In this eventuality, the Provost should consult with the affected groups to the greatest extent possible following the process outlined in this policy.

(3) Preparing a proposal for consultation on a creation, reorganization, or renaming of an academic unit.

(A) The proposal initiator should work with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and Provost to consider the degree of impact of the proposed change and determine the level of detail required in the proposal. The initiator should then complete a proposal template, as applicable, with details about the following items:

1. Description of the recommended change.
2. Rationale for the recommended change.
3. Goals and objectives of the proposed change.
4. Method for evaluating achievement of goals and objectives.
5. Relation of the change to the mission and strategic plan of the university.
6. Impacts on academic programs across the university.
7. Impacts on students, faculty, and staff.
8. Impacts on quality of degree programs, student retention, and graduation rates.
9. Impacts on non-academic units, external constituents, and accreditation.
10. Impacts on shared governance, including tenure/promotion/review processes.
11. Before and after organizational chart for all units affected.
12. Cost/benefit analysis, including financial and non-financial resources.
13. Implementation plan and timeline.

(B) In cases of renaming of academic units, responses to items 3, 9, 10, 11, and 12 may be omitted.

(4) Review process for proposals to create, reorganize, or rename academic units.

(A) The proposal initiator should work with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and Provost to establish a review process for consultation on the proposal as outlined in CWUR 2-90-060(4). 

(B) The timeline for review for each level will be no more than one month, ideally with an overall timeline of not more than six months (not including breaks/holidays, or Summer quarter). In cases of significant reorganization and with the approval of both the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and Provost, the timeline at each review level may be extended beyond a month in order to consult appropriately with stakeholders.

(C) Reviewers at each stage will have access to the full proposal, with any modifications, as well as all comments from previous levels of review. Revisions to the proposal may and should occur during the process based on feedback from each level of review. However, attempts should be made to bring any substantive changes back to prior levels for further review. A full record of the review process and feedback (including vote counts and comments about the merits and weaknesses of the proposal) from each level of consultation will be provided to the President and Board of Trustees for final decision-making.

[Responsibility: Provost/VP of ASL; Authority: Cabinet/UPAC; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 06/12/2019; 04/26/2023; Approved by: A. James Wohlpart, President]

CWUP 5-90-070 Interdisciplinary Programs

Interdisciplinary programs are typically created to provide varying perspectives on an area of study, combining expertise across departmental and/or college boundaries. These programs provide benefits to students and faculty that include, but are not limited to:

1. Allowing students and faculty to explore, create, and integrate knowledge that extends the traditional disciplinary boundaries.
2. Responding to student interests and learning needs demonstrated through repeated individual studies or general studies curricula.
3. Creating programs that respond to areas of societal need.
4. Unifying related areas of academic excellence and/or faculty interest.
5. Fostering communication, collaboration and problem solving across departments.

(1) Governance structure

Program Charter

(A) Each program will establish a charter. The charter will:

1. Define the mission and objectives of the program.
2. Establish residence of the program according to the program residence policy (5-50-100(3)).
3. Address issues particular to the administration of each program in the context of this policy, as needed.
4. Create procedure for electing program leadership.
5. Define the duties of the program leadership and the number of workload units for overseeing the program.
6. Define the criteria for program faculty and affiliate faculty.

(B) The charter will be reviewed for currency every three years or more frequently as needed by the program faculty and dean of the college of program residence.

(2) Program Leadership

Eligibility, selection, and term of service.

 (A) The leadership must be a member of the program faculty.

 (B) The election is approved and the leadership appointed by the dean of the college of residence.

 (C) The program leadership will get workload units overseeing the program. The number of units will be determined and approved in consultation with the Dean of the college of residence.

 (3) Line of authority - The dean of the college in which the program resides is the chief budgetary and oversight officer for the program. Program leadership report to the dean of the college of program residence.

[Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Provost/VP for Academic & Student Life; Reviewed/Endorsed by Provost’s Council 01/16/2018: Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 08/17/2011; 02/21/2018; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]