Continuation Policy

(Effective Autumn Quarter 2020; updated 1/19/2022)

While the University has policies governing scholastic eligibility for continuance, Integrated Social Sciences (ISS) has additional requirements in order to make the best use of program resources and to provide reasonable assurance for students’ academic success. Students are encouraged to review their academic progress frequently and may request an evaluation from their ISS adviser at any time.

The ISS Continuation Policy in PDF format 

Basic Criteria for Satisfactory Progress 

  1. Students are expected to make satisfactory progress towards the attainment of a bachelor’s degree. ISS majors make satisfactory progress when they enroll in program course work and adhere to academic plans approved by the ISS Office of Academic Services.

  2. ISS majors must create academic plans with their advisers.  These plans lay out both the courses that students have taken and those they plan to take in order to complete degree requirements and achieve program and individual learning goals. Failure to complete a plan will be construed as evidence of lack of academic progress. 

  3. Any change or revision of the academic plan (e.g., dropping individual courses, withdrawing from the quarter, taking courses not specified in the plan, etc.) must be approved by an ISS adviser.

  4. Lack of academic progress may be further evidenced by low scholarship, failure to enroll in or complete major requirements, excessive course repeats, course drops, or University withdrawals and cancellations. 

  5. Students in the Integrated Social Sciences major must maintain a 2.0 average GPA in courses counting towards major requirements. 

  6. No courses used to satisfy any major requirements may be taken on a satisfactory/ non-satisfactory basis.

  7. Students must maintain a minimum UW cumulative GPA of 2.00, and thereby avoid being put on academic probation by the University or dropped for low scholarship.  

Review and Notification of Progress 

The ISS Office of Academic Services will review student academic progress quarterly. If a student's performance fails to meet the standards outlined above in any quarter, the student may be placed on ISS Warning, ISS Probation, and in extreme situations, on ISS Dismissal.  Notification of any change in academic standing will be communicated by the ISS Office of Academic Services.

ISS Warning 

The first quarter that any student does not meet ISS and/or University satisfactory progress requirements, they will be placed on ISS Warning. A Warning letter is issued only one time. Students receiving a warning letter must consult with an ISS adviser. Students who remove their deficiencies the following quarter will be notified of their return to good academic standing.  If any student fails to meet satisfactory progress expectations in subsequent quarters while on ISS Warning, they will move immediately onto ISS Probation.  

NOTE:  Warning in the ISS program is distinct from University warning which is available only to students in their first quarter of enrollment at the UW.

ISS Probation 

Students on ISS Warning who do not remove their deficiencies the following quarter will be placed on ISS Probation. Students will receive notification and a registration hold.  To remove the hold, students must communicate with an ISS adviser.  Students who do not meet with an adviser will not be able to register for future quarters. Students who remove their deficiencies the following quarter will be notified of their return to good academic standing. With approval of an academic adviser, students may continue in probation status so long as they maintain a quarterly UW GPA of 2.0 or better.  

ISS Dismissal 

Students on probation who fail to communicate with an ISS adviser or continually fail to meet satisfactory progress can be dismissed from the ISS major.  Students who are dropped from the University for low scholarship are also immediately dismissed from the ISS major.   All dismissal cases are reviewed by the ISS program Director and Director of Academic Services.

Petitioning for Reinstatement to ISS

Students who are dismissed from the ISS major but are in good standing with the University may petition for reinstatement by writing a letter to the Director of ISS. Included in the letter should be any additional information in support of the student or any other information that the student believes is relevant. The Director of ISS and Director of Academic Services will review carefully all the available information and then decide whether or not academic probation should be considered for another quarter.  The Director will make a response to the appeal within 30 days.

Students who are dropped for low scholarship from the University and dismissed from ISS will need to petition for reinstatement through both the University and ISS. The student should follow University reinstatement procedures and submit one copy of the petition to the UW Reinstatement Committee and one to the Director of ISS and Director of Academic Services. If the UW Reinstatement Committee agrees to reinstate the student to the UW, the Director of ISS and Director of Academic Services will determine whether or not to reinstate the student to the ISS major.

Former Quarter Drop

After consulting with an ISS adviser, students with extenuating circumstances may wish to pursue the Former Quarter Drop process through the Office of the University Registrar. When submitting the request, be sure to select Continuum College as the campus. Students with approved Former Quarter Drop petitions may seek a change in Continuation Policy status by notifying their academic adviser.