Official regulations regarding enrollment, scholarship, and graduation for undergraduates in the College of Engineering of University of Wisconsin-Madison. Academic advisors can help navigate these rules and regulations, so contact your advisor with any questions.
Admission
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1. Direct Admission
New students are admitted directly to the degree program (major) of their choice or to the College of Engineering as Engineering Undecided. Progression requirements must then be satisfied as described in Regulations 3 – 8.
2. Degree Programs (Majors)
Biomedical Engineering (BME)
Chemical Engineering (CHE)
Civil Engineering (CEE)
Computer Engineering (CMPE)
Electrical Engineering (EE)
Engineering Mechanics (EM)
Engineering Physics
Environmental Engineering (EnvE)
Geological Engineering
Industrial Engineering (IE)
Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)
Mechanical Engineering (ME)
Nuclear Engineering (NE)
Progression
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3. First Year Progression Requirements
To guarantee progression in a College of Engineering (CoE) degree program (major) after direct admission or to switch between engineering degree programs, students must complete the following requirements after their first two semesters of residency at UW-Madison. Students who do not meet the first year progression requirements to guarantee progression in a degree program (major) can be considered for progression (Regulation 4) or extension (Regulation 5).Course and Credit Requirements:
- A. 24 graded credits completed at UW-Madison. English as a Second Language course credits count toward the 24 credit minimum.
- B. General Education Communications Part A (Comm A) course taken at UW-Madison. If Comm A is completed through placement test, test credit (AP/IB), or transfer credit, then a liberal studies course of at least 3 credits with a breadth designation of Humanities, Literature, or Social Sciences must be taken on a graded basis at UW-Madison.
- C. Introduction to Engineering course specified by degree program; InterEGR 170 is recommended for Engineering Undecided students.
- D. Math course sequence through Math 222.
- E. Four Foundational Courses as defined in 3.E.1, 3.E.2, and 3.E.3 completed at UW-Madison:
- Math Foundation: A minimum of two math courses numbered 221 or above; one math course 300 level or above; or calculus sequence completed through Math 234. Excludes Math 228, Math 473, special topics, independent study, seminar, pass/fail, and credit/no credit courses.
- Engineering Foundation: A minimum of two courses as defined in the table below.
| Degree Programs (Majors) | Science |
| Chemical Engineering | (i) one course must be Chemistry 104 or higher
(ii) one course must be Physics 201/EMA 201 or higher If (i) and (ii) are complete, select from additional engineering foundation courses below. |
| Biomedical Engineering
Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Engineering Mechanics Engineering Physics Environmental Engineering Geological Engineering Industrial Engineering Materials Science and Engineering Mechanical Engineering Nuclear Engineering |
(i) one course must be either Chemistry 104 or higher OR Physics 201/EMA 201 or higher
(ii) one other engineering foundation course, from the following subject codes:
|
-
- If the math and engineering foundational courses for the degree program are complete, then degree program engineering courses 200 level and above can be taken to complete the Four Foundational Courses requirement. Excludes EPD, InterEGR, special topics, independent study, seminar, pass/fail, and credit/no credit courses.
GPA Requirements:
- F. To guarantee progression, Core and Overall GPA requirements must be satisfied as defined by CoE departments for each engineering degree program (major) https://stage.intranet.engineering.wisc.edu/undergraduate-students/progression/. All graded UW-Madison courses referenced inE.1. and 3.E.2. above and any departmental engineering courses level 200 or above will be counted in the Core GPA (excludes EPD, InterEGR, special topics, independent study, and seminar courses). All graded UW-Madison courses are counted in the Overall GPA. For one and only one of these core courses that a student has repeated, the more recent of the two grades will be used in the calculation of Core and Overall GPAs. Students are not eligible for guaranteed progression if they have earned a D or F in any course that counts towards the Core GPA without repeating it for a C or higher at UW-Madison, or have been on academic probation at any time.
4. Consideration for Progression
Students who do not meet progression GPAs but have at least a 2.500 Core GPA and meet all other progression requirements will be considered for progression in the selected degree program (major). The consideration process includes review of written statement(s), rigor of completed courses, and grade trends.
5. Extension for First Year Progression Requirements
Students who do not meet the requirements in Regulation 3 or Regulation 4 may be considered for a one semester extension but not beyond their fourth semester. Students granted this type of extension will be considered for progression in the selected degree program (major). The consideration process includes review of written statement(s), rigor of completed courses, and grade trends. Extensions will be evaluated only in cases where it is reasonable during the one semester extension to meet progression GPAs for an engineering program.
6. Placement Continuation for First Year Progression Requirements
Students who will not meet progression requirements due to University of Wisconsin placement and/or assessment tests (math and ESL) will be granted a one semester placement continuation up to their fourth semester if they are making satisfactory progress in a degree program (major). Students who receive a placement continuation and complete the requirements outlined in Regulation 3A-F over the summer term with UW-Madison coursework can be evaluated for guaranteed progression at the end of that summer term.
7. Program Capacity
When the number of applications for progression consideration for a degree program (major) exceeds the capacity of that program, progression will be limited to capacity. Selection of students under consideration for a program operating at capacity will be based on written statement(s), rigor of completed courses, and grade trends.
8. Progression Requirement Completion and Extension Application
Students must submit their request for progression for a degree program (major) or an extension to the Dean’s office by the deadline. Deadlines will be posted on the College of Engineering website at https://stage.intranet.engineering.wisc.edu/undergraduate-students/progression/ and emailed to students in the College of Engineering.
9. Consideration for Interdepartmental Transfer
Students who have previously met progression in a degree program (major) may apply to be considered for interdepartmental transfer to a different engineering program by posted deadlines. Interdepartmental transfer may be competitive and is not guaranteed. Selection is based on the academic record, written statement(s), and program capacity.
Registration
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10. Definitions
A. Full-time student: One carrying at least a minimum credit load of 12 credits. All students are expected to be full-time unless they have the permission of the Dean to be part-time. A student carrying less than the minimum credit load without the Dean’s permission will be placed on part-time warning at the end of the semester.
B. Part-time student: One who has the Dean’s permission to carry less than a minimum credit load (Regulation 11.E.).
C. Semester: A term of 15 weeks minimum duration.
D. Session: A term of less than 15 weeks duration (e.g., Summer Session or Intersession).
E. Modular Course: A course that is offered during a semester, but which lasts less than 15 weeks.
11. Credit Load Constraints
A. Maximum credit load: 20 enrolled credits per semester. Undergraduate full-time range is 12 to 18 credits; see Bursar’s Office website for tuition charges outside the full-time range.
B. Minimum credit load: 12 enrolled credits per semester, or one credit of College of Engineering cooperative education course during a co-op work period.
C. For sessions there is no minimum credit load; the maximum credit load equals the number of weeks in the session.
D. A student may carry more than a maximum credit load only with the recommendation of an advisor and with permission from the Dean.
E. A student who wishes to carry less than a minimum credit load in a specific semester for definitive reasons must request permission from the Dean to become a part-time student. Definitive reasons may include disability, health challenge, necessity of employment, other significant barriers to maintaining a full-time schedule. Part-time permissions must be renewed during the first two weeks of each semester part-time permission is requested.
F. A student on academic probation is advised to consult with their advisor regarding credit load and course selection.
12. Student Responsibility for Scheduling
Each student is responsible for developing a course plan and registering for courses that will (a) permit satisfactory progress towards degree requirements, (b) avoid class and final exam scheduling conflicts, and (c) avoid an excessively demanding final exam schedule.
13. Access to Courses
Departments may specify courses as open only to students in a specific degree program (major) or to students who have met progression requirements.
14. Transfer of Degree Applicable Credits
Credits from courses taken anywhere other than UW-Madison are only transferable to the College of Engineering if they are transferable to UW-Madison. Credits may count toward degree requirements only if the course was passed with a grade of C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better.
15. Transfer of Grades
Grades for courses taken anywhere other than UW-Madison are not transferable, even if the credits for those courses are transferable.
16. Adding Courses
Students may add full-semester courses only through the first two weeks of classes. The deadline to add a course is specified on the Office of the Registrar’s website (Regulation 21).
17. Dropping Courses
Students may drop full-semester courses during the first twelve weeks of classes. Courses dropped after the initial drop deadline are noted on the transcript as DR. The deadlines to drop a course are specified on the Office of the Registrar’s website (Regulations 21 and 24.G.).
18. Course Substitutions
A student may substitute courses that deviate from the requirements of a published curriculum of the College of Engineering upon the recommendation of the student’s degree-granting department and with the approval of the college governance committee.
19. Credit/No Credit and Pass/Fail Courses
Credit/no credit describes courses approved for two-level grading. Courses designated as credit/no credit will not be counted in determining the number of pass/fail courses the student may elect.
Pass/fail is an alternative way of being graded in a regularly graded course. A student may change the grading option of a full-semester course to or from pass/fail only during the first four weeks of classes (Regulation 21). Courses graded on a pass/fail basis can only count as free electives. Only students in good standing may elect the pass/fail privilege.
The pass/fail agreement is between the student and the Registrar, and is not revealed to the course instructor. The instructor submits the appropriate letter grade to the Registrar, who converts C or higher grades to S (Satisfactory), D and F grades to U (Unsatisfactory).
20. Audited Courses
A student may audit a course only if the instructor consents. Auditors are expected to attend with a reasonable regularity and to participate in the class, as determined by the instructor. Audited courses carry no degree credit, do not count in determining the minimum number of credits permitted in each term, and are not included in the calculation of the GPA. The only valid grade for audited courses is a grade of S (Satisfactory) or NR (No Report). A student may change to or from credit to audit only during the first four weeks of classes (Regulation 21).
21. Deadlines for Semesters and Sessions
Deadlines for semesters, sessions and modular courses are listed on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Performance and Evaluation
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22. Attendance
Each student is expected to attend all assigned classes during the regular meeting times, and take all of the examinations for those courses at the regularly scheduled times. In the case of course or examination absences excused for a reason acceptable to the course instructor, the student is expected to make up the work within a reasonable time, and may do so without a grade penalty.
23. Grading Systems
Course grades are reported by letter only; plus and minus grades are not authorized. The following grades are included in computing Grade Point Average (GPA) and Point-Credit Ratio (PCR).
| Grade | Grade Points | Per Credit |
|---|---|---|
| A | (Excellent) | 4.0 |
| AB | (Intermediate) | 3.5 |
| B | (Good) | 3.0 |
| BC | (Intermediate) | 2.5 |
| C | (Fair) | 2.0 |
| D | (Poor) | 1.0 |
| F | (Failure) | 0.0 |
24. Special-Purpose Grades
The following ways of reporting course grades are also used and do not affect GPA or PCR:
A. S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory) — used to report pass/fail courses (Regulation 19). S is also used in audited courses (Regulation 20).
B. CR (Credit) or N (No Credit) — used to report credit/no credit courses (Regulation 19).
C. NR (No Report) — signifying that no grade has been reported to the Registrar’s Office — a temporary grade that must be replaced by an A-F grade; also used for a permanent grade in audited courses (Regulation 20).
D. NW (No Work) — student enrolls in a course and then never attends. This means that instructor has no evidence that student ever attended.
E. I (Incomplete) — a temporary grade; EI is used for an extended incomplete (requires a Dean’s action); IN is used to indicate an incomplete in a credit/no credit course. (Regulations 29-31)
F. P (Progress) — a temporary grade used for courses extending beyond one term. The final grade determines the grade for each term and replaces P grades for the course.
G. DR (Dropped) — indicates the course was dropped after the initial drop deadline noted on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
25. Course Grade Changes
The final course grade may be changed only by the instructor of record for the course section, and then only to correct a clerical error in the computation or reporting of the original grade.
26. Grade Point Average (GPA) and Point-Credit Ration (PCR)
Grade Point Average (GPA) is computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned at UW-Madison by the total number of credits attempted (excluding pass/fail or credit/no credit courses) at UW-Madison. The Point-Credit Ratio (PCR) differs from the grade point average in that it involves only those credits that count toward graduation and the related grade points. When a course is repeated, the credits and grade points earned only for the final attempt are included in the point-credit ratio.
27. Dean's Honor List
At the end of each semester the names of all full-time students in good standing with a 3.5 or higher semester GPA and cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and no incomplete or unreported grades will be included on the Dean’s Honor List. Credit/no credit and pass/fail courses are not considered in meeting the full-time standing requirement for the Dean’s Honor List. Transcript will show a notation of “Dean’s Honor List.”
28. Repeating Courses
Any course may be repeated at the student’s option. In the case of a required course in which the student earned a grade of D and which is a prerequisite to another required course, the student is strongly encouraged (or may be required by degree requirement) to repeat the course. For courses taken more than once, all grades count in the grade point computations, but only the last grade for the course is applied to the student’s point-credit ratio.
29. Incomplete Grade
An incomplete may be reported for a student who, because of illness or other unusual and substantiated cause beyond the student’s control, has been unable to complete the final examination or some limited amount of work. To be eligible, the student must be earning a passing grade and have a limited amount of work to complete by the end of the term.
30. Resolution of an Incomplete
The student must initiate the request for a grade of incomplete with the instructor before the end of the term. The instructor and student must agree on the coursework to be completed and establish a plan for the student to submit the work. At the instructor’s option, incomplete grades must be updated on the student record by the Friday of the eighth week of the following semester. If the incomplete grade is not changed to a final grade by the Friday of the eighth week, the incomplete grade will be changed (lapse) to a grade of F (or N for Credit/No Credit courses).
31. Extended Incomplete Grade
If an incomplete grade cannot be resolved by the deadline, the instructor may extend the time the student has to complete outstanding work by submitting a request to change the Incomplete grade (I) to a grade of Extended Incomplete (EI). The Extended Incomplete grade must be accompanied by a new deadline no later than the last day of instruction for that semester. If the Extended Incomplete grade is not changed to a final grade by the deadline, the grade will be changed (lapse) to a grade of F (or N for Credit/No Credit courses).
32. Final Exam Rescheduling
A student may be permitted to take an examination at other than the regularly scheduled time only with permission of the instructor. Permission will be granted only for illness or other unusual and substantiated cause beyond the student’s control. (Regulation 12).
33. Withdrawal
Students may withdraw from the University after consulting with their advisor and with the approval of the Dean. The withdrawal date and a DR notation will be recorded for courses in progress if the student withdraws after the initial deadline to drop a course and before the withdrawal deadline (Regulations 21 and 24.G.). The deadline to withdraw is specified on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
A Medical Withdrawal may be granted to students who experience a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition; who may need to provide care to an immediate family member who is experiencing a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition; or who have experienced the death of an immediate family member. Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis.
Withdrawals (other than Medical Withdrawals) are not granted after the deadline to withdraw. Grades of Incomplete, if justified (Regulation 29), or F, N, or U will be recorded for students who leave the University during this time.
34. Year Classification
The year classification of a student is determined by the number of credits passed and the number of grade points earned, applicable to the student’s degree, as indicated by the following tabulation:
| Name of Year | Numerical Classification of Year |
Minimum Credits Passed |
Minimum Grade Points Earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sophomore | 2 | 24 | 48 |
| Junior | 3 | 54 | 108 |
| Senior | 4 | 86 | 172 |
For the purpose of year classification only, pass/fail and credit/no credit courses and courses transferred from another campus are assumed to have earned 2.0 grade points per credit.
35. Good Standing
A student is in good academic standing unless on academic probation or dropped.
36. Part-Time Warning
A student is placed on part-time warning when that student has, in the semester just completed, passed fewer than 12 credits without permission from the Dean.
37. Probation
A student is placed on academic probation when that student has, in the semester just completed, attained less than a 2.0 GPA. Once on probation, the student is continued on probation until either removed from probation or dropped (Regulations 38, 39).
38. Removal from Probation
The following requirements must be satisfied for the removal of a student from academic probation (Regulation 37):
A. A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0;
B. A GPA of at least 2.0 for the semester just completed.
39. Drop
A. A student on academic probation will be dropped at the end of any semester for which that student has attained a GPA of less than 2.0 or has passed fewer than half of the credits attempted (Regulation 37).
B. A student not on academic probation will be dropped at the end of any semester for which that student has passed fewer than half of the credits attempted.
40. Readmission from Dropped Status
A student who has been dropped for academic reasons may be readmitted by the Dean only after the student has been out of the College of Engineering for at least one semester. A student readmitted from dropped status is readmitted on academic probation.
41. Session Actions
No academic actions (part-time warning, probation, drop, removed from probation) will be taken at the end of sessions (Regulation 10.D.).
42. Graduation
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that graduation requirements have been met. All students should regularly consult their DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) document in conjunction with their advisor to ensure that all the following graduation requirements have been met:
A. Have fulfilled the published graduation requirements of that curriculum, with all substitutions formally approved, and have achieved a minimum 2.0 GPA overall.
B. Have a PCR (Regulation 26) of at least 2.0 for those semesters and sessions containing the last 60 credits taken at UW-Madison or for all credits taken at UW-Madison if fewer than 60.
C. Have a departmental PCR of at least 2.0 for all courses taken in the degree-granting department that count toward graduation.
D. Have completed at least 30 credits in residence in the College of Engineering, including 15 credits of work in the degree-granting department. Students in the Engineering Physics BS program are not required to complete 15 credits in the degree-granting department.
E. Have completed the last two semesters in residence in the College of Engineering. Cannot be on co-op or study abroad in the last semester. Students may seek permission from the Dean to be on co-op or study abroad in their second to last semester.
F. Have completed the last semester in the College of Engineering enrolled in courses required for their engineering degree.
G. Have a GPA of at least 2.0, both for the last semester and also for the combined last two semesters.
43. Graduation with Distinction and Highest Distinction
Students who have earned at least 60 credits on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus and whose total cumulative GPA is in the top 5 percent of the College graduating class will receive the designation “Graduated with Highest Distinction,” or if in the next 15 percent, “Graduated with Distinction.” The appropriate designation is entered as a permanent record on the student’s transcript.
Appeal
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44. Appeal
The Dean of the College of Engineering has the authority to suspend or modify the operation of these regulations if their enforcement is judged to cause an injustice to the student.