Academic Policies

Program on the Environment Grading Policy

The Program on the Environment utilizes the following grading guidelines for most courses taught within our Program. This scale reflects faculty desire to help ensure that students passing through the core ENVIR course sequence are, in fact, equipped with proficiency in the skill set needed to succeed during the final capstone series. Our grade scale matches well with other programs and departments both within our college and across the university. The grade scale is designed to motivate achievement by setting a higher standard for meeting the minimum requirements of our major.

At the top end of the scale, it is more difficult to achieve a 4.0, thereby better reflecting true excellence in academic achievement and helping to maintain the integrity and meaning of a 4.0. This reflects the inherent challenge of excellent academic achievement.

Percentage of Earned Points Numerical Grade, 4.0 Scale
98 – 100% 4.0
97% 3.9
96% 3.8
95% 3.7
94% 3.6
93% 3.5
92% 3.4
91% 3.3
90% 3.2
89% 3.1
88% 3.0
87% 2.9
86% 2.8
85% 2.7
84% 2.6
83% 2.5
82% 2.4
81% 2.3
80% 2.2
79% 2.1
78% 2.0
77% 1.9
76% 1.8
75% 1.7
74% 1.6
73% 1.5
72% 1.4
71% 1.3
70% 1.2
69% 1.1
68% 1.0
67% 0.9
66% 0.8
65% 0.7

Course Fee Policy

The Program on the Environment (PoE) attempts to provide immersive learning experiences in and out of the classroom that provide students with the opportunity to learn and practice skills in the context of content and concept learning, as well as to apply that learning to real world situations. In pursuit of those goals, PoE defrays these expenses, and charges course fees where appropriate, for the following costs:

Expense Unit Defrays Course Fee Defrays
Airfare       x
Fleet Services (UW vehicle rental)       x       x
Field Trip Drivers       x
Personal Vehicle Mileage       x       x
Ferry Fees        x       x
Food       x
Accommodation (housing)       x
Room Rental (other than housing)       x
Access Fees and Permits       x
Consumable Supplies and Materials       x       x
Software       x
Equipment       x       x
Printing and Photocopying       x
Speaker Honoraria       x       x
Speaker Travel       x       x
Technician Remuneration       x
Cost Center Expenses       x
Laboratory Analyses       x

Course Fee Refunds
Students must make a written request to Environmental Studies Student Services, enviradv@uw.edu to secure a refund for a course fee, regardless of whether the course is being taken for credit or audited.

Course fees will be refunded for a course a student drops within the first 7 calendar days of the quarter or if a student withdraws within the first 7 calendar days of the quarter. After the 7th calendar day of the quarter, Program on the Environment generally will not refund course fees because purchases for the class will have already been made. However, special consideration may be given for extenuating circumstances, such as in the case of hardship withdrawal, but only if the student has not extensively participated in the field or laboratory work. Course fees refunded after the 7th calendar day of the quarter may be prorated based on the number of weeks remaining in the quarter.