Prospective Students
1. What are the admissions requirements for the undergraduate IAS majors?
2. Is there a minimum gpa required for admission?
3. How does IAS make admission decisions?
4. Does IAS admit students who have not completed the foreign language requirement? May a student make up foreign language while majoring in the IAS Program?
5. I am interested in applying for Summer Quarter. Is that a possibility?
6. If I am admitted, when will I be able to register?
7. What is the Interdisciplinary Studies option in Individualized Study?
Current Students
1. What’s the best way to contact my adviser or schedule an appointment?
2. How can I contact my professor?
3. Where can I find the major checklist sheet?
4. I have an uneven number of credits needed to complete my degree. How can I take care of this?
5. How many lower division (100-200 level) courses can I take at UW Bothell?
6. Where can I find out what classes will be offered next quarter?
7. How can I get into a course that is full?
8. What is an entry code? How do I get an entry code?
9. When is the last day for me to drop a course?
10. What does “Prerequisites (cancellation in effect)” mean? Does it mean the class is cancelled?
11. Can I change my major or option?
12. Do I need prerequisites for my major or option?
13. How do I apply to the Interdisciplinary Studies option in Individualized Study?
14. What is independent study?
15. Can I get credit for doing an Internship?
16. What are the IAS Minors?
17. When do I apply to graduate?
18. What is BIS 499: Portfolio Capstone? Do I have to take this course?
19. What is the IAS Degree Portfolio?
Prospective Students
For information regarding admission requirements and prerequisites for the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, please visit: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/environmentalscience/applybs.
For information regarding admission requirements for the following Bachelor of Arts, please visit: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/IAS/admissions/applyba.
• American Studies
• Community Psychology
• Culture, Literature and the Arts
• Environmental Studies
• Global Studies
• Interdisciplinary Arts
• Interdisciplinary Studies: Law, Economics and Public Policy (new in Autumn 2011)
• Interdisciplinary Studies: Media and Communication Studies
• Science, Technology and Society
• Society, Ethics & Human Behavior
A 2.5 minimum cumulative gpa is expected. Special circumstances may allow for admission of students with lower cumulative gpa's (between 2.0 and 2.4).
In addition to specific admission requirements, the IAS Undergraduate Admission Committee looks for coursework relevant to the IAS curriculum (see http://www.washington.edu/students/crscatb/ and review course descriptions under the BIS, BISAMS, BISCP, BISCLA, BISGST, BISIA, BISLEP, BISMCS, BISSTS, BISSEB and BES prefixes), and a well-written goal statement that addresses:
• The reason(s) why the applicant wants to complete the particular major to which they are applying
• Long-term goals and aspirations
• Evidence that the applicant is a good fit for IAS and their chosen major
• Any special circumstances
Grades are considered, with more weight given to grades in relevant coursework and grades in later coursework.
IAS will not admit students who are deficient in any of the core requirements (foreign language, intermediate algebra, english composition, and quantitative and symbolic reasoning). If a student is in the process of completing a core requirement at the time of application, and is otherwise admissible to the program, IAS will admit the student contingent upon successful completion of the core requirement. The student will not be allowed to register until official documentation of successful completion of the deficiency has been received.
Due to the limited number of course offerings, IAS does not admit new students for Summer Quarter.
Newly admitted students may register during Registration Period 2. In order to register they must attend the mandatory new student orientation, submit the Measles Immunization Verification form, and pay the Enrollment Confirmation fee. Students with deficiency holds (see #4 above) are not allowed to register until IAS receives documentation of successful completion of the requirement.
The Individualized Study (IS) option within the Interdisciplinary Studies major is designed for highly-motivated students who want to create their own course of study. Students can't apply directly to this option. If interested, student apply to the IS major in their junior year after they have completed at least one quarter of coursework in IAS, including BIS 300 Interdisciplinary Inquiry. For more information on the IS major, please click here.
Current Students
A student may either e-mail IASAdvisers@uwb.edu or make an appointment by calling the IAS office at (425) 352-5350. For quick questions we encourage students to email. Generally, during peak registration times the IAS Advisers get booked with appointments. For complex questions and planning, in-person appointments are often best. During the heavy registration periods students should schedule their appointments in advance. Walk in or drop in advising is not available. We want to be prepared when we speak with you.
IAS faculty contact information is available through the IAS home page (http://www.bothell.washington.edu/IAS/faculty/index.xhtml). A current professor’s office number, office phone, and e-mail address are all provided. Contact information may also be obtained by consulting the on-line directory located on the UW Bothell home page (www.uwb.edu). Most professors prefer to be contacted through e-mail.
You can find your major checklist sheet on the webpage for your major: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias.
Students may choose to take any available two (2) credit courses or may speak to a faculty member about arranging an independent study (1-5 credits). Students may also look at credit courses from other departments as options to fulfill elective requirements, if needed.
If you are an IAS student, you can apply up to 35 credits of lower division (100-200 level) coursework toward the 90 credits required for an IAS major. A limit of 15 credits of lower division IAS coursework may count in your designated major.
Current quarter class offering can be found on the online Time Schedule (http://www.bothell.washington.edu/students/registration/time/). You can also pick up a hardcopy of the current schedule in front of the IAS Program office located in UW1-390. To get a peek at a tentative schedule for the following quarter you can go the IAS webpage (www.bothell.washington.edu/ias).
If a course is full, monitor the web for current enrollment information. Enrollment numbers may fluctuate throughout the registration period. Instructors may grant permission for a student to register for a class that is full by asking the IAS office to issue an entry code. To obtain an entry code from the IAS office, written permission from the instructor is required.
In the first week of any quarter, students have the ability to add and drop courses. After the first week of the quarter, students are required to have an entry code to add a course. To receive an entry code, the student must have written or e-mail approval from the professor who is teaching the course. Once the student has received the professor’s approval, they deliver it to the IAS program office located in UW1 390 or forward that e-mail to IASAdvisers@uwb.edu. An entry code will then be given to the student in person or via e-mail.
Typically, the last day to use your Annual Drop for autumn, winter or spring quarter is the 7th week of the quarter on a Sunday. For a detailed list of all deadline dates, please refer to the UW Bothell Academic Calendar: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/calendars.
It simply means that the system will screen for prerequisites. If the student has not taken the prerequisite(s), the system will not allow her to register for the course. If the student believes she has adequate preparation to succeed in the course, she should contact the professor.
Yes, students can change their IAS major or option. However, we do not recommend that students change their major (or option) in their senior year. Students must meet with an IAS Adviser in an advising appointment to change to another IAS major or option. Students who wish to apply to another major outside IAS must contact that program, school or college adviser.
Prerequisites are courses needed beyond the general admissions requirements for IAS. If you are applying for the following majors or pathways you will be required to complete prerequisites prior:
The Individualized Study (IS) option within the Interdisciplinary Studies major is designed for highly-motivated students who want to create their own course of study. If you are interested in the IS degree option, you should begin by obtaining the agreement of an IAS faculty member to serve as your mentor. You will consult with your mentor on drafting a Statement of Intent describing the goals of the Individualized Study. For more information on the IS major and application process, please click here.
Independent study (variable credit) allows a student to work on a research project under faculty guidance for credit. Students who are interested must have a topic in mind before approaching a professor to ask for permission to enroll. Once permission is received from the professor, the student and professor must complete the Variable Credit Form (available through the IAS program office or at http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias/experiential/opportunities), the student must return the signed form to the IAS Office to obtain an add code to register for the independent study. For each credit awarded, a student must complete the equivalent to five pages of writing. For example, a student would need to complete work equivalent to a 25-page paper to receive five credits. Independent study is not available in the summer.
Yes, the IAS academic internship course is BIS 495. It is a 2-6 variable credit non-repeatable course offered every quarter except for autumn. Students need to find their own internship site, but the Career Center can assist students in identifying possibilities and applying to or interviewing for them. Also, students need to apply to take the internship course mid-way through the prior quarter. For more information on academic and (non-academic) internships, please visit: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias/experiential/internships.
There are three minors in IAS: Ecological Restoration, Human Rights and Policy Studies. For more information on these minors, please visit: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias/minors. It is possible to complete a minor from another program at UW Bothell or from another campus. Students interested in a minor should meet with that program or school adviser as early as possible.
Both Bachelor of Arts (BA) AND Bachelor of Science (BS) students will need to schedule an advising appointment with an IAS Adviser to complete a Graduation Application 3 quarters before the anticipated quarter of graduation. This will give the student Graduating Senior Priority when registering for classes in the last two quarters.
Bachelor of Arts students are required to take BIS 499: Portfolio Capstone in their last quarter. BIS 499 is a 3 credit course that is capped at 24 students. Go to this link: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias/iasdegreeportfolio to learn more about the IAS degree portfolio and capstone course.
Bachelor of Science students are required to complete BIS 499 and either the 10 credit Capstone in Restoration Ecology or a 10 credit Approved Independent Research. The Capstone in Restoration Ecology consists of BES 462, BES 463 and BES 464. Students take BES 462 in autumn quarter, BES 463 in winter quarter and BES 464 in spring quarter for a total of 10 credits. To sign up for the Capstone in Restoration Ecology, contact Professor Warren Gold at WGold@uwb.edu . To sign up for a 10 credit Approved Independent Research contact a faculty member (http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias/about/faculty-staff). Go to this link http://www.bothell.washington.edu/environmentalscience/capstone to learn more about these two options.
The IAS Degree Portfolio is introduced in BIS 300: Interdisciplinary Inquiry and completed in BIS 499: Portfolio Capstone. Students are also encouraged to take BIS 399: Portfolio Reflection at some point after BIS 300 and before BIS 499. For more information on the Degree Portfolio, please visit: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/ias/iasdegreeportfolio