Marine Biology majors must make consistent progress towards completing major requirements.

• Minimum of one class toward departmental major requirements each quarter
  • Departmental requirements, include foundational science and mathematics courses (e.g., CHEM 142, Q SCI 291) or specialized marine science courses (e.g., FISH 250, MARBIO 305)
  • S/NS grades, dropped courses, and 0.0 grades do not count towards meeting this requirement
  • Courses completed with a numeric grade of 0.7 or higher count towards meeting this requirement. Some foundation science courses have prerequisites with higher grade requirements (BIOL 200 requires a 1.7 or higher grade in BIOL 180) and may require re-taking a course
• Majors can work with Marine Biology Advisers to pre-approve an academic plan for quarters with only non-major courses (courses required for double majors, non-major study abroad, etc.)

All UW undergraduates must earn a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA to earn a degree.

• Cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher

All Marine Biology majors must earn a 2.0 or Major GPA.

• Major GPA is 2.0 or higher
• Major GPA is the grade point average for all courses applied to the ‘departmental requirements’ for the Marine Biology Major
• The Major GPA can be found towards the bottom of the Degree Audit (DARS) for the Marine Biology Major

First quarter a student has not met satisfactory progress requirements

• Registration hold placed on account
• Student notified of failure to meet progress, the criteria for re-establishment of satisfactory progress, support resources/links, and option to meet with advising to create a specific plan for success
• To remove hold, student must:
  • Reply and acknowledge receipt of notification and understanding of policy

Second quarter a student has not met satisfactory progress requirements

• Registration hold placed on account
• Student notified of Academic warning
• To remove hold, students must
  • Outline and submit a graduation plan
  • Submit an online academic self-assessment form (form link)
  • Meet with a Marine Biology Academic Adviser

Third quarter a student has not met satisfactory progress requirements

• Student notified of their dismissal from the major by email, including instructions and a deadline to appeal
• Students can appeal dismissal once
  • MB Director reviews appeal
  • If the appeal is approved, any subsequent quarters in which academic progress has not been met will result in dismissal from the major with no option for appeal
• No student response or appeal by deadline: dismissal status maintained. Non double major/degree students are moved to ‘extended pre-major’. Student services will notify UAA advising

Please review the ‘petitions’ section above: students can be approved for these quarters by communicating in advance with advisers and submitting an academic plan.

Students can either explore other open majors to change to (contact that program for directions on how to declare) or contact Marine Biology Advising to request a change to “Pre-Major”.

Courses taken in foundational science and mathematics courses (even if they are required to apply to other majors) still count as making progress towards the Marine Biology major.

Students are encouraged to consult with Marine Biology Advising about how their timeline to apply to other majors or add double majors can intersect with completion of the Marine Biology major.