Engineering Candidacy and Progression Policy
In the interest of having students matched with majors in which they can succeed, and stewardship of financial aid resources, it is important for engineering students to have appropriate preparation at the beginning of the program and to make good academic progress. The School of Engineering has established three phases for students to advance through while completing a degree in engineering. Students will need to complete key courses from the freshmen sequence in Phase 1 before advancing to Phase 2. They will need to complete all required classes from the first two years before advancing to Phase 3. Students who present a transcript of previous successful studies in math and science from an accredited college or university may be admitted directly to Phase 2.
Phase 1 Courses
Courses Required for all Concentrations:
- ENGL 121 (College Writing I)
- ENGL 122 (College Writing II)
- MATH 181 (Calculus I)
- MATH 281 (calculus II)
- Two of the following four courses:
Additional Courses for Bioengineering:
Additional Courses for Civil or Mechanical Engineering:
Additional Courses for Computer or Electrical Engineering:
Engineering Advancement to Phase 2
Students must advance to Phase 2 in the Engineering program before proceeding to any engineering course numbered 221 or higher. To advance to Phase 2, students must complete all required Phase 1 courses with a C- or better grade, and maintain a cumulative GPA >2.5. Advancement to Phase 2 normally occurs prior to the Fall quarter of the student's second year of taking courses at Walla Walla University as an Engineering major. Student who do not meet the requirements to advance to Phase 2 in their chosen concentration by the end of their first spring quarter as an engineering major must apply for continued enrollment in engineering. This application should include a detailed plan for completing the deficient courses. Students who do not advance to Phase 2 or successfully apply for continued enrollment in engineering at the end of their first year must switch to a non-Engineering major.
Applications for continued enrollment in engineering into the third year without advancing to Phase 2 will not typically be accepted. Because of course sequencing, students should expect as least three years of additional study to complete the engineering degree after advancing to Phase 2.
Engineering Advancement to Phase 3
Students advance to Phase 3 after completing all the required courses in the first and second year of the four-year planner for their concentration, with no more than 8 credits less than C-. Occasionally, engineering courses may need to be repeated. However, multiple repetitions of courses inefficiently use student finances and can jeopardize degree completion. Students should expect to advance to Phase 3 before the end of the third year of studies. If this timeline is not met, students must switch to a non-engineering major. Alternatively, they may apply to remain in engineering with a detailed plan for addressing the deficient courses.
Transfer Student Advancement
For transfer students, the timing of the threshold for Phase 3 depends on how many credits a student transfers in before beginning courses at Walla Walla University as an Engineering major.
Students with less than 45 college credits taken before beginning courses
- Advance to Phase 3 by the end of the ninth full time quarter in the engineering program (not counting summers).
Students with between 45 and 90 college credits taken before beginning courses
- Advance to Phase 3 by the end of the sixth full time quarter in the engineering program (not counting summers).
Students with more than 90 college credits taken before beginning courses
- Advance to Phase 3 by the end of the third full time quarter in the engineering program (not counting summers). If course sequencing justifies this, or if a substantial number of the transferred credits were not in STEM related areas, additional time may be granted.