Academic Information

www.lwtech.edu/academics

Degrees and Certificates

General Requirements for Degrees and Certificates

LWTech awards a Bachelor’s Degree for completion of at least 90 credits of appropriate 300- and 400-level coursework. LWTech also awards Direct Transfer/Major Related Program (DTA/MRP) degrees for completion of specific transfer curriculum related to specific areas of study. The College awards Associate of Applied Science-Transfer degree (AAS-T) and Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) for completion of a technical program of study. Certificates of Proficiency and Completion are awarded for completion of a program of specialized technical training. Academic Core requirements for degrees and certificates can be found on the Programs of Study/Academic Core  page.

Bachelor of Applied Science Degrees

LWTech offers three Bachelor degrees:

• The Bachelor of Technology in Applied Design (BTAD)
• The Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Health
• The Bachelor of Applied Science in Transportation and Logistics Management.

The Bachelor degree is awarded for completion of at least 90 credits of appropriate 300 and 400 level coursework. An Applied Associate degree (AAS), Direct Transfer Associate Degree (DTA) or equivalent from a regionally accredited institution in a related field with the required distribution of academic core coursework in written communication, quantitative reasoning, social science, and humanities is a prerequisite for program admission. Other program admission requirements can be found at www.lwtech.edu/btad, www.lwtech.edu/basph, or www.lwtech.edu/bastlm.

To submit an application for a bachelor degree, a minimum of the last 30% of upper division credits must be earned in residence.

A minimum passing numeric grade (2.0 or higher) in each upper division course that receives a numeric grade, and a cumulative average of 2.0 in all upper division courses, is required for the Bachelor degree.

Students can choose to graduate under the catalog currently in effect or the catalog in effect when they started in the program, as long as that catalog is no more than seven years old.

DTA/MRP

Requirements

The DTA/MRP degree is a transfer degree for students wishing to pursue a bachelor’s degree at a four year institution. Completing this degree prepares students to transfer with junior status to a participating college or university. Degrees available are in Business, Construction Management, Math Education, Pre-Nursing, and Technology.

The AAS degree must contain a minimum of 20 credits of academic core courses, including instruction in written communication (5 cr.); quantitative reasoning (5 cr.); social science (5 cr.); and humanities (5 cr.).

To submit an application for a DTA/MRP degree, a minimum of 30% of the technical credits must be earned in residence.

A minimum passing numeric grade (2.0 or higher) in each course that receives a numeric grade, and a cumulative average of 2.0 in all courses, is required for the DTA/MRP degree.

Students can choose to graduate under the catalog currently in effect or the catalog in effect when they started the program, as long as that catalog is no more than seven years old.

Associate in Applied Science Transfer Degree

Requirements

The AAS-T degree must contain a minimum of 90 credits. The number required varies with each program.

An Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) degree is built upon the technical courses required for job preparation but also includes a college-level general education component, common in structure for all such degrees. The general education courses for the degree are drawn from the same list as those taken by students completing the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) associate degree. These degrees are consistent with the dual purpose of transfer and preparation for direct employment.

The AAS-T degree must contain a minimum of 20 credits of generally transferable academic core courses including: written communication (ENGL& 101 ) (5cr.); quantitative reasoning (any generally transferable math course with intermediate algebra as a prerequisite) (5cr.); social science (5cr.); and humanities (5cr.).

To submit an application for an AAS-T degree, a minimum of 30% of the technical credits must be earned in residence.

A minimum passing numeric grade (2.0 or higher) in each course that receives a numeric grade, and a cumulative average of 2.0 in all courses, is required for the AAS-T degree.

Students can choose to graduate under the catalog currently in effect or the catalog in effect when they started in the program, as long as that catalog is no more than seven years old.

Associate in Applied Science

Requirements

An AAS degree must contain a minimum of 90 credits. The number required varies with each program.

The AAS degree must contain a minimum of 20 credits of academic core courses, including instruction in written communication (5 cr.); quantitative reasoning (5 cr.); social science (5 cr.); and humanities (5 cr.).

To submit an application for an AAS degree, a minimum of the last 30% of the technical credits must be earned in residence.

A minimum passing numeric grade (2.0 or higher) in each course that receives a numeric grade, and a cumulative average of 2.0 in all courses, is required for the AAS degree.

Students can choose to graduate under the catalog currently in effect or the catalog in effect when they started in the program, as long as that catalog is no more than seven years old.

Certificate of Proficiency

Requirements

A Certificate of Proficiency is issued to students completing a program of specialized occupational training of 45 credits or longer. The number of credits varies with each program.

At least fifteen (15) credits of academic core, including: instruction in written expression (5 cr.); quantitative reasoning (5 cr.); and social science (5 cr.) are required along with the technical requirements listed in the catalog.

To submit an application for a Certificate of Proficiency, a student must have completed a minimum of 30% of the technical credits at Lake Washington Institute of Technology.

A minimum passing numeric grade (2.0 or higher) in each course that receives a numeric grade, and a cumulative average of 2.0 in all courses, is required for the Certificate of Proficiency.

Students can choose to graduate under the catalog currently in effect or the catalog in effect when they started in the program, as long as that catalog is no more than seven years old.

Certificate of Completion

Requirements

A Certificate of Completion is issued by Enrollment Services to students who satisfactorily complete the competencies and requirements for programs of less than one academic year, less than 45 credit hours in length, which does not necessarily include related instruction.

To submit an application for Certificate of Completion, a student must have completed all technical credits in residence at Lake Washington Institute of Technology.

A minimum passing numeric grade (2.0 or higher) in each course that receives a numeric grade, and a cumulative average of 2.0 in all courses is required for a Certificate of Completion.

Students can choose to graduate under the catalog currently in effect or the catalog in effect when they started in the program, as long as that catalog is no more than seven years old.

Global Outcomes

Lake Washington Institute of Technology identifies five Global Outcomes-institution wide student learning outcomes -that all students graduating from LWTech should have to be successfully prepared for today’s careers and tomorrow’s opportunities. The five Global Outcomes are Communication, Critical Thinking, Information Literacy, Intercultural Appreciation, and Teamwork.

Each program includes coursework used to assess student performance in these global outcomes:

Communication

The ability to engage effectively in verbal, non-verbal, written, and/or symbolic expression.

Critical Thinking

The ability to evaluate information, draw inferences, arrive at conclusions, and create solutions based on objective analysis of the evidence.

Information Literacy

The ability to recognize when information is needed, to choose the appropriate tools to locate the required information, and to effectively gather and evaluate the information.

Intercultural Appreciation

The ability to describe and demonstrate the value of cultural differences and commonalities among people and to recognize and respond to those differences and commonalities in the workplace and the learning environment. Differences and commonalities include, but are not limited to, ethnicity, age, gender, ability, life experiences, family situation, race, and sexual orientation.

Teamwork

The ability to participate actively and cooperatively in a group to advance a common goal.

eLearning

elearning@lwtech.edu

There are three types of eLearning courses. Each type requires the same amount of course work per credit hour, but there are differences in how much is conducted in the classroom versus online.

Web Enhanced

These classes are conducted with a traditional classroom schedule, but also utilize online systems for activities such as posting class announcements and grades or submitting assignments.

Hybrid, or Blended

These are classes that replace some - but not all - classroom time with online learning. For instance, a class that would ordinarily meet five days a week might meet three days a week and substitute online activities to replace the other two class sessions.

Online

These are classes conducted 100% online. Students should expect to spend several hours each week working online during the quarter, and never meet their instructor face to face. Online classes include scheduled assignments and activities and are not typically self-paced.

Below are questions you should consider before enrolling in an online or hybrid course:

Do You Have Your Own Computer and Internet Access at Home?

It is very important for students in online or hybrid classes to have reliable access to a computer with an internet connection. If you do not have access to these at home or work, you can use the student computer labs on campus when they are open and available. For online or hybrid classes, you may need to spend 2-3 hours at a time at the computer, several days each week.

How Are Your Technology Skills?

A student in a fully online class needs to be able to:

• use email
• use web browsers
• use word processing software
• download files
• create attachments
• solve problems that may arise by doing tasks such as clearing browser histories, clearing cookies, and adjusting browser plugins

If you do not have these skills, you may be better suited to hybrid and web-enhanced courses, rather than fully online courses. In addition, we recommend you find the tutoring, resources or basic classes you need to learn the above skills to be fully successful in web-enhanced and hybrid courses.

How Comfortable Are You With Asking for Help When You Need It?

In an online course, you need to be able to research answers from the materials the instructor has provided, as well as communicate via email or discussion posts with your instructor and fellow students. Students who are most successful in online and hybrid courses are comfortable finding help and asking for support when they need it.

How Much Time Do You Have to Devote to an Online Class, Working at a Computer with an Internet Connection?

In a typical online course, you will spend 10-15 hours per week online completing coursework. Online classes have the same work load as face to face classes, without dedicated classroom time to complete coursework.

Students in online classes need to be able to organize and plan how they will accomplish these tasks independently.

Do You Have the Personality Traits & Skills That Contribute to Success in Online Learning?

Students who are successful in online courses usually have the following characteristics:

• self-motivated, self-disciplined and organized
• effective time management skills
• strong reading comprehension skills
• strong writing skills
• comfortable participating in online class discussions and providing feedback
• interest in and curiosity about new technologies

Cooperative Education

Cooperative education is a process that draws upon community resources to expand students’ learning outside the classroom. It offers students the opportunity to blend classroom theory with planned, supervised field experience in areas relating to their career choices. They work with a cooperative education coordinator, faculty member and employer to identify and develop specific skills and learning goals to be gained through the encounter.

Students work on paid, or in some cases, unpaid training assignments while integrating specific periods of on-campus study with employment.

Students may be able to apply their current job experience, if related to a career choice, toward a certificate or degree. Cooperative education experience may substitute for some coursework to meet personal needs. For more information on Cooperative Education, students should contact their faculty adviser.

Developmental Education Services

Students come to LWTech with skills at varying levels, yet they want to become more successful in everyday life or in training programs. The college offers developmental education to many students who:

• have been out of school a long time and wish to brush up on basic or study skills
• need to improve basic reading, writing and mathematics skills before enrolling in other college courses
• are from non-English speaking countries and wish to improve their English abilities
• may already have adequate skills but wish to improve them further
• wish to finish their high school education or obtain the General Education Development (GED®) certificate

Adult Basic Education

Adult Basic Education (ABE) class instructors offer assistance in developing basic skills in reading, writing, speaking, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, problem solving and math. Emphasis is on developing useful knowledge and applied skills such as financial and health management, parenting and raising a family, and finding and keeping a job. The Adult Basic Education program welcomes all adults who want to improve their skills. Each student discovers where his or her learning level is, and a personal program is developed. All learning levels, from the very basic to GED®, can be accommodated. For more information, please call the college at (425) 739-8656.

General Education Development (GED®)

General Education Development (GED®) is a series of five tests developed by the American Council on Education to enable persons to obtain the equivalency of a high school diploma. Earning a GED® provides students with greater access to employment, advancement and higher education opportunities. To support students in passing the GED® examination, the Adult Basic Education program offers GED® preparation classes and pre-tests. All students under the age of 19 need to obtain a release from their school district in order to take the test. Two pieces of ID are required at the time of testing. The college is a designated testing center for GED® exams. Testing appointments must be scheduled in advance either at the Assessment Center, West Building, 2nd floor, room W204 or by calling (425) 739-8115. For more information, go to www.lwtech.edu/assessment.

English as a Second Language

The college serves a highly diverse population of students from around the world, many with limited English-speaking skills. For residents who want to improve their proficiency in English for personal, employment, or educational reasons, the college offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. For more information about English as a Second Language classes, please call the English as a Second Language instructional assistant at (425) 739-8359.

High School Programs

Lake Washington Institute of Technology offers a number of options for high school age students. As requirements for entry and completion are subject to change, please visit High School Programs on the Web at www.lwtech.edu/academy for current information.

International Programs

International Programs provides diverse services and programs for international students, scholars, and workforce training participants. These services and programs include: immigration and academic advising, class registration, orientation, medical insurance enrollment, cultural adjustment support, and assistance with applying for Optional Practical Training work experience.

Many international students begin their studies in the Intensive English Program before progressing to take the Compass and pursue academic programs. Students who have not completed high school in their own country may be eligible for the International High School Completion Program, allowing them to take courses that will help earn high school and college credits at the same time. International Programs arranges specialized short-duration workforce training programs throughout the year and supports visiting delegations from international partner institutions. For more information about International Programs, please see www.lwtech.edu/international

Credits and Credit Load

The academic year is divided into three quarters of approximately eleven weeks each, while also running an eight-week summer quarter (the length of individual courses may differ). In order to complete certificate or degree requirements in the prescribed number of quarters, a suggested course load per quarter will be approximately 15 to 20 credits. A lecture class which meets five hours per week for one quarter will yield five quarter credits. Lab courses require ten hours of class time per week for five credits. Special permission is needed to carry more than 25 credits.

Full- and Part-Time Student Status

Students enrolled in 12 or more credits are considered full-time. Some programs may require higher quarterly credit loads to complete requirements in a specified time period. Some external agencies may use different credit values to calculate full-time status.

Students registered for fewer than full-time credits as defined above are considered part-time.

NOTE: For financial aid purposes, the financial aid office should be consulted for definitions of three-quarter time, half-time, and less than half-time since the level of enrollment affects aid eligibility.

Graduation

The student is responsible for working with his or her adviser to meet all degree or certificate requirements. Automated degree checks are available for various academic programs and time periods through online services on the campus website.

To receive a preliminary evaluation before the final quarter starts, students must apply to graduate by the second week of the preceding quarter. Students should apply to graduate by the fourth week of the preceding quarter. Applications received after that may be deferred to a future quarter.

Commencement is held yearly in June. Students who complete a program during the preceding summer, fall, winter and spring quarters, or the following summer, are invited to participate.

Graduation is recorded on student transcripts two-to-four weeks after the end of the student’s final quarter. Diplomas are sent to students four to six weeks after the end of the final quarter.

Some programs offer other special awards that are not posted to the transcript.

In accordance with state law, students are expected to complete their degree and certificate programs within a suitable length of time or number of credits. See Enrollment Services  or the student handbook for details.

Grading

LWTech uses a numeric grading system for most courses. Instructors may report grades from 4.0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments and the grade of 0.0. Grades in the range of 0.6 to 0.1 are not assigned. A grade of 0.7 earns credits; however, a minimum grade of 2.0 is required for a number of purposes including technical courses, academic core requirements, progression in a sequence of classes, to satisfy a prerequisite, and graduation requirements. Numerical grades may be considered equivalent to letter grades as follows:

I - Incomplete

An incomplete grade may be given if the student is doing passing work, is unable to complete the requirements of the course during the quarter and can complete the requirements within a contracted period of time. The student does not reregister for the course in a later quarter to remove the incomplete within the contracted period of time.

When an I (Incomplete) grade is given by an instructor, a contract is filed with Enrollment Services stating the work necessary to remove the Incomplete, a date for completion, and the grade earned if not completed. Incomplete coursework must be completed by the required date as established by the instructor (this date may be no later than the end of the subsequent quarter of enrollment). At the time of graduation, the Incomplete will be changed to a 0.0 or to the grade assigned on the contract.

N - Audit

Audit means the student registered on a space-available basis to attend the class and to listen, but not do graded work. The N grade does not earn credit and does not affect the GPA. The audit grade option must be approved by the instructor and submitted to Enrollment Services by the eighth week of the quarter.

NG - No Grade

NG means the course is “not graded” for any student taking the course. This applies, for example, to some non-credit courses. It would not appear on graded, credit courses. NG does not affect the GPA and does not earn credits. It does not indicate whether a student attended, just that the student enrolled.

R - Repeating a Course

The qualifier R on a transcript means a course has been repeated, and is excluded from credits and grade point average. A student may repeat any course taken at LWTech in which a grade of less than 2.0 or a U was earned. All grades will still appear on the transcript whether repeated or not. If the most recent grade is lower than the earlier grade, the student may request the registrar to count just the higher grade in the GPA.

S/U - Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

S/U grading is used for work experience, clinical, and skill development courses. The S indicates a satisfactory level of performance by the student. By assigning an S grade, the instructor certifies a performance level of at least a 2.0 or higher. Credit is earned but the S does not affect the GPA calculation. A U grade is assigned when the level of performance is below 2.0. A U grade does not earn credit and does not affect the GPA.

W - Withdrawal

A student may officially withdraw from any course through the eighth week of the quarter (or the equivalent for a short course or courses with irregular start or end dates) by completing a withdrawal form and submitting it to Enrollment Services. Official withdrawals occurring after the tenth instructional day of the quarter are posted with a W on the student’s permanent transcript. Withdrawals do not count in the GPA calculations and cannot be assigned by faculty in the grading process.

Y - In Progress

A Y grade is given to students who are doing passing coursework in basic skill classes (ABE, ESL, etc.) but need additional instruction and time to complete course requirements. Students are required to re-register for the course and pay all tuition and any other charges. The Y remains on the transcript for the quarter assigned, while the final grade will be posted to the quarter in which the student re-enrolled in the course. The Y grade earns no credit and does not affect the GPA.

Z - Unofficial Withdrawal

Students who attend briefly, rarely, or not at all, and who fail to withdraw from a course with a W grade, may be assigned a grade of Z if appropriate in the judgment of an administrator. The Z grade does not earn credit and does not count in the GPA calculation.

* (Asterisk)

This symbol (asterisk) means the grade has not been assigned yet. The student should consult with his or her instructor. This grade does not affect the GPA and does not earn credits. Note however that a * grade could prevent a student from receiving honors, impede financial aid eligibility, block graduation, or result in a student being considered in academic difficulty. It is important that all enrolled courses be assigned valid grades.

Academic Grade Forgiveness Policy

In order to compensate for the effects of circumstances in a student’s past that may have negatively affected his or her GPA, LWTech offers a grade forgiveness policy. This procedure can be accomplished through an appeal filed with the registrar. The following criteria must be met to be eligible for such an appeal:

1. Grades must be three or more years old.
2. Only quarters including credits graded below a 2.0 may be forgiven.
3. Grade forgiveness can include one or several quarters from a prior census point back, as requested by the student.
4. The student must demonstrate a 2.0 GPA in all decimal graded courses taken after the last date of the period for which a student is requesting forgiveness.

All courses in a given quarter are removed from the GPA but remain on the student’s transcript. This appeal can be requested by turning in a letter of appeal to the registrar in Enrollment Services. A determination will be made whether grade forgiveness is appropriate on a case-by-case basis.

NOTE: Grade forgiveness can only be granted once.

Grades previously forgiven will not be reinstated. Also if a student is transferring to another college, that college may not recognize the grade forgiveness previously granted at Lake Washington Institute of Technology.

Grade Appeals

Students are responsible for maintaining standards of academic progress and following course procedures established by instructors. The purpose of allowing a grade appeal is to protect students from prejudiced, arbitrary, or capricious academic evaluation. Students are responsible for following the grade appeal process as described in the current LWTech Student Handbook available in any student services office.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The grade point average indicates the general achievement of the student. The quarterly GPA includes only classes for that specific quarter; the cumulative GPA includes all classes which comprise the student’s academic history at LWTech. GPA is calculated by dividing the grade points by the number of credits of the courses for which the student was awarded a decimal grade. Grade points are calculated by multiplying the number of credits by the numeric value of the grade for each course. The calculation does not include courses for which the student was awarded Z, Y, N, W, I, S, U, or other non-decimal grades.

Example:

The GPA is calculated for each quarter and also for all quarters combined, which is referred to as a cumulative GPA. Contact Enrollment Services if you have questions about your GPA.

Grade Changes

Grades may be changed by instructors only in cases of clerical errors or subsequent completion of coursework. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate a grade change with the instructor. A grade change form must be completed, signed by the instructor, and submitted to Enrollment Services before a grade change becomes official. Students have 60 days from the end of the quarter to request a grade change (deadlines for Incomplete grades differ).

Grade Reports

After the end of each quarter, grades can be accessed through the college’s online services. Grades are not mailed out. Official transcripts are available through Enrollment Services and unofficial transcripts are available on the Web. It is important that students check grades at the end of each quarter and address questions promptly. See grade changes above.

Honors

Honor Roll

• President’s List requires a 4.0 quarterly grade-point average with a minimum of 12 college-level credits earned cumulatively and 12 credits earned for the quarter.
• Dean’s List requires a 3.7 quarterly grade-point average with a minimum of 12 college-level credits earned cumulatively and 12 credits earned for the quarter.
• Both lists require a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in all coursework.

Honors are awarded at graduation for students who achieve the following cumulative grade point averages:

• Cum Laude = 3.5 = 3.69
• Magna Cum Laude = 3.7 - 3.99
• Summa Cum Laude = 4.00

Each candidate for graduation is assessed at the time graduation is finally approved. Please contact Enrollment Services for further information.

Program Closure

If a program is closed, the college will provide a method for current students to finish the degree or certificate. Students must fulfill the requirements within six years of the date of initial enrollment in the closed program. Substitutions for discontinued courses will be permitted upon approval of the Dean of the closed program.